The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has encouraged its members to participate in a united fast in gratitude and for the preservation of religious freedom on Sunday, July 5.

On Sunday, May 31, the Church asked that Sunday lessons go over the founding of the United States and the US Constitution.

The lesson included a video of President D. Todd Christofferson and Elder Quentin L. Cook, who spoke about the founding of the United States and religious freedom. Their discussion included the invitation to participate in the upcoming unified fast.

"We invite all who are able to participate in a united fast on Sunday, July 5, 2026, in gratitude for the blessing of religious liberty and with prayer that this freedom will be protected and strengthened throughout the world," President Christofferson said.

Jaimee Baxter, a senior studying exercise physiology, said she was impressed that there was a Sunday class dedicated to the rights the United States put in place when this is an international church.

"I just thought it was really interesting that we watched a whole video talking about how important our constitutional rights are," Baxter said. "I think it made me reflect on ... the value of the religious freedoms we have here. That it's so important to an ongoing restoration and being able to continue our, our religious and spiritual rights and our freedoms."

Sophia Johnston, also a senior studying exercise physiology, said her church meeting didn't have the lesson on the constitution, but she learned about the value of loving others. She added that when hearing about the fast, she thought it was different than fasts she had done previously.

"I just remember when they announced what they wanted us to fast for. I remember thinking, we usually fast for ... rain or a family in need or something like that. So they're asking us to fast for gratitude ... and to help other people find that religious freedom; I just thought it was unique, because I've never done that before. It feels cool trying to help other people."

Baxter added that the lesson reminded her of something her friend pointed out to her.

"Everything that Satan does is to create disunity," Baxter said. "So I think anything that we do to unite, to create unity, is kind of a really cool thing, because I think it thwarts the adversary and his efforts to destroy our agency or disrupt our agency or disrupt the family unit or disrupt our ability to thrive as a country, as nations, as individuals."