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5 Rules for Preparing a Great Sacrament Meeting Talk

how to write a good talk lds

I am blessed to live in a ward which has really amazing Sacrament speakers, consistently, week after week.  Seeing how they do things has inspired me to do better.  These thoughts represent simply my own personal opinions on some of the rules of preparation that can allow a Sacrament Meeting Talk to do what it is meant to do.  Though described as rules, they are not hard and fast.  I’m sure some of the best talks I’ve ever heard have broken one or more of these rules:

So there you are.  It’s Sunday morning, and you stand in front of a congregation of your fellow Latter-day Saints, freshly rebaptized by the Sacramental ordinance, and ready now to be spiritually fed. By you.  Today’s Sacrament meeting speaker.  They are your neighbors and your friends and your co-workers in the glorious cause of building Zion.  According to C.S. Lewis, they are among the holiest sights that will ever be presented to your senses. Daunted?  You should be.  Your task is important, and you have hopefully taken it very seriously. A talk which uplifts, edifies, engages, and elevates will allow the members of the congregation to feel the spirit.  It may even accomplish the most important task of all.  It may even inspire us in the congregation to repent, and thereby fully effectuate the promise of the bread and the water which we have just taken. Alma 31:5 teaches that the effective preaching of the word has a more powerful effect upon the minds of the people than the sword.  An uplifting Sacrament talk is one of Heavenly Father’s most powerful tools.  Present it unto him sharpened and clean and ready, and His Spirit will help you to use it true.

A meandering, mediocre, dialed-in performance will, on the other hand, make it just a little bit harder for the members of the congregation to want to come to Church next week.  The faithful can persist for week after week of boring Sacrament meetings.  But the less faithful?  The investigator?  The recently baptized member who misses NFL afternoons?  The young person struggling with their testimony?  Not so much.  A boring Sacrament meeting talk is a tool in the hands of Satan.  Don’t give it to him.

This is not to say that avoiding boredom is your first task.  Novelty for the sake of novelty, or entertainment value for the sake of entertaining is not the point.  If it were, we could bring in rock music, like some of the other Christian churches are doing.  No. Your task is not merely to engage. Engagement for its own sake has no value.  You are there to teach.  And you need to engage so that we in the congregation might be taught.

So here are some rules you might consider as you prepare your talk.

1.  Number one:    Organize your talk around a doctrinal premise, not a doctrinal topic.   This, more than anything else, will bring focus to your task, as you organize your thoughts, and will ensure that you will sit down from your presentation having actually said at least one thing.  And if you actually say one thing, the possibility at least exists that it will be something which was worth saying.  A premise is a full sentence.  A topic is a word or a phrase.  The bishopric member who asks you to speak will likely give you a topic.  That is a place for you to start.  Now narrow it by choosing a premise.  Let’s say, for example, that he asks you to speak on faith. There’s about a billion things you could say about faith, many of them not even religious.  Or, if he is having a particularly good week, he may even ask you to speak on Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.  That’s better, but you’ll still need to focus.  Now, turn that word or phrase into a statement (that is to say: a full –not an incomplete– sentence) which statement will form the core message of your talk: “Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ invites repentance.” Perfect.

You can tell the audience what your premise is right from the beginning, and then discuss it, and then remind them at the end what your talk was about (tell them what you are going to tell them, then tell them, then tell them what you told them), which is a good structure for youth and beginners; or you can build to your premise. Whatever works.  The important thing is that, if you choose your premise carefully, you will be teaching doctrine.  Boyd K. Packer has repeatedly stated that true doctrine, properly understood, changes behavior, and that the study of doctrine will do more to change behavior than the study of behavior will do to change behavior.  If you organize your talk around a doctrinal statement you will be teaching doctrine, which leads to changing behavior, i.e., repentance, which the Doctrine and Covenants tells us, again and again, is the only thing that we should be preaching to this generation.

By way of illustration and example, here are some doctrinal premises, any one of which would make the core of a fine Sacrament Meeting talk:  Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ motivates us to repent. Jesus Christ’s Atonement allows our repentance to be effective.  The Atonement of Jesus Christ allows our will to become more perfectly at one with that of our Heavenly Father. The Atonement of Jesus Christ reconciles, or brings at one, the eternal principles of justice and mercy. The Atonement of Jesus Christ can cause our spirits and our bodies to be brought at one, not only in the resurrection, but during this life.  The blessings of the Atonement are available to all who offer up a broken heart and a contrite spirit. The Holy Ghost testifies of Jesus Christ.  God is our Father.  We are the children of heavenly parents and we have a divine destiny.  We believe in being chaste.  The Prophet Joseph Smith saw God the Father and Jesus Christ.  Because of the restoration, the full blessings of the Atonement are again available on the earth.  Joseph Smith was the first Prophet of our dispensation.  Gospel ordinances allow us to make and keep covenants with our Heavenly Father, which will bring the blessings of the Atonement into our lives.  The Book of Mormon is the word of God.  The Book of Mormon testifies of Christ and of His Atonement.  We are led by Prophets, Seers, and Revelators.  It is only through grace that we are saved.  We obey the Commandments to be changed by the Atonement.  If you can’t think of any premises, look through the Articles of Faith.  Or open Preach My Gospel to the missionary discussion chapters, where you will find premise after premise of docrinal truth.

2.  Number two:   Support Your Premise.    No, your talk is not a legal brief, or talking points for a debate tournament.  You don’t need to pretend the audience contains a skeptic and try to convince her of your premise.  But the point of organizing your talk around a premise is to narrow and focus your ideas and thoughts, so that your talk will be about something specific.  Having a premise doesn’t do you any good if your talk then launches off into several different directions instead of supporting your premise.  If you had a High School English teacher who taught you about deductive essays, invoke that format.  If you didn’t learn about deductive essays in High School, google it.  The support for your premise can include scriptures, but if so don’t just read the key scriptural passages, give the context and explain the passages.  The support for your premise can include quotes from General Authorities or other “famous people”, but if so don’t give a “talk on a talk” where you simply rehash and summarize an entire text from last Spring’s General Conference.  Instead, choose quotes that fit your point as precisely as possible, or which say what you want to say more eloquently than you could say it.

The support for your premise can take the form of stories, but be careful to use stories from reputable sources, not faith-promoting rumours that can end up tearing down faith when someone hears an altered variation of the same Mormon urban legend a few months later.  If you are using stories that are meant to be taken allegorically, and not as factually accurate, make that clear, and choose an analogy that is appropriate.  The support for your premise can include lines from a hymn, or poetry.  We don’t get nearly enough poems in Church anymore. It can include a scene from a well known movie, or a passage from a famous play, but for obvious reasons, choose your movie wisely.  Significantly, your premise can find support in questions: “What does it mean to have a broken heart and a contrite spirit?”  You aren’t in a class setting though, so you’ll have to handle such questions carefully, perhaps by discussing your own struggle to find an answer, and what you may have tentatively come to understand.

Unless you are a recently returned missionary giving his homecoming talk, there are no set rules for supporting the premise of your talk.  (If you are a recently returned missionary reporting on your mission, then there are set rules: whatever your premise, support it with stories from your mission.  That’s what your relatives came to hear. And that’s what all of us in the congregation are hoping our children will hear. Your talk is a recruitment tool for future missionaries and for member missionary engagement.  It took you two years of gruelling labor to come up with 20 minutes worth of faith-promoting stories, and now is your time to tell them, including to a group of Deacons who don’t need to know about the gruelling labor, and just need to know that missions are awesome! Tell your stories.  Don’t blow it.)

But even though there are no set rules, some things do work better than others, and you should be aware of two of them:

First and foremost, know that personal stories, from your own life, or stories from the lives of your own family, or ancestors, will be far more meaningful to you, and therefore far more engagingly told, than will any story you get from any other source.  This is so important that it’s almost a hard and fast rule.  If your entire talk consists of other people’s stories, or quotes and scriptures, throw out the middle 1/3 and replace it with something closer to home. There is a brother in my ward who tells a story about an incident which occurred one December evening that he spent at his failed Christmas Tree Lot venture.  I have heard that story about three times.  It has never failed to make me cry. Brother J is engaged by that story, because it is his story.  And so I am engaged as well.

I will never forget the first time I heard Brother L, recently released from our Stake’s high council, tell his story of growng up in  a broken home and being converted to the gospel.  His story is so powerful that just hearing it can convert others.   Keep it personal. We want to add YOUR TESTIMONY and YOUR WITNESS and YOUR STORY to our hearts, not just be told hearsay from others whose voices we can read at home on our own.  Secondly, for scriptural stories, try as much as possible to use stories that come from the life and the teachings and the parables of the Savior.  For my money, one of the greatest BYU Devotionals ever given was from Thomas B. Griffiths,  The Root of Christian Doctrine , from March 14th, 2006. In that address, Judge Griffiths’ spoke about an organized effort by a student Stake over which he presided, to ensure that all of their Sacrament and other Sunday meetings were rooted in the Atonement of Christ.  To do so, he encouraged instructors to draw upon Christ’s life and teachings in presenting curriculum material, making this point: “When we are talking about [Christ’s] life and using the words he said, we are remembering him, and a power comes into our teaching that is otherwise not present.”

3.  Number Three.   Avoid Unforced Errors.   A lot of important points could be made here.  I’ll stick to some essentials:

– Practice your talk at home,  and time it when you practice it .   It will almost certainly be longer than you imagined .  Giving the last speaker little time to give remarks which he spent just as much time as you to prepare can create spirit-destroying awkwardness in a meeting.  Keeping young children squirming in their parents’ laps long after the time for the meeting to end has the same effect. Keeping it short will help you to keep it focused and concentrate on the good stuff.

-Do not write your entire talk or you will be tempted to read it, and a talk which is read is lifeless. Write down quotes.  Write down scriptural passages.  Write down important ideas or your treatment of any potentially delicate issue, that you want to make sure you articulate carefully and correctly. But everything else should be in the form of an outline so we in the congregation can hear you conversing with us, not reading to us.  The spirit might direct you to say something you hadn’t quite expected to say.  This can only happen if you are open to being guided by the spirit, and you won’t be open to that if you are controlled by a written text.

– Avoid politics and controversy. Most of us have very strong political viewpoints.  Anyone who has read this blog knows I do. And those opinions are very much influenced by my own personal take on the Mormon paradigms which instruct my worldviews.  It is certainly appropriate to speak on our Mormon paradigms and the spiritual components of our worldviews in Church, but not in a manner which hints of partisan promotion. When in doubt, don’t go there.  Not in Sacrament Meeting.  Not the time.  Not the place.  If you are going to quote a famous historical figure who was involved in politics, he or she should be dead.  The longer he’s been dead, the better.  If she died before any one in the congregation was born, she’s perfect.  On rare occasion, it may be appropriate for the Sacrament Meeting speakers to deal with an issue which has political dimensions, such as freedom of religion, the divine origins of the Constitution, or the importance of civic engagement and awareness. On even more rare occasions, some political topic of current concern which has a clearly moral dimension, on which the Church has taken an explicit stand, might be addressed in Sacrament Meeting.  The wise will not volunteer to address these topics or look for opportunities to put their thoughts regarding the same into their talks unless they have been expressly and explicitly asked to do so by the bishopric.  If the Bishopric or the Stake leadership feels inspired to have such a topic addressed, let the Bishopric carefully choose the speaker who will address that matter, or let them address it. If you have been tasked as that speaker, find recent Conference Address quotes from the Apostles and the First Presidency on the topic in question to guide your thoughts, and run your remarks by the bishopric ahead of time. Otherwise, choose a gospel premise, not a political premise.  Your task is to inspire the congregation; to help them feel the spirit; to strengthen their testimony and understanding of a doctrinal principle of the restored gospel, to motivate them to repent.  Not to tell them how to vote.

– No gimmicks.  The handbook advises that Sacrament Meeting is not the time or place for visual aids or multi-media presentations. The same is true of other forms of novelty.  Some clever method you have found to get your Sunday School class’s attention at the beginning of class; or some behavior that might work well in a skit, and might be perfectly approriate and even effective during the second or third hour of church, is not thereby rendered safe for Sacrament meeting.  Don’t encourage your audience to be like the people of Mars Hill at Athens, who were described in the book of Acts as constantly seeking after “some new thing.”   Novelty for its own sake has no place in Church.  And even novelty for the sake of something important, which might be effectively deployed in Sunday School, still has no place in Sacrament meeting.  You are not there simply to engage or entertain. But to engage reverently and for a higher purpose.  When a great speaker sits down, her audience will not be thinking about what a great or entertaining speaker she is.  They will be thinking about what they learned. (My favorite Roger Ebert movie review is his skewering of the film,  The Dead Poet’s Society , in which he made the point that, at the end of a truly great teacher’s class on  English literature, the students would love English literature, not just love the teacher. The same principle applies here.  Your talk is about the gospel, not about your skills as an engaging speaker.)

– Know the very first thing you are going to say when you first stand up. Hemming and hawing for the first several seconds will not invite the spirit.  Don’t start with humour unless you really need to do so to relax yourself, or the audience looks dead tired and you are sure you are good at it, and you are sure you know the bounds of propriety.  Most people don’t pass all those tests and should just take a pass on the opening joke. Telling us about the phone call from the first counselor and the topic you received is inherently uninteresting.  You shouldn’t be speaking on a topic anyway, you should have taken the topic you were given and turned it into a premise.  Stand up and start saying something that matters.

4. Number Four:  Testify of the Atonement and Tie the Atonement into Your Premise.     The Atonement of Jesus Christ is the core principle of the Gospel.  Boyd K. Packer has called it the very root of our doctrine.  The Prophet Joseph taught that all of the other doctrines of the restored gospel are merely appendages to its core truths. Whatever the topic you have been assigned, in order to fully understand that topic, you must understand how it relates to the Atonement.  If you are not able to see the connection, than you don’t understand the topic you have been asked to speak on as well as you need to.  Ponder and pray and make the connection and help the congregation to make it as well.  Again, from Brother Griffiths: “If you cannot figure out the link between the topic you are to teach and the Atonement of Christ, you have either not thought about it enough or you shouldn’t be talking about it at church.  In our limited time in church, we must be talking about the Atonement of Christ.”   Testify of the Atonement as you conclude your talk.  This will make you a prophet, giving revealed truth.  Revelation 19:10. Nothing could be more powerful.

5.  Number Five.   Stay Humble.    The members of the congregation who were most influenced by your talk will be those who left the service with an idea in their mind which was put there by the spirit.  There is a better than even chance that this concept won’t be directly based on anything you actually stated.  This doesn’t let you off the hook. The spirit won’t tell any member of the congregation what the spirit needs us to know if we are trying to puzzle out where you are going or falling asleep during your remarks.  All of the foregoing rules still apply, and there may be some members of the congregation who are actually taught what you hoped they would be taught.  But remember that that is not necessarily the point.  After taking the Sacrament, the members of the congregation didn’t stay in our pew to hear you, but to hear the Spirit, through you.  Follow these rules, or another set that works better for you, and you may be able to give us that opportunity.

Texas Mormon July 10, 2016

Thank you for this article! This really helped me with my talk today! The part about not being a tool in satan's hand by giving a bad talk really spurred me on. The first bit of advice about how to turn your topic into a premise was key for me. I usually bounce around from idea to idea and with a narrow focus my talk easily came together! I received many compliments and feel confident speaking in the future. Thanks!

Arizona Mormon August 7, 2015

Thanks for taking the time to put this together. I am speaking in Sacrament on Sunday so its nice to have a refresher. The only tip I'd have to disagree with is writing your talk out. I think this is really a personal preference, depending on how good you are at public speaking and ad-libbing. I write out every word of my entire talk religiously (pun intended). For one, this gives me a good way of archiving the talks that I've given, but more importantly in my experience, the Spirit talks to me more often in the preparation of my talk, rather than spur of the moment in the middle of me presenting it, though it can happen either way. But I don't shun those that read their talks because they still put forth just as much effort as the person that is a good speaker, but might not have put much preparation into their thoughts. I think they just need to practice the deliverance of it. For example, I'm not a good speaker when I'm nervous so having it all spelled out in front of me keeps me on topic. I agree with not reading it like a story or just reading other people's talks, so to avoid that you practice it. I often go in to the church the night before and just listen to how it sounds. By the point I give my talk I've rehearsed it so many times that I've practically memorized it. And this doesn't take away from listening to the Spirit for guidance at all because it makes me more comfortable and engaged in my delivery that I can have an open mind while sharing my thoughts. But that's just my two cents. I guess I just grew up around a bunch of big egos who were always bragging about not writing down a single word of their talk or how little they had to prepare the 5 minutes before the meeting started. Obviously I was drawn away from those methods. And I still feel that even though I write every word, it's still more of an outline. I have it separated into sections and have certain parts highlighted and marked so I can follow along, but still be able to use it as a simple guide.

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how to write a good talk lds

5 Tips for Preparing a Sacrament Meeting Talk

by Leading Saints | Sep 18, 2013 | Articles , Teaching | 3 comments

how to write a good talk lds

Have you ever seen someone fire up PowerPoint slides for their sacrament meeting talk? Me neither. This is because the format for sacrament meeting is inspired and PowerPoint (or any other visual aids) is not allowed. Count this as a huge blessing. Many may consider the lack of slides a challenge since they won’t have their “bullet points” to read.

My father recently shared with me THIS ARTICLE in the Church News. I found it ironic since I was in the midst of researching and writing this very post.

I found that article insightful. It has many good points that I agree with and other points I would debate. Nonetheless, I think more people need to educate themselves on how to effectively speak in sacrament meeting. It’s the most important meeting in all of the church and therefore it should be enjoyable to attend.

You are there to change them, not to teach them

If there is one mistake people make when preparing a sacrament meeting talk, it is trying to teach  something rather than trying to change those that are listening. Trying to find that one quote that nobody has heard, or trying to explain the Hebrew translation of one passage of scriptures. This isn’t the point. Don’t get me wrong, I love doctrinal gymnastics as much as the next guy, but save it for a blog entry, or write a book about it. It has its place and it is important. But in a sacrament meeting, you are putting the congregation to sleep.

A few years back I was hired by a company to travel North America and present to groups of people averaging 100-300 in attendance. I did this about 10-15 nights a month. I enjoyed the job (minus the travel) and really wanted to sharpen my public speaking skills. The book The Naked Presenter   was recommended to me. Garr Reynolds, the author, approaches public speaker from a metaphorically nude standpoint. Meaning, when you present the best way to connect to the audience is not through great powerpoint slides, or cliché jokes, or even a perfect outline. It’s about just being  you. The more real you are the more likely people listening will engage.

Verbatim is for general conference, not sacrament meeting

If you plan to simply type out each word and then read it verbatim over the lectern, why not just pass out a hard copy and I’ll read it on my own time? I am more likely to absorb the message by reading it than having you read it to me.

This is a tempting strategy for sacrament meeting talks. Many are beyond nervous about public speaking. And without a word-for-word crutch, they just don’t see how it is possible. This is understandable, but it will fail to convey your message. With a bit of practice and further preparation, anyone can speak from their heart and change the listener through the power of the spirit.

However, you can forget this guidance if you are ever asked to speak in general conference. Between the mess of translation and timing, verbatim is the best option. Not all verbatim talks are bad. Isn’t that right, Elder Holland?

Focus on DOCTRINE not APPLICATION

In Elder Bednar’s book Increase in Learning , he explains a profound model for studying the scriptures which can also be applied to preparing a sacrament meeting talk as well. He explains that doctrines of the gospel lead to principles, which lead to  applications . Many make the mistake of first focusing on applications or principles and leave out the doctrine altogether. This seems to be the case with talks. You may have a great application story but without defining the doctrine first the story doesn’t help change  the audience.

During your preparation, force yourself to define and focus on the doctrines present in the assigned topic and then focus on them. A good example of this is from, of course, Elder Bednar. In the 2013 April general conference, there was much talk in society about the definition of marriage. He didn’t preach against same-sex marriage (application), nor did he pound the pulpit about homosexual rights (application). He simply spoke about the law of chastity (doctrine).

By focusing on the doctrine it changes the heart of man. How do I know this? President Packer said so:

True doctrine, understood, changes attitudes and behavior. The study of the doctrines of the gospel will improve behavior quicker than a study of behavior will improve behavior. Preoccupation with unworthy behavior can lead to unworthy behavior. That is why we stress so forcefully the study of the doctrines of the gospel.

Keep it personal by telling your own stories

When extending an invitation to speak, many bishoprics will have you reference a general conference talk. Please know this doesn’t mean they want you to repackage the same talk. Within that talk are  doctrines  and  principles that need to be referenced. Many general conference talks have funny stories and include remarkable experiences that were very effective when used in that specific talk. However, don’t use them in yours.

The power of a story or experience is no more powerful than when it is told by the person who experienced it. Your story may not be as remarkable as other’s but share yours. It changed you personally, so we want to hear how.

Practice in the mirror—yes I’m serious

In the above-mentioned talk it says, “For preparation time, a good measure is to take one hour per minute. For a 10-minute talk, plan on about 10 hours.” I couldn’t disagree more. For one thing, some bishoprics are lucky if they tell you three days in advance that you are speaking. And second, I think it’s a poor use of preparation time. Instead of preparing for 1 hour for every 1 minute, I would suggest preparing 30 minutes for every minute and then use the remaining time to actually practice your remarks out loud, at least 5 times.

Speaking from the perspective of a bishop, this is a good suggestion because I can’t tell you how many times people THINK they prepare a 10-minute talk when in reality they prepared a 20-minute talk. By practicing you will realize just how long your talk is. This will help you focus in on your topic and cut out the fluff.

Ok…I must admit. I don’t actually stand in front of a mirror when I do this. But I do practice it out loud and many times. This helps you understand how it all fits together, how it sounds, and any final tweaks. It’s one thing to draw a double-reverse pass on a chalkboard, but when it’s game time, it’s not quite as easy—without practice.

These are more practical suggestions that will help you deliver a powerful sacrament meeting talk. For more details on how to prepare your specific outline for a talk, most the points of the post A Framework to Help LDS Teachers Create Memorable Lessons apply as well.

What preparations steps do you take when preparing a sacrament meeting talk?

How do we help leaders

Reading your post made me realize that I really do do it right. I explain doctrine, principles and application using scriptures and personal stories. I LOVE to speak in Sacrament Meeting, always have since I was a youth. And from that time, oh so long ago, I have prepared a talk and practiced it, timed it so I get it with the allotted time and tweaked it until I felt the confirmation of the Spirit. All that practice came in handy when I was invited to present at a BYU Women’s Conference. What a fabulous experience that was!!! Now, how can we teach this to all the rest of the members?

Steve Reed

Hurray, hurray, hurray for “Increase in Learning” by Bednar. The book is fantastic and the best part is chapter four which you referenced. Every member needs to read that chapter.

Great stuff, I enjoyed most of your recommendations. Don’t be too hard on giving the background to some Hebrew words though. If it is done to help reveal doctrines then it is but one of many tools that can be use to address others. Applications vary according to circumstances and needs so sometimes and perhaps just that one time, the thing that is far from the norm is just what God intended.

Best takeaway line: “You are there to change them, not to teach them”.

LDB

“If you plan to simply type out each word and then read it verbatim over the lectern, why not just pass out a hard copy and I’ll read it on my own time? I am more likely to absorb the message by reading it than having you read it to me.”

Superb… Loved it

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  • Elder Holland’s Secret to Teaching | Sharing the Fire of Your Faith | Leading Saints - […] also mentions death by reading and death by boredom, which I have discussed in past posts. (See Preparing a Sacrament Meeting Talk Without…

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The ‘Ten Commandments’ of sacrament meeting talks

Jeffrey Denning, For the Deseret News

Here are five dos and five don'ts to keep in mind when preparing and giving a talk in church.

Here are five dos and five don’ts to keep in mind when preparing and giving a talk in church.

Agata GÅ‚adykowska, aga7ta - Fotolia

In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we have no professionally paid clergy to give weekly sermons. As such, members of local congregations are asked to speak.

Here are 10 suggestions to keep in mind when preparing and delivering a sacrament meeting talk from personal experience. Ideally, these suggestions will help increase the quality of our talks and add to the spirituality of the Sabbath day meeting. There are five don’ts and five dos.

1. Don’t give excuses

There’s no need to start out apologizing or saying, “I’m not prepared,” or “I don’t like to speak in public,” or “I didn’t start writing my talk until late last night.” The Lord revealed to the Prophet Joseph Smith, “If ye are prepared, ye shall not fear.” (D&C 38:30.) Even so, butterflies are normal. Public speaking isn’t easy, but it’s better not to give excuses.

2. Don’t announce the topic

With rare exception, those who give talks in general conference don’t announce what they’re going to talk about, they just start teaching. Theirs is a good example to follow. Saying, “I have been asked to talk about (such and such),” or “I’m going to talk about (such and such)” isn’t necessary. Just begin.

3. Don’t tell jokes

While there is a time and place for appropriate humor, even in sacrament meeting, some people may force jokes because laughter can be calming. The problem is doing so can draw away from the spirit of the meeting. Furthermore, sometimes jokes come in the form of stories that can take up valuable time that could be used for edifying and uplifting members of the congregation.

4. Don’t announce when you were asked to give a talk

We’ve heard it numerous times: “Bishop called me on Wednesday evening and asked me to speak.” Sometimes this is followed by anxieties and personal debate over public speaking. Sure, it would be great if the bishopric could give us a two- or three-week notice, but that’s not always possible. Announcing when or how you were asked to speak in church is really quite irrelevant. Just talk.

5. Don’t always give scriptural references

Sometimes those who quote scripture give the exact book, chapter and verse before or after quoting it. While this may be helpful in Sunday School, it’s not necessary during a sacrament meeting talk. (As a side note, Sacrament meeting speakers should not invite others to turn to a particular scripture.) Instead of citing the exact chapter and book, it’s OK to just quote the scripture or give a background. For example, consider saying, “Alma told his son Helaman to ‘Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct thee for good.’” You don’t necessarily have to give the reference or say, “Alma 37:37.”

6. Use the Scriptures

There is no better reference library than the holy Scriptures. The canonized writings of prophets and apostles give each of us ample words, topics, quotes and stories to choose from. As we “liken all scriptures unto us” (1 Nephi 19:23) we can make the scriptures come alive. When teaching from the Book of Mormon, we can also fulfill the vision of President Ezra Taft Benson who said, “I have a vision of… pulpits aflame with the spirit of Book of Mormon messages.”

Develop a love for the scriptures and study from them every day. Doing so will help bless your life immeasurably. Besides, I once heard a church leader say, “You can’t draw water from an empty bucket.” We need knowledge in order to teach, and knowledge is gained through regular scripture study and prayer.

7. Stick to sound gospel doctrine

Church is not an appropriate place for speculation regarding gospel topics, and particularly not from the pulpit. Stick to the basics. In just about every field of discipline I can think of, experts are masters in the basics. Likewise, master teachers can teach basic principles of the gospel in powerful and succinct ways. Unsavory quotations or questionable topics ought to be avoided. With the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, you can never go wrong if you stick to the words and teachings of the members of the Quorum of the Twelve and the First Presidency.

Preparation allows us to teach by the Spirit. Preparing often gives us a lot of material. It allows us to have notes and fresh thoughts in mind and to deliver them as the Lord would have us give them. Whether we write down and read every word, or stand and speak as we feel impressed and prompted, preparation is the key.

Because we may prepare a lot of material, it is important to be flexible with our time. Often, being flexible means not reading every word verbatim. We should not only be sure to leave enough time for other speakers, but we should also have enough material to speak longer if we need to, especially if we’ve been assigned to speak last.

9. Talk about the Savior

Jesus Christ is the center of the restored gospel. It is the Savior whom we represent when we speak. It is his church. He is the reason we gather together to worship so it is appropriate and important to speak of him and to teach what he taught. If we strive to allow others to feel the light of his gospel and his teachings, we are definitely on the right track.

10. Teach by the Spirit

The following is written of the sons of Mosiah: “They had given themselves to much prayer, and fasting; therefore they had the spirit … and when they taught, they taught with power and authority of God.” (Alma 17:3). We are commanded to teach by the spirit (e.g., D&C 50:14). If we don’t receive the spirit of the Holy Ghost — if we do not teach by the Spirit, but teach by some other spirit, we cannot — and shall not — teach (D&C 42:12). That is the Lord’s way. Teaching by the Spirit is the most important thing we can do.

Teaching by the Spirit means we must prepare ourselves, which includes striving wholeheartedly to live a virtuous life. We each must rely upon the atonement of Jesus Christ. As we humble ourselves and prayerfully study and prepare, the Lord will allow us to be instruments in his hands to say what he would have us say. Then, through the influence of the Holy Ghost, we can speak with the tongues of angels (see, e.g., 2 Nephi 31:13; 32:2-3).

Jeffrey Denning is a war veteran, former Federal Air Marshal, and father of six. He lives near Salt Lake City and enjoys public speaking. His new book Warrior SOS details the experiences of several veterans in their own words. www.Jeffrey-Denning.com

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how to write a good talk lds

All Things Were Common among Them, Even how They Start Talks

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A man delivers a sacrament meeting talk-mormon

Ever wondered how to properly start talks? There are many common ways members start sacrament meeting talks. We have all heard and probably done at least a couple of them. After asking what the most popular ways people start talks in sacrament meeting are, this is what we came up with.

1. Webster’s Dictionary Definition

Start talks Using dictionary definitions

Webster’s used to be the go to dictionary of many members, but several young people now quote from online dictionarys like dictionary.com. If the member is a person with a lot of education, he or she will probably use the Oxford dictionary definition.

2. Bible Dictionary Definition

Start talks with the bible dictionary definition

The Bible dictionary is a popular choice. However, sometimes the definitions are really long and people occasionally read definitions that are a few paragraphs long, reading way more than was necessary.

3. Telling a Joke

a meter that explains how funny something is or not

About half of the time the jokes are relevant to the topic but the other half they are just used as ice breakers. Some jokes are funny to a few, many, or none. The pity laugh however, is worse than no laugh.

4. Explaining How One Was Called to Speak

A woman telling her friend how she got called to speak - Image via Huffingtonpost.com

My phone started ringing and I wasn’t sure who it was so I thought about not answering it, but I did and wished I hadn’t.

I saw the bishop walking towards me in the hall and thought about running away but didn’t. He asked if I could speak in church two weeks from now and I said I would be out of town. Then he said, “What about the next week?” and I said I had a baby blessing to attend. Again he said, “What about the next week?” and I didn’t have any more excuses so I said yes.

5. She Takes Charge of the Introductions

A man meeting a woman on a park bench

My husband and I met when we were in college. I was actually more interested in his roommate than him at the time, but he was persistent and had a nice smile.

6. With a Rhetorical Question

Man staring at a large question mark. Image via nlptjc.wordpress.com

These can be both simple questions or long ones. What is Faith? Or. How do we as members of the church live in the world but not become of the world?

7. Explaining the Process of Procrastination

man holding a clock freaking out because he is running out of time. Image via todayfm.com

I knew the bishop was going to ask me to talk and was going to say no when he asked me. Then, for some reason, I said yes without really thinking about it. As the day got closer and closer, I kept putting it off. Last night I thought I would decide to be sick tomorrow. This morning however, I realized I couldn’t do that to the bishop and threw a talk together.

8. Creating a Personal Parable

Jesus teaching a sermon to a group of people

Many talks start something like this. Have you ever noticed… and that is how potatoes and faith are similar and what I want to talk about today.

When I was 9, I had a job shoveling snow for a business next door to our home. One day I didn’t want to… That is one of the lessons I still remember to this day about being honest and keeping your word and what I want to talk about today.

9. With the Words of  a Hymn

the music and words for the song amazing grace

One of my favorite hymns is ______ and the first line reads… On occasion the person will read a whole verse and rarely he or she will read the entire hymn.

10. With a Quote from a General Authority

A man hiking up a hill with a message about being on the right path

President Benson warns us to beware of pride when he says… I have often thought about the words of Elder Holland when he said…How can we apply those words in our lives today?

11. Explaining t he Challenges in Preparing the Talk

how to write a good talk lds

The bishopric didn’t assign me a topic so I prayed for guidance and started off preparing something about repentance. I had just about finished when I realized I needed to talk about something else and did some more reading. I ended up with a talk about how to show love to our fellow men.

12. Stating One’s Nervous and Apologizing Beforehand

I don’t like talking in church or public. I never have. I thought about telling the bishop this when he asked me to talk but didn’t. So, I am sorry if I don’t make sense or if my talk seems poorly prepared. I just don’t do well speaking in front of people. I hope you will bear with me for the next few minutes.

What are some common ways that you have heard people use when starting a talk that we may have missed?

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Ideas for LDS Sacrament Meeting Talks

A friend posted: “I need some good topics for Sunday speakers. Hit me up with topics you have liked or would like to hear about.” Without any hesitation I banged out this list of ideas for LDS sacrament meeting talks.

A few of the immediate reactions:

“If I ever write a book, you’re picking the title.” “Holy cow! Where did all these come from? Seriously the titles alone speak a sermon.” “Nat holy cow. If you just came up with those that is mind blowing.”

Spice up your Sunday meetings with these starting points off the beaten path.

If you write a sacrament talk or ask someone to speak from one of these titles, send me a copy or comment.

34 ideas for lds sacrament meeting talks, when people don’t apologize: forgiving and finding reconciliation with god.

Would borrow from Forgiveness + Tribulation , a talk I gave fall 2019.

Honoring Fallen Parents: The Fifth Commandment and Romans 3:23

The Fifth Commandment enjoins: “Honor thy father and thy mother.”

Romans 3:23 says: “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.”

How can we, how do we, honor parents … when they have ALL fallen short—at best—and done real harm, at worst?

Mediating Identities: Being an independent agent AND part of a family, part of a ward, part of a Church at the same time

… for there is a God, and he hath created all things … both things to act and things to be acted upon … Wherefore, the Lord God gave unto man that he should act for himself . 2 Nephi 2:14-16
[M]en should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will … For the power is in them, wherein they are agents unto themselves . D&C 58:26-27
And let every man esteem his brother as himself … And again I say unto you, let every man esteem his brother as himself. For what man among you having twelve sons, and is no respecter of them, and they serve him obediently, and he saith unto the one: Be thou clothed in robes and sit thou here; and to the other: Be thou clothed in rags and sit thou there—and looketh upon his sons and saith I am just? Behold, this I have given unto you as a parable, and it is even as I am. I say unto you, be one ; and if ye are not one ye are not mine. D&C 38:24-27
And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one , even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one . John 17:22-23

Forgiving Ourselves: Letting go of shame, expectation, guilt and perfectionism

The appeal of hakuna matata, and gospel prompts for finding + making meaning in shouldering responsibility, “time isn’t found, it is made” — and other pedestrian truisms the gospel turns upside down.

I believe “time isn’t found, it is made” is a Henry B Eyring line. Need to verify.

We’re All Wart: How The Sword and the Stone helped me rediscover what it means to be a child of God

There’s so much to unpack from these opening 8 lines.

Heavenly Mother & The Tree of Life: Symbols of Divine Femininity

7 years of plenty and 7 years of famine: what i am really learning to lay up in store for my family, the good samaritan: seeing myself in every character, i am alma too: conversations with my present-day children of varying degrees of faith.

(I don’t have kids. To someone who does, go for it.)

From Obedience to Integrity: The personal transformation to leader from follower

Skeletons in our closet: what to do when family history uncovers unsavory characters, the prodigal’s sibling: learning to love as my father did, cardinal truth: spiritual directions intimated by north, east, south and west, seeing thru a glass darkly: the beams that got in the way of knowing my parents, siblings and spouse, the kingdom of god is within me … so why do i place so much stock in others’ accusations, the tarnished rule: consequences of misapplying the golden rule, and how i finally buffed out the error, why hope when you can ask … and act, being nice and cowardice: which, really, am i being, being even as he is: a chapter on courage, every day is a new world: living with creative force in every moment, clinging to dregs: the unseen upside to keeping ourselves dirty and why we make that horrible tradeoff, embracing possibility: the absolute terror of becoming the best possible versions of ourselves, letting others grow: the petty ways i’ve kept my friends & family small, no one is coming: stand up and lead your own **** life, taking responsibility: voluntarily shouldering the burdens of mortality and climbing upward to the city on a hill, empty handed at the pearly gates: coming to grips with my own vapidness from a life of ease, oh, so you think you could be a prophet, admitting laman and lemuel are there to mirror me, lehi and alma: grace for parents who “failed”, ether 12:27 : weaknesses and epic fails which only now, a decade later, i can appreciate and be grateful for, leaning on the atonement to overcome humiliation, the sound of silence: answering my own prayers, there you go. what ideas for lds sacrament meeting talks do you have now, when you find goodness, share it., related posts.

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This is a great list. How about: Harmonizing scientific inquiry and faith.

Here are a few more: Visitors Welcome Building Bridges, Not Barriers How do I find answers to my questions? Empathy Am I good enough? Will I Make It?

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these are great

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Thank you for taking your time to share. God bless!

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How to Write a Church Talk

Spring 2009 Issue

Mission prep professor Randy Bott

Mission prep professor Randy Bott

You’ve likely heard more than a few church talks over the years—some you have loved and some, well, that left a bit to be desired. You’ve also likely given a few church talks of your own—one or two of which may have fallen into the latter category. Every semester religion professor Randy L. Bott (EdD ’88) teaches more than 800 BYU students how to become masterful Sunday orators. The lesson is a signature part of Bott’s ever-popular mission prep course.

Q: How did you come up with your method for preparing a sacrament meeting talk?

A: It wasn’t until I entered the doctoral program in educational leadership at BYU that I was taught . . . the process of “four-folding knowledge.” It lays out the four elements every talk should have. [In his dissertation, Bott compared the effectiveness of the four-fold method with three other strategies; he found that people taught with this method retained more information.]

Q: What are the four elements a sacrament meeting talk should have?

A: Purpose, main ideas, expansion or validation, and testimony.

Q: How can I use these four elements to develop a talk?

A: Once a person has the purpose, the rest of the talk is easy. If someone gave me the topic of faith, I would immediately try to narrow the scope. For the purpose, for example, I would come up with a statement like “The purpose of my talk is to teach people how to recognize the power of faith in their own lives.”

I might have only one or two main ideas that support this purpose. One might be “Faith is the very motivating power that enables us to act.” A second main idea might be “I can increase faith by recognizing it in my life.” I would expand or validate the first main idea with stories, scriptures, or examples of faith. Then I would do the same thing for the second main idea.

The last piece is testimony. At this point I would honestly evaluate how strongly I feel about the principle I am teaching and then testify about that principle.

Q: You’ve said this method can be used to write any talk in five minutes or less. What’s the fastest you’ve prepared a talk?

A: When I served as a mission president in California, a General Authority asked me halfway through the rest hymn [in a multi-regional priesthood leadership meeting] to give a 20-minute talk; I guess I had a minute or less to prepare. I talked for 20 minutes, sequencing through the four elements described above, bore my testimony, and sat down. He then said, “You are a master at that!” to which I responded, “I am actually a doctor at that—that was part of my dissertation.”

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how to write a good talk lds

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Latter-day Saint Mission Prep

Missionary Farewell Talks

how to write a good talk lds

On the Sunday before I left for my mission to Rosario Argentina in 1995, the ward held a traditional missionary farewell sacrament meeting for me. My grandma spoke, my father spoke, and I spoke. I remember my grandma and my father commenting on my good smile. I suppose if I had nothing else going for me in terms of missionary skills ( Spanish language skills , gospel teaching skills , etc.) at least I had a good smile 🙂

While I believe my farewell sacrament meeting was completely appropriate, at this time period, back in the 1990s, not all missionary farewells were appropriate. In some instances, the entire sacrament meeting was turned over to the family to do as they pleased, including at times, lengthy talks and elaborate musical numbers. Some families would send out invitations and hold reception lines at the church or do other things that would detract from the sacred nature of a mission call.

In October 2002, President Gordon B. Hinckley put that practice of missionary farewells to an end. Said he:

“We have an interesting custom in the Church. Departing missionaries are accorded a farewell. In some wards this has become a problem. Between outgoing missionaries and returning missionaries, most sacrament meetings are devoted to farewells and homecomings. No one else in the Church has a farewell when entering a particular service. We never have a special farewell-type meeting for a newly called bishop, for a stake president, for a Relief Society president, for a General Authority, or anyone else of whom I can think. Why should we have missionary farewells? The First Presidency and the Twelve, after most prayerful and careful consideration, have reached the decision that the present program of missionary farewells should be modified. The departing missionary will be given opportunity to speak in a sacrament meeting for 15 or 20 minutes. But parents and siblings will not be invited to do so. There might be two or more departing missionaries who speak in the same service. The meeting will be entirely in the hands of the bishop and will not be arranged by the family. …We are convinced that when all aspects of the situation are considered, this is a wise decision. Please accept it, my dear brethren. I extend this plea also to the sisters, particularly the mothers. We hope also that holding elaborate open houses after the sacrament meeting at which the missionary speaks will not prevail. Members of the family may wish to get together. We have no objection to this. However, we ask that there be no public reception to which large numbers are invited. Missionary service is such a wonderful experience that it brings with it its own generous reward.” ( To Men of the Priesthood )

Since that time in 2002, newly called missionaries have continued to be invited to speak in sacrament meeting before they depart. Here is a podcast of my daughter talking about her farewell talk before leaving on her mission to Portugal in 2022 . While the sacrament service is not longer a farewell meeting, it is still the missionary’s farewell talk and many people will still often refer to the meeting overall as the missionary farewell.

Priesthood leaders and missionaries should remember the following guideline with regard to missionary farewells:

  • It is a regular sacrament meeting, not a missionary farewell meeting.
  • The bishopric will plan and conduct this meeting, including assigning topics and musical numbers, as they normally do, making sure they are faith promoting and gospel oriented.
  • Family members and friends of the missionary should not be invited to speak so people don’t get the impression that the meeting is a missionary farewell.
  • If there are other departing or returning missionaries around the same time, they can and should be invited to speak in the same sacrament meeting.
  • Missionary talks should not dominate the sacrament meeting to the exclusion of other valuable subjects and speakers.
  • The regular time of the sacrament meeting should not be extended.
  • Open houses for missionaries, if held, should be kept small, for family and close friends, and should not be publicly announced at church.

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how to write a good talk lds

Hi, I’m Preparing to serve a mission and was wondering how long it is between your availability date and when you can send your papers in? I’ve heard 90 day, 120 days, and six months. Thanks

Jimmy

My understanding is that it is 120 days. A few year ago, it was 90, but when they lowered the age in 2012, there was a large influx of applications and the church needed more time to process them, so they increased it to 120 days. Check out my article about the mission application timeline for more details. Good luck, and God bless you on your mission.

Sean

I put my availability date about 120 days after I submitted my papers, however, the official call has me leaving closer to 6 months after I sent the papers in.

Sean, I think what you have experienced is relatively common. It would be rare for you to receive the call to begin your mission the week of your availability date. That could happen, but generally it will be a few weeks after your availability date. Eight weeks after your availability date is a little long, but not uncommon. Good luck on your mission and God bless you.

Eric Mecham

I put my papers in with my availability date actually past so I don’t think it matters too much just whenever you are comfortable with leaving.

Mateo Feletoa

Thank you for this. I got into a bit of an argument with Bishop over this issue. I understand now that we shouldn’t prioritize Missionary farewells and homecomings over the true importance of the meeting, the renewal of our covenants through the sacrament. I need to apologize to my Bishop now. Thanks again!

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how to write a good talk lds

“Speaking in Sacrament Meeting?” New Era, Oct. 2011, 12–15

Speaking in Sacrament Meeting?

By John Hilton III and Mindy Raye Friedman

You’ve been asked to speak in sacrament meeting. What do you do? First off, relax. Remember, the congregation is on your side, and everyone wants you to give a fabulous talk.

One of the purposes of sacrament meeting is to “provide gospel instruction” and to “strengthen faith and testimony” ( Administering the Church [2010], 138). As a youth speaker, the Lord and your ward leaders have trusted you with part of this responsibility. You have the opportunity to teach and to inspire the members of your ward or branch. So, how can you write a meaningful talk? Here are some tips and ideas to consider as you prepare, organize, and deliver your talk.

1. Prepare and Teach by the Spirit

Doctrine and Covenants 42:14 tells us how to obtain the Spirit’s influence in our teaching: “And the Spirit shall be given unto you by the prayer of faith.” Start your talk preparations with sincere prayer. The Holy Ghost can “show unto you all things what ye should do” in preparing and giving your talk ( 2 Nephi 32:5 ). Ask God to enlighten your mind so you can understand what you are to speak about and how best to present the information.

An important part of this preparation is to start writing your talk as soon as you receive the assignment to give it. Elder Jeffrey R. Holland said, “May I encourage you to start thinking about and planning early for any [talk] that you are to give” (“Teaching and Learning in the Church” [worldwide leadership training meeting, Feb. 10, 2007], Ensign, June 2007, 90). Preparing early will give you more time to receive insights and inspiration.

2. Organize

As you prayerfully consider what to say in your talk, consider these four main elements, which can be organized in any order:

Share a doctrine or principle related to your topic.

Use scriptures to teach about the doctrine (see D&C 42:12 ; 52:9 ), and relate how they are important to the congregation.

Tell faith-promoting experiences—especially ones from your own life.

Bear your testimony of the topic and anything else you feel prompted to testify about.

3. Speak from the Heart

It is often better to prepare a simple outline of what you are to speak on instead of writing the talk out word for word and reading it. Reading a talk may tie you down to say exactly what is written instead of being able to adapt as the Holy Ghost gives you “in the very moment, what ye shall say” ( D&C 100:6 ).

President Gordon B. Hinckley (1910–2008) taught, “We must … speak out of [our] hearts rather than out of [our] books” ( Teachings of Gordon B. Hinckley [1997], 619–20). By making your own experiences and testimony a vital part of your talk, you will be more likely to speak from your heart and affect those who hear your talk.

Remember, your ward leaders asked you to speak on the topic, so don’t just rely on the thoughts and stories of others. As you follow the Spirit in preparing and giving the talk, He will help you know what to say as you speak to your ward or branch members.

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5 Tips Every RM Should Know Before Giving a Homecoming Talk

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You have completed a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints; congratulations and well done! Your sacrifice has blessed the lives of those you served and will bless your life forever more. "How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!" (Isaiah 52:7). Serving a mission builds skills you’ll use for the rest of your life.

Now you are home and have been asked by a member of your bishopric to give a report of your mission to the ward: the final challenge of your mission. Ward members excitedly look forward to your talk and you do not want to let them down. Your mind is full of stories and experiences you want to share with everyone. Let’s go through some tips to follow in preparation for the big day.

1. Prepare and focus on meaning.

Prepare. Don't wing it. Make preparations of what you want to say and why. There should always be a purpose to what you are saying over the pulpit, but don't let that purpose be to share a cool or a funny story. Prepare so that you have meaning in what you are saying. I recently sat through a missionary homecoming talk where the missionary shared a story where he was bit by a dog. That was the whole purpose of the story. Save stories like that for the foyer. At the least make mental preparations of what you want to say and why you want to say them. It will give more life to your mission report and make the talk more interesting.

2. Write down an outline for your talk.

Giving a homecoming talk can be nerve-racking and exciting. I know many people who boast that they never have to write anything down to give a talk. Some can pull this off, but many cannot. When you write things down your mind will organize them and remember them. When you write down an outline it gives you a reference point as to where you are in your talk so that you don't run over time, and, if you forget why you are telling a story. it can bring you back and keep your talk streamlined and engaging.

3. Bring each story back to a gospel principle or doctrine.

When you are giving your talk, remember where you are and what you are doing. You are at church in sacrament meeting giving a talk to the congregation over the pulpit. This is a time to teach gospel principles or doctrine using stories and experiences from your mission. I'm sure that you have amazing stories to tell, but be sure to bring it back to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Teaching doctrine and gospel principles is the most important thing you can do when giving your homecoming talk. "And now, as the preaching of the word has a great tendency to lead the people to do that which was just—yea, it had a more powerful effect upon the minds of the people than the sword, or anything else, which had happened unto them" (Alma 31:5).

4. Avoid going off on a tangent.

So many times people will get caught up in stories and while in the middle of one story will remember another experience and they will start talking about another story. Then, after the tangent, they will try to come back to the original thought and make some conclusion but by then the audience is lost and disengaged. Staying on topic will help the congregation stay engaged in what you're saying and will keep your talk relevant and interesting. If the Spirit prompts you to go in a new direction, then follow the Spirit. If the Spirit does not prompt you, then don't fall into the trap of tangents. Writing down your thoughts will help you with staying on topic and will keep your talk centered on the gospel.

5. Don’t forget the Savior.

Remember this is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. You just finished serving our Savior. Many times we forget that we're giving a talk at His church. People come to church to worship Jesus Christ. Don't forget to include the God of this world in your remarks as it will bring the Spirit into the meeting and solidify all the truths you will have spoken about His gospel and your experiences.

Follow these simple tips and your homecoming talk will be one people remember for a long time because of the Spirit they will feel.

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  1. Best Primary Talks for Kids ~ September Topics

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  2. Come Follow Me Follow the Prophets and Apostles Prophet Talk

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  3. How to Write a Great Church Talk in Five Easy Steps

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  4. LDS Primary Talk About Prophets

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  5. LDS Primary Talk on Baptism and the Holy Ghost

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  6. (PDF) ‘My Talk Today’: LDS Sacrament Meeting Talks and the Transfer of

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VIDEO

  1. The Sign of Christ

  2. Am I Just as Critical of LDS Texts & Traditions?

COMMENTS

  1. 7 Tips for Giving a Talk in Sacrament Meeting

    After all, that's one of the main reasons we're at church—to teach and learn the gospel of Jesus Christ. You can study your topic with the help of Guide to the Scriptures (at scriptures.lds.org) and general conference talks (search by topic at gc.lds.org). Be sure you understand the scriptures and quotes you are planning to use in your talk.

  2. Learn Steps for Giving Better Sacrament Meeting Talks

    2. Develop your mission. 3. Define your message. 4. Write the body. 5. Create an introduction and conclusion. "Lift up your heart and rejoice, for the hour of your mission is come; and your tongue shall be loosed, and you shall declare glad tidings of great joy unto this generation." —Doctrine and Covenants 31:3.

  3. 5 'Best-Kept Secrets' to Help You Write Your Next Talk

    Here are seven underutilized resources to help you punch up your next sacrament meeting talk: 1. Story compilations from general authorities. Integrating a story into your talk is a great way to teach a lesson in a memorable way. But if you don't have a personal story, you can always use a story from the general authorities.

  4. 10 Tips To Give a Mic-Dropping Sacrament Meeting Talk

    Tip #4: Do Not Read Your Entire Talk. It's important that you engage your audience. That means that you are looking at them and making eye contact. It's okay to read scriptures, quotations, and stories, but don't spend too much time away from your audience. If you don't look at them, then they won't look at you.

  5. How to Write a Talk

    In a recent article in BYU Magazine called How to Write a Church Talk, he discussed the four elements a sacrament meeting talk should have: 1) a purpose, 2) main ideas, 3) expansion or validation, and 4) your testimony. Purpose: "Once a person has the purpose, the rest of the talk is easy.". If your topic was faith, for example, you could ...

  6. The Absolute Best Way to Start a Talk at Church

    The Absolute Best Way to Start a Talk at Church. Today was ward conference, and as is typical in ward conference sacrament meeting, we had two speakers: the bishop and the stake president. Both of their talks were excellent, and they both happened to do the same thing in such a way that I thought there was a lesson there for good public ...

  7. 8 Tips to Prepare a Stellar Sacrament Meeting Talk

    Testify: Testimony meeting shouldn't be the only meeting where we hear testimony. Throughout your talk, testify of the principles you are teaching. The conclusion of your talk is a good place to testify of what you talked about and share how you have changed as a result of studying and living this topic. 8. Pray: Don't forget to pray ...

  8. 5 Rules for Preparing a Great Sacrament Meeting Talk

    1. Number one: Organize your talk around a doctrinal premise, not a doctrinal topic. This, more than anything else, will bring focus to your task, as you organize your thoughts, and will ensure that you will sit down from your presentation having actually said at least one thing.

  9. 5 Tips for Preparing a Sacrament Meeting Talk

    You are there to change them, not to teach them. If there is one mistake people make when preparing a sacrament meeting talk, it is trying to teach something rather than trying to change those that are listening. Trying to find that one quote that nobody has heard, or trying to explain the Hebrew translation of one passage of scriptures.

  10. The 'Ten Commandments' of sacrament meeting talks

    1. Don't give excuses. There's no need to start out apologizing or saying, "I'm not prepared," or "I don't like to speak in public," or "I didn't start writing my talk until late last night.". The Lord revealed to the Prophet Joseph Smith, "If ye are prepared, ye shall not fear." (D&C 38:30.)

  11. 12 Ways Members Start Talks in Sacrament Meeting

    8. Creating a Personal Parable. No one used parables like the Savior when teaching. President Utchdorh has some pretty good airplane analogies though. Many talks start something like this. Have you ever noticed… and that is how potatoes and faith are similar and what I want to talk about today. Or.

  12. Elevate your next sacrament meeting talk with a few easy tips

    The congregation wants you to succeed! So with that in mind, here are a few ways to make your sacrament meeting talk a good experience from podium to pew: 1. Incorporate a Relevant Story. Telling a story is one of the best ways to connect with your audience. It's not just entertaining, it's engaging. It gives listeners a chance to associate ...

  13. LDS Sacrament Meeting Talks

    A friend posted: "I need some good topics for Sunday speakers. Hit me up with topics you have liked or would like to hear about." Without any hesitation I banged out this list of ideas for LDS sacrament meeting talks. A few of the immediate reactions: "If I ever write a book, you're picking the title." "Holy cow!

  14. How to Write and Give a Mormon Talk

    WARNING: This is strictly our opinion so when you write a talk, follow the Spirit first... and then take our advice ;) Members of the LDS Church are asked to...

  15. Delivering an Effective Talk

    The Example of President Monson. President Thomas S. Monson is a powerful and moving speaker. An examination of his speaking style and some of his recent general conference talks reveals the abilities of a good speaker. 1 President Monson often stresses that it is his privilege to speak to Church members, and he expresses gratitude for the opportunity.

  16. How to Write a Church Talk

    For the purpose, for example, I would come up with a statement like "The purpose of my talk is to teach people how to recognize the power of faith in their own lives.". I might have only one or two main ideas that support this purpose. One might be "Faith is the very motivating power that enables us to act.". A second main idea might be ...

  17. Missionary Farewell Talks

    Missionary Farewell Talks. On the Sunday before I left for my mission to Rosario Argentina in 1995, the ward held a traditional missionary farewell sacrament meeting for me. My grandma spoke, my father spoke, and I spoke. I remember my grandma and my father commenting on my good smile. I suppose if I had nothing else going for me in terms of ...

  18. The Ultimate Guide to Giving a Powerful Sacrament Talk

    1- Prepare yourself. Pray for the spirit. Pray for those who listen to know how much Heavenly Father loves them. Get a blessing. Fasting is probably the most powerful way to prepare yourself of all you can do. If you receive inspiration or revelation about your talk you will have done the most powerful thing you can do to prepare both yourself ...

  19. Speaking in Sacrament Meeting?

    General conference: Talks given by Church leaders during general conference are a great resource for studying your topic. You can find conference reports in the May and November Ensign magazine issues or online at conference.lds.org. You can also find conference roundups with good quotes for youth in the May and November issues of the New Era.

  20. Using AI to write a talk. : r/latterdaysaints

    The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, commonly known as the Mormon church, is a Christian religion based on the teachings of Jesus Christ. Its members, known as Latter-day Saints, believe in the Bible and the Book of Mormon, which they consider to be a companion to the Bible.

  21. 5 Tips Every RM Should Know Before Giving a Homecoming Talk

    Save stories like that for the foyer. At the least make mental preparations of what you want to say and why you want to say them. It will give more life to your mission report and make the talk more interesting. 2. Write down an outline for your talk. Giving a homecoming talk can be nerve-racking and exciting.