Guest LiterateParakeet Posted February 22, 2015 Report Share Posted February 22, 2015 The ones for me are in regards to the use of Fast Offerings and who I didn't helpOh dear, I'm sorry you (and other Bishops) had to deal with that. I really appreciate Bishops and their wives! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sxfritz Posted February 23, 2015 Report Share Posted February 23, 2015 I've noticed dictionary definitions of topics that the talk covers is used on occasion. This drives me nuts. Somewhere we should hold a class on how to give a talk and the first topic should be to not go to the Bible Dictionary as your opener. Since reading the thread this morning, I watched our speakers today. One was to comment profusely at the performance of the choir. They were exceptional today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngelMarvel Posted February 23, 2015 Report Share Posted February 23, 2015 One of the things that drives me crazy is the speaker that says, "and, um" after every sentence or even more often. And, um... ya that drive me crazy. And, um... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pam Posted February 23, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 23, 2015 Okay I think we need to get back to the subject of this thread. How do people start talks? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mirkwood Posted February 23, 2015 Report Share Posted February 23, 2015 With um? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
askandanswer Posted February 23, 2015 Report Share Posted February 23, 2015 Seemingly, 90% of the time, the speaker says something about how they got assigned the talk and the challenges they had in preparing the talk and how nervous they are and even apologize beforehand for the lack of quality in the talk.This goes against the major "rules" of public speaking (I learned in speech class in high school in the Phils) that I was taught, which is also what I'm teaching my kids.What I was taught was that, when giving a speech, it is not a good idea to put the focus on the speaker. It is the objective to prepare the audience to focus on the topic. So when you talk about how the talk was assigned, how you prepared, how you feel giving the talk... These all focus on the speaker. This makes the audience pay more attention to how the talk is given, rather than the content of the talk.So, what I was taught was this formula - Salutation/Greeting, A brief synopsis of what the topic is about (a brief summary of the topic), Detailed discussion of the topic, Conclusion.What I usually do is do the Reader's Digest style (also the style used by Pres. Monson). Salutation, introduce the topic through a personal experience (either my own, someone I know, or someone the audience knows), detail the topic, then conclude. Personal experience story does not focus on me but the topic personalized to my own experience. This approach reminds of the story of the old time preacher that I'm sure many of us have heard. His approach when preparing a sermon was first I tell em what I'm gonna saythen I tell emThen I tell em what I just told em Crypto 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 23, 2015 Report Share Posted February 23, 2015 This approach reminds of the story of the old time preacher that I'm sure many of us have heard. His approach when preparing a sermon was first I tell em what I'm gonna saythen I tell emThen I tell em what I just told em That's exactly what it is... applies to oratorical speeches and essays even. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iggy Posted February 23, 2015 Report Share Posted February 23, 2015 I love to give talks in church. The Branch Presidency knows this, and they also know that I need at least 2 weeks to prepare. I also can not just make a few notes on a 3 x 5 card and get up there and wing it. I know practically everyone in the Branch, can talk to them and with them out in the foyer or at pot lucks - but when I get up at the podium, get the mic set just right, my thoughts do NOT come out of my mouth. So, I read my talk. To start out I explain that my talk is from my heart, if I am quoting something I acknowledge that and who said it originally. Then I dive into the talk. Say I am talking about fathers. I will begin by saying: My father was gentle, fair, loving, and oh so strict. The only time I feared him was when I had done wrong. Really wrong, Bad wrong. Like when I pushed in the button on the door - the one he specifically told me NOT to touch. I wasn't afraid of him punishing me, though I knew I certainly deserved it. I was afraid that I had let him down yet again. That I had disappointed him and that this act would be the last straw, and he would never trust and love me again. Well, it wasn't. It never would be. My mortal father was so like my heavenly father. OUR heavenly father. . . . . When I read a scripture, I have it typed up - I don't go hunting for it in my scriptures. Too often when a speaker does that, they lose their place where they were at in their talk. - Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daybreak79 Posted February 23, 2015 Report Share Posted February 23, 2015 Typically, I go with one of the following options: 1. A story that is relevant to my topic.2. A quote from a church leader that is relevant to my topic.3. The words of a hymn that are relevant to my topic. Because i am typically the last speaker I will some times go "off script" and tie it into the musical number or intermediate hymn that was done right before its my turn. But I have to really be filling prompted by the Spirit in order to do that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 23, 2015 Report Share Posted February 23, 2015 I don't like to criticize anyone who speaks in church with honest effort. Public speaking is terrifying for some people. Just getting up there is an accomplishment. I think we'd get a lot more out of the talks if we make effort to hear what they're trying to testify about, instead of picking apart their technique. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NightSG Posted February 23, 2015 Report Share Posted February 23, 2015 How do people start talks? Wake up the HPs. If everybody else has to suffer through it, so do they. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
priesthoodpower Posted February 24, 2015 Report Share Posted February 24, 2015 Am I the only one in here that said "no, im afraid of public speaking! sorry!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
classylady Posted February 24, 2015 Report Share Posted February 24, 2015 Occasionally a speaker will start their talk with an object lesson. We had an interesting one two weeks ago. The speaker was likening the subject to Indiana Jones. He had his Indiana Jones hat, which he put on his head, and then he had the Indiana Jones shoulder bag/satchel which he slung over his shoulder. He mentioned that he wanted to bring his whip, but his wife wouldn't let him. For the life of me I can't remember the subject of the talk, but I remember the object lesson! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 24, 2015 Report Share Posted February 24, 2015 A member of our ward made a comment in Gospel Doctrine class that may be relevant here... ... he said that he believes that Sacrament meeting needs to be reverent, not only in the passing of the sacrament, but also all throughout the talks all the way to the closing hymn. He says that this reverence needs to be maintained by the speakers and testimony bearers. He says he always starts his talk to maintain or improve the mood of reverence instead of "lightening up" the reverence with a joke, especially about avoiding the bishopric. So, he usually starts his talk with a greeting and then brings the focus to God, like, I'm grateful to my Heavenly Father for <insert something relevant to topic here>... or, opening with the words of Christ from scripture, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NightSG Posted February 24, 2015 Report Share Posted February 24, 2015 He says that this reverence needs to be maintained by the speakers and testimony bearers. So in other words, he lets everybody sleep. That's also fair. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 24, 2015 Report Share Posted February 24, 2015 So in other words, he lets everybody sleep. That's also fair. Sleeping is not reverent... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dahlia Posted February 25, 2015 Report Share Posted February 25, 2015 Being in a college town, we've got folks in and out all of the time. So, talks often begin with an introduction to the family. I'd be OK if it was limited to, 'The wife and I moved here from Ogden," but no, We find out how they wound up in Iowa (because no sane person would want to come here from Utah, apparently), all about the kids, what they do on the weekends, etc. I'm not fooled - students used to do variations of this kind of thing all the time when they didn't have enough content to fill their allotted presentation time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vort Posted February 25, 2015 Report Share Posted February 25, 2015 I'm not fooled - students used to do variations of this kind of thing all the time when they didn't have enough content to fill their allotted presentation time. How can you not have enough content to fill a 20-minute sermon, or even a 50-minute (usually more like 40-minute, or 30, or 20) lesson? I don't believe I've ever had that problem in my adult life. Lack of material regarding LDS doctrinal teachings simply isn't a problem in almost any case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 25, 2015 Report Share Posted February 25, 2015 How can you not have enough content to fill a 20-minute sermon, or even a 50-minute (usually more like 40-minute, or 30, or 20) lesson? I don't believe I've ever had that problem in my adult life. Lack of material regarding LDS doctrinal teachings simply isn't a problem in almost any case. I have the opposite problem. That's why - like Iggy - I write my talks down. One time, I was assigned a talk, the choir was to sing, then my husband was to talk. I got up, talked, and the choir ended up singing the closing hymn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
askandanswer Posted February 25, 2015 Report Share Posted February 25, 2015 Sleeping is not reverent... I always sleep very reverently - arms folded, head bowed, eyes closed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vort Posted February 25, 2015 Report Share Posted February 25, 2015 I have the opposite problem. That's why - like Iggy - I write my talks down. One time, I was assigned a talk, the choir was to sing, then my husband was to talk. I got up, talked, and the choir ended up singing the closing hymn. The best reason I have found to write out my talks is not to make sure I fill the time, but to make sure I prioritize what I want to talk about. That way, the stuff I feel is most important gets taught first. mordorbund 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 25, 2015 Report Share Posted February 25, 2015 The best reason I have found to write out my talks is not to make sure I fill the time, but to make sure I prioritize what I want to talk about. That way, the stuff I feel is most important gets taught first. I used to do this on bullet points on an index card. My husband still does the "index card" thing except it's on his electronic device so it has a bunch of links to scripture verses and quotes that he pulls up if he needs it. He doesn't write out his talk and sometimes he doesn't even follow his "index card". My husband is not really a good speaker technically-speaking... but when he speaks, I don't know, his words just seem to touch me. Yes, this might be because he is my husband... but, I would think that because he's my husband, I would be the first to not pay too much attention because "I've heard it before". Oh... how my husband opens talks... he has his own style - he greets, of course... then he usually asks a question... like "Have you ever felt...?". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just_A_Guy Posted February 25, 2015 Report Share Posted February 25, 2015 I actually do stick to a written text--planning for two and a half minutes per double-spaced page; and I usually mark about two pages' worth of "filler" paragraphs (scattered throughout the talk) that are interesting, but that I can omit if I'm in a pinch for time. The only thing I say in my talks that isn't written out before hand, is a brief extemporized testimony at the end. That said--I do practice the delivery quite a bit so that I don't just sound like I'm just dully reading the text. Vort and Daybreak79 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Palerider Posted February 26, 2015 Report Share Posted February 26, 2015 For my talks I will write notes down and stick them in my scriptures. Some times I also have a copy of a talk that I will share a few paragraphs from to help make my point. There are times when I won't give the talk that I prepared and change it at the pulpit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pam Posted February 26, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 26, 2015 Since they no longer need responses for their article on lds.net, I'm closing this thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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