Sacrament talk help would be appreciated

[Guest]

I'm not good with coming up with material for talks, but my topic for next Sundays talk is "Follow the Brethren in building our foundation upon the rock" Basically it's about how to follow the first presidency and Q12. I was thinking of bringing up how there's so much anti Mormon material on the Internet with false information and how we should follow the Brethren for information instead. Anyone have suggestions on what I can use for my talk? Is this an ok thread to make?

[Guest MormonGator]

Great idea for a talk. I have full confidence you'll make it a good one. 

[Guest]

The hardest part is making it 10 minutes.

[Guest MormonGator]

9 minutes ago, Zarahemla said:

The hardest part is making it 10 minutes.

Very much so. I've been asked to give a speech before but squirmed my way out of it, thank goodness. The only public speeches I'm comfortable giving are political, not religious. I could rant about politics for ten hours! 

Edited August 7, 2016 by MormonGator

[zil]

In the Gospel Library app (if you don't have it, let me know and I'll try to find the links online - or you can try), there's a seminary document called "Doctrinal Mastery Core Document" (Seminaries and Institutes > Seminary > last item in the list).  In there, is a chapter called "Acquiring Spiritual Knowledge".  A part of that is about going to "divinely appointed sources" (such as prophets and apostles).  It's pretty short and might give you some ideas.  In the same section, you will find "Doctrinal Mastery New Testament Teacher Material" which has the same chapter, with more details on the same topic.  Again, it may be of use to you.

Keep in mind, in the scripture being referred to (Matthew 16:15-19), the "rock" is revelation.  It is through prophets and apostles that we receive crucial revelation to help us know what is true.

Best of luck with your talk!

[Guest]

17 minutes ago, zil said:

In the Gospel Library app (if you don't have it, let me know and I'll try to find the links online - or you can try), there's a seminary document called "Doctrinal Mastery Core Document" (Seminaries and Institutes > Seminary > last item in the list).  In there, is a chapter called "Acquiring Spiritual Knowledge".  A part of that is about going to "divinely appointed sources" (such as prophets and apostles).  It's pretty short and might give you some ideas.  In the same section, you will find "Doctrinal Mastery New Testament Teacher Material" which has the same chapter, with more details on the same topic.  Again, it may be of use to you.

Keep in mind, in the scripture being referred to (Matthew 16:15-19), the "rock" is revelation.  It is through prophets and apostles that we receive crucial revelation to help us know what is true.

Best of luck with your talk!

Thanks that helps so much!

[mordorbund]

16 hours ago, Zarahemla said:

I was thinking of bringing up how there's so much anti Mormon material on the Internet with false information and how we should follow the Brethren for information instead. Anyone have suggestions on what I can use for my talk? Is this an ok thread to make?

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2015/10/faith-is-not-by-chance-but-by-choice?lang=eng

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2015/04/returning-to-faith?lang=eng

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2014/10/joseph-smith?lang=eng

 

[Guest]

53 minutes ago, mordorbund said:

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2015/10/faith-is-not-by-chance-but-by-choice?lang=eng

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2015/04/returning-to-faith?lang=eng

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2014/10/joseph-smith?lang=eng

 

Thanks a million! I knew I could count on this board.

[Edspringer]

19 hours ago, Zarahemla said:

I'm not good with coming up with material for talks, but my topic for next Sundays talk is "Follow the Brethren in building our foundation upon the rock" Basically it's about how to follow the first presidency and Q12. I was thinking of bringing up how there's so much anti Mormon material on the Internet with false information and how we should follow the Brethren for information instead. Anyone have suggestions on what I can use for my talk? Is this an ok thread to make?

Giving a talk is a great chance to learn!

I will tell you what has been making the difference for me on the matter:

1) Understand the pattern God has always used with mankind: He calls prophets, give them revelation and authority to preach His words and perform the saving ordinances of the Gospel;

2) Understand the importance of such pattern in our days;

3) Have a personal testimony of the restoration, especially a testimony of the divine calling of the Prophet Joseph Smith and of the Book of Mormon.

With this information, I’d suggest the following:

1)    tell the importance of relying on information from accurate and reliable sources. As you said, it is so common to find on the internet misleading information about the Church. lds.org, for instance, has accurate information about all Church doctrines and teachings;

2)    tell about how we can support the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. It may include reading or watching their talks, pondering on their teachings and following their council;

3)    tell that modern prophets and apostles are, like use, subjected to error. It doesn’t mean that they will say or write something against Church doctrine of policy, but that they face the same vicissitudes of life as us. So we need to pray for them so that the Lord will give His Spirit and strength to these men;

4)    tell that our lives should be harmonized with the teachings of the Savior so that we can understand His servants’ words and teachings. Without the Spirit we will be left to our own understanding of things, and we will fail;

5)    tell that if anyone fails to accept that God has once again called prophets in these latter-days, he should seek council with “Him who knoweth all things” (2 Nephi 2:24), just like young Joseph Smith did. Tell them to trust the advices given in James 1:5-6, as follows: “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and up braideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed”. You may want to emphasize that to seek for the truth is to decide to live it entirely.

I hope it was helpful.

[An Investigator]

I would put in there too if it's me that even forums like this which are moderated and faith promoting can give us false information as it's people's opinions and interpretation of scriptures / Doctrine.  

[Blackmarch]

On 8/7/2016 at 4:36 PM, Zarahemla said:

I'm not good with coming up with material for talks, but my topic for next Sundays talk is "Follow the Brethren in building our foundation upon the rock" Basically it's about how to follow the first presidency and Q12. I was thinking of bringing up how there's so much anti Mormon material on the Internet with false information and how we should follow the Brethren for information instead. Anyone have suggestions on what I can use for my talk? Is this an ok thread to make?

This is a good question and is defenitely threadworthy.

Ideally the best way is the same thing that brings people into the church, or very similarly.
so whatever must be done to get the spirit to speak to someone.

Alma, both the elder and the younger happen to be in situations that are pretty similar to ours today.

[Guest]

I give my talk in 2 and a half hours so wish me luck!

[LeSellers]

49 minutes ago, Zarahemla said:

I give my talk in 2 and a half hours so wish me luck!

Luck, okeh. I'll pray for you, too.

Lehi

[Guest]

3 hours ago, LeSellers said:

Luck, okeh. I'll pray for you, too.

Lehi

Thanks it went great! Everyone complimented me that it had a lot of doctrine.

[askandanswer]

I hope you didn't mention anything about polygamy as an example in following the prophet? :)

[Guest]

23 minutes ago, askandanswer said:

I hope you didn't mention anything about polygamy as an example in following the prophet? :)

I almost put it in but the spirit told me not to.