Speaking in church

So last week they asked me to speak at church. Then Monday or Tuesday I noticed the email with the topic and gave it a good read through. Fortunately we have church at 1 so I had time to finish up this morning. This week was very chaotic as I had a couple weeks worth of work condensed into one week. Well, I printed it off right before we ran out the door. I felt good about it but not sure if I could keep to a written discourse. I feel more comfortable speaking from the heart than from a written script. So I knew I'd vary from what I wrote, but I wasn't sure how much time I would have. They said plan for 15 but since there is another person speaking you never can be sure exactly how much time you'll have. That and I usually can feel the difference when speakers go too long, so I don't want to do that. Well, the first speaker had to go 20 to get in what she had planned and it was good so I'm fine with it, but I knew I was going to be pressed to make it work with the time I had. To be honest, I can't think of a time I gave a talk (or a lesson) where I didn't feel like I had way more material than time. I guess that's better than being short on material and long on time...that's always a bit awkward. So, people said they enjoyed my talk, so I guess I didn't go too incoherent as I spoke. Here's the written manuscript I was going off of. I don't think anyone reads this except maybe The Kid every now and again, so I guess this is for you to enjoy Brandon! THE TALK: I’d like to start by asking this question: Would you be willing to help me with my talk today?

1. Offer a silent prayer in your heart that I’ll say what God would have me share with you that you may be blessed to hear what will be of service to you in your quest to return to our Heavenly Father’s presence.
2. Think about how anything I may share applies to your life. Allow your thoughts to go where the Spirit may direct them.
3. Thank Heavenly Father for what you get out of today.

Have you ever, in the deepest recesses of your heart asked yourself any of these questions at some time in your life?

• Why doesn’t God answer my prayer?
• Will God tell me what I should be doing?
• How can I overcome this challenge that has plagued me for so long?
• Why would God allow this to happen?
• How can I become more like Christ?
• How can I have greater peace in a tumultuous world?
• How can I know if I am hearing the God’s answer or just what I really want to hear?

Today, I intend to share with you definitive answers that God has provided to these questions. I want you to know that as I prepared this talk, I was frequently overwhelmed by the Holy Ghost and a very real and profound sense of God’s great love for you and me. When I was younger I remember the impact of the words of the prophet Ezra Taft Bensen as he read Doctrine and Covenants 84:57 which says : "And they shall remain under this condemnation until they repent and remember the new covenant, even the Book of Mormon and the former commandments which I have given them, not only to say, but to do according to that which I have written—" And then he said that the condemnation had not been lifted and that we needed to read the Book of Mormon more. More recently President Gordon B Hinkley, our current Prophet challenged every member of the church who could read to read the Book of Mormon by a specific date. Elder Bednar, in an address he gave February 7th 2007 said: "Reading a book of scripture from the beginning to the end initiates the flow of living water into our lives by introducing us to important stories, gospel doctrines and timeless principles." The scriptures, or rather the words of Christ as given to us through his Holy Prophets, are a reservoir of living water that will give us eternal life. In 3rd Nephi Chapter 26 verses 9-11 Mormon quotes Christ and Mormon's response when he wrote: 9 And when they shall have received this, which is expedient that they should have first, to try their faith, and if it shall so be that they shall believe these things then shall the greater things be made manifest unto them. 10 And if it so be that they will not believe these things, then shall the greater things be withheld from them, unto their condemnation. 11 Behold, I was about to write them, all which were engraven upon the plates of Nephi, but the Lord forbade it, saying: I will try the faith of my people. Reading the scriptures from beginning to end is like exploring the surface of a large body of water. Once we have read a book of scripture from start to finish we are ready to study by topic. A topical study of the gospel in the scriptures gives us an appreciation for the depth of the scriptures. I turned 8 in November of 1982. At my baptism I received my very first set of leather bound scriptures. This set of scriptures was more special than I realized. Boyd K Packer said of this edition: "With the passing of years, these scriptures will produce successive generations of faithful Christians who know the Lord Jesus Christ and are disposed to obey His will. The older generation has been raised without them, but there is another generation growing up." He was talking about me. An 8 year old with his first set of scriptures. He continued: "The revelations will be opened to them as to no other in the history of the world. Into their hands now are placed the sticks of Joseph and of Judah. They will develop a gospel scholarship beyond that which their forebears could achieve. They will have the testimony that Jesus is the Christ and be competent to proclaim Him and to defend Him." This new set of scriptures delivered tools that facilitate study of topics in a book of scriptures. The topical guide and index give quick access to various scriptures on similar topics. Today we have another valuable resource for topical scripture study in the Preach My Gospel manual. Studying by topic may include searching for answers to questions like: What is faith in Jesus Christ? Why is this the first principle of the gospel? Reading the scriptures from start to finish and studying the scriptures topically are both prerequisites to what Elder Bednar termed “Searching” the scriptures. Searching the scriptures for connections, patterns and themes broadened our perspective and understanding of the plan of salvation. Elder Bednar said: "In my judgment, diligently searching to discover connections, patterns and themes is in part what it means to “feast” upon the words of Christ." What does Elder Bednar mean when he refers to Connections, Patterns & Themes? A Connection is a relationship or link between ideas, people, things or events. Some connections you may have already identified or considered are:

• The relationship between the Eternal Father and His Son Jesus Christ
• Mercy & Grace
• A Broken Heart & A Contrite Spirit
• Immortality and Eternal Life
• Justification and Sanctification
• Sheep and Goats

Searching the scriptures for connections and evaluating the similarities and differences with sincerity of heart opens up the conduits of revelation and inspiration. Recently my children and I memorized D&C 130:20-21, which says: " 20 There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated— 21 And when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated." This connection between obedience to eternal law and the receipt of correlated blessings from God is a connection. As we explored the relationship of obedience and receiving blessings we learned much that we would have otherwise overlooked. We learned that we would be foolish to expect to receive the blessing of health if we neglect to live the law of health. Frustration that might be in our lives as we don’t understand why things are the way that they are in our lives is brushed aside as we recognize that God operates in accordance with perfect laws designed and irrevocably set to insure that true and eternal joy is entrusted to those who honor God’s laws. We also learned a pattern… A pattern is a plan, model or standard that can be used as a guide for repetitively doing or making something. We learned that if we want to receive a blessing we must discover and obey the law upon which that blessing is predicated. Now, my children and I know that the scriptures are full of patterns that illuminate laws and blessings which spring from them. Because we searched out this connection, which revealed a pattern, as we search the scriptures we will be looking for that pattern of law and blessing! In my previous stake the stake president shared another pattern that has significant application. In 2nd Nephi 32:8 it says: "For if ye would hearken unto the Spirit which teacheth a man to pray ye would know that ye must pray;" This yields the pattern: For if ye would hearken unto the Spirit which teacheth a man to _________ ye would know that ye must _________; Another example of this pattern comes from the words of Christ when in John 7:17 he said “If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.” This pattern teaches us how we can gain a testimony of any part of the gospel…live it. Themes are overarching, recurring, and unifying qualities or ideas, like essential threads woven throughout a text. Examples from the Book of Mormon: "If…the children of men keep the commandments of God he doeth nourish them and strengthen them and provide means whereby they can accomplish the thing which he as command them 1 Ne 17:3 Press forward with a steadfastness in Christ. 2 Ne 31:20 Men are, that they might have joy. 2 Ne 2:25 In the strength of the Lord thou canst do all things. Alma 20:4 Wickedness never was happiness. Alma 41:10 As we read, study and search for connections, patterns and themes in the scriptures we will receive greater knowledge or in other words greater light. This greater light that comes into our lives as a result of searching the scriptures comes from Christ and forsakes the adversary’s power to influence us. (D&C 93:37 Light and truth forsake that evil one.) Elder Bednar said: We should not be dismayed or discouraged if answer to our petitions for direction or help do not necessarily come quickly. Such answers rarely come all at once. Our progress would be hindered and our judgment would be weak if every answer was given to us immediately and without requiring the price of faith, work, study, and persistence. God will teach us what we need to know as we turn to Him through prayer, faith and persistent searching of the scriptures.