Talk help: the will of the Father

[Anonymous]

Random ones DJ but here they come.

The first area – pain, sickness, death, blindness (Jesus explanation in scripture), depression, so on. You can even refer to Job, Moses, and Ruth (great example of his will changing a full life direction).

Second area – personal revelation. We sometimes get so attached to the listed commandments we don’t mention us turning to God and asking him to point our way in life. Sometimes the way is easy, sometimes hard. But Jesus followed the will of the Father. Not the will of the times, the church, etc. He was respectful but the Father came first.

Also if we do “obey the commandments” you could focus on the first two. How the Mosiac law was done away (according to Jesus) and was replaced by higher nobler commandments, such as cease to be angry, everyone is your neighbor (even those dang Samaritans – or whomever is less like you).

Okay. Off my soapbox now. You will do great. Can’t wait to hear.

[Anonymous]

perhaps where you go with it after that is to develop thoughts and stories about letting go of results. We should not seek to control or dominate this earth, but be stewards of it. Control is the wrong desire of outcomes, as much as we would love to have guarantees that we can avoid the bad stuff. Instead, it rains on the just and unjust alike…and our stewardship is to manage things as they come, and find joy therein. With my kids, when it rained, we got popsicle sticks and raced them. We did not lament our summer swimming party was ruined. That kind of thing…not praying to god to control the weather, but finding the beauty in all that comes our way in this world. That includes sickness, death, sorrow, pain, relationship struggles, faith struggles…the whole shabang. Christ said the kingdom of god is within us. We focus internally on developing character to handle life. We do not seek guarantees or fire insurance that set expectations that the world around us will change to our selfish desires, but as mom3 wrote…seek God’s will in all things, as Christ did.

[Anonymous]

The talk was given. I ended up with less time than allotted 🙄 after also dispensing with the rest hymn but still gave the gist. Here’s a summary:

I started by saying that Jesus is our exemplar for doing the will of the Father.

Quote:

Despite the recognition that He was about to suffer greatly for sins He didn’t commit and give His own life for each of us, He chose to follow His Father’s will.

After the last supper where He had instituted the sacrament and told the apostles “this do in remembrance of me” (Luke 22:19) they sang a hymn and went to the Garden of Gethsemane.

There he told the apostles that were with him “My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death.” (Matthew 26:38)

Probably feeling the gravity of what he was about to do and perhaps experiencing some human emotion he “fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.” (Matt 26:39)

Mark’s wording has the Savior pleading “if it were possible, the hour might pass from him,” and “take away this cup from me.” (Mark 14:35-36)

Returning to his friends and finding them asleep, he confided in Peter “the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

Perhaps now fully realizing that there was no other way, Jesus returned to prayer with the words “O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done.” (Matt 26:42)

Luke adds to the account: “And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him. And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.” (22:43-44)

The plan was to quote from Hymn 185 Reverently and Meekly Now, but I ended up cutting that and went on to Moroni 10:32-33 Moroni 10 saying that of all Moroni could have chosen to conclude the BoM with he chose these words as his last and shared a brief testimony of Christ and the sacrament.

I had also intended to differentiate bewteen the will of God as things that are going to happen regardless what we do and things that are more like commandments, but cut that part.

I referenced the Sermon on the Mount, saying that Jesus told us doing the will of the Father was important ( Matthew 7:21) and that Jesus had mentioned God’s will in the Lord’s prayer (Mathhew 6:10). I said that Jesus frequently mentioned the will of the Father, quoting from John 5, 6 & 7 and 3 Nephi 11 and 27 (some were shortened or eliminated because of time).

I had referenced the Doctrine of Christ in 3 Nephi and those things (faith, repentance baptism) are the will of the Father but there are also other things that could be the will of the Father for us individually.

I quoted from Elder Grow last conference (it was a reference talk) saying that he gave the Primary answers for knowing God’s will.

Quote:

He said “You and I do the will of the Father by honoring our covenants, keeping the commandments, and serving God and our fellowmen.”

Then quoted Uchtdorf’s grace talk (because I can’t give a talk with out quoting my hero)

Quote:

Our obedience to God’s commandments comes as a natural outgrowth of our endless love and gratitude for the goodness of God. This form of genuine love and gratitude will miraculously merge our works with God’s grace. Virtue will garnish our thoughts unceasingly, and our confidence will wax strong in the presence of God.

Dear brothers and sisters, living the gospel faithfully is not a burden. It is a joyful rehearsal—a preparation for inheriting the grand glory of the eternities. We seek to obey our Heavenly Father because our spirits will become more attuned to spiritual things. Vistas are opened that we never knew existed. Enlightenment and understanding come to us when we do the will of the Father.

Then quotes from Calyton (L. Whitney, not Weatherford) and Grow

Quote:

Such simple acts of faith as studying the scriptures daily, fasting regularly, and praying with real intent deepen our well of spiritual capacity to meet the demands of mortality. Over time, simple habits of belief lead to miraculous results. They transform our faith from a seedling into a dynamic power for good in our lives.

Quote:

The ultimate role model and mentor, available to all of us, is our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who said: “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”

I talked about the Light of Christ being given to every person and that we instinctively know right from wrong, and intended to talk about the Holy Ghost but cut that and likewise skipped Moroni’s “everything that entices to do good” – but I did get to give the Catholic catechism quote:

Quote:

Deep within his conscience man discovers a law which he has not laid upon himself but which he must obey. Its voice, ever calling him to love and to do what is good and to avoid evil, sounds in his heart at the right moment. . . . For man has in his heart a law inscribed by God. . . . His conscience is man’s most secret core and his sanctuary. There he is alone with God whose voice echoes in his depths.

And then got around to Eva Witesman https://speeches.byu.edu/talks/eva-witesman_women-education-future-god-see/” class=”bbcode_url”>https://speeches.byu.edu/talks/eva-witesman_women-education-future-god-see/

Quote:

That sentiment is so important that I would like to repeat it: “Part of the tragedy you must avoid is to discover too late that you missed an opportunity to prepare for a future only God could see for you.” (Pres. Eyring’s quote)

That could have happened to me. Women’s stories are powerful, and they haven’t always been told. So I am going to tell you a little bit of mine.

After graduating from college, I worked for a couple of years at a local nonprofit organization, where I was inspired by the skills of a new manager. I decided to pursue a master’s degree so that I could gain the kinds of skills he had used to improve our organization.

Between the time I was accepted to the program and the time I was to attend, we learned that I was pregnant with our first child. Pregnancy is always a challenge, but due to some medical complications, pregnancies are particularly difficult for me. I was sicker than I had ever been in my life. I could only stand up for a few minutes at a time, and I was virtually no help as my husband, family, and friends packed up our little apartment and sent my husband to Indiana, where I was to attend graduate school.

By this time I had been prescribed temporary bedrest and was unable to travel. I called my program in tears and asked if they would be willing to hold my spot, even though I would miss the first weeks of school.

When I finally arrived to begin my master’s program, the heaviest question in my heart was whether I should be pursuing the degree at all. After all, I was now anticipating motherhood. And though I did not yet understand the gravity of what that meant, caring for our unborn daughter was already the most physically, mentally, and emotionally challenging experience of my life.

In my new ward I was promptly called to be an assistant nursery leader. I was new to the ward and new to the state, and nobody there knew me, including the counselor in the bishopric who set me apart for my new calling. We had never had a conversation.

He laid his hands upon my head and bestowed upon me all the usual authority, gifts, and admonitions attendant on a calling in nursery—that I would have the strength to carry out my calling and that I would love the little children. And then, speaking to my most hidden fears and my deepest questions, he told me, in the name of Christ, to pursue and complete my master’s degree, that this was the will of God.

So I did.

I ended up also cutting this part short and summarizing Sr. Witesman’s pursuit of her doctorate and employment at BYU and her testimony about God guiding in the work He wants you to do.

I finished up by saying that even though Jesus may have had some trepidation about doing His Father’s will sometimes, he still sought it and did it because he understood his role.

ETA: I closed with a sort of testimony that we need to each decide what God’s will is for us and then do what we think is right regardless of what others think.

[Anonymous]

:clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap:

I am sorry for the parts you had to cut. It was/is wonderful. Fantastic quotes.

[Anonymous]

I agree. Great job!

[Anonymous]

mom3 wrote:

:clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap:

I am sorry for the parts you had to cut. It was/is wonderful. Fantastic quotes.

I 2nd this…great job. Sounded like it came off great….and you got to include the quote from Catholic catechism…woot woot.

[Anonymous]

Heber13 wrote:

mom3 wrote:

:clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap:

I am sorry for the parts you had to cut. It was/is wonderful. Fantastic quotes.

I 2nd this…great job. Sounded like it came off great….and you got to include the quote from Catholic catechism…woot woot.

As I was cutting things out on the fly I became determined that I was not going to cut the catechism quote or the story of Sr. Witesman.

FWIW I have gotten used to cutting on the fly and in fact mark portions of my talks that can easily be cut, including whole sections. Sometimes I even edit a much shorter version (5-7 minutes) for use if needed.

[Anonymous]

I would have loved to have been there to hear it.

[Anonymous]

DarkJedi wrote:

FWIW I have gotten used to cutting on the fly and in fact mark portions of my talks that can easily be cut, including whole sections. Sometimes I even edit a much shorter version (5-7 minutes) for use if needed.

That’s a sign of a good speaker.

The other sign is not literally saying everything out loud while in front of the mic.

We had one speaker start his talk with the typical awkward stab at humor to ease nerves and said…

Quote:

Well…the bishop told me as the last speaker to be an accordion…so I can extend the talk or compress it if needed…but honestly, I don’t feel I’m an accordion. I feel more like a saxaphone.

[Chirp, chirp] ( – what does that mean??

I always marked sections that were optional to cut, so I had some priority to what I needed to deliver vs the stuff that was good but can be cut without missing anything. …and then there is always the stuff that gets added in on the fly…from a prior speaker comment or thoughts that come to you.

mom3 wrote:

ETA: I closed with a sort of testimony that we need to each decide what God’s will is for us and then do what we think is right regardless of what others think.

I also think this is a good way to close it. I’m sure there is a whole other topic to talk on to figure out what God’s will is, so we can follow it.

Do you think it will open any other doors for further discussions with anyone?

[Anonymous]

You could give your whole talk on “How to know the Will of God” You can’t follow the will of God unless you can find it.

Is what your Bishop tells you to do the “Will of God”? The SP, the Q15? What if what they tell you to do feels wrong?

What if what they tell you to do is wrong and NOT the will of God? (Build a handcart out of green lumber, then leave way to late in the year and walk to Utah)

So many ways to take this.

[Author]

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