Any suggestions for a 45-minute talk on the scriptures?

[Parrot Head]

Technically, it's not a 45-minute talk, but I talk to talk for 15 minutes and then give the EQ lesson and they're on "Finding Strength in the Scriptures" and "The Scriptures." Our bishopric wasn't feeling too creative and didn't feel bad about the similarity of topics, but I don't want to just say the same things in both settings as some people may actually pay attention.

Any good suggestions on material?

[thesaint258]

Do a normal talk for Sacrament meeting, and then use a video in Elders Quorum.

[All-American]

Just start at the beginning: "I, Nephi, having been born of goodly parents . . ." and see how far you get. They'll never ask you to do it again.

[Katy Lied]

I would present the thoughts in Pelagius' thread "You're riding your horsey backward," or some such. That's pretty interesting and directly related to your assignment.

[marsupial]

No one wants to hear you (or anyone) talk that long. I recommend finding a sub for your EQ lesson and focusing on your 15 minute talk.

[Moliere]

Three ideas:

1. Talk about the authenticity of the book of Abraham or go off of the theme "Is the Pearl of Great Price" really scripture?

2. Talk about who really wrote the 5 books of Moses

3. Talk about how the word Priesthood was not really used in the church until mid-1931 and how the word was retroactively put back into the D&C sections.

I'm sure there are plenty of CUF threads on these so you'll have plenty of material. Just be sure to quote SU.

[Parrot Head]

I'm sure there are plenty of CUF threads on these so you'll have plenty of material. Just be sure to quote SU.

Ummmm... that's a given. Every talk I've given in the past 8 years has quoted either SU or grapevine.

[il Padrino Ute]

Technically, it's not a 45-minute talk, but I talk to talk for 15 minutes and then give the EQ lesson and they're on "Finding Strength in the Scriptures" and "The Scriptures." Our bishopric wasn't feeling too creative and didn't feel bad about the similarity of topics, but I don't want to just say the same things in both settings as some people may actually pay attention.

Any good suggestions on material?

Call in sick.

[FN Phat]

Call in sick.

This is exactly what I would do. Then when the wife and kids go to church, I would then turn on the XBOX and kill terrorists. It's a win-win in my book.

[SuperGabers]

Call in sick.

My thoughts exactly!

[Parrot Head]

Thanks for the suggestions. I almost went with IPU's considering how late I was up working on it, but the Mountain Dew gave me the strength to make it through.

I ended up using a Dallin Oaks (Scripture Reading and Revelation) talk as a basis for what I spoke on and I found it very interesting when I came across it.

Some Christians accept the Bible as the one true word, completely inspired of God in its entirety. At the opposite extreme, some other Christians consider the Bible as the writings of persons who may or may not have been inspired of God, which writings have little moral authority in our day. The Latter-day Saint belief that the Bible is “the word of God as far as it is translated correctly” (A of F 1:8) places us between these extremes, but this belief is not what makes us unique in Christianity.

What makes s different from most other Christians in the way we read and use the Bible and other scriptures is our belief in continuing revelation. For us, the scriptures are not the ultimate source of knowledge, but what precedes the ultimate source. The ultimate knowledge comes by revelation....

Just as continuing revelation enlarges and illuminates the scriptures, so also a study of the scriptures enables men and women to receive revelations. Elder Bruce R. McConkie said, “I sometimes think that one of the best-kept secrets of the kingdom is that the scriptures open the door to the receipt of revelation."