Part 3.5 (Using Analogies) here. Part 3 (Style) here. Part 2 (Arrangement) here. Part 1.5 (Sources) here. Part 1 (Invention) here. Part 0 (introduction) here.
Sorry this is so late.
Anyway –
Memory is the most overlooked aspect of giving a great talk. Write your talk out (whether by hand or on a computer) and you have it handy. No need to memorize it. At General Conference, the GAs even use teleprompters. So, there’s clearly no need to memorize your talk, right?
Wrong (sort of).
Part 3 here. Part 2 here. Part 1.5 here. Part 1 here. Part 0 here.
Analogies, metaphors, similes, allegories, etc. all can work well in a sacrament meeting talk (or gospel lesson). They can also be where the talk (or lesson) fails completely. Because Jesus taught in parables (which, when asked, Jesus interpreted allegorically), these types of teaching tools have the highest possible endorsement. But caution is also warranted.
Part 1.5 here. Part 1 here. Part 0 here.
Now that you have all of your sources in order, it’s time to arrange them. The standard idea of having an introduction, a body, and a conclusion works well for sacrament meeting talks. Introductions and conclusions are often overlooked, even though they can make an otherwise good talk seem great.
Part One here. Part Zero here.
This section became longer than I expected. So, I’m breaking it in half. Instead of discussing arrangement this time, I will bridge the gap between invention and arrangement by discussing what sources could and should be used when creating your talk.
So, now you have a topic for your talk. Now, you need to fill up 10 – 20 minutes. The standard practice is to find appropriate scriptures, General Authority quotes, and a few personal (or otherwise) anecdotes. As far as it goes, that’s not a bad place to start.
