Talks

We spoke in church this morning, all of us and it went really well. After the 4 big boys spoke, they sang the 5th Article of Faith song. They sounded like little angels. Just adorable! I spoke and then left Scott 30 minutes, which he filled easily and it was a great message. Here is what we said:

Good morning brothers and sisters. My name is Gavin Thompson and I am 4 years old. I am going to recite the 1st article of faith:

“We believe in God the eternal Father and in His son Jesus Christ and in the Holy Ghost.”

I am thankful for my mom. I am thankful for my dad. I am thankful for my brothers. I am thankful for my primary teacher who always brings us cookies. And I am thankful for Jesus.
I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.


Good morning brothers and sisters. My name is Tyler Thompson and I am 6 years old. Every Sunday our family memorizes a new scripture. Lately, we’ve been working on the Articles of Faith. I am going to recite the 2nd Article of Faith:

“We believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam’s transgression.”

I have enjoyed memorizing the Articles of Faith because they have taught me more about the gospel.
I am thankful for my mom and dad. I am thankful for my brothers and friends. I am thankful for Jesus Christ. I know the church is true.
I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.


Good morning brothers and sisters. My name is Jackson Thompson and I am 8 years old. I am going to recite the 3rd Article of Faith:

“We believe that through the atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel.”

I know that Jesus suffered for our sins, and that if we repent when we make a mistake, we can be forgiven.
I am thankful for my mom and dad. I am thankful for my brothers and the fun things that we do together. I am thankful for primary, and for the missionaries and the prophets. I know the church is true.
I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Good morning brothers and sisters. My name is Will Thompson and I am almost 11 years old. I am going to recite the 4th Article of Faith:

“We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the gospel, are first, faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, repentance; third, baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost”.

I have been baptized and received the gift of the Holy Ghost when I was 8 years old. I know that if I don’t know what to do, I can listen for the promptings from the Holy Ghost and he will always help me to choose the right. I also know that it is important for us to make good choices so that we can always have the Holy Ghost as our constant companion.
I am thankful for my parents and my brothers. I know that this church is true. I know President Monson is a true prophet. I am thankful for Jesus Christ and his sacrifice for all of us.
I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Good morning brothers and sisters, my name is Lori Thompson. Before I start my talk this morning I want to share a little information about me and my family. I enjoy blogging, reading, cooking and making crafts. I am fluent in American Sign Language and I have my own custom vinyl lettering business I run out of my home.
Scott and I have been married for almost 12 years. We met in the MTC at the beginning of our missions. Scott served in Columbus, Ohio and I served in the Spokane, Washington mission. We just moved into this area from Mesa Arizona. Before that we were living in Santa Barbara, California.
I am a busy mother of 6 active, wonderful BOYS. They range in age from 10 years old to 10 months old. I was raised with an older brother and a single mother in a home where there was no priesthood. I now feel extremely blessed and privileged to have the opportunity to now teach my boys about the gospel of Jesus Christ and the importance of the priesthood. I am also able to teach them about the sacrament; what it means and how it impacts our lives.
In Arizona church was only 2 ½ hours long because there were 5 wards meeting in our building. But, the sacrament time never changed. Why would that be? Why is the sacrament so, so important to the church and to us? 1/3 of the services offered on Sunday are reserved for the Sacrament.
Joseph Fielding Smith said, “It is Important to meet together often to partake of bread and wine in the remembrance of the Lord Jesus.”
The ordinance of the sacrament makes the sacrament meeting the most sacred and important meeting in the Church. It is the only Sabbath meeting the entire family can attend together.
President Kimball said, “But we do not go to Sabbath meetings to be entertained or even solely to be instructed. We go to worship the Lord.”
President David O. McKay said, “Do we always stop to think, on that sacred Sabbath day when we meet together to partake of the sacrament, that we witness, promise, obligate ourselves, in the presence of one another, and in the presence of God, that we will do certain things.”
It is good to meet together in sacrament meeting to renew our covenants with God in that holy sacrament.
This is a commandment with a promise. By participating weekly and appropriately in the ordinance of the sacrament we qualify for the promise that we will "always have his Spirit to be with [us]" (D&C 20:77). That Spirit is the foundation of our testimony. It testifies of the Father and the Son, brings all things to our remembrance, and leads us into truth. It is the compass to guide us on our path. This gift of the Holy Ghost, President Wilford Woodruff taught, "is the greatest gift that can be bestowed upon man"
During sacrament meeting - and especially during the sacrament service - we should concentrate on worship and refrain from all other activities, especially from behavior that could interfere with the worship of others.
Now as a mother of 6 noisy, wiggly, rambunctious boys this is hard for me. When we were in Arizona, Scott was in the Bishopric and I sat alone, like a single parent in the pews. More than half of the time I couldn’t tell you what the talks were about or who bravely walked up to share their testimony. I often feel like a referee and a juggler during sacrament. But I also know I need to be there not just for myself, but for those six little busy-bodies I walked in with. I make a point during the passing of the bread and water, that this is the time to take a moment to think about Jesus.
In 3 Nephi 18:7 it talks about the meaning of the sacrament and states, “And this ye do in remembrance of my body, which I have shown unto you. And it shall be a testimony unto the Father that ye do always remember me. And if ye do always remember me ye shall have my spirit to be with you.”
When we partake of the sacrament, we make a sacred covenant that we will always remember the Savior. How sad to see persons obviously violating that covenant in the very meeting where they are making it.
The sacrament is the ordinance that replaced the blood sacrifices and burnt offerings of the Mosaic law, and with it came the Savior's promise: "And whoso cometh unto me with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, him will I baptize with fire and with the Holy Ghost" (3 Nephi 9:20).
Brothers and sisters, I know this is true. I am thankful that I have the opportunity to come weekly to partake of the sacrament and to renew my baptismal covenants. I know that as we honor our covenants, that the Lord will bless us more abundantly with the spirit in our lives. I am grateful for my family and the opportunities to teach them about these sacred principles. I say this in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.