Church Services This Week at “An Afternoon with an Apostle” Ogden Utah August 8-27-2011

Bishop Richard C Edgley - Presiding Bishopric
No matter how young you are, you can be a powerful example of Christ and can bring many to him through that example.

Elder Ronald A. Rasband - Presidency of the Seventy

He was told when he gave his first talk that a talk should contain three things.

• A scripture.
• A story or experience.
• A testimony

Notice that he lists a story/experience as a separate item from a testimony.  One could likely deduce from this that a testimony does not contain a story or experience.  Perhaps when one is asked to give a testimony, a story or life experience is not required, nor requested.

In my opinion, when one adds a story or experience to their testimony one is drifting into a territory that would more likely be termed an impromptu talk.  Please note that once a month we hold a meeting called a testimony meeting.  It is not called impromptu talk meeting.



Philippians 4:1
1 Therefore, my brethren dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved.

“Stand Fast in the Lord” - Elder Rasband

We sang I Know That My Redeemer Lives.  When Elder Ballard got up to speak he asked up if we really knew that.

He said that he was on his mission when we were all in the spirit world.  He said that it was so long ago that we might not have even been in the spirit world yet.  j/k

He talked of his mission to England.  He said at one point he stopped and asked God if he was really on His errand.  He did not hear a voice, but he felt thunder in his soul.

You can get answers to your questions about God, but you have to ask Him.

When your Church leaders step off the stage of Church leadership, who will step on to take their place.  Prepare yourself to be able to do so.  He added that he didn’t know if there were any future apostles in the room, but he said neither did we.

Set a line that you will not cross about the entertainment you partake of.

He expressed that he thought that the best education you could get is in the mission field.  It made me reflect on time outside of the field where I have been doing missionary work.  It does seem that when I am in the process of preparing to share the gospel with someone, whether it be one who is not a member of the Church or whether it be in instructing members of the Church, I do tend to learn more about myself, life, the gospel, and even the sciences and history.