A talk on service
Before you start
This page is a template, not a talk. It's here to get your brain going. It's totally normal to feel nervous.
The best advice I can give you is to be you. What could you bring into this talk that's yours? Your view, your happiness, the joy the gospel has brought into your life. Pray about that. Think about it for a day.
The Gospel Library app has a ton of good material, so use it. Plenty of AI tools will happily write this talk for you too. Use them to brainstorm if it helps... but don't let them write it. You write the talk.
A prompt for ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, or whatever you use
I'm giving a 10-minute talk on service in church. Don't write the talk for me. Ask me five questions, one at a time, to help me find a story from my own life that fits. Then suggest a simple outline built from my answers, with blanks where my own words go.
Who is it for
How long
A 10-minute talk on service
About 1,300 words when you read it aloud. Built from conference talks mainly about service.
Stories you could open with
Scriptures talks are built on
40And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
Matthew 25:40 the main scripture in 23 talks
Mosiah 2:17 the main scripture in 12 talks
James 1:27 the main scripture in 7 talks
Doctrine and Covenants 107:99 the main scripture in 5 talks
Teach from prophets, apostles, and leaders
Gerrit W. Gong, 2023
learn to speak and hear Christ's love through reverence, service and covenant belonging
Dallin H. Oaks, 2022
Members should help the needy and recognize and support the good that others do.
Gary E. Stevenson, 2021
Keep the gospel simple by living, caring, inviting and uniting families.
Something that happened to you goes here, about 2 minutes.
Your testimony. What you know about service, in your own words.
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Your talk
Your talk so far
A 10-minute talk on service Volunteer lawyers interview over 200 nursing home residents and uncover crimes against them. (Aroldo B. Cavalcante, 2024) https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2024/10/27cavalcante?lang=eng Matthew 25:40: And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/nt/matt/25?lang=eng&id=p40#p40 learn to speak and hear Christ's love through reverence, service and covenant belonging (Gerrit W. Gong, Love Is Spoken Here, 2023) https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2023/10/54gong?lang=eng Something that happened to you goes here, about 2 minutes. ______________________ Your testimony. What you know about service, in your own words. ______________________
Want cue cards? Our free cue card maker turns your talk into cards you can read at arm’s length.
Make cue cards from this talkTalks to read first
James E. Evanson, 2025
Evanson honors service missionaries and teaches that service opens hearts and brings Christ's power.
David A. Bednar, 2023
Bednar honors the quiet, uncelebrated Saints who serve faithfully without recognition.
L. Todd Budge, 2021
Budge reports record humanitarian giving and teaches that sacrifice means making ourselves holy by giving to God.
Cristina B. Franco, 2018
The secret ingredient of service is love and sacrifice, not position or recognition.
Joy D. Jones, 2018
Jones teaches that service becomes easier and more meaningful when done out of love for God.
Questions people ask
- How long should a talk on service be?
- As long as you were asked to fill. Sacrament meeting talks usually run five to fifteen minutes and youth talks are often shorter, so ask whoever gave you the assignment.
- How do I start a talk on service?
- With a story. Pick one from this page or from your own life, then read the scripture that fits it. The outline on this page puts them in order.
- Can I use AI to write a talk on service?
- Use it to brainstorm, not to write. The prompt on this page has AI ask you questions, so the talk ends up in your words.
- Is this an official Church site?
- No. It’s a family project. Every story and talk links to the real one on churchofjesuschrist.org, so read it there before you use it.