Josh's First Talk

This is Josh's fourth year in Primary, and his first talk was today. Noah has already given two, and is only in his second year, so Josh was pretty excited to get his chance! We sat down together to prepare, and he was very serious about trying to think of examples and make it good. His topic was, "Heavenly Father answers my prayers in many different ways." I asked him to think of some personal examples, and we listed them. Then, I asked him to think of some examples from the scriptures, and we listed those. I then asked him to choose which ones he wanted to use. I wrote the words out that so he would be able to read them later, but I wrote them as he said he wanted them. There were times I would have made different choices, but it wasn't my talk, it was his, and he did a really thoughtful job. He even thought of the segue to the scripture portion by himself. When he got up to give it he looked so sharp in his tie, and did so well giving it. Even though we have a huge junior primary that can be pretty wiggly, the kids seemed to be listening to him. Talking about it later, Gary said, "If I think about it hard enough, I'll get all choked up." Here is his talk:

Heavenly Father answers prayers in many different ways.

When I'm scared at night, I say a prayer, and Heavenly Father helps me forget the things I was thinking of.

Last year I got lost at Sea World. I said a prayer and then some people took me to the Sea World workers, who helped me find my grandma.

When I'm climbing rocks that are big and I don't know how to get down, I say a prayer, and Heavenly Father helps me to know how to get down.

In the scriptures people said prayers, too, like these people.

When all of the wicked people in Babel built a tower to get to heaven, God made it so everybody spoke a different language and couldn't understand each other. The brother of Jared said a prayer and his family could understand each other.

When Jonah disobeyed God and got swallowed by a whale, then he said a prayer to repent and he was okay.

I'd like to bear my testimony, and I know this church is true, and I know when you say a prayer Heavenly Father answers you in many different ways.

In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Oh, yes, and our whole family was in there to hear it, too! Noah and Andrew are already in Primary, Gary and I were in there to watch, and Lissy stunk up her diaper at the last minute and ended up watching, too.