A promise for anyone asked to speak
The name comes from a promise the Lord gave to those asked to share His word:
"Neither take ye thought beforehand what ye shall say; but treasure up in your minds continually the words of life, and it shall be given you in the very hour that portion that shall be meted unto every man." (D&C 84:85)
He repeated it: "For it shall be given you in the very hour, yea, in the very moment, what ye shall say" (D&C 100:6).
I chose this name to show how a loving Heavenly Father prepares His people to do a great work. Like Nehemiah, we can say, "I am doing a great work" (Nehemiah 6:3). He doesn't call us and leave us alone. He gives us the tools.
The tools to build a ship
Nephi was asked to do something that had never been done: "Thou shalt construct a ship, after the manner which I shall show thee" (1 Nephi 17:8). "The Lord did show me from time to time after what manner I should work the timbers of the ship. Now I, Nephi, did not work the timbers after the manner which was learned by men" (1 Nephi 18:1–2).
A talk or lesson comes together the same way. We gather and study, and the Lord shows us, a little at a time, how to put it together.
What I learned as a bishop
When I was called as bishop, I didn't feel ready. That first week I wrote a list of reminders in my journal, including "Whom God calls he qualifies" and "I am not perfect, but I am sufficient." On my first day I wrote out Alma 26:12: "I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things."
From the stand, I watched our youth speak in sacrament meeting several times a year. A lesson early in the month they spoke helped them prepare, and it was amazing to watch them lose their fear of speaking in front of others and learn to recognize the spiritual moments in their lives and testify of them.
The adults taught me something too. So often a speaker would tell me, "You know, I wasn't sure what to say, but early this morning the words came to my mind." They had the inspiration. What they didn't always have was the necessary time to organize it and make sure it fit the time they were given.
I learned the promise for myself, too. One Sunday a speaker didn't show up, and the first speaker took only about five minutes, so we had about 25 minutes to fill. At the pulpit I had the thought to share my witness of the Savior. As I did, my mind was filled with 25 minutes of teaching about the Savior, His Father's plan and the way back to His presence. The knowledge I needed was given exactly when I needed it. It reminded me of D&C 84:85.
It came because I had tried to study every day "in case I needed it." I realized how many people are asked to speak or teach without knowing where to start. That is why I built this site.
How it helps
The Refiner, our talk tool, helps you do your part. It finds what living prophets and apostles have taught in general conference, newest first. It tailors its advice to the age of both the speaker and the audience, whether that's a Primary child, a youth or an adult, and it uses ethos, pathos and logos: trust in your witness, real feeling, and simple reasons that make sense. When you're asked to pray, it helps you use the reverent language of prayer, Thee, Thou, Thy and Thine, because speaking to our Heavenly Father this way shows our love and respect for Him. It suggests openings that catch people's attention, some lighthearted but always reverent. It gathers the scriptures and leaves room for your own experiences and for the promptings that come as you prepare. Along the way it gives gentle nudges to keep your message centered on Jesus Christ, and every talk closes with your witness of Him, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen. You can choose a simple outline to speak from, or the full text if you'd rather read it.
You can also paste in a talk you've already written. The Refiner will estimate how long it takes to give and suggest ways to trim it or build it out so it fits the time you were given. It will also mark sections that can easily be added or cut on the spot, in case the meeting runs short or long.
The teaching tool helps you ask questions that invite people to share. It starts with simple questions, then goes a layer deeper, then to more personal ones, and it helps you sense when a class is ready for the next level and how to ask so people want to answer.
Here's why it works: the Lord asks us to prepare, and He promises His Spirit. When you fill your mind with the words of life, the Spirit has something to bring back to you in the very hour.
The site is free and ad-free, and every talk links to its full text on the Church's website.
Refined and ready
Every talk we give and every lesson we teach is part of being refined, so we become more like the Savior and are ready when He comes again. Elder Douglas L. Callister taught that "refinement is a companion to developed spirituality" (Your Refined Heavenly Home). President D. Todd Christofferson taught that "adopting the character of Christ is not only a question of our personal preparation but a primary element of preparing the world for the Lord's return" (The Character of Christ, April 2026; see also Preparing for the Lord's Return, April 2019). When we prepare a talk with the Spirit, we're being refined, and we're helping prepare the people who hear it.
My hope is that it helps you feel a little less nervous, a lot more ready, and closer to the Savior who is refining each of us.
— Brady Peterson
Not an official website of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Questions, ideas or a problem to report? Write to hello@intheveryhour.com.
We count visits with cookie-free Cloudflare Web Analytics; we don’t track you personally, and your talks stay on your device.
