The last time I was asked to speak in a sacrament meeting was in either November or December of 2004. Do not ask me how I've managed to escape having to speak for so long. All I know is that I had somehow managed to slip in and out of a number of wards without ever being asked to speak in sacrament.
Interestingly enough, I don't loathe public speaking. In general, it doesn't make me all that nervous, and in some ways I even find that I look forward to it.
Except when I have a long time to think about it. And then I start worrying about all the dumb things I could say or all the ways that I could make a fool of myself or talk for way too long or pass out (as my body does on occasion) or have a bizarre Freudian slip or something. I get a little anxious about it.
And then when the day comes, even if I really don't feel nervous, my knees will whole-kneedly disagree and will proceed to shake throughout my entire talk despite my telling them that the rest of me is not nervous and they shouldn't be either. And besides nobody can see them anyway. What have they got to be nervous about?
But I digress.
Yesterday a member of the branch presidency asked me if I would be willing to speak in sacrament some time. I told him (in a long-winded round about way, as I am wont to do) that I would willing to do so.
With that said, I was not given a time-frame. Nor was I assigned a topic. So all I know is that I have heaps of time to convince my knees there is nothing to be nervous about. Nothing at all.
5 comments:
Haha, I got asked to speak yesterday too.
Last time I spoke in public, when leaving the platform, I tripped over my too-long pants and fell down the stairs.
Because I'm such a graceless idiot.
Ha Ha Ha. I feel the same way about speaking. I, however, have reason to fear. I have been scared for life. When I was like 10 I had to give a talk on Helaman. The night before I practiced with my parents and I kept pronouncing it "Hell"-a-man. The next day I was so frazzled that I, yes, I proceeded to say "Hell"a-man through the whole talk. Being too scared and confused to know what to do I continued to pronounce it like that the entire time.
After my talk I marched down the steps and went to go sit with my family and my brother loudly said to me, "Amy, you cussed in church. You are gonna go to hell." Yes I heard people laugh. Yes I cried. Yes it took my parents months to convince me I wasn't going to burn.
I too have also tripped while walking down the three steps of the platform.
As you know my body also is prone to pass out at any given moment as well.
So, every time I am asked to teach a class, give a talk etc. I have to prep my mind and convince myself things will be OK and once I get going I am fine. But I HATE the feelings before hand.
Last time I spoke in Sacrament was in 2001 to chronicle our YM Grand Teton climb...so, easy stuff really. I was also asked to speak at a ward Priesthood Comemoration Dinner and at Stake Priesthood Leadership meeting in 2001 and 2002. Other than that, I have managed to dodge that bullet but given the fact I have sung a full solo and a few solo parts in church that has more than made up for it.
Rest assured, with our coming move, both bishoprics have warned us that we will be speaking in their wards.
Excellent. Apparently my email to President Gaskill had the desired effect. What email, you say? Oh, the one where I said, "Funny story - Sherry says she hasn't spoken in YEARS. That is all". That man sure reads between the lines. Also, I am GLAD he didn't give you a topic yet; a - that means inspiration will be involved, not just in-between-line-reading, and b - the delay in receiving the details will lead to ever-so-entertaining-knee-funny business. /drumming fingers maniacally
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