Yesterday, i had the opportunity to give a talk in sacrament meeting. The last time i have given a talk was three years ago when i lived in Centennial Apartments. I remember i wore a pink tie, a green skirt, knee high white socks and pink canvas shoes. I remember feeling so trendy and hip, but now thinking back on it, maybe it was a little silly. I dont know. Anyway, it's been a REALLY long time since i've been up at the pulpit.
This year, i have had the opportunity to teach Relief Society twice, which i have never actually done before. All of these things are so scary to me, but the Lord has always been there to provide, when he's asked me to do something.
My talk was on Sister Tanner's talk, from a couple conferences ago, about delighting in the things of the Lord. She talks about how Nephi often talks about delighting in the things of the Lord, and often times when he reflects on these things, is when he is going through adversity.
How truly the Lord knows us. I have wanted for a long time to go up and bear my testimony, but, have had such anxiety about it that i have talked myself out of it. And now, through this time of adversity, i have drawn closer to Heavenly Father and my testimony has grown, and then he gave me this opportunity to bear it by giving a talk.
I wrote my talk and practiced it maybe close to ten times. I know really, it is not a big deal to anyone, but, i'm not very good at public speaking, and so i plan and prepare and freak out, and pretty much make myself sick until a couple minutes into the actual talk or lesson. Then some how i realize, i'm making it worse than it needs to be, it's not THAT big a deal, and everything will be O, K. Ha. Hopefully, with more "opportunities" and practice, i will get better and NOT freak out so much.
When i got to sacrament meeting, i was praying that i would be first, so that i could get it over with. But no... I was LAST. GASP! They usually put some long winded returned missionary (no offense, but you know what i mean.... heh...) who can take up any extra time. I started to minorly panic. I told them i was told then minutes and i had, EXACTLY ten minutes.. YIKES.
The first girl who spoke, actually was filling in for someone who bailed. She only had an hour to prepare. This was amazing to me, and i hope to be like this some day. I have felt like it before in my life, but for some reason, lately, i'm just not there. But i am working toward it. Anyway, she spoke for about fifteen minutes, and the next guy did too. This left me about TWENTY minutes, which i already knew, wasnt going to happen.
I delivered the message i had prepared, which mostly, was my testimony. I choked up alot, which, is embarrassing. I dont want to be known as the emotional girl who just cried during most of her talk, but, alas, that is what i might be known as. Oh well. I am glad that i was given the opportunity to share it and hope that it helped someone. It truly was, the inner most feelings of my heart. I mostly just shared, that, while i do not know alot of things, i DO know that heavenly father loves us so very much.
If this talk did not help anyone else, it did help me. And in that, i delight.
2 comments:
It sounds like you did great. I like that talk, too. I had to teach Relief Society with it. Brady was the last speaker in our ward, but three of the young men spoke first, and surprisingly, they took up all the time and Brady just bore his testimony for 30 seconds. Then they had him speak two weeks later and put him as the second speaker to be sure there was time for him.
i liked your opening recollection of your centennial talk; i don't remember it, so i appreciate the wardrobe description.
the last time i gave a talk in sacrament it was such a disaster that i'd rather not say anything more.
i'm better in sunday school.
i agree with becky; it sounds like your talk went very well.
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