I still remember my first talk pretty vividly. I was 8 or 9 at the time, and as a kid that was "born in the truth", it was only natural that I should join the school at that time. I remember getting my talk slip a good three months before I was to deliver it, and my talk was prepared a full month before the date (this was the only time I had such advanced preparation. By my second talk, I had already figured out you could make your talk with only one or two days to spare and still be OK. Hell, I once made a talk I had forgotten, from scratch, minutes before I was supposed to deliver it, and got 2 "G"'s. Of course, talk no.2 is admittedly not the most difficult talk to make.).
I was nervous about delivering it. Sure I had been on stage a couple of times before with my family for service meeting demonstrations (one in which I was running on stage to demonstrate how ill behaved JW children can act after meetings ), but this time I would be up there by myself. I had reviewed and reread the bible passage and introduction and conclusion to the point that I could almost do it by heart. I had my "talk suit" all ready to go two days before the talk was to be given. My mom and dad had critiqued my talk delivery. I knew I could do a good job, but I was still pretty nervous.
Finally, the big night came, and I was in the Kingdom Hall (arrived about 10 minutes early). I found the school overseer, handed in my perfectly unwrinkled assignment slip and unmarked personal speech counsel slip. The kingdom melodies were playing in the background and I was imagining myself on the stage. Then, all of a sudden, the music stopped and the school overseer was on stage.
The song and prayer was handled, and the overseer welcomed everyone to the ministry school as per custom. In reviewing who was assigned to be on the school, my name was mentioned for talk no. 2 in the main hall. I knew I was zeroing in on "game time". The instruction talk and bible highlights that night could not have dragged on longer. My hands had literally turned cold and started sweating. I looked up the scriptures as they were read from the stage, but my mind was really focused on the talk I was about to deliver. I looked over my introduction and conclusion again. I browsed through the bible passage again to make sure I could properly pronounce any potential difficult words. As I already knew, there were no problems, but I was just nervously paranoid.
Finally, the fateful moment arrived. For people in normal or large sized congregations like I was in, the school divided after the bible highlights. I walked toward the platform as some brothers walked toward the second school. I actually felt a little relieved that I had a smaller crowd to work with in case I messed up . Well, the school overseer introduced me and my talk theme (and setting), and of course mentioned that it was my first talk (like the people there didn't already know it). I took a huge breath and walk on the stage.
As the brother adjusted the microphone to my mouth, I took a look at the audience and suddenly, I knew I would be OK. These were people I had known for a long time, people I was comfortable with. Oddly enough, I stopped being nervous and delivered the talk with nary a misqueue. As I ended my talk telling the brothers that they should imitate Joshau and Caleb, and I walked off the stage, I was greeted with a round of applause, as is the custom to do with someone who had a first talk. The brother gave me 2 "G"'s for study no. 21. I sat in the front row untill the song for the service meeting was sang, and was greeted with smiles of approval from my parents as I returned to my seat. Of course, I got the customary congratulations from the manifold members of the congregation after meeting. I was relieved and elated. I had given my first talk. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, and I was ready for the next one.
So, how many of you were nervous on your first talks? I was never nervous again, hell, I haven't had a talk assignment in months (I'm not complaining ), and while I'd like to let it stay that way, it's certainly not because I'm nervous of going on stage to speak to a group of people who wished they were home doing better things (or maybe it's just me ).