Talking in church...I am gonna Rant!

Ok, so I never get asked to speak in church, never. It has probably been at least 6 years, maybe more. Anyways, i really like to do it too. I am such a critique of others talks that i consider myself an expert in an awesome singles ward talk (Hell i have been doing this thing for over 12 years). So a few weeks ago, when they asked me to speak i was really Jazzed about it. It was going to be the weekend after Spring Break, so i knew numbers would be down, but i still thought "what a great opportunity" and a little selfishly, pridefully i was phsyced that it would be about "Personal Conversion" something I have been thinking alot about, and working on.

So when I got the program as i was walking up to the stage, I noticed there were 4 speakers and a special musical number. I thought well, i will have 10 minutes, and that will be perfect. Now I do wish the guy who asked me to speak (one of the marrieds they have come into help) would have told me there would be 4 speakers, but no big deal.

So the first girl, is my roomates best friend. And she didn't know there were 4 speakers either. So she had prepared a full talk. Only problem is she does a 5 min. story about how "she forgot she had to talk until 1 hour before church, and this will be the worst talk ever." But then she continues to give a 25 min. talk, with factors, scriptural references, funny anticdotes, etc. Those who know me, know that i don't hide my emotions very well. So when i am a bit annoyed, I will look at the clock every 2 min. just to make my point. This girl was eating into my moment of glory and i was not too happy about it.

So while she is speaking the 2nd counselor tells me and the boy who is speaking before me to keep our talks short, (obviously running short on time). But the next boy doesn't keep it short, he is a "stutterer" the worst grown up stutterer i have ever met, and he likes to practice talking, he doesn't let the stuttering hold him back, he will conversate like no other. So he did a great job controlling the stuttering, but not a great job on the time 15 min. I realized my glory would be cut way short. So there i was, time for the meeting to be over....and 2 speakers left.

So I do a little joke/dig/a passive-agressive way to get my point across that I am annoyed. I say for the microphone as my opening, "In contrast from ______'s 'worst talk ever' (she referred to it as such, in the 5 min. intro), my talk is the 'best talk ever' but becasue the time is up you will only get a few chosen points." I felt like the hero for saving the meeting, (my talk was 5 min. ) reveling in my sacrifice and put myself above others (who don't 'get it', that we gotta share the time at the meeting) thought, "I am the enlightened one."

I got to thinking, "why am i so bugged by this". Was it that I wasted 5 hours of my life prepping for a talk? Was it that I hate self-depriciator's, public announcements that they are not prepared and will be giving something sub-par? Was it that I felt like I should have been privy to the info. that there would be 4 speakers or offended by the fact, they never have had 4 speakers before. Was it because I wanted my crush Lewis, to think i was a great speaker, and probably fall in love with me, and make Moscow not so lonely anymore? Hmmmm?

All i know, is even in church, some of my "not-so-christian" attributes come to the surface. I think thats ok, but am I the only one who gets annoyed at church? Often?