Elmo wrote:I picked up enough words in the childrens story bit to follow what was going on. And following the words to the songs while hearing them was good (and the singing was amazing - I would go again just for that

).
But mostly I was lost... But at the end when people tried talking to me (very simply - i couldnt even understand "what is your name?" and as my friend pointed out i could do that yonks ago

) my mind froze.
Wow, Elmo - was that your first time in "real life"? If so, then you did better than exceptionally well! I know from my frequent forgettings and re-rememberings of French that the first time I'm exposed to French I last about 15 minutes before my eyes glaze over and my brain turns to mush. If you were following children's stories, singing hymns and trying to catch odd snippets of sermon and readings etc for an hour, it's not surprising that you couldn't speak Welsh at the end of it. I wonder how your English would have been to be honest!
Seriously, don't underestimate how draining it is to concentrate. There's a reason that we restrict the lessons to half an hour (and that some people do them in 10 minute bursts), and you have just had first hand experience of that.
Go again - next Sunday if you can! - and just enjoy it. If you know that you are going to go back again and again, then the pressure to have meaningful conversation this time is much less. Try not to concentrate too hard on the sermon and readings (you will probably find that a wandering mind will understand more than a concentrating mind anyway!), and don't be afraid to say "Sorry - I've not spoken much Welsh before, and my mind has turned to mush!" - they will understand that perfectly well, and you will not have to feel rude.
Have you seen lesson 6 bonus? There's some fun stuff for you to use in that lessons as well!
Llongyfarchiadau - congratulations on getting out there and doing it: that will turn you into a Welsh speaker more effectively than all the lessons in the world!
The SSiW mantra: "Don't worry. If you say something slightly different to me, people will just think you are from a different area / village / street / family to them, or more likely not notice at all!"
"Do not fear going forward slowly; fear only to stand still." Chinese Proverb