You have no idea how relieved I am, my other keyboard started acting up and I just got a job playing so that was not good at all. Now I just have to learn how to record MIDI files and learn how to operate it...before next practice which is Wednesday.... 
It's cool though, I'll use my old board until I get comfortable using my M08.....yall could kinda help a sister though cause I still don't know what slidders are fo' (int)

Now since you've got a Yamaha with Sliders, you're in good shape.
This is what I use mine for. Hopefully you have a Performance Mode like the Motif where you can set up four individual sounds assigned to the sliders, so
My current setup is a Piano -Strings - Brass Horns - Organ
Now while we're playing on sundays with the flick of a slider I can blend in the strings when Im ready or kick in to overdrive with some brass, when I want to change the atmosphere, I change the sounds. No searching for sounds during service! Its a true gift to keyboard players everywhere.
And when you're in Voice mode,
you have control over certain parameters of a sound. The Motif has this sound called Piano & Strings. The first two sliders are piano sounds, and the last two sliders are a string ensemble and a solo string sound. You can mix them whatever way you like.
On organs, they work like drawbars
Play around with it, sliders are your friends