00:00:02 Welcome to another edition of JW Broadcasting.
00:00:06 Here are this month’s highlights:
00:00:08 What is it like to engage in the special metropolitan witnessing work
00:00:11 in the bustling United States city of San Francisco?
00:00:15 We’ll hear encouraging experiences from brothers and sisters
00:00:19 who preach in this diverse language field.
00:00:22 Can young ones serve Jehovah successfully
00:00:25 even if their family’s spiritual activity stops?
00:00:28 We’ll hear from a sister who tells what kept her love for Jehovah growing
00:00:32 throughout her family’s busy show business career.
00:00:36 And we’ll discuss
00:00:38 the beautiful quality of loyalty,
00:00:40 including an interview with a couple
00:00:43 who has served Jehovah loyally for over 60 years.
00:00:47 All this is ahead on JW Broadcasting for August 2016.
00:01:11 This month’s theme is taken
00:01:13 from David’s poetic song to Jehovah
00:01:15 at Psalm 18:25, which states:
00:01:18 “With someone loyal you act in loyalty.”
00:01:22 The Hebrew term “act in loyalty”
00:01:25 reminds us of God’s loyal love
00:01:27 —that is love motivated by commitment,
00:01:29 integrity, loyalty, and deep attachment.
00:01:34 So loyalty is more than just a feeling;
00:01:37 it is active; it’s rooted in love.
00:01:40 How comforting it is to know that Jehovah
00:01:42 lovingly attaches himself to those who are loyal to him!
00:01:47 But what motivated David to write the words
00:01:49 at Psalm 18:25?
00:01:52 The superscription reveals that it was composed
00:01:54 after “Jehovah rescued him from the hand of all his enemies
00:01:58 and from the hand of Saul.”
00:02:01 Think of the great joy and relief he must have felt
00:02:04 after experiencing firsthand Jehovah’s loyal love
00:02:07 and mighty saving acts.
00:02:10 However, throughout his life,
00:02:12 David experienced disloyalty at its worst:
00:02:16 from his king, Saul; from his wife Michal;
00:02:19 from his trusted counselor Ahithophel; and from his son Absalom.
00:02:24 He felt the deep hurt of betrayal by those he trusted and loved most.
00:02:30 Loyalty is a choice.
00:02:32 What do we find when we look back at David’s life?
00:02:36 David chose to stay loyal to God.
00:02:40 From a humble shepherd boy caring for his sheep
00:02:43 to a valiant king caring for the nation,
00:02:45 he proved to be someone loyal,
00:02:48 a man agreeable to Jehovah’s heart.
00:02:52 But it can be a real test to maintain loyalty to God
00:02:55 when we face injustices.
00:02:57 Imagine the desperate situation that David and his mighty warriors
00:03:01 experienced when they were fugitives,
00:03:03 forced to hide in the wilderness, often low on provisions.
00:03:07 They saw firsthand King Saul’s jealous rage.
00:03:11 But what choice did David make when urged by his men
00:03:15 to seize the opportunity to take Saul’s life?
00:03:18 Notice what David told his men
00:03:21 at 1 Samuel 24:6:
00:03:25 “It is unthinkable from Jehovah’s standpoint
00:03:28 “that I should do such a thing to my lord,
00:03:30 “the anointed of Jehovah,
00:03:32 “by lifting my hand against him,
00:03:34 for he is the anointed of Jehovah.”
00:03:39 David knew that if he remained loyal,
00:03:42 Jehovah would remain loyal to him
00:03:44 —He would show him loyal love.
00:03:46 He humbly put aside his personal feelings
00:03:49 and viewed matters from Jehovah’s perspective.
00:03:52 He chose to wait patiently for Jehovah to “act in loyalty.”
00:03:58 We’ll soon be facing life-changing events foretold in the Bible
00:04:02 that will test our loyalty to Jehovah and his organization.
00:04:06 So now is the time to strengthen our loyalty!
00:04:10 As we do, we can be sure that Jehovah knows our circumstances
00:04:15 —perhaps injustices we have experienced—
00:04:17 and will reward our loyal service.
00:04:21 So ask yourself, ‘What loyal actions
00:04:24 will motivate Jehovah to be loyal to me?’
00:04:27 Let’s consider three areas.
00:04:30 First,
00:04:31 we can be loyal to Jehovah
00:04:33 by defending him.
00:04:35 But Jehovah is the Sovereign of the universe.
00:04:38 How can we come to his defense?
00:04:40 We can learn how from the fine example of Elihu!
00:04:45 In the book of Job, Elihu listened patiently as Job
00:04:48 and his three false comforters spoke.
00:04:50 Notice Elihu’s reaction
00:04:52 at Job 32:2, 3:
00:04:56 “His anger blazed against Job
00:04:59 “for trying to prove himself right
00:05:01 “rather than God.
00:05:03 “He was also very angry
00:05:05 “with Job’s three companions
00:05:06 “because they could not find an answer
00:05:09 but had declared God wicked.”
00:05:13 A fire of righteous indignation was burning inside young Elihu.
00:05:17 In Job 36:2, 3,
00:05:20 he loyally comes to Jehovah’s defense saying:
00:05:24 “Be patient with me
00:05:25 “a little longer while I explain,
00:05:28 “for I still have words to speak
00:05:29 “on God’s behalf.
00:05:31 “I will speak comprehensively
00:05:33 “about what I know,
00:05:35 “and I will ascribe righteousness
00:05:37 to my Maker.”
00:05:38 Elihu courageously proved loyal
00:05:41 by praising, and, yes, defending God.
00:05:46 Why do we need to come to Jehovah’s defense today?
00:05:49 Because our loving heavenly Father is blasphemed in so many ways.
00:05:53 False religions claim that he’s part of a Trinity
00:05:56 and that he torments people eternally in burning hell.
00:06:00 Others say that he does not exist or if he does,
00:06:03 he doesn’t really care about us.
00:06:06 We know that such lies come from Satan the Devil.
00:06:10 We demonstrate our loyalty
00:06:12 by speaking in defense of Jehovah,
00:06:14 thereby proving Satan the liar that he is.
00:06:18 We boldly and zealously proclaim
00:06:20 that he does exist as the almighty God;
00:06:23 and that he is wise, just, and loving,
00:06:26 and that he will soon bring an end to all evil
00:06:29 and reward his loyal ones with eternal life.
00:06:33 Jehovah could make the stones cry out in defense,
00:06:36 yet he honors his loyal Witnesses —you and me—
00:06:40 with this fine privilege.
00:06:42 Second,
00:06:44 we can be loyal to Jehovah by being loyal
00:06:46 to “the faithful and discreet slave,”
00:06:49 the Governing Body.
00:06:51 Jehovah and Jesus are using “the faithful and discreet slave”
00:06:54 to feed us spiritually, so we owe our loyalty to that slave.
00:06:58 But some may say,
00:07:00 ‘Isn’t the Governing Body made up of imperfect men?’
00:07:04 Yes, it is.
00:07:06 The last perfect person to walk the earth was Jesus himself.
00:07:09 There is no perfect person or organization on the globe.
00:07:14 But as a long-time faithful brother used to say,
00:07:17 “This is the best imperfect organization on earth.”
00:07:20 Jesus didn’t say the slave would be infallible.
00:07:23 He said it would be faithful and discreet.
00:07:27 The way we listen to and obey the faithful slave
00:07:31 has a direct bearing on the strength of our friendship with God.
00:07:35 In fact, it means our very life.
00:07:40 But what if the Governing Body
00:07:41 serves some spiritual food that is not to our liking?
00:07:45 Or what if we do not fully understand
00:07:47 or agree with a clarification of a belief?
00:07:52 On one occasion, Jesus’ followers, including the apostle Peter,
00:07:55 were confronted with a new teaching.
00:07:58 How did most react?
00:08:00 Notice John 6:60, it states:
00:08:05 “When they heard this, many of his disciples said:
00:08:08 ‘This speech is shocking; who can listen to it?’”
00:08:11 The result?
00:08:13 Continuing in verse 66:
00:08:15 “Because of this, many of his disciples
00:08:18 “went off to the things behind
00:08:20 and would no longer walk with him.”
00:08:23 But how did Peter respond when Jesus asked them,
00:08:27 ‘Are you too stumbled?’
00:08:29 At John 6:68, we read:
00:08:31 “Simon Peter answered him:
00:08:33 “‘Lord, whom shall we go away to?
00:08:36 You have sayings of everlasting life.’”
00:08:40 What loyalty!
00:08:42 Peter’s loyalty was based on solid evidence
00:08:45 that Jesus was the Messiah.
00:08:48 His loyalty was evidence of his faith.
00:08:51 That is the kind of loyalty we want to imitate today.
00:08:56 There are times we must wait on Jehovah to clarify matters.
00:09:00 In the meantime, may we prove ourselves loyal like Peter
00:09:05 and follow closely the lead of the faithful slave,
00:09:08 who closely follow in the footsteps of their Master, Jesus.
00:09:14 At times, though, we receive counsel that touches us personally.
00:09:18 For instance, on JW Broadcasting we’ve received loving reminders
00:09:22 from members of the Governing Body to be forgiving,
00:09:25 to honor Jehovah with our valuable things,
00:09:28 and to remain spiritually alert.
00:09:31 Through The Watchtower and at Christian meetings,
00:09:34 we’re reminded to be careful about our dress and grooming,
00:09:37 to choose good associates and wholesome entertainment,
00:09:40 and to remain morally clean.
00:09:43 Are we quick to respond and make needed adjustments
00:09:46 or do we find ourselves wanting to defend our personal rights?
00:09:52 A situation in the apostle Paul’s life
00:09:54 tested his loyalty to theocratic direction.
00:09:57 It’s found in Acts chapter 21.
00:10:00 As you recall, Paul arrived in Jerusalem in 56 C.E.
00:10:04 after a very successful missionary tour.
00:10:07 You can imagine his excitement as he related in detail
00:10:10 “the things God did among the nations through his ministry.”
00:10:14 After hearing Paul’s extraordinary account,
00:10:17 the older men revealed to Paul
00:10:19 a problem in Judea that involved him personally.
00:10:23 Read what they said at Acts 21:21:
00:10:29 “But they [the Jewish believers]
00:10:31 “have heard it rumored about you
00:10:33 “that you have been teaching all the Jews
00:10:35 “among the nations an apostasy from Moses,
00:10:39 “telling them not to circumcise their children
00:10:41 or to follow the customary practices.”
00:10:45 Well, perhaps Paul thought, ‘Me, an apostate?
00:10:48 ‘Really? How can they say such a thing?
00:10:51 ‘I just finished my third missionary tour,
00:10:53 and look how Jehovah blessed the work!’
00:10:56 Nevertheless, the older men gave Paul very clear direction
00:11:00 at Acts 21:23, 24
00:11:04 that he likely did not anticipate,
00:11:06 and there it reads:
00:11:08 “So do what we tell you:
00:11:10 “We have four men who have put themselves under a vow.
00:11:13 “Take these men with you and cleanse yourself
00:11:16 “ceremonially together with them
00:11:17 “and take care of their expenses,
00:11:19 “so that they may have their heads shaved.
00:11:21 “Then everyone will know that there is nothing
00:11:24 “to the rumors they were told about you,
00:11:26 “but that you are walking orderly
00:11:28 and you are also keeping the Law.”
00:11:31 Was this the time for Paul to question
00:11:33 their decision or demand his rights?
00:11:36 He could have reasoned:
00:11:38 ‘Didn’t you read my letter to the Galatians,
00:11:40 ‘where it says the Law was nailed to the torture stake with Jesus?
00:11:44 ‘I did nothing wrong!
00:11:46 ‘Why do I have to put on this pretense
00:11:48 just because a few are overly sensitive?’
00:11:51 No.
00:11:52 He humbly did as they requested,
00:11:55 although it nearly cost him his life.
00:11:58 Yes, it meant swallowing his pride,
00:12:00 but Paul knew there were bigger issues
00:12:02 involved than his personal rights.
00:12:05 He was considerate of the consciences of others.
00:12:08 But more importantly,
00:12:10 he showed his loyalty to Jehovah and to the governing body.
00:12:15 Do we see the bigger issue in our life?
00:12:19 Let us be determined to be humble,
00:12:22 flexible, and obedient like Paul,
00:12:25 and thereby prove ourselves faithful
00:12:28 to “the faithful and discreet slave.”
00:12:32 Third,
00:12:33 we can be loyal to Jehovah
00:12:35 by being loyal to the elders.
00:12:37 We’ve discussed loyalty
00:12:39 to Jehovah himself and to the faithful slave,
00:12:41 but what about direction we receive
00:12:44 from the elders in our congregation?
00:12:46 We listen to our elders give talks
00:12:48 and comments at the meetings each week,
00:12:50 we work with them in the ministry,
00:12:52 and we associate with them.
00:12:54 This regular contact gives us more opportunities
00:12:57 to see their imperfections and flaws.
00:13:01 We could begin to focus on their weaknesses,
00:13:04 weakening our trust in God’s arrangement.
00:13:08 For example, if you zoom in
00:13:11 on any of our pictures in our magazines,
00:13:13 all you’ll see are colored spots or pixels.
00:13:16 But when you zoom out,
00:13:18 you see a beautiful photo or painting.
00:13:22 Similarly, when looking at our elders,
00:13:25 don’t zoom in on their imperfections —the spots of ink—
00:13:28 rather, see the big picture.
00:13:32 Why, then, is it so important
00:13:34 to strengthen our loyalty to our hard-working, loving shepherds?
00:13:38 Because these “gifts in men”
00:13:40 are an expression of Jehovah’s loyal love
00:13:43 as they loyally lead, feed,
00:13:45 and protect his precious sheep.
00:13:48 As the great tribulation nears, our survival will depend
00:13:51 on our readiness to respond to their direction,
00:13:54 as they follow the Governing Body’s direction.
00:13:57 Our loyalty is not to men,
00:14:00 but to Jehovah’s arrangement
00:14:02 made up of imperfect, but loyal men.
00:14:05 That is a lesson that Korah, Dathan,
00:14:08 and Abiram refused to learn.
00:14:11 In this clip from the video Respect Jehovah’s Authority,
00:14:14 listen to Korah’s defiant attitude toward Moses
00:14:17 as taken from Numbers chapter 16.
00:14:21 There’s Moses.
00:14:28 That is enough of you
00:14:30 because the whole assembly
00:14:32 are all of them holy
00:14:34 and Jehovah is in their midst.
00:14:38 Why, then, should you lift yourselves up
00:14:40 above the congregation of Jehovah?
00:14:44 Korah and the others made great pretenses of loyalty to God,
00:14:48 but completely ignored the fact
00:14:50 that Jehovah directly appointed Moses and Aaron.
00:14:55 Who, then, were they really murmuring against?
00:14:58 Notice Numbers 26:9:
00:15:02 “This Dathan and Abiram
00:15:04 “were chosen ones of the assembly
00:15:06 “who fought against Moses and Aaron
00:15:08 “along with Korah’s group
00:15:10 when they fought against Jehovah.”
00:15:15 While focusing on the man Moses and his imperfections,
00:15:19 they did not really see that it was Jehovah who was directing the nation.
00:15:23 They were actually fighting against Jehovah.
00:15:27 Their disloyalty to God’s appointed men cost them their lives.
00:15:31 But Korah’s sons made a different choice.
00:15:34 In this next clip, notice an attitude far different from their father’s.
00:15:39 My father and his companions
00:15:42 actually rebelled against Jehovah’s authority.
00:15:45 Their envy, pride, and ambition led to rebellion,
00:15:48 and in the end
00:15:50 they brought dishonor upon themselves.
00:15:52 My father sought glory,
00:15:55 but his glory was short-lived.
00:15:57 I’m glad, though, that my brothers and I
00:15:59 took the right side of the issue.
00:16:03 It must have been hard though.
00:16:05 Yes, it was.
00:16:07 But that helps us to understand
00:16:08 how important it is
00:16:10 that we do not allow friendships or family
00:16:13 to take priority
00:16:15 over our relationship with Jehovah
00:16:17 and our obedience to him.
00:16:19 That’s what Father has always told me.
00:16:22 Mmm, yes.
00:16:24 Ultimately, successful direction for us humans
00:16:28 comes from Jehovah.
00:16:30 We should completely trust
00:16:31 in his choices of appointed ones.
00:16:34 You see,
00:16:35 respect for those whom Jehovah has appointed
00:16:38 shows respect for Jehovah’s authority.
00:16:43 The loyalty displayed by Korah’s sons
00:16:45 moved Jehovah to act in loyalty by sparing their lives.
00:16:50 What fine examples for us to imitate!
00:16:53 May we never find ourselves fighting against Jehovah
00:16:56 by murmuring or complaining against those
00:16:59 who he has appointed to lead his people today.
00:17:02 To see more of the good and the bad examples
00:17:05 of loyalty among the Israelites,
00:17:07 we encourage you to watch the entire Respect Jehovah’s Authority video
00:17:11 on JW Broadcasting.
00:17:14 In review, how can we show our loyalty to Jehovah?
00:17:18 First, by coming to his defense as his Witnesses.
00:17:22 Second, by maintaining our loyal support
00:17:25 of “the faithful and discreet slave.”
00:17:27 And third, by loyally following direction from the appointed elders.
00:17:32 As you imitate faithful examples like the sons of Korah,
00:17:37 like David, Peter, and Paul,
00:17:39 you will prove to be someone Jehovah views as loyal
00:17:42 —worthy of receiving his acts of loyalty forever.
00:17:48 Our second point on loyalty
00:17:50 shows us ways we can follow the faithful and discreet slave’s direction.
00:17:54 But have you ever wondered how
00:17:56 the Governing Body arrives at important decisions?
00:17:59 In this Bethel morning worship,
00:18:01 Brother David Splane answers that very question.
00:18:04 “Well, there’ve been so many changes.
00:18:07 It’s hard to keep up.”
00:18:09 We hear that a lot.
00:18:11 And it’s true.
00:18:13 So the question is,
00:18:14 How do these changes come about?
00:18:17 Does the Governing Body get together on a Wednesday morning and say,
00:18:21 “Well, what will we change this week?
00:18:23 Let’s throw the brotherhood off guard a little bit.”
00:18:27 That would not be faithful or discreet.
00:18:32 The fact is that,
00:18:33 although changes may seem to be announced one after another,
00:18:37 the decision to put the changes into effect
00:18:40 is often years in the making.
00:18:44 Now, one of the first big changes
00:18:47 that the current Governing Body had to grapple with
00:18:50 had to do with this,
00:18:52 Is it feasible
00:18:54 to have a Branch Committee serving
00:18:57 in the United States?
00:18:59 Now, for years the thought was that we really couldn’t have
00:19:03 a Branch Committee functioning in the United States
00:19:06 because the States was host
00:19:08 to the Governing Body and the world headquarters.
00:19:13 So this was going to be a big decision,
00:19:16 and it wasn’t taken overnight.
00:19:19 A lot of consultation
00:19:21 with mature, experienced brothers was necessary.
00:19:25 But finally the decision was made,
00:19:28 and we believe that decision has had Jehovah’s rich blessing.
00:19:32 We’re proud of our hard-working Branch Committee,
00:19:36 and we’re happy to have their support.
00:19:39 We need their support.
00:19:42 Now let’s consider a couple of other examples.
00:19:45 Beginning in the first week of January 2009,
00:19:49 the School, Service Meeting,
00:19:51 and the Congregation Book Study were merged.
00:19:54 Now that decision
00:19:56 was almost ten years in the making.
00:20:00 As far back as 1999, it was being discussed.
00:20:04 Well, then, why wasn’t the decision made ten years earlier?
00:20:09 Because the Governing Body wanted to be sure.
00:20:12 Will the brothers have what they need?
00:20:14 Will they have all of the spiritual food they need
00:20:17 if we merge the meetings?
00:20:19 Now then one Wednesday
00:20:21 —I think it was about three-thirty in the afternoon—
00:20:23 we’d had a long meeting.
00:20:25 We received two letters from large branches.
00:20:30 And one of the branches said that they had many large congregations
00:20:34 with seven or eight book studies,
00:20:37 but with only one elder and one ministerial servant.
00:20:40 So the elder might conduct five book studies,
00:20:42 and the ministerial servant might conduct three,
00:20:45 and then they had all of the parts on the meetings to prepare.
00:20:48 So all they were doing with their time was conducting book studies
00:20:51 and preparing parts for the meetings.
00:20:54 It was hard!
00:20:56 And then the same week we received a letter from another branch,
00:20:59 and they explained why the attendance at the book study was so low.
00:21:04 They explained that the publishers loved the meetings
00:21:07 —all of the meetings— including the book study.
00:21:10 But they’re very poor, and they couldn’t afford the bus fare
00:21:14 to attend two midweek meetings; they had to choose.
00:21:19 And if they attended the School and Service Meeting,
00:21:22 they could get almost two hours of spiritual direction,
00:21:25 whereas with the book study, they would get one.
00:21:28 So most of the time it was the School
00:21:31 and Service Meeting that won out.
00:21:34 Well, those two letters
00:21:37 put a real face on the situation,
00:21:40 and it helped us to make the decision.
00:21:43 Now, in 2008,
00:21:45 a public edition and a study edition
00:21:47 of The Watchtower began to be published.
00:21:51 That decision was a long time coming.
00:21:55 We discussed the possibility off and on, but we always said,
00:21:58 “Let’s not be hasty; let’s wait a little bit.
00:22:01 Let’s see what Jehovah wants.”
00:22:03 The main thing was, What would Jehovah want?
00:22:07 And how would we know?
00:22:09 We decided to make a sort of fleece test.
00:22:12 And so in 2006,
00:22:15 we began publishing one Awake! a month,
00:22:18 but we kept publishing two Watchtowers.
00:22:20 So that would be three magazines per month, instead of four.
00:22:24 And the rationale was, “We’ll try it for a year,
00:22:27 “and if at the end of a year
00:22:29 “our magazine placements have plummeted,
00:22:31 “we’ll know that Jehovah is not backing this arrangement.
00:22:34 We can go back to producing two Awakes! a year.”
00:22:38 Well, what was the result?
00:22:40 At the end of the year,
00:22:42 we were placing as many magazines at three per month
00:22:46 as we had been placing at four per month the year before.
00:22:50 So that indicated to us
00:22:52 that Jehovah was backing the arrangement.
00:22:55 And how many of us have appreciated
00:22:57 having a study edition of The Watchtower
00:22:59 that speaks directly to the brotherhood
00:23:01 and then a public edition of The Watchtower
00:23:03 that can be tailored a little bit more
00:23:06 to the needs of the public.
00:23:09 Now, before making any decision
00:23:11 that affects the Kingdom work,
00:23:13 the Governing Body has to carefully consider
00:23:16 the spiritual implications.
00:23:18 As an example, in 2008,
00:23:22 the decision was made to reduce the length of public talks
00:23:25 from 45 minutes to 30 minutes.
00:23:29 Well you say, ‘How could that decision possibly affect
00:23:32 the spirituality of the brotherhood?’
00:23:35 And if you’re serving in an urban congregation with many elders
00:23:40 and nearby there are other urban congregations with many elders,
00:23:43 perhaps you’d have difficulty in understanding the reasoning.
00:23:47 But the Governing Body has to look at the whole picture.
00:23:50 Thousands of our brothers have served where the need is great,
00:23:54 and they’ve learned a foreign language.
00:23:56 And in many, many of these congregations
00:23:59 the learners are the elders.
00:24:01 Some of the learners have told us
00:24:03 that for every minute of a public talk,
00:24:06 it has required one hour of preparation.
00:24:10 So can you imagine:
45-minute public talk
00:24:13 —45 hours for some of them?
00:24:16 So the reduction in the length of the public talks has actually meant
00:24:20 that these congregations could have more public talks.
00:24:24 That’s not all.
00:24:25 There are thousands of elders
00:24:28 who are serving in isolated congregations
00:24:30 that may be 100 miles or more from the next congregation.
00:24:33 So in one congregation you have one elder,
00:24:35 and then 100 miles away you have another congregation with one elder.
00:24:39 How many public talks were those brothers getting
00:24:42 when there were
45-minute public talks?
00:24:45 The 15-minute reduction made a difference.
00:24:49 So if we take a narrow view
00:24:51 and think only about our own situation and our own congregation,
00:24:54 well, we can have difficulty in understanding
00:24:57 why certain decisions are made.
00:25:00 Now the same principles apply to clarifications in our beliefs.
00:25:04 The Governing Body loves to get together and discuss the Bible.
00:25:08 And when those Bibles come out on the table
00:25:11 and when the brothers bring their research in
00:25:13 and they’re starting to search the Scriptures and analyze the Scriptures,
00:25:16 you see the happy smiles on their faces.
00:25:18 The brothers love discussing spiritual things.
00:25:23 But the clarifications
00:25:26 are often a long time in coming into print.
00:25:30 Why?
00:25:31 Because the clarification on one scripture
00:25:34 can have a domino effect on others.
00:25:36 The clarification on one scripture
00:25:38 can have ramifications on other prophecies,
00:25:41 so we have to be absolutely sure that everything fits.
00:25:45 So to reiterate,
00:25:47 although certain changes may be announced one after another,
00:25:51 these decisions are thought out very carefully.
00:25:55 And here’s an interesting side point:
00:25:58 The older members of the Governing Body
00:26:00 —Brother Jaracz, Brother Barr—
00:26:02 were just as interested in making the adjustments
00:26:06 as the younger members were.
00:26:08 They were very progressive.
00:26:12 What an insight into the faithful and discreet slave’s loving concern!
00:26:16 Did you hear things the Governing Body does
00:26:18 that would further motivate you to support and follow their direction?
00:26:22 Perhaps it’s how they consulted experienced brothers;
00:26:25 or that they consider our brothers’ varying circumstances worldwide;
00:26:29 or, most importantly, how they patiently and prayerfully seek
00:26:33 to know Jehovah’s will and look for his blessing on a decision.
00:26:37 Millions of our brothers and sisters around the world
00:26:40 can recount the blessings they’ve gained
00:26:42 by remaining loyal to Jehovah and his organization.
00:26:45 And we’re privileged to have two such examples here with us today:
00:26:50 Brother and Sister William and Sandra Malenfant.
00:26:53 Brother Malenfant is a helper to the Teaching Committee,
00:26:56 and Sister Malenfant’s current assignment is in the Service Department.
00:27:00 And we’re looking forward to hearing
00:27:02 about their rich spiritual history.
00:27:05 So, Bill and Sandra, we’re so happy
00:27:07 that we could have you here in the studio with us,
00:27:09 and we do look forward to learning more about you.
00:27:12 Maybe we would like to go back.
00:27:14 How did you get on the road that has led you
00:27:17 to so many years of faithful, loyal service to Jehovah?
00:27:20 It was back in 1954.
00:27:23 My mother had contact on and off with the Witnesses for years.
00:27:27 I was about 20 years old,
00:27:29 and she was invited to a public talk
00:27:32 at the Oakland Central Congregation in California.
00:27:34 She asked me, “Would you accompany me?”
00:27:37 And I said: “Yeah. Sure, I’ll be happy to go.”
00:27:40 Well, I recognized a young man I knew from high school at the meeting,
00:27:44 and he approached me after and told me I needed a Bible study.
00:27:48 I really didn’t want a Bible study, but he insisted,
00:27:51 and so I said, “Well, you can come by.”
00:27:53 Would you believe it?
00:27:54 I started a Bible study in the “Let God Be True” book.
00:27:58 Four months later, I was baptized.
00:28:01 It was exactly what I was looking for, but I didn’t realize it.
00:28:04 Good choice. Thank you.
00:28:06 And, Sandra, your start on the road
00:28:08 to a career serving Jehovah?
00:28:10 Before I was born, my parents started on this search for the truth.
00:28:14 It happened because they had lost a little girl in death,
00:28:18 and they went from church to church looking for some kind of comfort.
00:28:22 And, of course, the clergy had no comfort for them.
00:28:24 They just said, “Well, God wanted another angel in heaven.”
00:28:28 And that angered my father. He thought: ‘No.
00:28:31 ‘If God wants another angel, he can make one.
00:28:33 He wouldn’t take my little girl!’
00:28:35 So it just happened
00:28:37 that one evening they were listening to the radio
00:28:41 —long before TV, of course—
00:28:43 and they heard a Jehovah’s Witness give a talk.
00:28:47 And the title of that talk was “Where Are the Dead?”
00:28:50 Imagine!
00:28:51 He gave all the Scriptural proof about the condition of the dead
00:28:54 and the hope for the resurrection.
00:28:56 And my father immediately said, “This is the truth!”
00:29:00 So they wrote to the radio station;
00:29:03 got a copy of the booklet of the talk;
00:29:06 and then, also, they started receiving
00:29:09 the subscription to The Watchtower.
00:29:12 But it wasn’t until I was born and three years old
00:29:15 that the Witnesses finally made contact with us.
00:29:18 So, what motivated you to make a choice
00:29:20 to get into the full-time service and give your life to Jehovah?
00:29:24 Well, what motivated me
00:29:26 was when I attended a convention, also in ’56.
00:29:30 I got baptized in ’54.
00:29:32 But in ’56, I went to a district convention in Albany, California,
00:29:36 and there was a pioneer booth.
00:29:38 So I approached the booth, and an older sister there looked at me
00:29:41 and said: “You’re young and strong.
00:29:43 Why aren’t you a pioneer?”
00:29:45 I felt, ‘Well, yes. Why not?’
00:29:48 So I started pioneering in 1956.
00:29:51 That’s what motivated me.
00:29:52 And I was— Really, I look back at that;
00:29:54 it was one of the best decisions I made in my life.
00:29:57 Sandra, how about you?
00:29:59 Motivated to get into full-time service.
00:30:01 Well, for pioneer service, you know, it was—it was like a given.
00:30:05 Young people were just encouraged to pioneer.
00:30:08 And most of the young people were doing that.
00:30:11 You know, after a year or two, maybe they would get married and start a family.
00:30:14 But those years in pioneering —starting out their life that way—
00:30:18 gave them a wonderful basis for loyal service the rest of their life.
00:30:22 Beautiful.
00:30:24 So you were pioneering.
00:30:26 How did your paths eventually meet?
00:30:28 It was at a circuit assembly
00:30:30 in Oakland, California, 1956.
00:30:35 Very interesting things took place.
00:30:37 I had the job of dismantling the stage.
00:30:40 And I was carrying this large piece of plywood off the stage,
00:30:44 and I ran right into Sandra and knocked her flat!
00:30:46 Well, I took advantage of the opportunity.
00:30:49 I thought, ‘Well, that’s not the best way to introduce yourself.’
00:30:52 But I said, “By the way, would you like to accompany me
00:30:55 to a get-together some of the friends are having?”
00:30:57 Very good, Bill.
00:30:59 Well, yes, and I followed through on it.
00:31:00 We had a lot of association,
00:31:02 and after a number of months, we got married.
00:31:05 And both of us were pioneering
00:31:07 —very happy in our ministry serving Jehovah.
00:31:09 You really swept her off her feet. Literally.
00:31:12 I fell for him.
00:31:13 Very good.
00:31:14 So, shortly after you were married,
00:31:15 I understand that you received some direction.
00:31:18 Yes, the circuit overseer visited our congregation.
00:31:22 We were only married about a month, I think, when he came through.
00:31:25 And he told us that the organization was looking for pioneers
00:31:29 who’d be willing to serve as special pioneers and go wherever,
00:31:32 where the need was great in the United States particularly.
00:31:35 So we told him: “Sure. We’d be delighted to do it.”
00:31:39 And four months after our marriage,
00:31:42 we received an assignment as special pioneers to Decorah, Iowa.
00:31:46 Now, that was a very interesting place
00:31:49 because there were only eight publishers in the congregation.
00:31:52 But we arrived
00:31:54 and started with the meetings there at the Kingdom Hall.
00:31:57 And the Kingdom Hall was up above Hunt’s Variety Store
00:32:00 in downtown Decorah, and we lived in a room behind it.
00:32:03 Well, you know, you’re on your own like that
00:32:05 —not a lot of brothers around—
00:32:07 so you look for encouragement and company.
00:32:10 And we would travel down to Strawberry Point, Iowa,
00:32:13 to where Charles and Shirley Sinutko lived
00:32:16 in a log cabin —one-room log cabin.
00:32:19 And we’d go visit with them in order to have some mutual encouragement.
00:32:23 It’s a nice picture of you in that log cabin too
00:32:26 as you were special pioneering.
00:32:28 So you’re busy in that work.
00:32:29 What special invitation did you receive?
00:32:32 Well, we received the invitation to attend Gilead
00:32:35 —the 34th class of Gilead School—
00:32:38 and that was a wonderful thing
00:32:40 after two and half years of pioneering,
00:32:42 special pioneering in Iowa.
00:32:44 And we were assigned to Lebanon,
00:32:46 but we were unable to enter Lebanon because we couldn’t get the visa.
00:32:50 So, then, the organization asked us,
00:32:52 “Well, will you take an assignment to Morocco?”
00:32:55 We were ready to go anywhere.
00:32:56 So that’s how we took a boat from New York City
00:32:59 —five days across the Atlantic— to Casablanca.
00:33:02 Very nice.
00:33:03 Well, what was it like to be in the missionary service in Morocco?
00:33:07 It was very interesting.
00:33:09 We really enjoyed it.
00:33:10 But, you know, we only spoke English.
00:33:12 So in Morocco, we had to learn French.
00:33:15 And the first month of our missionary service in Morocco,
00:33:19 for 30 days we studied the language 11 hours a day.
00:33:24 Well, that could get pretty tiring for 11 hours a day,
00:33:27 so we’d go to the French movies and count that as language time.
00:33:30 And then, we were moved to Tangier.
00:33:33 And there was a Spanish congregation in Tangier,
00:33:35 so we had to learn the Spanish language too.
00:33:38 But that was really a rich blessing
00:33:41 for the two of us to be exposed to that culture
00:33:43 and to have that privilege of serving there.
00:33:46 So after four years, I understand that you came back to visit your family.
00:33:51 What events were challenging thereafter?
00:33:54 I think Sandra can relate that.
00:33:56 Well, it was usually permitted
00:33:59 that after you were in your assignment four years,
00:34:01 then you were allowed to come home
00:34:03 and at least have a vacation and visit your family.
00:34:05 But we got back.
00:34:06 We visited our family, and while there,
00:34:10 I had a medical examination and found out that I had a serious health problem.
00:34:15 Of course, we didn’t have the funds to cover that.
00:34:17 So Bill wrote to the Society, and we made arrangements.
00:34:21 They said, “Well, just take care of your situation,
00:34:24 and let us know when you’re free.”
00:34:26 So he got a job to take care
00:34:29 of our medical needs as well as living conditions.
00:34:32 But you know, we just felt like we were failures.
00:34:35 Jehovah knew we were discouraged.
00:34:37 He knew we felt distraught about this.
00:34:40 So he knew just what we needed, and he gave it to us.
00:34:43 As I got to feeling better
00:34:45 and we got more free in our use of time,
00:34:49 we started pioneering.
00:34:51 And Jehovah blessed our ministry just incredibly.
00:34:55 There were times, in this supposedly “unproductive territory”
00:35:00 that we had up to 25 people attending the meetings.
00:35:03 Many of them got baptized, and they’re our fast friends to this day.
00:35:07 That’s incredible!
00:35:08 So Jehovah knows what you need, and he provides it.
00:35:11 That is beautiful!
00:35:13 What temptation did you have to resist
00:35:15 when you came back and were going through these difficulties?
00:35:18 Well, I think it’s a temptation that confronts
00:35:21 a lot of brothers and sisters who return because of health reasons,
00:35:26 and some just end up settling down because of their circumstances.
00:35:30 But the temptation there was: ‘Well, you’re home.
00:35:33 ‘You’ve already done your service in Morocco for a number of years.
00:35:36 ‘You’ve been in the full-time ministry.
00:35:38 Just settle down now. Buy a house.’
00:35:41 But really, that wasn’t our desire.
00:35:44 So as soon as Sandra got on her feet
00:35:46 and was feeling well enough, we got pioneering.
00:35:48 And then I wrote headquarters, and I said: ‘Here we are.
00:35:51 ‘We’re ready to take on whatever.
00:35:53 What would you like us to do?’
00:35:54 Good example. Thank you.
00:35:56 So you made yourself available to the organization.
00:35:59 Where did they send you next?
00:36:01 A wonderful assignment.
00:36:02 We were sent as special pioneers to Washington D.C.,
00:36:06 to help start a Spanish congregation.
00:36:11 And that was indeed a very rich blessing.
00:36:14 We were there a year and a half
00:36:16 until that little congregation was solid and was formed.
00:36:21 And then we received another blessing.
00:36:23 We were appointed to the circuit work.
00:36:25 So I had the Spanish circuit in Florida
00:36:28 from Key West to Orlando —one circuit in the whole state.
00:36:32 Then we came to New York City —lived in the Bronx.
00:36:36 I had a circuit, and we did district work in the Spanish field.
00:36:39 Then, to Texas
00:36:41 —to what they call the Valley of Texas, the Rio Grande Valley—
00:36:44 for a couple of years in the circuit.
00:36:46 Then the district in Spanish
00:36:49 from Houston, Texas, to Yuba City, California.
00:36:52 And we loved every minute of it.
00:36:53 Well, that’s definitely the traveling work.
00:36:56 Then 1977 rolls around and you receive another invitation.
00:37:00 Yes, indeed!
00:37:01 We were doing preconvention work
00:37:03 in the L.A. area at the Leimert Assembly Hall,
00:37:06 and we received a letter inviting us to come to Bethel.
00:37:11 That was a very, very special privilege: to be invited to Bethel.
00:37:16 I went into the Service Department,
00:37:18 because at that time they invited a number of traveling overseers
00:37:21 to come in and work in the Service Department,
00:37:23 and Sandra went into housekeeping.
00:37:25 And we were both delighted to come to Bethel.
00:37:28 Well, sort of.
00:37:30 I really loved the ministry;
00:37:34 I loved, especially, the district work
00:37:36 —being with the circuit overseer and his wife
00:37:38 every week and out in service.
00:37:41 So I wasn’t too anxious for this Bethel thing.
00:37:45 But, you know. Jehovah, again, knows what you need.
00:37:49 We came here, and we started adjusting to Bethel life.
00:37:53 And it really proved out to be a real blessing
00:37:56 because we got the close association
00:37:59 with so many other loyal Witnesses of Jehovah.
00:38:03 Well, I’m sure you have many more experiences
00:38:06 to let us know about, but we appreciate you sharing those.
00:38:09 The Governing Body has made significant adjustments
00:38:13 in the work that is taking place at Bethel and the field,
00:38:17 and it has affected many long-time faithful brothers
00:38:21 —loyal brothers in the traveling work,
00:38:23 overseers in the congregation, overseers at Bethel.
00:38:27 Bill, what do you think about some of these changes
00:38:31 that the Governing Body has made recently?
00:38:33 I think they’re very wise decisions.
00:38:35 They know what is needed;
00:38:37 they appreciate the older men who have served for years.
00:38:40 We know that the older brothers in circuit work, district work,
00:38:44 wherever, they’re “worthy of double honor” because of the way
00:38:47 they’ve given of themselves to the work.
00:38:50 But we have to recognize, too, there comes a time
00:38:53 when we want the younger men to come along,
00:38:56 to accept responsibility.
00:38:58 And, really, when we were young,
00:39:00 we received responsibilities with very little background and training.
00:39:05 Now we’ve got all these schools for Kingdom Evangelizers
00:39:08 and the Kingdom Ministry School.
00:39:11 So many opportunities for younger ones to be trained.
00:39:14 And so I think it’s a wonderful arrangement.
00:39:17 Many thousands of young men are doing so well,
00:39:20 ready to accept responsibility.
00:39:22 It’s a blessing for the entire organization.
00:39:25 Well, thank you for sharing that.
00:39:27 That’ll benefit many brothers.
00:39:29 So we look at this couple before us,
00:39:31 and we see some who have made wise choices along the way.
00:39:35 So we look back at over 60 years of faithful, loyal service.
00:39:39 As you look back at decisions
00:39:41 you made in life, any regrets?
00:39:45 Oh, absolutely none!
00:39:47 We consider that whatever
00:39:49 we have given up or done it’s been our gift to Jehovah.
00:39:54 You know, when I was a little girl, I remember I used to go out on our farm
00:39:58 and, especially when there was a full moon, I used to pray to Jehovah.
00:40:02 And I’d say,
00:40:04 “Just let me use up my life in your service.”
00:40:08 You know, he’s answered that prayer because my life,
00:40:12 the majority of it, is used up and he’s let me do it in his service.
00:40:15 Beautiful.
00:40:16 Bill, how do you view sacrifices that you have made along the way?
00:40:20 Well, as you know, a sacrifice
00:40:22 can be something you give up to serve God, perhaps.
00:40:25 Or a sacrifice can be what you give to Jehovah,
00:40:29 like David said in Psalm 54.
00:40:31 “I will sacrifice to you willingly.”
00:40:33 And that’s how I view sacrifice.
00:40:36 We’re happy to give of ourselves to Jehovah God—to serve him.
00:40:40 And I want to add, too, Sandra has been
00:40:43 a wonderful partner with me —willing to go anywhere,
00:40:46 put up with all kinds of circumstances and difficulties.
00:40:49 A scripture that I— There are a number
00:40:51 of good Scriptures, obviously, that we all love.
00:40:54 But one in particular that stays in my mind
00:40:56 is Romans 14:7,8:
00:41:00 ‘We live, we live to Jehovah.
00:41:03 ‘We die, we die to Jehovah.
00:41:06 So whether we live or we die, we belong to Jehovah.’
00:41:10 And we’ve made that decision, not just because he’s the Creator.
00:41:13 We’ve made the decision to give ourselves to Jehovah God.
00:41:18 So, absolutely, we’ve had the best life possible.
00:41:21 We have no regrets at all
00:41:25 about what we’ve done with our life,
00:41:27 giving Jehovah the first place.
00:41:30 Bill and Sandra, it’s been a real privilege
00:41:32 to hear more about you, and I know there are more stories to tell.
00:41:35 How can you boil down 60-plus years of loyal service to Jehovah?
00:41:39 But you have given us great insights.
00:41:41 Thank you for sharing those gems with us.
00:41:44 Like the Malenfants, many loyal Witnesses were not taught the truth
00:41:49 from the Bible from birth to adulthood.
00:41:52 For some young ones, seeds of truth are planted along the way
00:41:56 but can lay dormant for years due to family circumstances.
00:42:00 Sister Cory Wells explains how her family’s special talent
00:42:03 almost kept her from riding on the road to life.
00:42:12 The first rodeo I performed in front of an audience, I was eight years old.
00:42:24 We were considered one of the top two acts in rodeo.
00:42:29 My strength lay in my fearlessness.
00:42:38 Even though there was a certain amount of excitement
00:42:43 —it was fun to travel, to be together as a family—
00:42:48 it was empty.
00:42:55 Trick riding is like gymnastics on the back of a running horse.
00:42:58 We’ve had horses all of our lives.
00:43:01 My father specialized in training horses.
00:43:06 He used to send us to the mountains,
00:43:09 riding all day long.
00:43:12 And then we’d come home in the evening,
00:43:14 and we would start trick riding.
00:43:17 The way we learned was by a book.
00:43:20 We looked at stick pictures that showed how it should be done,
00:43:23 and so it was trial and error.
00:43:26 At the same time that we were learning, our horses were learning.
00:43:30 The horse that I rode just let me do anything.
00:43:34 My horse’s name was Sweet Lips.
00:43:36 I was eight when I got him, and I named him myself.
00:43:40 He was like my best friend.
00:43:44 My parents were very active in the rodeo as competitors.
00:43:47 My mom was barrel racing;
00:43:49 my father was a saddle bronc rider.
00:43:52 I grew up as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses,
00:43:57 but when I was very young, maybe six or seven,
00:44:00 my father stopped serving Jehovah.
00:44:02 To be honest with you,
00:44:04 when they announced that at the Kingdom Hall,
00:44:07 it really didn’t have much meaning to me at the time.
00:44:10 I didn’t know what it meant.
00:44:12 And I could see people crying, and so I cried.
00:44:15 But I didn’t really understand it.
00:44:18 Really, from that point, our family was not active as Jehovah’s Witnesses.
00:44:24 I grew up on the road, traveling rodeo to rodeo
00:44:28 —from coast to coast and from the south to the north—
00:44:32 as far as the roads go.
00:44:35 The four of us rode initially
00:44:38 —Connie; Kelly; myself; and my brother, Jim.
00:44:41 Our family traveled together.
00:44:43 That meant a lot to me.
00:44:46 What separated us from the others at the time
00:44:50 was the high speed that we did it at and also
00:44:53 the difficulty with the tricks that we chose to do.
00:44:56 People were very excited.
00:44:58 They would hire us back at the same place year after year.
00:45:02 Throughout all that time,
00:45:05 we did not miss one Memorial.
00:45:08 We were always there. There was something in us.
00:45:11 We didn’t know it when we were little,
00:45:14 but my parents had succeeded
00:45:16 in planting the truth in our hearts.
00:45:19 My link to the truth was my grandmother.
00:45:23 I can remember going to the ranch and visiting her.
00:45:26 She was very busy, but one thing that really sticks in my mind
00:45:30 is she always studied —every day.
00:45:34 She read her Bible. Her magazines were studied.
00:45:37 And I think it just put a seed in there that later on started to grow.
00:45:44 I just felt like I needed direction.
00:45:47 It’s like a line was drawn in the sand.
00:45:50 Take one path or the other.
00:45:53 And so, ironically, the first book
00:45:56 that I picked up to read was the Bible.
00:45:59 One of the scriptures that probably
00:46:01 meant the most to me was Proverbs 3:5,6:
00:46:06 “Trust in Jehovah with all your heart
00:46:08 “and do not lean upon your own understanding.
00:46:10 “In all your ways take notice of him,
00:46:12 and he himself will make your paths straight.”
00:46:17 I used to think about those words
00:46:19 and what I would have to do to live up to them.
00:46:23 Although we traveled with the rodeo
00:46:25 about ten months out of the year,
00:46:27 we did go to the district convention,
00:46:29 and the Live Forever book came out.
00:46:32 And there just came a time when I knew
00:46:35 I—I needed to make changes.
00:46:38 A sister started studying with me,
00:46:40 and as I started reading the Bible for myself and studying,
00:46:43 then Jehovah became real.
00:46:46 All it took was one or two people,
00:46:48 and the whole family followed.
00:46:50 My father too returned to the truth.
00:46:55 Trick riding was our family business.
00:46:57 It was our livelihood, but we had decided that we were done.
00:47:01 We were going to stop.
00:47:03 With that decision would come giving up everything we knew.
00:47:08 I think—I think the most difficult thing
00:47:11 for me to do was to sell the horse
00:47:15 —you just, you just get such a close bond with them
00:47:19 when you’re putting your life in their hands like that—
00:47:23 but I was willing to do that.
00:47:25 I just—
00:47:26 I knew what I wanted to do; I did it.
00:47:31 I got baptized in October of ʼ85.
00:47:36 Our last performance was in February of ʼ86.
00:47:39 We just finished out our contracts.
00:47:41 I started pioneering in September of ʼ86,
00:47:44 and I’ve never stopped.
00:47:46 I also married a man who loves Jehovah.
00:47:49 We’ve had the privilege of working
00:47:52 on international construction projects.
00:47:54 We went to Mexico.
00:47:56 We went to Venezuela.
00:47:58 My father is an elder.
00:47:59 My mom is pioneering.
00:48:01 In fact, all of my siblings have been able
00:48:04 to regular pioneer at some point in their lives.
00:48:07 We’re presently in the circuit work.
00:48:09 Serving Jehovah together is such a blessing.
00:48:13 Everything that we do every day is for Jehovah.
00:48:19 That’s what I wanted to do
00:48:21 when I made this decision.
00:48:25 If I would have taken that other path when I was young,
00:48:29 I may not be alive today.
00:48:31 What I did was dangerous.
00:48:34 Even fame and fortune in the world —there’s nothing there.
00:48:38 I wanted “the real life.”
00:48:40 I wanted to serve Jehovah.
00:48:44 I have no regrets.
00:48:47 If I could change anything
00:48:49 when it comes to my service to Jehovah,
00:48:52 I would change nothing!
00:48:54 I would just do it better.
00:49:00 It took courage for Cory and her family to choose loyalty to Jehovah
00:49:04 over an exciting rodeo career.
00:49:07 Jehovah will always help us when we’re prayerfully deciding
00:49:10 how an activity or a career we love
00:49:12 affects our dedication to him.
00:49:14 Can the time it demands, or even the danger involved,
00:49:17 take us away from whole-souled service?
00:49:20 Our loyalty to Jehovah is expressed
00:49:23 in how we follow Bible principles
00:49:25 when making any important decision in life.
00:49:27 We received a report from San Francisco, California,
00:49:31 in the United States,
00:49:32 where publishers have been engaged in special metropolitan witnessing
00:49:36 since 2013.
00:49:38 It’s helping our brothers reach multiple language groups,
00:49:41 start Bible studies, and make disciples.
00:49:59 When I’m rolling the carts down to get ready for the work,
00:50:02 I can feel people’s eyes on me and it makes me feel proud
00:50:06 that I’m representing Jehovah even before I get to the location.
00:50:10 We have a chance to use our Bibles very regularly.
00:50:14 We talk to honesthearted people who are interested
00:50:16 in really learning what the Bible teaches.
00:50:22 Jehovah is reaching people in those hard-to-reach areas
00:50:26 where it could mean their life
00:50:28 to even talk about things such as the Bible.
00:50:33 When you’re part of the metropolitan work,
00:50:35 you get to welcome people being drawn by Jehovah.
00:50:43 We see thousands of people every day who walk by our carts.
00:50:50 While we’re placing literature in up to 40 different languages each week,
00:50:55 what’s really exciting is to see how many conversations we’re starting
00:50:58 and how many Bible studies we’re initiating.
00:51:00 We’re visible to a lot of people in the community,
00:51:05 especially those who were inactive or maybe were raised around the truth.
00:51:11 Jehovah has arranged to have his people
00:51:13 put right in the center of everything,
00:51:16 and we’re able to meet people from all over the world.
00:51:23 I’ve met people from Peru, South Africa,
00:51:26 Japan, Germany, England.
00:51:28 France, Italy,
00:51:31 Cameroon, Congo.
00:51:33 Beaucoup!
00:51:42 In Shona, a greeting would be something like . . .
00:51:57 . . . , which means “Would you like to study the Bible?”
00:52:06 . . . , which means “Would you like to study the Bible?” in sign language.
00:52:10 So when I asked her if she had seen the sign-language Bible,
00:52:13 she shook her head no, and I showed her Acts 17:27.
00:52:18 And as soon as it was done, she started signing, “I understood that!”
00:52:21 And then she said, “Didn’t you say this was a free app?”
00:52:24 So, right then, she started downloading it on her phone.
00:52:28 We had a gentleman come up and wanted to . . .
00:52:31 First, he said, “debate,” and then he said, “just discuss.”
00:52:34 But as he was talking with us, he had to catch his train
00:52:37 but he missed three trains
00:52:39 because he wanted to continue the conversation and speak with us.
00:52:42 It’s a really good experience because we just get to talk to people
00:52:45 and let them see a different side of us.
00:52:47 It’s not necessarily about whether we placed a book with him or not.
00:52:51 And in the end, he turned to my husband and I
00:52:53 and said, “You know, you’re really good ambassadors.”
00:52:56 We start Bible studies here every day,
00:52:59 and these studies are conducted globally.
00:53:04 I met Alfredo in 2014, right before the Memorial.
00:53:09 He approached the cart.
00:53:10 He had a rough life.
00:53:12 He was doing a lot of bad things,
00:53:14 and so he felt that he couldn’t overcome them.
00:53:17 So I told him that no matter how big his problems are,
00:53:20 they’re not too big for Jehovah,
00:53:22 and so I encouraged him to start studying the Bible again.
00:53:28 “Come, now,
00:53:30 “and let us set matters straight between us,” says Jehovah.
00:53:35 “Though your sins are like scarlet,
00:53:37 they will be made as white as snow.”
00:53:42 When Jehovah forgives you, he forgives you completely.
00:53:47 I got baptized, and in the same month,
00:53:50 I started auxiliary pioneering.
00:53:53 It is such a privilege to be one of Jehovah’s Witnesses,
00:53:57 with brothers all around the world.
00:54:04 If anybody is hesitant to take part
00:54:06 in the special metropolitan witnessing work,
00:54:09 maybe you’re worried about finances, time,
00:54:12 or you’re just afraid that it’s something different
00:54:14 and you won’t know what to do,
00:54:16 please don’t let any of those things stop you.
00:54:19 It’s from Jehovah.
00:54:21 Grab hold of it tight, and don’t let go!
00:54:47 Each month, the brothers and sisters
00:54:49 in San Francisco’s metropolitan witnessing
00:54:52 distribute over 5,000 publications
00:54:55 and start an average of 185 Bible studies.
00:54:59 After some initial concern from local authorities
00:55:02 over having literature carts at the Golden Gate Bridge,
00:55:05 authorities have expressed appreciation for our brothers being there
00:55:09 with the Bible’s message of hope.
00:55:11 It’s been requested that we always have on hand
00:55:14 the April 2014 Awake! with the cover title
00:55:18 “Why Go On? —Three Reasons to Keep Living.”
00:55:22 One afternoon an officer approached a cart and said,
00:55:25 “Well, your magazine worked!”
00:55:27 The police had just helped a young woman
00:55:30 who was thinking of jumping from the bridge.
00:55:32 When they reached her, she had the Awake! issue in her hand
00:55:37 and had decided not to jump.
00:55:40 Life in this system can be difficult for everyone,
00:55:44 but our witnessing work comforts people
00:55:47 and teaches them to know and thank their Creator for life.
00:55:51 And the longer we know Jehovah as his Witnesses,
00:55:55 the more reasons we find to thank him for his acts of loyalty.
00:55:59 We’re even moved to sing our appreciation to Jehovah,
00:56:03 like in this music video entitled “Our Thanks Go to You.”
00:56:30 When I cannot find Any peace of mind,
00:56:42 You will listen. My thanks go to you.
00:56:53 When troubles arise, Whatever the size,
00:57:05 For your answers, Our thanks go to you.
00:57:16 We need not be anxious over anything.
00:57:27 You’ll guard our hearts and our thoughts
00:57:34 If we continue having trust in you to
00:57:41 Give us peace of mind When life is unkind.
00:57:53 For our welfare, Our thanks go to you.
00:58:18 All the loyal find you loyal too.
00:58:29 For your care, all our thanks go to you.
00:58:44 We saw the family in our music video facing economic pressure
00:58:48 and our dear older couple enduring the stress of failing health.
00:58:52 But as Philippians 4:6 encourages,
00:58:55 they let their “petitions be made known to God.”
00:58:58 You and I can do the same for any problem that causes us anxiety.
00:59:02 We should not only supplicate Jehovah
00:59:04 to give us his holy spirit so that we can endure
00:59:07 but also thank him,
00:59:09 fully assured that “he will not abandon his loyal ones.”
00:59:13 We’d again like to thank
00:59:14 Brother and Sister Malenfant for being here with us.
00:59:17 With almost 60 years of full-time service,
00:59:20 the Malenfants have so much they can share,
00:59:23 so we’re pleased to announce
00:59:25 that an extended version of their interview
00:59:27 will be released later this month on JW Broadcasting.
00:59:31 Finally in our program,
00:59:33 we have a special behind-the-scenes visit with the orchestra
00:59:36 that records our beautiful theocratic music.
00:59:39 In December 2015,
00:59:41 75 musicians gathered from 16 countries
00:59:45 for a five-day session at our studio in Patterson, New York.
00:59:49 A team of 15 technicians joined them to record 22 pieces.
00:59:53 Among several songs we sing at our meetings
00:59:56 was the stirring arrangement of song 147,
00:59:59 “A Special Possession,” that we sang at this year’s Memorial.
01:00:13 The orchestra took time from their busy session
01:00:16 to send you their Christian love and greetings.
01:00:18 And we thank them and the Governing Body
01:00:22 for the music we have to joyfully praise our God, Jehovah.
01:00:26 We’re happy to have been together with you for this month’s program.
01:00:29 From Brooklyn, New York, this is JW Broadcasting.
