00:01 Bible translations in common languages
00:04 started to spread across Europe in the 1500’s,
00:07 but it took much longer
00:09 for more remote places to receive the Bible.
00:12 It was in 1766
00:15 that the complete Greek Scriptures, or New Testament,
00:18 was first published in Greenlandic
00:21 —a language spoken today by about 50,000 people.
00:26 In August of last year,
00:28 I had the privilege of serving a regional convention in Greenland,
00:32 which is overseen by the Scandinavia branch.
00:35 Greenland is the neighbor to the north of Newfoundland,
00:39 where I pioneered for 11 years.
00:41 So it was a wonderful experience to go there and meet our brothers.
00:46 Some 400 brothers and sisters traveled at their own expense
00:51 from all over Scandinavia to support the convention in Greenland.
00:56 Although Greenland is a land covered by large ice caps,
01:00 there are many warm hearts yearning for the truth.
01:15 I think that Jesus had Greenland in mind
01:18 when he spoke about preaching to the most distant part of the earth.
01:23 My name is Arne Mattsson.
01:25 My wife, Karin, and I have lived in Greenland for more than 34 years.
01:30 We have traveled all over the country preaching about God’s Kingdom,
01:34 and we have had some fantastic experiences.
01:37 In the 1950’s, two young special pioneers came to Greenland
01:42 as the first publishers.
01:44 They traveled by boat from town to town
01:47 carrying just tents and simple equipment.
01:50 They had to endure the cold weather,
01:52 face resistance from the local ministers,
01:55 and even fight with sledge dogs that took their food.
01:59 But they laid the groundwork for the great effort
02:01 that has been made to preach to all in this country.
02:05 In the 1960’s and ’70’s,
02:08 many families moved here from Denmark
02:10 to help with the preaching work.
02:12 I remember how I, as a teenager in 1971,
02:16 moved from Denmark to Greenland with my family.
02:19 It was not easy to learn the language,
02:22 but the brothers and sisters from Denmark did their best,
02:25 and it had a good effect on the territory.
02:29 In 1973, The Watchtower began to be published in Greenlandic.
02:34 Just to pronounce the name,
02:36 Napassuliak’ Alapernaerssuivfik, was a challenge.
02:40 But it has been a popular magazine in Greenland ever since.
02:46 Once, we met a couple
02:48 who for many years had received copies of The Watchtower
02:51 when publishers visited their settlement.
02:53 They told us that they often felt depressed when they woke up in the morning,
02:59 but when they read the magazine, they felt better.
03:01 And they would read the same copies over and over again.
03:12 When the temperature drops and the snow falls,
03:15 the landscape gets covered
03:17 by a beautiful white blanket for half a year,
03:20 so the publishers make good use of the summer.
03:24 Some towns and settlements
03:27 only seldom receive a witness.
03:29 There are no roads between the towns, but we reach isolated areas by boat.
03:34 When someone shows interest in our message,
03:36 the contact is maintained by phone.
03:41 Many have great respect for the Bible,
03:44 and so My Book of Bible Stories has found its way into many, many homes.
03:49 Over a period of 24 years, Karin and I have sailed so much
03:53 that it equals a trip twice around the globe.
03:56 This has cost a lot of effort and money,
03:58 but with Jehovah’s blessing,
04:01 we have been able to continue year after year
04:04 preaching to the distant parts of Greenland.
04:12 The preaching work here is a great experience.
04:16 People are attentive and kind.
04:19 But it took a long time before the first native Greenlander
04:21 was baptized
04:23 —actually 18 years of zealous preaching.
04:28 Today, there are more than 150 publishers
04:32 in 5 congregations.
04:34 Jehovah has really blessed
04:36 the work that has been done here for more than 60 years.
04:49 In August 2016,
04:52 a very special convention was held in the capital of Nuuk.
04:56 Brothers and sisters from all over Scandinavia
04:59 traveled all the way to attend the convention.
05:06 We were very encouraged
05:08 by the visit of a member of the Governing Body,
05:10 Brother Mark Sanderson,
05:12 who gave us some faith-strengthening talks.
05:18 I think it’s a great privilege
05:21 to be able to understand the truth.
05:23 It’s amazing that Jehovah gave his attention
05:26 to an insignificant human like me.
05:32 When I started to follow
05:34 the Bible’s unique teachings and principles,
05:37 I clearly understood
05:39 how it would benefit my own life.
05:43 After this convention, even though we live in small towns
05:47 far away from the rest of the world,
05:50 we feel closer than ever before to the worldwide brotherhood.
06:01 The peak attendance at the convention was 614
06:05 —the largest ever in Greenland.
06:08 Our brothers from other parts of Scandinavia
06:10 who attended the convention also took part
06:13 in a campaign inviting interested ones.
06:16 In only two hours,
06:18 the whole capital city of Nuuk was covered.
06:21 It was a wonderful witness!
