00:00:02 Welcome to the program!
00:00:05 This month, we’ll take you to world headquarters
00:00:07 to visit one of the museums.
00:00:10 We’ll learn about the many activities that are organized and directed
00:00:14 by the Governing Body today.
00:00:17 Next, how can we protect ourselves
00:00:20 from being lured into sin?
00:00:22 In this dramatization,
00:00:25 a young brother learns how to make the right decision.
00:00:29 And how does the organization ensure that our brothers
00:00:31 and sisters receive spiritual food?
00:00:35 In this example from Africa,
00:00:37 we’ll see how JW Broadcasting® is distributed
00:00:40 even when Internet connections are slow.
00:00:44 This is the July 2019 program
00:00:48 of JW Broadcasting!
00:01:10 We’ll begin by introducing you to two sisters who live in the United States.
00:01:15 Early on in their lives,
00:01:17 they were exposed to two very different views
00:01:20 of what a family should be like.
00:01:22 Still, they came to realize that,
00:01:25 while life may change, Jehovah doesn’t.
00:01:29 This is my sister Lei Lei.
00:01:32 This is my sister Mimi.
00:01:34 My sister Lei Lei— She is very caring.
00:01:37 I know that for sure.
00:01:39 One thing that I appreciate about Mimi
00:01:41 is that she has a self-sacrificing spirit.
00:01:45 We love our family.
00:01:47 Yeah.
00:01:51 What I love most about my mom is that she has a big heart.
00:01:55 And I know that my dad really, truly loves his family.
00:02:00 Our sister, Sophie, always takes care of you, making sure you are OK.
00:02:04 Our family is something that we never want to replace.
00:02:07 To us, it’s a forever family.
00:02:14 But it wasn’t always like that.
00:02:17 We haven’t always been sisters.
00:02:20 At a young age,
00:02:22 I was already in a foster home,
00:02:26 and then Mimi became my foster sister.
00:02:28 We were not treated as part of their family.
00:02:31 We never knew what love felt like.
00:02:35 There wasn’t a bedroom for us.
00:02:37 Me and Lei Lei would share a couch.
00:02:40 Our foster families would leave us
00:02:42 by ourselves at home,
00:02:45 and me and Lei Lei had to take care of ourselves.
00:02:48 And so we were very close together
00:02:51 because we would talk to each other and just help each other out.
00:02:55 When we would go to school, we didn’t have school supplies,
00:02:58 so I would steal stuff.
00:03:00 And we didn’t have school uniforms;
00:03:03 we had clothing that was dirty.
00:03:06 I felt like in some way that with all these experiences
00:03:09 it kind of made me feel like I didn’t care.
00:03:11 I didn’t like authority figures and didn’t really trust them.
00:03:15 I was lost.
00:03:17 I was confused.
00:03:20 I just did whatever I possibly could
00:03:22 to protect myself.
00:03:24 We have experienced things that no child should go through.
00:03:31 We found out there was a family who wanted to adopt us.
00:03:34 I was 12 years old.
00:03:37 And I was nine years old.
00:03:39 One thing that was tough for me was conversing.
00:03:44 I didn’t know any English,
00:03:46 and it was hard for my parents to know how I felt
00:03:49 because I had a hard time expressing if I was sad or scared.
00:03:53 I had a difficult time trusting.
00:03:57 But they showed us love,
00:03:59 and they hugged us and just made us feel at home.
00:04:05 As I got to know them better and I got to see
00:04:07 that they truly loved me
00:04:09 and that they truly treated me like their daughter,
00:04:13 it helped me to develop love and trust.
00:04:16 The first time I saw my mom and dad praying at the dinner meal,
00:04:20 it was very new to me because I never knew
00:04:23 that there was a God.
00:04:26 I had some past experience with religion, and I didn’t like it.
00:04:30 So when I first saw my mom and dad praying,
00:04:33 I was uncomfortable with it.
00:04:35 They had to figure out a way
00:04:37 to introduce their best Friend,
00:04:39 Jehovah, to us.
00:04:42 They took us to this place called the Kingdom Hall.
00:04:46 The first thing we felt was warmth and love.
00:04:50 All these friends were coming up
00:04:52 and saying hi to us and giving us hugs
00:04:55 —just super loving toward us.
00:04:57 Dad would give us a notepad,
00:05:00 and he would tell us, “Draw anything that you understand.”
00:05:03 And so those were our notes.
00:05:05 We would just draw pictures.
00:05:07 They would pray with us,
00:05:10 teaching us how to pray specifically
00:05:13 and to see how Jehovah could answer our prayer.
00:05:17 We would eat breakfast every day together and do the daily text;
00:05:21 we would reenact Bible stories.
00:05:24 And we prepared for meetings.
00:05:30 The simplified Watchtower came out, and it really helped us so much.
00:05:34 I was able to really learn more about Jehovah and understand it.
00:05:39 And that helped me to give more comments and draw closer to Jehovah.
00:05:43 A big change for me
00:05:45 was during the 2014 international convention.
00:05:48 Just seeing the love and the unity
00:05:50 between brothers and sisters touched my heart.
00:05:53 That also helped me
00:05:55 to progress toward making the decision of getting baptized.
00:06:00 Going out in service more— I think it really helped me
00:06:03 to draw closer to Jehovah and make the Kingdom feel real to me.
00:06:07 And so that’s why I wanted to get baptized.
00:06:12 After I graduated from high school, I started to pioneer.
00:06:15 It’s one way to show my love for Jehovah.
00:06:20 I used to just take care of myself,
00:06:22 but I learned to take care of others and to think of others first.
00:06:26 For us young ones, we should appreciate
00:06:29 every moment that we have with our parents.
00:06:31 Your parents are the best friends that you could ever have.
00:06:34 Going out in service wasn’t easy for me at first
00:06:37 because I’m actually a very shy person,
00:06:40 but I decided to rely on Jehovah and started pioneering.
00:06:45 And just recently,
00:06:47 I started commuting to Bethel one day a week.
00:06:51 The important quality that Jehovah has taught me is love
00:06:56 I felt that love from my family, from Jehovah, and from my friends.
00:07:01 I learned that it’s OK to love people, and that’s what you are supposed to do.
00:07:05 You love people and take care of people.
00:07:08 And I feel like my life is more satisfying and meaningful.
00:07:12 When I meditate and think about what Jehovah has done for me and Lei Lei,
00:07:17 I don’t have to be afraid.
00:07:19 Jehovah is my “secure refuge,” because life may change,
00:07:23 but Jehovah does not change.
00:07:27 The love and unity of the brothers stood out to Lei Lei and Mimi
00:07:32 and helped them draw closer to Jehovah.
00:07:35 For a Bible student to progress to baptism,
00:07:38 he or she would need to develop those very qualities,
00:07:42 which Lei Lei and Mimi did.
00:07:44 But there are many additional aspects of our personality
00:07:48 that we as Christians need to maintain.
00:07:52 One of the most underrated qualities
00:07:54 in today’s world is modesty.
00:07:57 In fact, the world encourages
00:07:59 the exact opposite of modesty.
00:08:02 The world says that you are the most important person;
00:08:06 you should promote yourself; you have no limits;
00:08:10 you have the right to be anything you want to be.
00:08:14 As we’ll see, the world’s thinking is completely backward
00:08:18 —and for several reasons.
00:08:21 Really, modesty is a quality
00:08:23 that stems from everything that is good.
00:08:27 Our theme scripture for this discussion is Micah 6:8:
00:08:33 “He has told you . . . what is good.
00:08:35 “And what is Jehovah requiring of you?
00:08:38 “Only to exercise justice, to cherish loyalty,
00:08:43 and to walk in modesty with your God!”
00:08:47 Notice that modesty is one
00:08:49 of the key aspects of “what is good.”
00:08:52 To help us understand why,
00:08:55 let’s discuss three questions:
00:08:57 What is modesty?
00:08:59 Why do we want to have this quality?
00:09:02 How can we cultivate it?
00:09:04 First, what is modesty?
00:09:08 Basically, it’s an awareness of our limitations.
00:09:12 Of course, we often link modesty
00:09:15 with appropriate dress and grooming,
00:09:17 but much more is involved.
00:09:20 How do we know?
00:09:22 Consider what we read at Proverbs 11:2:
00:09:26 “When presumptuousness comes,
00:09:28 “dishonor will follow,
00:09:30 but wisdom is with the modest ones.”
00:09:34 Notice that modesty is contrasted
00:09:37 with a negative quality—presumptuousness.
00:09:40 A presumptuous person runs ahead without the authority to do so.
00:09:45 He or she ignores proper boundaries and limitations.
00:09:48 That kind of attitude often leads to foolish mistakes
00:09:53 and a bad reputation with fellow humans.
00:09:55 And above all, it can cause a person to lose God’s favor.
00:10:01 For example, we might think of King Saul.
00:10:04 Although he started out as a modest young man,
00:10:07 in time he became presumptuous.
00:10:10 He even went so far as to offer up
00:10:13 a burnt sacrifice even though he was not authorized to do so.
00:10:18 As a result,
00:10:20 Saul lost Jehovah’s favor
00:10:23 and eventually the kingship.
00:10:25 In Saul’s case, presumptuousness definitely
00:10:29 led to dishonor.
00:10:31 On the other hand,
00:10:33 a wise and modest person
00:10:35 recognizes his limitations and works within them.
00:10:39 Why is modesty the course of wisdom?
00:10:43 This brings us to our second main point,
00:10:46 Why do we want to have this quality?
00:10:49 The foremost reason
00:10:51 is that modesty is essential
00:10:53 to pleasing our heavenly Father, Jehovah.
00:10:56 Although we don’t speak of Jehovah as being modest,
00:10:59 even he works within certain limitations
00:11:02 that he’s imposed on himself.
00:11:04 He teaches us by example how to demonstrate this quality,
00:11:09 even though it’s not one that he needs to display.
00:11:13 Why can we say that Jehovah imposes limitations on himself?
00:11:18 Consider just one example:
00:11:21 He’ll never violate the gift of free will that he’s granted us.
00:11:25 Jehovah will never force us to serve him
00:11:29 —even though, of course, he has the power to do so.
00:11:33 Aren’t we grateful that he allows us to serve him
00:11:36 because we choose to out of love
00:11:38 and not because we are forced to?
00:11:42 Jehovah teaches us to display modesty in other ways as well.
00:11:46 For example, we might think of how he listened patiently
00:11:50 as Abraham voiced his concerns about Jehovah’s purpose
00:11:54 to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah
00:11:57 or how Jehovah invited the angels to suggest ways to fool Ahab
00:12:01 and then authorized one of their suggestions to be carried out.
00:12:06 What’s the lesson for us?
00:12:09 If Jehovah, who doesn’t need input or help from anyone,
00:12:12 patiently listens and delegates,
00:12:15 how much more should we do so
00:12:17 —especially since we’re all so imperfect and limited!
00:12:21 Are you a family head or an elder in the congregation,
00:12:25 or do you have another responsible position in the organization?
00:12:29 If so, you can imitate Jehovah
00:12:32 by not micromanaging others.
00:12:35 Be willing to delegate tasks to them
00:12:38 and listen to their suggestions.
00:12:40 Imitate Jehovah’s example of dignifying others
00:12:44 and wanting to help them succeed.
00:12:48 Besides pleasing Jehovah,
00:12:50 we have other good reasons to be modest.
00:12:53 Modesty helps us to be joyful.
00:12:57 How so?
00:12:58 By going hand in hand with a related quality—gratitude.
00:13:03 A faithful brother who worked in the Writing Department
00:13:06 for some 50 years was fond of saying,
00:13:09 “Only a grateful person can be happy.”
00:13:13 If we’re modestly aware of our limitations,
00:13:16 we’ll be grateful and happy
00:13:18 for the help that we receive from others.
00:13:21 For example,
00:13:23 think of the leper who returned
00:13:25 to thank Jesus for healing him.
00:13:27 This man realized his limitations.
00:13:30 He was very thankful that Jesus had done something for him
00:13:34 that he could never have done on his own.
00:13:38 Another reason to cultivate modesty
00:13:41 is that it promotes good relationships with others.
00:13:45 Let’s face it:
00:13:47 People aren’t usually drawn to those who think,
00:13:50 ‘If I want something done right,
00:13:52 I have to do it myself.’
00:13:56 But they usually appreciate it when they’re shown
00:13:58 that we have confidence in them.
00:14:00 This, in turn, draws them to us.
00:14:05 Another way that modesty promotes good relationships
00:14:08 is that it helps us to avoid comparing ourselves to others.
00:14:13 Comparing ourselves to others
00:14:15 is always a dangerous road to navigate.
00:14:19 Just think, for example, of Jesus’ apostles
00:14:22 who argued many times over who was the greatest
00:14:28 or of Joseph’s brothers and the terrible things they did
00:14:31 because of being jealous of Joseph.
00:14:34 A modest person doesn’t obsess
00:14:37 over his perceived rank in comparison with others.
00:14:41 In this regard,
00:14:43 we can remember the good example of Moses.
00:14:45 How did he react when Jehovah
00:14:47 enabled some of his fellow Israelites
00:14:50 to begin acting as prophets alongside him?
00:14:53 Moses rejoiced,
00:14:55 saying that he wished all of Jehovah’s people were prophets.
00:15:00 Moses didn’t feel that he was the only one who should have such a privilege.
00:15:05 Finally, modesty promotes good relationships with others
00:15:10 because it prevents us from bragging about our accomplishments
00:15:14 or drawing undue attention to ourselves,
00:15:17 which could stir up resentment in others.
00:15:21 So now we know what modesty is and why we want to have it.
00:15:25 This brings us to our third main point,
00:15:28 How can we cultivate this beautiful quality?
00:15:32 One thing we can do
00:15:34 is to read and meditate on Bible examples
00:15:37 —both good and bad— such as those we just discussed.
00:15:41 Other Bible examples include Daniel,
00:15:44 who modestly didn’t take credit
00:15:46 for the interpretation of King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream.
00:15:50 The lesson for us?
00:15:52 If we’re privileged to have a teaching assignment
00:15:55 or we enjoy a measure of success in the ministry,
00:15:58 we want to give all the glory to Jehovah.
00:16:02 We should modestly recognize
00:16:04 that we couldn’t do these things without his help.
00:16:08 We can also study the example of Jesus,
00:16:11 who didn’t even think of trying to grasp
00:16:13 for more authority than Jehovah had granted him.
00:16:16 Philippians 2:6 tells us:
00:16:19 “He . . . gave no consideration to a seizure,
00:16:23 namely, that he should be equal to God.”
00:16:27 Consider how Jesus responded
00:16:29 when his disciples James and John approached him
00:16:32 with their mother and asked for a privilege
00:16:35 that was beyond his authority to grant them.
00:16:38 Jesus modestly acknowledged
00:16:40 that only Jehovah could decide
00:16:43 who would sit at his right and left hand in the Kingdom.
00:16:47 Jesus respected his limitations.
00:16:51 What are some other ways we can cultivate modesty?
00:16:54 One is to apply the Bible’s counsel
00:16:57 found at 1 Corinthians 4:6:
00:17:01 “Do not go beyond the things that are written.”
00:17:04 This refers primarily to ‘the things written’ in God’s Word.
00:17:08 By extension, the principle also applies to the Scriptural direction
00:17:13 that we receive from our publications.
00:17:16 When asked for advice,
00:17:18 we would never want to impose our own opinion
00:17:21 or simply give an answer off the top of our head.
00:17:24 Rather, we want to direct attention
00:17:27 to the counsel found in the Bible
00:17:29 and Bible-based publications.
00:17:32 Another way we can cultivate modesty
00:17:35 is by asking for frank comments
00:17:37 from a trusted friend
00:17:39 as to whether or not we have a reputation for being modest.
00:17:44 In this regard, we remember the Bible principle:
00:17:48 “As iron sharpens iron,
00:17:50 so one man sharpens his friend.”
00:17:54 If someone is willing to offer
00:17:56 kind observations about how we can improve,
00:17:59 we wouldn’t want to bristle at the comments.
00:18:02 Granted, it may sting our pride to hear such honest feedback,
00:18:07 but don’t we all need to hear these things from time to time?
00:18:11 As imperfect humans,
00:18:13 each one of us has blind spots, as it were.
00:18:16 It’s hard to see ourselves the way others see us.
00:18:20 Remember, we can work to improve our Christian personality
00:18:25 —but only if we know the areas that could use some improvement.
00:18:30 We can’t change what we don’t see.
00:18:33 A word of caution:
00:18:35 We want to beware of false modesty.
00:18:38 Remember that it’s not about simply appearing modest
00:18:42 but actually being modest at heart.
00:18:45 To help us examine ourselves,
00:18:48 we might meditate on questions like these:
00:18:51 When I receive advice or counsel,
00:18:54 how do I really feel about it at heart?
00:18:57 Does my internal reaction depend on whether the person giving it
00:19:01 has less or more experience or authority than I do?
00:19:06 Am I willing to accept valid suggestions regardless of who offers them?
00:19:12 A final way we can develop true modesty
00:19:15 is to ask Jehovah to help us.
00:19:18 We know what James 1:17 says:
00:19:22 “Every good gift and every perfect present is from above,
00:19:27 coming down from the Father of the celestial lights.”
00:19:32 Since modesty is one of Jehovah’s good gifts to us,
00:19:36 we can be sure that if we pray to Jehovah and ask him
00:19:39 to help us cultivate this quality,
00:19:42 he’ll answer our sincere prayers.
00:19:45 In review, what is modesty?
00:19:48 It’s a proper recognition of our limitations.
00:19:52 Why do we want to have this quality?
00:19:55 Because it pleases Jehovah,
00:19:57 it promotes good relationships with others,
00:20:01 and it adds to our joy.
00:20:04 How can we cultivate modesty?
00:20:06 There are many ways:
00:20:08 We can meditate on Bible examples, both good and bad,
00:20:12 and then apply the lessons in our own life.
00:20:16 We should apply the counsel to ‘not go beyond the things written.’
00:20:20 We can ask others for honest feedback
00:20:23 on how we’re doing in showing this quality.
00:20:25 And above all, we can pray to Jehovah
00:20:28 and ask him to help us develop it more fully.
00:20:32 When we think of all the positive ways
00:20:35 that modesty benefits ourselves and others,
00:20:38 wouldn’t you agree that it truly is a quality
00:20:41 that comes from “what is good”?
00:20:43 Modesty can also protect us from Satan’s schemes.
00:20:47 In this dramatization,
00:20:50 a brother’s modesty helped him to make the right decision.
00:21:06 Mom has been working hard lately,
00:21:09 but I wish she worked harder for Jehovah.
00:21:13 I try to help out where I can.
00:21:24 Oh, by the way, I’m Jin.
00:21:29 Every day starts the same.
00:21:32 I grab a drink of water;
00:21:37 I say hi to Jun (he’s in my congregation);
00:21:42 and then there’s Mee-Kyong.
00:21:46 OK. Here we go.
00:21:48 I say hello,
00:21:50 she says something clever,
00:21:53 and I try to leave.
00:21:54 So this is different.
00:21:57 She’s having trouble in math and needs my help.
00:22:05 I don’t want to be rude,
00:22:07 but
00:22:10 if I help her with her homework,
00:22:12 how far could the relationship develop?
00:22:15 How do you say no to a girl like her?
00:22:50 Why can’t I get her out of my head?
00:23:15 Things are always better
00:23:17 when Uncle and Auntie are around.
00:23:20 Even Mom makes sure she’s home for “dinner and broadcast” night.
00:23:32 Uncle wants to work together in service this weekend;
00:23:36 maybe that will help clear my head.
00:24:09 Jehovah must be disappointed in me.
00:24:14 I couldn’t take it anymore.
00:24:16 It was difficult,
00:24:18 but I told Uncle everything.
00:24:23 I felt guilty that I knew I shouldn’t,
00:24:27 but I liked the attention.
00:24:31 We read Genesis 39:7-12.
00:24:36 I knew the account about Potiphar’s wife,
00:24:39 but he mentioned something I hadn’t thought of before.
00:24:43 He told Potiphar’s wife:
00:24:47 “How could I commit this great badness
00:24:50 and actually sin against God?”
00:24:54 But why did Joseph have to flee?
00:25:05 Joseph fought her every day,
00:25:07 but she wasn’t going to give up.
00:25:10 In her mind, it wasn’t a question of if but when.
00:25:15 There came a point when he had to flee.
00:25:23 I explained why I was ending the relationship,
00:25:26 but she would not give up.
00:25:40 You know the last thing she said to me?
00:25:44 That I was a coward.
00:25:46 But she’s wrong.
00:25:49 You’re never a coward if you run to Jehovah.
00:25:53 Our young brother saw that dating an unbeliever
00:25:56 would put him in harm’s way.
00:25:59 He was reminded that getting involved
00:26:01 with someone who doesn’t share Jehovah’s values
00:26:04 could eventually lead to sin.
00:26:07 Having modesty protected him from such dire consequences.
00:26:12 By his decision,
00:26:14 we could see our young brother’s faith in action.
00:26:18 Faith in Action is also the name of one of the museums
00:26:22 at our world headquarters in Warwick, New York.
00:26:25 Have you had an opportunity to visit?
00:26:28 If not, we’d like to take you there right now.
00:26:32 And even if you have visited, you’ll enjoy these reminders.
00:27:04 Welcome to the World Headquarters
00:27:06 of Jehovah’s Witnesses at Warwick, New York.
00:27:10 As Jehovah’s people,
00:27:12 we are multicultural and multilingual.
00:27:15 And as the artwork here emphasizes, our focus
00:27:19 is on our commission to ‘preach the good news
00:27:22 to people of all nations.’
00:27:25 So, what are we doing today as an organization?
00:27:29 How did we get here?
00:27:31 And what’s our main tool for this great work?
00:27:34 We invite you to come tour our museums
00:27:37 to find out.
00:27:39 We have three museums here at Warwick,
00:27:42 all funded by voluntary donations.
00:27:46 Each of them is alive with stories.
00:27:49 Upstairs on the second floor
00:27:51 is the museum Faith in Action.
00:27:55 There we’ll see the very latest
00:27:58 on what’s being done by Jehovah’s organization.
00:28:01 Also on the second floor is the museum
00:28:04 A People for Jehovah’s Name.
00:28:07 It takes us on an exciting journey back in time.
00:28:11 And downstairs
00:28:13 we have the Bible Museum.
00:28:16 There we’ll get to see up close
00:28:18 a spiritual treasure chest.
00:28:21 When you tour the museums, you’ll notice that they
00:28:25 were designed to be, not passive, but interactive
00:28:28 so that you can put yourself in the experience.
00:28:32 So with that preview,
00:28:34 let’s take the tour.
00:28:41 This is the launching point to the Faith in Action Museum.
00:28:45 Note that important, descriptive word: “action.”
00:28:51 What activities, or actions,
00:28:53 are being organized and directed
00:28:55 by the Governing Body today?
00:28:58 This display acquaints you right away
00:29:00 with the work of the Governing Body committees.
00:29:03 Each committee has specific responsibilities,
00:29:06 but as you take the tour,
00:29:09 notice how the committees work together
00:29:12 to accomplish their goals.
00:29:14 The Faith in Action Museum
00:29:17 is divided into four galleries:
00:29:19 “Show Love,”
00:29:21 “Meet Together,”
00:29:23 “Take In Spiritual Food,”
00:29:26 and “Make Disciples.”
00:29:28 As you walk through the galleries,
00:29:29 notice how each of them is connected by a JW-blue ribbon.
00:29:34 So if you get lost,
00:29:36 just follow the blue ribbon.
00:29:40 This is the “Show Love” Gallery.
00:29:43 Here you’ll learn how the Governing Body
00:29:45 helps God’s people to ‘have love among themselves,’
00:29:48 as Jesus commanded at John 13:35.
00:29:53 For example,
00:29:54 how do the brothers at headquarters respond
00:29:57 to needs that arise when a disaster strikes?
00:30:00 When things like natural disasters,
00:30:03 terrorist attacks, or civil unrest occur,
00:30:07 the Coordinators’ Committee directs relief efforts.
00:30:11 They, in turn, communicate with the Branch Committee
00:30:14 that oversees the affected area.
00:30:16 Usually, within 48 hours,
00:30:19 a report of what’s occurred
00:30:22 and what’s being done to help our brothers
00:30:24 is compiled and sent to headquarters.
00:30:27 That report may be the basis for informing the brotherhood
00:30:31 through an article on jw.org®.
00:30:35 There’s another way that love is shown to Jehovah’s people
00:30:39 —schools.
00:30:41 Such schools as the School for Congregation Elders
00:30:44 and the School for Circuit Overseers and Their Wives.
00:30:48 These have been very effective in training brothers
00:30:51 to shepherd the congregations lovingly.
00:30:56 The Teaching Committee is responsible for the curriculum,
00:30:59 while the Service Committee arranges for the selection of the students.
00:31:04 This is the “Meet Together” Gallery.
00:31:07 Here you’ll learn how the Governing Body is helping God’s people
00:31:11 to meet together “to incite
00:31:14 to love and fine works,” as directed
00:31:17 at Hebrews 10:24, 25.
00:31:20 How is the headquarters staff at Warwick filling that need?
00:31:25 Because we keep growing,
00:31:27 there’s an ongoing need
00:31:29 to build new Kingdom Halls and to renovate existing ones.
00:31:33 The Publishing Committee of the Governing Body
00:31:36 directs where Kingdom Halls will be built
00:31:39 and makes funds available to the branches.
00:31:42 The Publishing Committee
00:31:44 works closely with the branch office,
00:31:46 and its Local Design/Construction Department
00:31:49 carries out the work.
00:31:51 But where do these hardworking
00:31:53 brothers and sisters come from?
00:31:55 The Personnel Committee
00:31:57 appoints all construction servants
00:31:59 for assignments in their home country
00:32:01 or in a foreign land.
00:32:04 Have you worked on a theocratic building project?
00:32:07 Take our survey, and let us know.
00:32:11 Some Kingdom Halls are located in areas
00:32:13 where there is little or no electricity,
00:32:16 but that doesn’t stop us from meeting together.
00:32:20 The Publishing Committee
00:32:22 has arranged for a custom-built, portable sound system
00:32:25 to be used in these areas.
00:32:28 The unity player has a battery
00:32:31 that can be recharged by its solar panel
00:32:34 or with a built-in hand crank.
00:32:36 It’s a wonderful provision
00:32:39 that helps our brothers and sisters benefit more
00:32:42 from their congregation meetings.
00:32:44 This is the “Take In Spiritual Food” Gallery.
00:32:48 Can you guess what design we used?
00:32:51 That’s right, a dining table.
00:32:54 Here you’ll learn how the Governing Body
00:32:56 fulfills the Scriptural commission
00:32:58 at Luke 12:42
00:33:00 to feed God’s people spiritually.
00:33:04 To accomplish this,
00:33:06 millions of Bibles, books,
00:33:09 and other publications
00:33:10 need to be prepared, translated, and printed.
00:33:14 In addition,
00:33:16 a regular flow of material is released online.
00:33:20 Translators around the world
00:33:22 keep in close contact with Translation Services
00:33:25 —a headquarters department
00:33:27 that’s supervised by the Writing Committee.
00:33:30 Do you have a favorite publication?
00:33:33 Much more is involved than just the writing.
00:33:37 The section “From Start to Finish”
00:33:40 outlines 11 steps
00:33:43 that are taken to produce the final product.
00:33:46 What about our online spiritual food?
00:33:49 Each month, we look forward
00:33:52 to a new JW Broadcasting® program.
00:33:55 Once the Teaching Committee approves a video idea,
00:33:59 Audio/Video Services researches the subject
00:34:02 and prepares a script for final approval.
00:34:06 Approved scripts and storyboards
00:34:08 are assigned to video production teams around the world.
00:34:12 This gives our videos an international flavor.
00:34:17 Well, we’ve come to our final gallery, “Make Disciples.”
00:34:22 Here you’ll learn how the Governing Body is helping us
00:34:26 to fulfill the Scriptural commission
00:34:28 at Matthew 28:19
00:34:30 to “make disciples of people
00:34:32 of all [the] nations, baptizing them.”
00:34:36 The command to preach can be daunting,
00:34:39 especially in certain lands.
00:34:41 So how are we meeting that challenge?
00:34:44 The Service Committee oversees
00:34:47 the preaching work worldwide.
00:34:49 They help all to have a share according to their ability
00:34:53 —some as congregation publishers,
00:34:55 others as full-time evangelizers.
00:34:59 Additionally, special preaching campaigns
00:35:02 and public witnessing have resulted in many new Bible studies.
00:35:06 At times, though,
00:35:08 our religious freedom
00:35:10 is opposed by secular authorities.
00:35:13 So the Coordinators’ Committee supervises
00:35:17 the World Headquarters Legal Department.
00:35:20 Many courts have handed down favorable decisions.
00:35:23 Still, we must continue
00:35:26 to defend our right to preach the good news.
00:35:31 Our online tools are also a huge help in making disciples.
00:35:36 This counter shows the average rate
00:35:39 at which people worldwide
00:35:41 are logging on to jw.org.®
00:35:44 Each day, some 250 Bible studies
00:35:48 are requested online.
00:35:50 Schools also help us to make disciples.
00:35:54 We have the Pioneer Service School,
00:35:57 the School for Kingdom Evangelizers,
00:35:59 and Gilead School.
00:36:02 Have you attended one of these schools?
00:36:05 Let us know.
00:36:08 Well, as we come to the end of our tour,
00:36:11 we hope you enjoyed some highlights
00:36:13 from this Faith in Action Museum.
00:36:16 What we’ve seen here reminds us
00:36:19 that now and always
00:36:21 Jehovah’s people are a people of faith
00:36:25 —faith in action!
00:36:30 As Brother Sanderson highlighted,
00:36:32 the organization’s actions speak volumes
00:36:35 of the faith of Jehovah’s people.
00:36:38 And we wanted to share one more example of faith in action.
00:36:43 In Africa, a new provision has made it easier
00:36:47 for our brothers and sisters to access spiritual food.
00:36:54 Some of the electronic information
00:36:56 that had been translated and provided
00:36:59 for the brothers in sub-Saharan Africa
00:37:01 was essentially unavailable to them.
00:37:04 There are many areas in Mozambique
00:37:06 that do not have Internet access,
00:37:08 and in some parts
00:37:09 there is no cell phone coverage.
00:37:11 So we started investigating
00:37:13 what it would take to have a 24-hour-a-day,
00:37:16 7-day-a-week satellite channel
00:37:19 dedicated to JW Broadcasting®.
00:37:22 When the announcement was made to our congregation
00:37:24 about the JW satellite channel,
00:37:26 our brothers and sisters were very happy about the announcement.
00:37:32 Our organization has a lot of experience
00:37:33 distributing video via the Internet,
00:37:36 but to distribute it on the satellite was entirely new,
00:37:38 so we had to do a lot of research.
00:37:40 We don’t have our own satellite up in space.
00:37:43 We rent a channel on a satellite that covers sub-Saharan Africa.
00:37:49 What is required from the brothers is
00:37:51 to have a satellite dish and a decoder.
00:37:54 This will allow them to view the channel with no additional cost.
00:38:05 The brothers that are invited
00:38:06 to come here are trained.
00:38:08 First, how to set up the dish.
00:38:10 Second, how to set up the decoder
00:38:13 and learn how to adjust the dish properly
00:38:16 so that it works well.
00:38:18 Then, we teach them how to record the programs
00:38:21 with the goal that they can watch it with the brothers and sisters in the congregation.
00:38:28 Our satellite channel is set up to transmit
00:38:30 one video track and 16 audio tracks.
00:38:33 This gives us the ability to broadcast our videos
00:38:36 in 16 languages.
00:38:38 We consulted with the Translation Services Department,
00:38:41 and so these are the 16 languages
00:38:43 that give us the greatest audience of our brothers in Africa.
00:38:47 We wrote new software that takes any new video that comes to JW Broadcasting®
00:38:51 and mixes the 16 languages of video together into a single video file
00:38:56 and delivers that to our satellite provider.
00:38:58 The Governing Body
00:39:00 lovingly approved for the rental cost of the satellite channel
00:39:03 to be covered from contributions to the worldwide work.
00:39:07 So there’s no expense to the brothers
00:39:09 in Africa to receive the program.
00:39:11 We broadcast over
00:39:14 a single satellite channel for most of our needs.
00:39:17 But occasionally, we use a second channel
00:39:19 when we broadcast live events, like conventions
00:39:23 or branch visits.
00:39:25 When the representative from world headquarters gives his talk
00:39:28 from Bethel, it is transmitted to us
00:39:30 live through the satellite.
00:39:31 This makes us feel like we
00:39:33 are right there at Bethel.
00:39:34 We are very happy.
00:39:36 The most recent live event
00:39:38 that we broadcasted originated in France.
00:39:40 It was the release of the revised edition of the New World Translation,
00:39:45 so this was very exciting.
00:39:47 And brothers and sisters that attended conventions
00:39:49 in ten different branch territories in Africa
00:39:52 were able to tie in to this broadcast that originated in France,
00:39:55 using the satellite.
00:39:59 In our branch territory,
00:40:01 we are arranging for all new or remodeled Kingdom Halls
00:40:04 to have satellite equipment as part of the standard audio/video package.
00:40:10 We were very happy
00:40:12 when we received the satellite dish
00:40:13 because we could see that now
00:40:15 we are really close to the brothers on the Governing Body.
00:40:20 The satellite channel is excellent!
00:40:22 This provision touches our hearts.
00:40:24 The deaf all over the country benefited from the special talk
00:40:28 as it was interpreted into Malawian Sign Language,
00:40:31 showing that Jehovah truly loves deaf people.
00:40:34 And this helps us to strengthen our relationship with Jehovah.
00:40:49 We hope and pray that access to the JW satellite feed
00:40:53 becomes available to as many of our brothers and sisters
00:40:57 as possible in sub-Saharan Africa.
00:41:21 As we could see,
00:41:23 the organization prioritizes the needs of Jehovah’s people.
00:41:27 And as it does, it finds a modest solution
00:41:31 that can best serve the needs of as many people as possible.
00:41:35 As we discussed earlier in the program,
00:41:38 modesty is equally important on an individual level.
00:41:42 But there are times when we have to ask ourselves
00:41:45 if we’re confusing modesty
00:41:47 with our own imperfect view of ourselves.
00:41:51 Meet Juan Cayul from Chile.
00:41:53 He’s of the Mapuche tribe
00:41:55 —a tribe which has faced discrimination over the years.
00:41:59 Because of the discrimination,
00:42:01 some may be reluctant to use their language,
00:42:04 Mapudungún, in public.
00:42:07 This became a challenge for Juan,
00:42:09 since he wanted to give his best in the ministry for Jehovah.
00:42:14 Mapudungún means ‘the speech of my land.’
00:42:17 It’s a beautiful and expressive language,
00:42:21 and it’s the language of my heart.
00:42:23 When I was 12 years old, I went to live
00:42:27 with my grandfather and my uncle’s family
00:42:29 so that I could study at a nearby school.
00:42:31 My cousins spoke Mapudungún a lot,
00:42:34 which made me really happy.
00:42:40 When I saw that some of my classmates didn’t understand their schoolwork,
00:42:43 especially in math class, I would try to help them out.
00:42:48 That’s when I started to think about becoming
00:42:50 a math teacher so that I could really help others.
00:42:56 But the head teacher told me that because I was speaking
00:42:58 Mapudungún and because I was helping my classmates,
00:43:02 she was going to lower my grades.
00:43:05 When my father saw my grades, he was furious.
00:43:08 He accused me of being lazy and not studying.
00:43:13 He withdrew me from school, and I went back home to Tromén.
00:43:18 My dream of becoming a teacher
00:43:20 was shattered.
00:43:24 Because my dad had suffered so much as a victim of discrimination,
00:43:28 he told us that we were not to speak Mapudungún.
00:43:35 When I think about everything that happened,
00:43:40 it makes me very sad.
00:43:46 Years later, I met Sylvia
00:43:49 who was Mapuche like me.
00:43:50 She proved to be a sensitive and loving person.
00:43:53 We spoke Mapudungún together,
00:43:55 and that helped to relieve the bitterness
00:43:57 I felt in my heart.
00:44:01 Some time later, I learned about someone else
00:44:03 who made me feel loved and valued—Jehovah.
00:44:06 That changed my life.
00:44:09 All my pain disappeared
00:44:11 once I got to know Jehovah.
00:44:14 My wife and I studied the Bible
00:44:17 with the Witnesses in Spanish.
00:44:19 And so when I started to preach and teach,
00:44:22 I used Spanish too.
00:44:25 One day, I was out in service, and as we approached a house
00:44:29 an elderly Mapuche woman came to the door.
00:44:32 She was scared.
00:44:35 So straight away I greeted her in Mapudungún.
00:44:38 She invited us inside and spoke with us.
00:44:45 That was the first time
00:44:47 I had spoken about Jehovah in my mother tongue.
00:44:54 On our way back, I was deep in thought,
00:44:57 praying to Jehovah about how to help the Mapuche people.
00:45:02 Many years passed
00:45:04 before I saw an answer to my prayers.
00:45:08 Then one day after the meeting, I received
00:45:11 an invitation to be a speaker at the first assembly
00:45:13 to include talks in Mapudungún.
00:45:18 But I didn’t want to accept the assignment.
00:45:20 I felt worthless because of all the discrimination I had endured.
00:45:25 So
00:45:27 I prayed again and again to Jehovah
00:45:32 and began to meditate a lot.
00:45:35 Jehovah was now giving me an answer to my prayers.
00:45:41 He sees our true value.
00:46:08 I was so happy, so very happy.
00:46:10 I understood that Jehovah loved me
00:46:12 and cared for me and that he would continue to help me.
00:46:16 In just a few years, not one,
00:46:19 but several Mapudungún congregations were formed.
00:46:22 And now my wife and I, as well as our two children,
00:46:26 serve in Mapudungún-language congregations.
00:46:30 I’ve been assisting with Mapudungún translation
00:46:33 for more than seven years now.
00:46:37 When I tell the brothers and sisters who work with me at the translation office
00:46:40 about my childhood dream of becoming a teacher,
00:46:43 they tell me, “You’re our teacher now.”
00:46:48 I want to say to my brothers and sisters around the world:
00:46:51 “Don’t put yourselves down.
00:46:53 “You are precious; you are precious to Jehovah.
00:46:56 He will always help you.”
00:47:23 It took courage for Juan to overcome his fear of discrimination.
00:47:28 In our lives as Christians,
00:47:30 we can imitate Juan’s example of courage in many different ways.
00:47:35 When we do, let’s remember the words of Joshua 1:9:
00:47:40 “Have I not commanded you?
00:47:42 “Be courageous and strong.
00:47:45 “Do not be struck with terror or fear,
00:47:48 for Jehovah your God is with you wherever you go.”
00:47:52 With that scripture in mind,
00:47:54 please enjoy the music video for this month entitled
00:47:58 Be Courageous and Strong.
00:48:03 It’s dark outside. To start the day,
00:48:10 She humbly starts to pray For her kids at school
00:48:16 And the brotherhood: “Father, help us be faithful.”
00:48:24 When things make it hard to cope, She never thinks of losing hope,
00:48:33 Never stops being kind. And that song—it’s always on her mind:
00:48:42 ‘I will make you strong. Do not be afraid.
00:48:52 I will be with you. I will be your aid.’
00:49:02 Be courageous and strong. It’s her favorite song.
00:49:11 And “he will make you firm, And he will make you strong.”
00:49:23 Time to get on her feet— Try to make ends meet—
00:49:28 Never sure what to expect. Her true friends out there
00:49:35 Really show her they care, So she never needs to fret.
00:50:21 She’ll soar on wings To rise up high,
00:50:27 Like eagles in the sky. All the roles she plays—
00:50:33 So little time each day— And in her heart, she starts to pray.
00:50:40 Aching feet and tired hands— She tries the very best she can.
00:50:49 But there’s strength she can find In that song that’s always on her mind:
00:50:58 ‘I will make you strong. Do not be afraid.
00:51:08 I will be with you. I will be your aid.’
00:51:17 Be courageous and strong. It’s her favorite song.
00:51:27 And “he will make you firm, And he will make you strong.”
00:51:38 And “he will make you firm, And he will make you strong.”
00:51:53 We’ve seen many examples of modesty
00:51:56 on the program this month.
00:51:58 First, the McConnell sisters helped us appreciate
00:52:01 that true family happiness
00:52:03 is only possible when we follow Jehovah’s principles.
00:52:07 Modest parents know their limitations
00:52:10 and will rely on Jehovah’s guidance.
00:52:14 After the talk, we saw how a young brother’s modesty
00:52:18 protected him from sinning against Jehovah.
00:52:22 Next, we saw examples of organizational achievements,
00:52:26 all of which require modesty.
00:52:29 We saw this not only in the Faith in Action Museum at Warwick
00:52:33 but also with the satellite provision
00:52:35 for JW Broadcasting®
00:52:38 in sub-Saharan Africa.
00:52:41 And we need to be careful not to confuse
00:52:43 our imperfect view of ourselves with modesty.
00:52:47 Instead, we should do all we can to support Jehovah’s work.
00:52:51 And as we do, Jehovah will support us,
00:52:55 as this month’s music video highlighted.
00:52:58 And later this month, you’ll find an exciting report
00:53:02 on Video on Demand.
00:53:04 It’s about the work of the Publishing Committee of the Governing Body.
00:53:08 So tune in again for that.
00:53:11 To conclude,
00:53:13 let’s visit our brothers and sisters in Tasmania, Australia.
00:53:19 Tasmania is Australia’s smallest state
00:53:23 and is an island located about 240 kilometers,
00:53:27 or 150 miles, south of the mainland.
00:53:31 Despite its small land mass,
00:53:33 it’s known for its very diverse landscape
00:53:36 featuring beautiful yet rugged mountain,
00:53:39 lake, and coastal landscapes.
00:53:44 The central plateau is a prominent feature of Tasmania,
00:53:47 thanks to its more than 4,000 lakes
00:53:50 of glacial origin.
00:53:52 This island is home to close to 1,800 publishers
00:53:56 in 22 congregations.
00:53:59 And this is the Huonville Congregation.
00:54:03 They care for Australia’s southernmost territory.
00:54:07 Although their territory is vast
00:54:09 and many of the publishers are advanced in years,
00:54:13 the congregation is known to assist neighboring congregations
00:54:17 with their territories.
00:54:19 In 2016, the Huonville Congregation
00:54:24 was happy to see their Kingdom Hall get renovated.
00:54:27 And when visiting brothers come to give a public talk in Huonville,
00:54:31 it’s not unusual that they get a box of local produce as a gift.
00:54:37 Our brothers and sisters in the Huonville Congregation
00:54:41 send us their warm Christian love,
00:54:44 and we love them very much.
00:54:47 Until next month, this is JW Broadcasting
00:54:51 from the World Headquarters of Jehovah’s Witnesses.
