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00:00:01 These are challenging times, aren’t they? 00:00:05 Think of the challenges 00:00:06 this pandemic has created. 00:00:09 It has closed down businesses, 00:00:11 delayed school openings, 00:00:13 postponed sporting events, and more, 00:00:15 but it has not stopped the flow of spiritual food. 00:00:20 Jesus knew long ago that his followers 00:00:22 would find themselves in the time of the end, 00:00:25 facing the most distressing period in human history. 00:00:28 And he assured them 00:00:30 that through a faithful slave 00:00:32 they would receive “food at the proper time,” 00:00:35 which would give them hope 00:00:37 and strengthen them to endure. 00:00:40 True, we’ve had to adjust 00:00:42 how we prepare and serve this spiritual food. 00:00:45 However, we’ve continued to receive 00:00:47 the Watchtower and Awake! magazines, 00:00:50 meeting workbooks, new original songs and videos, 00:00:53 an entire convention program, 00:00:55 and even the release of the New World Translation 00:00:58 in more languages. 00:01:01 This is exactly what Jehovah promised he would provide, 00:01:05 as stated at Isaiah 65:13: 00:01:10 “Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord Jehovah says: 00:01:14 “‘Look! My servants will eat, 00:01:18 “‘but you will go hungry. 00:01:20 “‘Look! My servants will drink, 00:01:23 “‘but you will go thirsty. 00:01:25 “‘Look! My servants will rejoice, 00:01:28 but you will suffer shame.’” 00:01:33 Those words aren’t just a reassurance; 00:01:35 they’re a promise. 00:01:37 Despite all the chaos in the world around us, 00:01:40 we will have the spiritual food that we need to stay strong. 00:01:44 So you might wonder: 00:01:47 ‘What adjustments has the Governing Body made 00:01:50 ‘to provide spiritual food at the proper time despite the pandemic? 00:01:55 ‘How have we seen Jehovah’s blessing on these adjustments? 00:01:59 ‘And on a personal level, 00:02:02 ‘what can each one of us do 00:02:04 to show our appreciation for these provisions?’ 00:02:09 Restrictions and lockdowns haven’t stopped the work 00:02:12 of writing and publishing spiritually upbuilding food. 00:02:16 One example of this is the recent update to the study edition 00:02:21 of the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures. 00:02:25 Galatians and Ephesians are now available in English, 00:02:28 with over 340 new study notes, 00:02:31 a video, media gallery items, 00:02:34 and new articles in the Appendix. 00:02:37 Now, how about the jw.org® website? 00:02:41 The brothers have been hard at work there too. 00:02:45 Articles such as 00:02:47 “What Does the Bible Say About Pandemics?” 00:02:51 and “How to Deal With Isolation” have been added. 00:02:55 Other articles about distance learning, 00:02:58 domestic abuse, and alcohol consumption have also been added 00:03:02 —the very issues that are on many people’s minds right now. 00:03:08 How has the pandemic affected the production of our various video projects? 00:03:13 As you can imagine, 00:03:15 with Bethel facilities on lockdown 00:03:18 and with physical distancing measures in place, 00:03:21 we’ve had to rethink how videos can be safely produced. 00:03:25 In the following video report, 00:03:28 Brother Bob Batko, a member of the Central America Branch Committee, 00:03:32 explains adjustments the regional video team has made. 00:03:38 To keep the cameras rolling, 00:03:40 the regional video team 00:03:41 hosted here at the branch 00:03:42 had to overcome some pretty big challenges. 00:03:45 One of them was casting. 00:03:48 We couldn’t invite local brothers and sisters to come in to play roles, 00:03:52 nor could the Bethel team go out to shoot on location. 00:03:57 So, what did it require? 00:04:00 Adapting to the local circumstances. 00:04:03 That meant shooting on Bethel property 00:04:07 with Bethel personnel. 00:04:09 And that may seem limiting, 00:04:12 but they found a solution—the green screen. 00:04:16 That meant that they could shoot in studio 00:04:19 and the actor could virtually be anywhere. 00:04:25 When working on a set here, rigorous safety precautions need to be taken. 00:04:30 Cast and crew members get their temperature checked 00:04:33 at the beginning and the end of each day. 00:04:35 And everyone (everyone) 00:04:37 wears face masks, including the actors 00:04:39 —unless they’re being filmed. 00:04:42 The actors maintain physical distancing 00:04:45 when with anyone other than their mate or roommate. 00:04:48 To minimize contact with the hair and makeup team, 00:04:52 they’ve taken advantage of videoconferencing. 00:04:55 So they would teach the wives how to put beards 00:04:58 on their husbands in their Bethel rooms. 00:05:01 This way, only touch-ups need to be done on set, 00:05:04 and even then, personal protective equipment is used. 00:05:08 And everything is disinfected before and after each session. 00:05:13 In doing all of this, there was a wonderful spirit of unity. 00:05:18 During the lockdown, no commuters have been able to come in; 00:05:23 so, many from other Bethel departments have been made available 00:05:27 to help with the work. 00:05:29 Some are helping on the production team, 00:05:30 others by sewing wardrobes and building sets. 00:05:35 And nobody went hungry. 00:05:37 All the meals were provided. 00:05:41 In all of this, it’s obvious that Jehovah blessed 00:05:44 not just these arrangements but also the Governing Body 00:05:48 so that they could provide the much needed spiritual food 00:05:51 right on time. 00:05:57 As you can see, 00:05:59 we’ve had to adjust many aspects of video production, 00:06:02 and we’re grateful for the hard work of all involved. 00:06:06 In fact, all of our video teams, 00:06:09 including the ones at world headquarters, 00:06:11 are taking similar steps to keep production going 00:06:15 while remaining safe. 00:06:18 But do you see the point? 00:06:20 The menu of spiritual food prepared well before the pandemic 00:06:24 will be presented just as planned. 00:06:28 You might say that we’ve had to adjust some 00:06:30 of the “kitchen utensils” and “cooking methods,” 00:06:34 but the meal itself is unchanged and just as nourishing. 00:06:39 So you won’t miss a thing! 00:06:42 Another vital part of the process in providing spiritual food 00:06:46 to Jehovah’s people worldwide is translation. 00:06:50 And that hasn’t stopped either. 00:06:53 Translation teams have been able to continue their work 00:06:56 by videoconference, 00:06:58 and the results have been thrilling. 00:07:01 For example, since the start of the pandemic, 00:07:06 the New World Translation has been released 00:07:09 in whole or in part in 19 languages. 00:07:14 Some of these releases had been planned 00:07:17 in conjunction with regional conventions 00:07:20 that were to be held later this year. 00:07:22 But when the decision was made 00:07:25 to present a global convention program by video, 00:07:29 the Teaching Committee asked if these newly translated Bibles 00:07:34 could be released before the convention began in July. 00:07:38 That way, translators could use the new Bibles 00:07:42 when translating the convention program, 00:07:45 and publishers could follow along with all six sessions 00:07:49 using their newly released Bibles. 00:07:53 Well, through a tremendous effort 00:07:56 and with Jehovah’s blessing, 00:07:59 13 Bibles were released in digital format 00:08:02 at special meetings 00:08:05 in the weeks leading up to the convention. 00:08:07 You can imagine how thrilled the brothers were 00:08:10 to receive these Bibles in their local languages 00:08:14 just in time for the convention. 00:08:18 One of those new translations was in the Oromo language. 00:08:23 In this video report, Brother Delroy Williamson, 00:08:27 a member of the Ethiopia Branch Committee, 00:08:30 describes the challenges that they faced 00:08:32 and how they overcame them with Jehovah’s help. 00:08:37 We were very excited to learn 00:08:39 that despite the COVID-19 pandemic, 00:08:42 the complete New World Translation 00:08:44 would be released digitally 00:08:46 in the Oromo language. 00:08:48 So all congregations in Ethiopia 00:08:50 were invited to attend a special meeting, 00:08:53 which would be streamed countrywide over the Internet. 00:08:57 But just five days before the release date, 00:09:00 civil unrest broke out in the country, 00:09:02 and because of this, the government shut down the Internet. 00:09:07 Suddenly, there was no way to access the program online. 00:09:12 But this is where we really saw Jehovah’s hand in matters. 00:09:15 When the program was being planned, 00:09:17 the Branch Committee received approval 00:09:19 to prerecord the released talks 00:09:22 and to broadcast the program via satellite. 00:09:25 This would enable the meeting 00:09:27 to reach the most distant parts of our branch territory. 00:09:31 Well, that satellite broadcast became the main way 00:09:36 for over 12,000 of our brothers to view the special meeting. 00:09:40 And in the areas of the country not covered by the satellite, 00:09:43 the brothers listened to the program by telephone. 00:09:46 Just two days after the program, Internet access was restored 00:09:51 and the brothers with an Internet connection downloaded the Bible 00:09:54 and then transferred the file to those without Internet access. 00:09:58 It was really faith-strengthening to see 00:10:01 how despite a pandemic, despite unrest, 00:10:05 despite the country being in a state of emergency, 00:10:09 our spiritual food supply continued to flow. 00:10:14 What a blessing for our Oromo-speaking brothers and sisters! 00:10:19 Besides new Bibles, our translation teams 00:10:22 have also been busy with other projects. 00:10:25 For example, the 2020 Governing Body Update Reports, 00:10:30 such as the one you’re watching right now, 00:10:33 have been a landmark in simultaneous communication. 00:10:37 The second report was uploaded 00:10:40 in about 400 languages simultaneously. 00:10:43 That’s the largest simultaneous multilanguage video release 00:10:47 in our history. 00:10:49 And this turned out to be a dry run 00:10:53 for an even bigger task: 00:10:55 The first day 00:10:58 of the 2020 “Always Rejoice”! Convention 00:11:01 was also uploaded in about 400 languages 00:11:05 within 24 hours of English. 00:11:09 Preparing translations for every talk 00:11:12 was a massive effort on a very tight schedule. 00:11:17 Many local brothers used their own resources to assist 00:11:21 and worked tirelessly to provide quality translations. 00:11:25 In many cases, 00:11:27 the dubbing of the talks was so well synced 00:11:31 that some brothers actually thought 00:11:33 the talks were being delivered in their language. 00:11:36 Here’s just one example from Kenya 00:11:39 in the Kikamba language. 00:12:02 Now, don’t be fooled: Brother Schafer hasn’t mastered Kikamba. 00:12:07 But thanks to the skills of our translation team, 00:12:11 the results were convincing enough for some to say, 00:12:15 “It’s so wonderful that these brothers learned our language!” 00:12:19 Well, regarding all this work being done in writing, 00:12:23 video production, translation, and more, 00:12:26 we might ask, 00:12:28 ‘How has all this been possible, especially now?’ 00:12:33 We find the answer 00:12:35 at Zechariah 4:6: 00:12:40 “‘Not by a military force, nor by power, 00:12:45 but by my spirit,’ says Jehovah of armies.” 00:12:51 None of this would be possible without Jehovah’s holy spirit. 00:12:56 How can we all show appreciation 00:12:59 for the way we’re being spiritually fed during this difficult time? 00:13:04 Consider three ways. 00:13:06 First and foremost, take full advantage 00:13:10 of this spiritual banquet that Jehovah is providing. 00:13:13 Read the Bible every day; 00:13:16 and to the extent that you can, 00:13:18 read each new magazine and publication 00:13:21 and watch each new video available in your language. 00:13:26 Not long ago, receiving our spiritual food digitally 00:13:31 would’ve been hard to even imagine, 00:13:33 and yet now we probably wonder how we’d be coping with this pandemic 00:13:38 without tools like JW Library®. 00:13:42 Jehovah has been preparing us over the years 00:13:45 to be ready for something like this. 00:13:48 Even the older ones in our congregation have gotten more comfortable 00:13:52 with their electronic devices. 00:13:55 Even though some of our brothers have very limited access to this technology, 00:14:00 just think about how much these tools 00:14:03 are helping us as an organization 00:14:06 to study, share, and distribute God’s Word 00:14:09 in the face of this crisis. 00:14:13 Keeping ourselves well-fed spiritually 00:14:15 will help us to focus our minds 00:14:18 on what Paul described 00:14:20 at Philippians 4:8: 00:14:24 “Whatever things are of serious concern, 00:14:28 “whatever things are righteous, 00:14:31 “whatever things are chaste, 00:14:33 “whatever things are lovable, 00:14:36 “whatever things are well-spoken-of, 00:14:38 “whatever things are virtuous, 00:14:41 “and whatever things are praiseworthy, 00:14:44 continue considering these things.” 00:14:49 Second, we can show our appreciation 00:14:53 by praying for those working hard to support the Kingdom work 00:14:57 at world headquarters and in the branches 00:15:00 and remote translation offices around the world. 00:15:04 Many Bethel families have been on lockdown for over five months. 00:15:09 Our Bethel family members have willingly obeyed the direction given 00:15:14 in order to protect the Kingdom work and the flow of spiritual food. 00:15:19 We’re very proud of them 00:15:21 and truly appreciate their cooperation 00:15:24 as well as that of their families and congregations. 00:15:29 Third, we can be generous with our spiritual food. 00:15:33 Have a full share 00:15:35 in preaching and teaching despite the limitations 00:15:38 we’re facing right now. 00:15:41 Also, if you find a verse you love in your Bible reading 00:15:46 or a point that stands out in an article or video, 00:15:50 don’t keep it to yourself. 00:15:52 Share the good things Jehovah has given us 00:15:55 with your brothers and sisters. 00:15:58 One aspect of our spiritual food is our songs. 00:16:03 While you may have missed singing together 00:16:05 at your meetings or the convention, 00:16:08 our brothers and sisters 00:16:10 are still finding ways to sing together—virtually. 00:16:14 The following video clip of the song “Our Joy Eternally” 00:16:19 was made by brothers and sisters 00:16:22 serving as remote volunteers in France 00:16:24 while they were under lockdown. 00:16:27 Each person recorded his or her part individually, 00:16:31 and then they were edited together 00:16:33 to create one virtual chorus. 00:17:52 I’m sure you’d agree that 00:17:55 that was a very refreshing way to end our program. 00:17:58 Our love for Jehovah and our determination 00:18:02 to live by his standards are being tested each day. 00:18:06 And yet, because we’re being well-fed spiritually, 00:18:10 we have everything we need to meet those tests with joy. 00:18:15 Dear brothers and sisters, 00:18:18 please be assured of the warm love 00:18:21 of the Governing Body and our prayers in your behalf. 00:18:25 From the World Headquarters of Jehovah’s Witnesses, 00:18:29 this is JW Broadcasting®.
00:00:01 These are challenging times, aren’t they? 00:00:05 Think of the challenges 00:00:06 this pandemic has created. 00:00:09 It has closed down businesses, 00:00:11 delayed school openings, 00:00:13 postponed sporting events, and more, 00:00:15 but it has not stopped the flow of spiritual food. 00:00:20 Jesus knew long ago that his followers 00:00:22 would find themselves in the time of the end, 00:00:25 facing the most distressing period in human history. 00:00:28 And he assured them 00:00:30 that through a faithful slave 00:00:32 they would receive “food at the proper time,” 00:00:35 which would give them hope 00:00:37 and strengthen them to endure. 00:00:40 True, we’ve had to adjust 00:00:42 how we prepare and serve this spiritual food. 00:00:45 However, we’ve continued to receive 00:00:47 the Watchtower and Awake! magazines, 00:00:50 meeting workbooks, new original songs and videos, 00:00:53 an entire convention program, 00:00:55 and even the release of the New World Translation 00:00:58 in more languages. 00:01:01 This is exactly what Jehovah promised he would provide, 00:01:05 as stated at Isaiah 65:13: 00:01:10 “Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord Jehovah says: 00:01:14 “‘Look! My servants will eat, 00:01:18 “‘but you will go hungry. 00:01:20 “‘Look! My servants will drink, 00:01:23 “‘but you will go thirsty. 00:01:25 “‘Look! My servants will rejoice, 00:01:28 but you will suffer shame.’” 00:01:33 Those words aren’t just a reassurance; 00:01:35 they’re a promise. 00:01:37 Despite all the chaos in the world around us, 00:01:40 we will have the spiritual food that we need to stay strong. 00:01:44 So you might wonder: 00:01:47 ‘What adjustments has the Governing Body made 00:01:50 ‘to provide spiritual food at the proper time despite the pandemic? 00:01:55 ‘How have we seen Jehovah’s blessing on these adjustments? 00:01:59 ‘And on a personal level, 00:02:02 ‘what can each one of us do 00:02:04 to show our appreciation for these provisions?’ 00:02:09 Restrictions and lockdowns haven’t stopped the work 00:02:12 of writing and publishing spiritually upbuilding food. 00:02:16 One example of this is the recent update to the study edition 00:02:21 of the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures. 00:02:25 Galatians and Ephesians are now available in English, 00:02:28 with over 340 new study notes, 00:02:31 a video, media gallery items, 00:02:34 and new articles in the Appendix. 00:02:37 Now, how about the jw.org® website? 00:02:41 The brothers have been hard at work there too. 00:02:45 Articles such as 00:02:47 “What Does the Bible Say About Pandemics?” 00:02:51 and “How to Deal With Isolation” have been added. 00:02:55 Other articles about distance learning, 00:02:58 domestic abuse, and alcohol consumption have also been added 00:03:02 —the very issues that are on many people’s minds right now. 00:03:08 How has the pandemic affected the production of our various video projects? 00:03:13 As you can imagine, 00:03:15 with Bethel facilities on lockdown 00:03:18 and with physical distancing measures in place, 00:03:21 we’ve had to rethink how videos can be safely produced. 00:03:25 In the following video report, 00:03:28 Brother Bob Batko, a member of the Central America Branch Committee, 00:03:32 explains adjustments the regional video team has made. 00:03:38 To keep the cameras rolling, 00:03:40 the regional video team 00:03:41 hosted here at the branch 00:03:42 had to overcome some pretty big challenges. 00:03:45 One of them was casting. 00:03:48 We couldn’t invite local brothers and sisters to come in to play roles, 00:03:52 nor could the Bethel team go out to shoot on location. 00:03:57 So, what did it require? 00:04:00 Adapting to the local circumstances. 00:04:03 That meant shooting on Bethel property 00:04:07 with Bethel personnel. 00:04:09 And that may seem limiting, 00:04:12 but they found a solution—the green screen. 00:04:16 That meant that they could shoot in studio 00:04:19 and the actor could virtually be anywhere. 00:04:25 When working on a set here, rigorous safety precautions need to be taken. 00:04:30 Cast and crew members get their temperature checked 00:04:33 at the beginning and the end of each day. 00:04:35 And everyone (everyone) 00:04:37 wears face masks, including the actors 00:04:39 —unless they’re being filmed. 00:04:42 The actors maintain physical distancing 00:04:45 when with anyone other than their mate or roommate. 00:04:48 To minimize contact with the hair and makeup team, 00:04:52 they’ve taken advantage of videoconferencing. 00:04:55 So they would teach the wives how to put beards 00:04:58 on their husbands in their Bethel rooms. 00:05:01 This way, only touch-ups need to be done on set, 00:05:04 and even then, personal protective equipment is used. 00:05:08 And everything is disinfected before and after each session. 00:05:13 In doing all of this, there was a wonderful spirit of unity. 00:05:18 During the lockdown, no commuters have been able to come in; 00:05:23 so, many from other Bethel departments have been made available 00:05:27 to help with the work. 00:05:29 Some are helping on the production team, 00:05:30 others by sewing wardrobes and building sets. 00:05:35 And nobody went hungry. 00:05:37 All the meals were provided. 00:05:41 In all of this, it’s obvious that Jehovah blessed 00:05:44 not just these arrangements but also the Governing Body 00:05:48 so that they could provide the much needed spiritual food 00:05:51 right on time. 00:05:57 As you can see, 00:05:59 we’ve had to adjust many aspects of video production, 00:06:02 and we’re grateful for the hard work of all involved. 00:06:06 In fact, all of our video teams, 00:06:09 including the ones at world headquarters, 00:06:11 are taking similar steps to keep production going 00:06:15 while remaining safe. 00:06:18 But do you see the point? 00:06:20 The menu of spiritual food prepared well before the pandemic 00:06:24 will be presented just as planned. 00:06:28 You might say that we’ve had to adjust some 00:06:30 of the “kitchen utensils” and “cooking methods,” 00:06:34 but the meal itself is unchanged and just as nourishing. 00:06:39 So you won’t miss a thing! 00:06:42 Another vital part of the process in providing spiritual food 00:06:46 to Jehovah’s people worldwide is translation. 00:06:50 And that hasn’t stopped either. 00:06:53 Translation teams have been able to continue their work 00:06:56 by videoconference, 00:06:58 and the results have been thrilling. 00:07:01 For example, since the start of the pandemic, 00:07:06 the New World Translation has been released 00:07:09 in whole or in part in 19 languages. 00:07:14 Some of these releases had been planned 00:07:17 in conjunction with regional conventions 00:07:20 that were to be held later this year. 00:07:22 But when the decision was made 00:07:25 to present a global convention program by video, 00:07:29 the Teaching Committee asked if these newly translated Bibles 00:07:34 could be released before the convention began in July. 00:07:38 That way, translators could use the new Bibles 00:07:42 when translating the convention program, 00:07:45 and publishers could follow along with all six sessions 00:07:49 using their newly released Bibles. 00:07:53 Well, through a tremendous effort 00:07:56 and with Jehovah’s blessing, 00:07:59 13 Bibles were released in digital format 00:08:02 at special meetings 00:08:05 in the weeks leading up to the convention. 00:08:07 You can imagine how thrilled the brothers were 00:08:10 to receive these Bibles in their local languages 00:08:14 just in time for the convention. 00:08:18 One of those new translations was in the Oromo language. 00:08:23 In this video report, Brother Delroy Williamson, 00:08:27 a member of the Ethiopia Branch Committee, 00:08:30 describes the challenges that they faced 00:08:32 and how they overcame them with Jehovah’s help. 00:08:37 We were very excited to learn 00:08:39 that despite the COVID-19 pandemic, 00:08:42 the complete New World Translation 00:08:44 would be released digitally 00:08:46 in the Oromo language. 00:08:48 So all congregations in Ethiopia 00:08:50 were invited to attend a special meeting, 00:08:53 which would be streamed countrywide over the Internet. 00:08:57 But just five days before the release date, 00:09:00 civil unrest broke out in the country, 00:09:02 and because of this, the government shut down the Internet. 00:09:07 Suddenly, there was no way to access the program online. 00:09:12 But this is where we really saw Jehovah’s hand in matters. 00:09:15 When the program was being planned, 00:09:17 the Branch Committee received approval 00:09:19 to prerecord the released talks 00:09:22 and to broadcast the program via satellite. 00:09:25 This would enable the meeting 00:09:27 to reach the most distant parts of our branch territory. 00:09:31 Well, that satellite broadcast became the main way 00:09:36 for over 12,000 of our brothers to view the special meeting. 00:09:40 And in the areas of the country not covered by the satellite, 00:09:43 the brothers listened to the program by telephone. 00:09:46 Just two days after the program, Internet access was restored 00:09:51 and the brothers with an Internet connection downloaded the Bible 00:09:54 and then transferred the file to those without Internet access. 00:09:58 It was really faith-strengthening to see 00:10:01 how despite a pandemic, despite unrest, 00:10:05 despite the country being in a state of emergency, 00:10:09 our spiritual food supply continued to flow. 00:10:14 What a blessing for our Oromo-speaking brothers and sisters! 00:10:19 Besides new Bibles, our translation teams 00:10:22 have also been busy with other projects. 00:10:25 For example, the 2020 Governing Body Update Reports, 00:10:30 such as the one you’re watching right now, 00:10:33 have been a landmark in simultaneous communication. 00:10:37 The second report was uploaded 00:10:40 in about 400 languages simultaneously. 00:10:43 That’s the largest simultaneous multilanguage video release 00:10:47 in our history. 00:10:49 And this turned out to be a dry run 00:10:53 for an even bigger task: 00:10:55 The first day 00:10:58 of the 2020 “Always Rejoice”! Convention 00:11:01 was also uploaded in about 400 languages 00:11:05 within 24 hours of English. 00:11:09 Preparing translations for every talk 00:11:12 was a massive effort on a very tight schedule. 00:11:17 Many local brothers used their own resources to assist 00:11:21 and worked tirelessly to provide quality translations. 00:11:25 In many cases, 00:11:27 the dubbing of the talks was so well synced 00:11:31 that some brothers actually thought 00:11:33 the talks were being delivered in their language. 00:11:36 Here’s just one example from Kenya 00:11:39 in the Kikamba language. 00:12:02 Now, don’t be fooled: Brother Schafer hasn’t mastered Kikamba. 00:12:07 But thanks to the skills of our translation team, 00:12:11 the results were convincing enough for some to say, 00:12:15 “It’s so wonderful that these brothers learned our language!” 00:12:19 Well, regarding all this work being done in writing, 00:12:23 video production, translation, and more, 00:12:26 we might ask, 00:12:28 ‘How has all this been possible, especially now?’ 00:12:33 We find the answer 00:12:35 at Zechariah 4:6: 00:12:40 “‘Not by a military force, nor by power, 00:12:45 but by my spirit,’ says Jehovah of armies.” 00:12:51 None of this would be possible without Jehovah’s holy spirit. 00:12:56 How can we all show appreciation 00:12:59 for the way we’re being spiritually fed during this difficult time? 00:13:04 Consider three ways. 00:13:06 First and foremost, take full advantage 00:13:10 of this spiritual banquet that Jehovah is providing. 00:13:13 Read the Bible every day; 00:13:16 and to the extent that you can, 00:13:18 read each new magazine and publication 00:13:21 and watch each new video available in your language. 00:13:26 Not long ago, receiving our spiritual food digitally 00:13:31 would’ve been hard to even imagine, 00:13:33 and yet now we probably wonder how we’d be coping with this pandemic 00:13:38 without tools like JW Library®. 00:13:42 Jehovah has been preparing us over the years 00:13:45 to be ready for something like this. 00:13:48 Even the older ones in our congregation have gotten more comfortable 00:13:52 with their electronic devices. 00:13:55 Even though some of our brothers have very limited access to this technology, 00:14:00 just think about how much these tools 00:14:03 are helping us as an organization 00:14:06 to study, share, and distribute God’s Word 00:14:09 in the face of this crisis. 00:14:13 Keeping ourselves well-fed spiritually 00:14:15 will help us to focus our minds 00:14:18 on what Paul described 00:14:20 at Philippians 4:8: 00:14:24 “Whatever things are of serious concern, 00:14:28 “whatever things are righteous, 00:14:31 “whatever things are chaste, 00:14:33 “whatever things are lovable, 00:14:36 “whatever things are well-spoken-of, 00:14:38 “whatever things are virtuous, 00:14:41 “and whatever things are praiseworthy, 00:14:44 continue considering these things.” 00:14:49 Second, we can show our appreciation 00:14:53 by praying for those working hard to support the Kingdom work 00:14:57 at world headquarters and in the branches 00:15:00 and remote translation offices around the world. 00:15:04 Many Bethel families have been on lockdown for over five months. 00:15:09 Our Bethel family members have willingly obeyed the direction given 00:15:14 in order to protect the Kingdom work and the flow of spiritual food. 00:15:19 We’re very proud of them 00:15:21 and truly appreciate their cooperation 00:15:24 as well as that of their families and congregations. 00:15:29 Third, we can be generous with our spiritual food. 00:15:33 Have a full share 00:15:35 in preaching and teaching despite the limitations 00:15:38 we’re facing right now. 00:15:41 Also, if you find a verse you love in your Bible reading 00:15:46 or a point that stands out in an article or video, 00:15:50 don’t keep it to yourself. 00:15:52 Share the good things Jehovah has given us 00:15:55 with your brothers and sisters. 00:15:58 One aspect of our spiritual food is our songs. 00:16:03 While you may have missed singing together 00:16:05 at your meetings or the convention, 00:16:08 our brothers and sisters 00:16:10 are still finding ways to sing together—virtually. 00:16:14 The following video clip of the song “Our Joy Eternally” 00:16:19 was made by brothers and sisters 00:16:22 serving as remote volunteers in France 00:16:24 while they were under lockdown. 00:16:27 Each person recorded his or her part individually, 00:16:31 and then they were edited together 00:16:33 to create one virtual chorus. 00:17:52 I’m sure you’d agree that 00:17:55 that was a very refreshing way to end our program. 00:17:58 Our love for Jehovah and our determination 00:18:02 to live by his standards are being tested each day. 00:18:06 And yet, because we’re being well-fed spiritually, 00:18:10 we have everything we need to meet those tests with joy. 00:18:15 Dear brothers and sisters, 00:18:18 please be assured of the warm love 00:18:21 of the Governing Body and our prayers in your behalf. 00:18:25 From the World Headquarters of Jehovah’s Witnesses, 00:18:29 this is JW Broadcasting®.
