00:00:01 Welcome to this month’s edition
00:00:04 of JW Broadcasting®!
00:00:07 Here are a few highlights from our program.
00:00:10 Bill lived for music,
00:00:13 but it left him feeling as if something was missing.
00:00:17 We’ll learn what helped him to have a truly meaningful life.
00:00:21 Good friends are a blessing,
00:00:25 especially during hard times.
00:00:27 We’ll learn how to build
00:00:28 strong friendships that endure.
00:00:32 And our new song
00:00:33 reminds us of the many reasons
00:00:36 we have to be joyful.
00:00:38 It will make you smile!
00:00:42 This is JW Broadcasting.
00:01:03 No doubt every one of us at one time or another
00:01:08 has faced a discouraging situation.
00:01:12 Really, no one is immune
00:01:15 from discouragement.
00:01:17 This feeling may last
00:01:18 for a day or two and then subside,
00:01:21 or it might last longer.
00:01:24 What can cause us to be discouraged?
00:01:28 The Watch Tower Publications Index
00:01:32 lists over 20 factors
00:01:35 that can contribute to discouragement.
00:01:38 Some of them are these:
00:01:40 another’s conduct
00:01:41 —what someone did or didn’t do
00:01:43 that disappointed us;
00:01:45 problems in our congregation;
00:01:48 feeling inadequate;
00:01:50 our own personal failures
00:01:52 —what we’ve done or failed to do;
00:01:55 health problems; and loss of privileges.
00:01:59 There are ever so many things
00:02:02 that can cause us to be downhearted.
00:02:06 Even the fact that we are discouraged can be discouraging.
00:02:11 We feel guilty for being discouraged.
00:02:15 Here’s the good news.
00:02:17 We’re in good company.
00:02:20 Some very prominent and faithful servants of Jehovah
00:02:24 mentioned in the Bible have been discouraged.
00:02:29 Moses became so discouraged
00:02:32 over the complaints of the Israelites
00:02:34 that he said to God: “Please kill me right now.”
00:02:39 Rebekah was so distressed
00:02:41 because her son Esau married pagan women
00:02:45 that she told her husband, Isaac:
00:02:47 “I am disgusted with my life.”
00:02:50 Yes, family situations
00:02:54 can cause discouragement.
00:02:58 David was tormented by his sins.
00:03:01 At Psalm 51:3, he wrote:
00:03:05 “I am well-aware of my transgressions,
00:03:09 and my sin is always before me.”
00:03:14 Our mistakes can weigh us down.
00:03:19 Jeremiah felt so discouraged
00:03:21 by the opposition, ridicule, and apathy he met up with
00:03:26 that he told himself:
00:03:28 “I am not going to make mention of [Jehovah],
00:03:31 and I will speak no more in his name.”
00:03:34 Yes, poor results in the ministry can discourage us.
00:03:41 The apostle Paul frankly admitted
00:03:44 at Romans 7:24, 25
00:03:47 that he struggled against sinful tendencies.
00:03:51 At times, he felt miserable over this conflict.
00:03:55 He said: “Miserable man that I am!
00:03:59 Who will rescue me from the body undergoing this death?”
00:04:06 Faithful men and women
00:04:08 faced discouraging circumstances in the past,
00:04:13 and so do we.
00:04:15 Discouragement is a part of life in this system.
00:04:20 We should expect it.
00:04:22 Yet, it’s important to consider
00:04:25 how we view discouragement.
00:04:29 Do we view ourselves as helpless victims of discouragement
00:04:33 and let ourselves sink into a quagmire
00:04:36 of despair and self-pity,
00:04:39 or do we view discouragement as an enemy
00:04:43 that we must fight against?
00:04:46 We easily recognize that feelings of pride,
00:04:50 selfishness, envy, and such things are enemies.
00:04:55 We battle against these bad feelings.
00:04:57 We don’t want them to erode our faith
00:05:00 or gain a foothold in our personality.
00:05:03 Yet, sometimes we may yield all too willingly
00:05:08 to discouragement.
00:05:10 Why is this dangerous?
00:05:13 Please read with me Proverbs 24:10:
00:05:18 “If you become discouraged
00:05:21 “in the day of distress,
00:05:23 your strength will be meager.”
00:05:27 Did you note the reason why we must fight discouragement?
00:05:32 What did Proverbs 24:10 tells us will happen
00:05:36 if we allow a “day of distress” to discourage us?
00:05:42 We’ll lose our strength.
00:05:44 Yes, discouragement can drain us
00:05:47 of our spiritual, mental, emotional, and even physical strength.
00:05:53 And what can happen if we lose our strength?
00:05:58 We can lose our enthusiasm for the truth.
00:06:01 We may lose interest in prayer or in personal study.
00:06:06 We could slack off in attending meetings.
00:06:10 We could develop coldness toward our brothers.
00:06:13 Our zeal for evangelizing can weaken.
00:06:17 We may even want to give up.
00:06:21 We don’t want any of those things to happen to us, do we, brothers?
00:06:27 How, then, do we fight and defeat discouragement?
00:06:33 Discouragement is a feeling, an emotion.
00:06:38 What causes feelings or emotions?
00:06:43 An article entitled “Negative Emotions —Can You Overcome Them?”
00:06:48 was published in the October 8, 1992, Awake!
00:06:54 This article didn’t discuss serious cases of depression
00:06:59 that may have a medical or physical cause,
00:07:02 such as a disease,
00:07:04 a reaction to toxins, medications,
00:07:07 nutritional deficiencies,
00:07:09 allergens, hormonal problems,
00:07:12 or bipolar disorder.
00:07:15 Rather, it discussed how to overcome
00:07:18 moments of discouragement
00:07:20 like the temporary “day of distress”
00:07:24 mentioned at Proverbs 24:10.
00:07:28 Under the subheading “We Can Control Our Thinking,”
00:07:32 it stated this:
00:07:35 “Many who work in the field of mental health
00:07:39 “maintain that our feelings
00:07:41 are caused by our thoughts.”
00:07:45 It’s been said that ‘you cannot experience a feeling
00:07:49 without first experiencing a thought.’
00:07:54 So then, feeling discouraged
00:07:58 isn’t always the situation that we face
00:08:00 but the negative thoughts that we have about the situation.
00:08:06 The first step, then, in fighting discouragement
00:08:10 is to identify the negative thoughts.
00:08:15 Sometimes we say that we have a “train of thought.”
00:08:19 It means we have a series of thoughts
00:08:23 that lead to a certain conclusion, or destination, if you will.
00:08:28 Now, imagine yourself
00:08:30 getting on a literal railroad or subway train.
00:08:35 Soon you realize that you’re on the wrong train.
00:08:38 It’s taking you to a place you do not want to go to.
00:08:42 What do you do?
00:08:43 Do you stay on the train all the way to the wrong destination?
00:08:48 Of course not.
00:08:50 No, you get off that train at the very next station.
00:08:55 But what do you do next?
00:08:57 You switch to the right train.
00:09:01 Now, figuratively speaking,
00:09:03 if you realize that your mind is getting on
00:09:07 a train of negative thoughts that are leading to discouragement,
00:09:11 can you get off that train?
00:09:13 Certainly.
00:09:14 But you need to switch to the right train of thought
00:09:18 that will lead you to a peaceful state of mind.
00:09:22 That’s the key.
00:09:25 We need to replace negative thoughts
00:09:28 with positive, upbuilding, spiritual thoughts.
00:09:33 Keeping our thinking on the right track
00:09:37 is an ongoing process.
00:09:39 Notice how the apostle Paul put it
00:09:42 in Ephesians 4:23:
00:09:45 “And you should continue to be made new
00:09:50 in your dominant mental attitude.”
00:09:55 Do you see how Paul confirms that we are in control?
00:10:00 We can change how we think.
00:10:03 And because we’re imperfect,
00:10:05 we have to make these changes continuously.
00:10:09 It’s not a losing battle.
00:10:11 Jehovah has given us powerful weapons
00:10:15 to help us make our minds move in the right direction
00:10:17 —his powerful Word,
00:10:19 his mighty holy spirit,
00:10:22 the power of prayer,
00:10:24 and healthful spiritual food from his organization.
00:10:30 Let’s consider some negative thoughts
00:10:33 that may lead to discouragement.
00:10:36 Then, we’ll consider upbuilding, positive thoughts
00:10:40 that help us fight discouragement.
00:10:44 You had a bad day.
00:10:46 You said or did the wrong thing, and you regret it.
00:10:50 It’s become a “day of distress.”
00:10:54 The thought enters your mind, ‘I’m worthless.’
00:10:59 That’s the “discouragement train.”
00:11:02 Will you continue to stay on this train of thought,
00:11:06 taking you to the state of discouragement?
00:11:09 Remember, you have a choice.
00:11:13 You can reject it.
00:11:15 Instead of giving in to that negative thought,
00:11:18 you could say to yourself:
00:11:20 ‘Wait a minute. Stop!
00:11:24 ‘That’s not right.
00:11:25 ‘Just because I made a mistake
00:11:28 ‘does not make me worthless in Jehovah’s eyes.
00:11:31 ‘He’s told us that he knows that “we are dust”
00:11:35 ‘and that he’s merciful.
00:11:38 ‘And Jesus said that “not one sparrow
00:11:41 ‘that has fallen to the ground is forgotten by God,”
00:11:46 ‘and that “[we] are worth more than many sparrows.”
00:11:51 ‘Yes, Jehovah views me as precious.
00:11:55 ‘I’ll pray about this,
00:11:58 ‘and I’m sure he’ll help me not to make that mistake again.
00:12:03 ‘Tomorrow will be a better day.
00:12:06 Thank you, Jehovah.’
00:12:09 Let’s take a second example.
00:12:13 A brother has said something quite unkind to you.
00:12:18 This has become a “day of distress.”
00:12:22 The thought comes to your mind:
00:12:24 ‘How can a brother behave like that
00:12:27 ‘and still be in good standing?
00:12:30 ‘He’s not a good example.
00:12:34 Why don’t the elders do something about it?’
00:12:37 Now, that’s discouragement speaking,
00:12:41 calling for us to “get on board.”
00:12:44 If we stay on that negative train of thought,
00:12:47 we could lose our spiritual strength.
00:12:51 But we still have a choice.
00:12:55 Will we replace those negative thoughts
00:12:58 with positive ones?
00:13:00 We could get our mind on a positive track
00:13:04 by saying to ourselves something like this:
00:13:08 ‘Well, that was an unkind thing for him to say.
00:13:13 ‘This is not like him.
00:13:16 ‘Maybe my brother just had a bad day.
00:13:20 ‘He’s as imperfect as I am.
00:13:23 ‘I’ve said unkind things too, at times,
00:13:27 ‘and have regretted it.
00:13:29 ‘He’s probably feeling the same way.
00:13:32 ‘I remember Colossians 3:13 says
00:13:36 ‘that we must “continue putting up with one another
00:13:40 ‘“and forgiving one another freely
00:13:43 ‘“even if anyone has a cause for complaint
00:13:47 ‘against another.”
00:13:49 ‘Well, he has given me a cause for complaint.
00:13:55 ‘But it says Jehovah has “freely [forgiven us].”
00:14:01 ‘He has certainly forgiven me countless times.
00:14:05 ‘No, I am not going to allow this
00:14:09 ‘to ruin our relationship.
00:14:12 ‘How can I help my brother?
00:14:14 ‘I’ll pray for him.
00:14:17 ‘And I’ll pray for myself
00:14:19 ‘that I don’t hold feelings of resentment
00:14:22 in my heart.’
00:14:25 Let’s consider a third example.
00:14:28 After years of hard work at your place of employment,
00:14:32 your position has been terminated.
00:14:34 You’ve lost your job.
00:14:36 It’s a “day of distress.”
00:14:39 You’re filled with anxious, negative thoughts:
00:14:42 ‘How will I care for my family?
00:14:45 ‘What will the future bring?
00:14:47 Why did Jehovah allow this to happen to me?’
00:14:54 Where will this train of dark, negative thoughts lead you?
00:14:59 Certainly, discouragement will set in,
00:15:02 and you will become spiritually weak and exhausted.
00:15:08 You still have a choice.
00:15:11 You can replace those negative thoughts
00:15:13 with thoughts such as these:
00:15:15 ‘OK, I’ve lost my job.
00:15:18 ‘What should I do?
00:15:20 ‘Stop serving Jehovah?
00:15:22 ‘No!
00:15:24 ‘Jesus said that we should not be anxious over material things
00:15:28 ‘because Jehovah will provide
00:15:32 ‘if we keep his Kingdom first in our lives.
00:15:35 ‘He also said to keep our lives simple.
00:15:40 ‘You know what?
00:15:41 ‘There are things that we don’t need.
00:15:44 ‘So that’s what we’ll do
00:15:46 ‘—simplify our life and do more in Jehovah’s service.
00:15:51 ‘Jehovah promises never to abandon us.
00:15:54 ‘I’ll throw my burden on him,
00:15:57 and I know he’ll help us make the right decisions.’
00:16:03 Brothers, we’re living
00:16:06 in the last days of this system of things.
00:16:09 We’ll have our days of distress.
00:16:13 Sometimes these come because of our own imperfection
00:16:16 or the imperfection of others.
00:16:19 But we also realize
00:16:21 that the Devil wants to discourage us.
00:16:26 Revelation 12:17 tells us
00:16:30 that Satan’s great anger is directed
00:16:32 toward those “who observe the commandments of God
00:16:36 and have the work of bearing witness concerning Jesus.”
00:16:41 The Devil will try to take advantage
00:16:44 of situations and problems that we face
00:16:48 to fill us with discouraging thoughts and drain us of our strength.
00:16:55 Now we stand at the very threshold of the new world.
00:17:00 Let’s fight discouragement
00:17:03 with all the weapons Jehovah gives us.
00:17:06 Continue to study God’s Word,
00:17:08 making it a part of your daily life.
00:17:12 Pray incessantly to Jehovah for his powerful spirit.
00:17:17 Keep close to his organization.
00:17:21 God has promised to give us the victory.
00:17:25 Fearlessly, we join in repeating Paul’s words
00:17:29 at Philippians 4:13:
00:17:33 “For all things I have the strength
00:17:38 through the one who gives me power.”
00:17:42 Our first video
00:17:44 is the experience of Aino Ehtmaa.
00:17:47 As we’ll see,
00:17:49 she endured many “days of distress”
00:17:53 for being one of Jehovah’s Witnesses.
00:17:55 Notice what she did
00:17:57 to remain faithful and joyful.
00:18:04 When I was young, my father wrote to me the Bible verse:
00:18:09 “Your word is a lamp to my foot, and a light for my path.”
00:18:14 And he said: “Keep that always in mind.
00:18:18 Remember God’s Word and live by it.”
00:18:25 I was born in 1929
00:18:27 in the city of Võru, Estonia.
00:18:30 My family was religious, and my God-fearing parents
00:18:34 lovingly cared for me and provided everything that a child would need.
00:18:40 When my father learned the truth, he gave each of us a Bible,
00:18:44 and we began to study it together.
00:18:50 My father was arrested in the summer of 1948.
00:18:55 Estonia was then under the Soviet regime,
00:18:58 but he was still working as a schoolteacher.
00:19:01 The local Department of Education asked him to come by.
00:19:05 He went dressed in summer clothes
00:19:07 and wearing sandals, but he never came back.
00:19:19 At midnight, we heard someone banging at the door.
00:19:23 We opened it, and soldiers came in
00:19:26 and demanded our passports.
00:19:30 We put the passports on the table, and they just said,
00:19:33 “You are under arrest.”
00:19:41 Pagari Prison in Tallinn was a place everyone was afraid of,
00:19:46 and I was afraid too.
00:19:48 I remember that I was taken down the steps
00:19:50 to the basement to a long corridor.
00:19:54 There was nothing in the cell besides a bench.
00:20:01 They slammed the door shut,
00:20:04 and that is when I became a little scared.
00:20:07 But then I prayed to Jehovah to help me,
00:20:10 and a sense of peace came over me.
00:20:13 I laid down on the bench and fell asleep.
00:20:22 I was given a ten-year prison sentence
00:20:25 as an enemy of the State.
00:20:33 A year later, we were transferred to Russian prison camps.
00:20:38 Spiritual food was hard to get.
00:20:41 It couldn’t be sent by mail.
00:20:44 But the angels somehow still provided for us,
00:20:48 and we always had something.
00:20:52 Even a single verse
00:20:54 or a good thought can help in prison.
00:20:58 In any case, God’s Word should be in our heart.
00:21:02 We should never forget it,
00:21:04 even if we can only remember one verse.
00:21:13 At one point during my sentence, I was allowed
00:21:16 to live outside the prison camp.
00:21:19 One Witness family took
00:21:21 me and two other sisters into their home.
00:21:26 Living outside meant that the guard was not watching us all the time.
00:21:30 We were able to spend time together, and we could preach a little.
00:21:35 We even went from house to house.
00:21:39 Eventually, I moved to a dormitory
00:21:42 because there was not enough space.
00:21:48 And it also meant that the literature could be stored at my place,
00:21:52 because if they arrested me, it wouldn’t be a big deal,
00:21:55 but if the brother was arrested, it would be much worse.
00:22:04 They raided my place one night.
00:22:07 They put all the literature on the table
00:22:09 and asked me where I got it.
00:22:11 I said, “The angels are bringing it to us
00:22:14 and feeding us all the time.”
00:22:17 So I was sentenced to another two years
00:22:21 for possessing literature.
00:22:25 Then, for the first time,
00:22:27 I heard that Jehovah’s Witnesses were officially banned.
00:22:30 What a good feeling it was
00:22:32 to be recognized as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses!
00:22:35 That really gave me joy.
00:22:41 I saw Jehovah’s help in that things were never too hard
00:22:45 for me to bear.
00:22:47 If things were getting too difficult,
00:22:49 something would always change so that I could cope.
00:22:53 There was always that feeling that someone was looking after me.
00:22:57 I never felt alone or abandoned.
00:23:03 If only we could be faithful all the time,
00:23:06 then we would also be happy.
00:23:08 But sometimes we fail, and so we lose joy.
00:23:13 Faithfulness gives joy.
00:23:17 In prison, you can stay faithful if you don’t leave Jehovah
00:23:22 and if you don’t forget to pray
00:23:24 and if you always remember why you are there.
00:23:28 You are there because you are on Jehovah’s side.
00:23:32 I was not a thief; I was not a killer.
00:23:36 But I was one of Jehovah’s Witnesses,
00:23:38 and that is worth being in prison for.
00:23:47 If you’re enduring persecution or any sort of trial,
00:23:51 you’ll want to remember what helped Sister Ehtmaa.
00:23:56 She kept herself spiritually nourished
00:23:58 even when literature was scarce;
00:24:01 she cherished God’s Word, the Bible;
00:24:05 she fought discouragement and anxiety with prayer;
00:24:10 and she stayed close to fellow believers
00:24:13 —something we all need to do.
00:24:17 Strengthening relationships with our brothers and sisters
00:24:21 is especially important
00:24:23 as we move deeper into the last days.
00:24:27 In our next segment from our series
00:24:30 Lessons From The Watchtower,
00:24:33 we’ll learn how to build strong friendships.
00:24:51 Friends give me help
00:24:53 when I need them the most.
00:24:55 They make me laugh; they give me
00:24:58 practical assistance whenever I need them.
00:25:01 They’re just a real source of joy in my life.
00:25:04 When I see my dear friends
00:25:07 going through difficult times
00:25:09 but still serving Jehovah
00:25:11 —that really encourages me with my trials.
00:25:14 Friendship—it just enhances
00:25:17 and enriches a person’s life.
00:25:19 I don’t think that friendship is
00:25:23 something that I find too natural.
00:25:25 I’m shy by nature; I’m hesitant by nature;
00:25:28 I feel inadequate by nature.
00:25:32 In my mind, Baruch was simply Jeremiah’s secretary.
00:25:37 I had never considered that after spending so much time together,
00:25:40 it would have allowed them to draw closer as friends.
00:25:44 When I studied the article about Jeremiah and Baruch,
00:25:48 it made me reflect on friendships that I have.
00:25:52 When you work together for Jehovah,
00:25:55 it takes your friendship to another level.
00:25:57 Jehovah’s people will have
00:26:00 a depth and a dimension to their friendships
00:26:02 that will not be shared by those who are not serving Jehovah.
00:26:08 In the article, I really loved the point about communication.
00:26:12 Being open with others
00:26:15 allows them to be open with you,
00:26:17 and that just allows
00:26:19 a friendship to flourish.
00:26:22 I can have a very bad view of myself.
00:26:26 I appreciated the reminder
00:26:29 that you will see the bad side of any friend —that’s just normal.
00:26:34 But good friends remind you of your good side.
00:26:38 That is like Jehovah talking and reminding me
00:26:41 how much I’m loved by him.
00:26:45 I’d heard that Keith, an older brother,
00:26:47 was returning to Britain for some medical treatment.
00:26:51 He was much loved—deeply respected.
00:26:54 You try to picture, to imagine
00:26:57 what’s going through his mind
00:26:59 —his fears and anxieties.
00:27:01 I felt very inadequate, but I realized
00:27:04 that it would be the loving and kind thing to do to speak to him.
00:27:08 So we spent some time together; we talked.
00:27:11 I felt honored just to say a prayer with someone like that.
00:27:15 I was really touched by Keith’s response.
00:27:19 He clearly and deeply appreciated that,
00:27:21 and I felt thrilled to have done just a little something
00:27:25 that helped and supported him.
00:27:29 I’ve worked with someone
00:27:31 that I never expected to become very close to.
00:27:36 Charlotte —she’s the opposite of me,
00:27:39 but I came to realize quite early on
00:27:42 that she’s an amazing listener.
00:27:46 Charlotte is more than a friend
00:27:48 —she’s now family.
00:27:53 I love my family very, very much.
00:27:56 At the moment, I’m the only one in my family
00:27:59 who is one of Jehovah’s Witnesses,
00:28:02 but I’ve never felt that I was truly alone.
00:28:06 Jehovah has always provided brothers,
00:28:09 sisters, mothers (you know), uncles, aunties.
00:28:12 He’s always given me everyone that I needed.
00:28:15 I feel that I’ve had a lesson powerfully reinforced
00:28:18 of the blessings of genuine friendship.
00:28:21 When we make an effort
00:28:23 just to give Jehovah a little something,
00:28:25 he can add his blessing.
00:28:28 In my experience, the person you don’t expect
00:28:31 actually turns out to be
00:28:33 a very special friend.
00:28:36 When you work with different brothers and sisters,
00:28:38 you really appreciate that they are gifts from Jehovah.
00:28:41 “And he will give all of you into our hand.”
00:28:46 Working hard for Jehovah and being genuine
00:28:50 —that will attract other brothers and sisters.
00:28:53 We will never forget the friendships that we make right now.
00:28:57 Jehovah will use those friendships to help us through the great tribulation.
00:29:18 Those helpful suggestions
00:29:20 appeared in the November 2019 issue of The Watchtower.
00:29:25 That article emphasized the importance
00:29:29 of forging strong friendships now,
00:29:32 before the end of this system comes.
00:29:36 During the great tribulation,
00:29:38 God’s enemies may try to disrupt our unity.
00:29:41 But we can be confident
00:29:44 that nothing will break our bonds of love.
00:29:48 Our friendships will last
00:29:50 not only through the end of this system but for all eternity.
00:29:57 For many years, we’ve published the life stories of Jehovah’s Witnesses.
00:30:02 Have you ever wondered:
00:30:04 ‘What happened since their stories appeared?
00:30:08 How are they today?’
00:30:10 Well, we’re pleased to introduce
00:30:13 a new series: Where Are They Now?
00:30:18 In our first episode, we’ll hear from Bill Mullane.
00:30:23 His story appeared in the Awake! magazine
00:30:26 some 35 years ago.
00:30:29 At that time, Bill had made a major decision
00:30:33 that would affect the course of his life.
00:30:35 How has it turned out?
00:30:37 Let’s see.
00:31:01 Music expresses things
00:31:03 that you can’t express in any other way.
00:31:09 It is so powerful.
00:31:18 It’s just an amazing gift.
00:31:22 Before I got the truth, I lived for music.
00:31:26 I played hard and heavy rock and roll
00:31:29 in bars and clubs around the New York City area for many years.
00:31:33 To me, I just found it to be a very depressing atmosphere.
00:31:38 But then I developed a love for classical music,
00:31:40 and I would practice six hours a day.
00:31:44 I applied to The Juilliard School for the performing arts.
00:31:46 I was accepted,
00:31:47 but I did not attend.
00:31:50 Deep inside something was missing.
00:31:55 My life changed drastically on February 16, 1973,
00:32:00 because that’s when I learned the truth in a taxicab.
00:32:11 I came to Bethel on February 16, 1979.
00:32:17 When I first came to Bethel,
00:32:19 I had to put music aside for a little bit.
00:32:21 I started working in the pressroom,
00:32:23 and that was a completely different environment for me.
00:32:26 I also worked with landscaping.
00:32:28 I worked in construction over at Wallkill,
00:32:30 and I also worked with drafting and engineering.
00:32:33 These were things I was not good at,
00:32:36 but I really felt I learned so much
00:32:38 from doing these things that it really kind of groomed me.
00:32:41 And I think that when Jehovah looked at me,
00:32:43 he said, ‘Well, we got somebody we have to work with here.’
00:32:49 Just as you tune your instrument so it can be played in tune,
00:32:52 Jehovah tunes you.
00:32:54 He teaches us to keep things in their place
00:32:57 and put worship of him first because that’s where it’s proper.
00:33:00 When Jehovah became number one, everything else took its place.
00:33:04 Back in 1981, I met my wife when I was playing music at a wedding.
00:33:09 We fell in love with each other.
00:33:13 As our love for Jehovah grows through the years,
00:33:15 our love for our mates grows.
00:33:17 Now, I didn’t leave music completely, because I still had a love for it;
00:33:21 I still practiced as much as I could within my Bethel schedule
00:33:25 and within my whole theocratic schedule.
00:33:28 I don’t miss it being number one.
00:33:30 I just feel happier now that it’s in its proper place.
00:33:33 In 1995, when I first came over to Patterson,
00:33:37 I was working with Audio/Video Services.
00:33:39 Since 2016,
00:33:41 I’ve been working with music —working as a music editor
00:33:43 and as a music composer.
00:33:46 Working with brothers on a piece of music
00:33:48 is a real blessing and a privilege.
00:33:50 Jehovah is letting us take advantage of a tool that we all like to listen to
00:33:54 but now using it in a way that praises him.
00:33:58 Our whole motive is not to earn money.
00:34:01 Our whole motive in using music
00:34:03 is to glorify our heavenly Father, Jehovah.
00:34:05 And we get music from all different cultures.
00:34:09 It really unites Jehovah’s people.
00:34:13 Music—it has a very special power in being able to reach the heart.
00:34:18 Now, there are times when we just sit around
00:34:19 and just jam and play,
00:34:22 and you’re really talking and communicating with each other.
00:34:24 There’s nothing like it.
00:34:26 I’m happier now
00:34:29 knowing that I’ve lived a clean life.
00:34:39 Do I have any regrets?
00:34:41 I have no regrets.
00:34:44 What I did when I was 22 years old
00:34:48 was the best thing that ever happened to me
00:34:50 because that’s how I came to know Jehovah
00:34:52 and that’s how I was able to find a balance in my life.
00:34:56 Our happiness doesn’t depend on our job.
00:34:59 Our happiness really depends upon our spirituality
00:35:02 and our relationship with Jehovah.
00:35:11 That’s what life is all about.
00:35:18 It’s a wonderful life.
00:35:33 Bill has no regrets about the life he’s chosen to live.
00:35:38 By putting his love for Jehovah ahead of his love for music,
00:35:42 he gained many spiritual privileges
00:35:44 and a happy, meaningful life.
00:35:48 The apostle Paul wrote
00:35:50 that Jehovah “loves a cheerful giver.”
00:35:54 That was the subject of a recent morning worship
00:35:58 by Brother Anthony Morris of the Governing Body.
00:36:03 We’re going to talk about money.
00:36:05 Now, the fact is,
00:36:07 we never beg for money.
00:36:09 But that’s not to say
00:36:10 that we can’t talk about money
00:36:12 in Jehovah’s organization
00:36:14 —the earthly part.
00:36:15 So it’s long standing;
00:36:18 there is a balance here.
00:36:20 Going back to The Watchtower, a long time ago, it says:
00:36:25 “We have never considered it proper to solicit money for the Lord’s cause,
00:36:30 “after the common custom [referring to Christendom]; . . .
00:36:33 “It is our judgment that money raised by the various begging devices
00:36:38 “in the name of our Lord is offensive,
00:36:41 “unacceptable to him,
00:36:43 “and does not bring his blessing
00:36:45 either upon the givers or the work accomplished.”
00:36:50 So we do not need to be coerced into giving.
00:36:54 We gladly use our money to support Kingdom activities.
00:36:59 So that stands to this day.
00:37:02 But we’d never want to come to the conclusion that we can’t talk about money.
00:37:07 Money has to be discussed in these last days in this system.
00:37:12 It “meets a response in all things.”
00:37:15 So I thought we’d take some thoughts from the Kingdom book:
00:37:18 three reasons why we’re willing —so willing to give.
00:37:23 Some beautiful thoughts.
00:37:24 Well, the first one is connected
00:37:27 with “doing what is pleasing in [Jehovah’s] eyes.”
00:37:31 And finding
00:37:33 the Second Corinthians reference here
00:37:37 is so crucial in helping people understand
00:37:41 that we don’t beg for money.
00:37:43 But, nonetheless, we have to talk about it from time to time.
00:37:49 Here in the ninth chapter,
00:37:54 donations and such were being discussed.
00:37:56 And then this profound, inspired thought,
00:37:59 which is reflecting Jehovah’s thinking,
00:38:01 is in verse 7
00:38:04 —2 Corinthians 9:7:
00:38:06 “Let each one do just as he is resolved in his heart,
00:38:11 “not grudgingly or under compulsion,
00:38:15 for God loves a cheerful giver.”
00:38:17 So there we have it.
00:38:19 We’re happy to give to Jehovah.
00:38:23 When needs arise,
00:38:25 and the organization brings it to our attention
00:38:28 —for example, disasters and such
00:38:31 like the report we had at the annual meeting
00:38:33 about the increase in disasters—
00:38:36 millions of dollars of God’s Kingdom money
00:38:40 was used to help our brothers.
00:38:43 But when it comes to giving,
00:38:45 it’s an individual responsibility, as the verse says,
00:38:47 “resolved in his heart [or her heart], not grudgingly.”
00:38:51 And the footnote addresses the word “reluctantly.”
00:38:56 So it’s not like we embarrass people
00:38:59 or beg them, saying: “Look, you’re well-off.
00:39:02 Why aren’t you giving more?”
00:39:04 Well, that’s not their business; that’s not our business.
00:39:07 We have to resolve it in our own heart.
00:39:10 So while we discuss money,
00:39:12 we never come across like we’re putting people
00:39:16 —trying to get them
00:39:18 to even grudgingly give just so we get the money.
00:39:21 That’s not this organization.
00:39:23 Of course, Christendom, they are experts at begging for money.
00:39:29 So we love Jehovah.
00:39:31 We want to be the kind of person that he loves.
00:39:35 And notice that beautiful expression: “God loves a cheerful giver.”
00:39:39 One translation put it nicely:
00:39:41 “God loves people who love to give.”
00:39:45 And that’s true.
00:39:46 So we want Jehovah to love us.
00:39:48 So this money we might have
00:39:51 —whatever amount, depending on our own personal circumstances—
00:39:56 we’re happy to give to Kingdom interests.
00:39:58 So that’s the first one: We make these donations
00:40:02 because of our love for Jehovah.
00:40:04 Now this second one, this is interesting
00:40:06 —a heart-searching principle found back in the Mosaic Law.
00:40:10 Turn to Deuteronomy chapter 16,
00:40:14 if you would, please.
00:40:16 In Deuteronomy 16,
00:40:19 you’ll see the connection.
00:40:21 While this applied to the Jews at that time,
00:40:24 you’ll see how it applies to us in our day.
00:40:27 We’re going to read verse 16 and then verse 17 of Deuteronomy 16.
00:40:32 “Three times a year,
00:40:34 “all your males should appear before Jehovah your God
00:40:37 “in the place that he chooses:
00:40:39 “at the Festival of Unleavened Bread,
00:40:42 “the Festival of Weeks,
00:40:44 “and the Festival of Booths,
00:40:46 “[now notice,] and none of them
00:40:50 “should appear before Jehovah empty-handed.
00:40:54 “The gift that each one brings should be in proportion
00:40:57 to the blessing that Jehovah your God has given you.”
00:41:00 So if you let that sink in,
00:41:03 this is what Jehovah wanted to be conveyed
00:41:07 to the Israelites who would attend these festivals—“none.”
00:41:11 Now, he didn’t say,
00:41:13 ‘If you’re well-off, if you’ve had a great year
00:41:17 (as opposed to some that were poor).’
00:41:19 They still had issues back at that time,
00:41:22 even though it was Jehovah’s nation.
00:41:25 But he said: ‘None should appear empty-handed.’
00:41:27 So that takes in all of us,
00:41:29 whatever our circumstances are,
00:41:32 whether at Bethel or in the field.
00:41:34 Jehovah doesn’t approve of us coming empty-handed.
00:41:40 What would help us not to come empty-handed,
00:41:44 in this case, back in Israel or in our time either?
00:41:48 Notice verse 17, and this is a lot to think about:
00:41:51 “The gift that each one brings should be in proportion
00:41:55 to the blessing that Jehovah your God has given you.”
00:41:59 So there we have it.
00:42:01 You stop and reflect that they were supposed to do that,
00:42:04 and we can do the same throughout the year.
00:42:06 Reflect on the blessings that Jehovah God has given us.
00:42:11 You have to take time to do that; you have to give that consideration.
00:42:15 “The gift that each one brings should be in proportion to the blessing.”
00:42:18 So adding up these blessings,
00:42:21 then we’re happy to give out of our material possessions.
00:42:25 So a profound thought there,
00:42:27 and something to reflect on so that we don’t find ourselves
00:42:32 —when it comes to contributions on a monthly basis or whatever—
00:42:36 empty-handed, perhaps thinking, ‘Well, I’m doing so much here and there.’
00:42:40 Well, money meets a response in all things,
00:42:44 and you have to take that into account,
00:42:46 even if we’re in the poor range.
00:42:49 Now, the third one is connected with our love for Jesus.
00:42:54 Let’s turn to John chapter 14, if you would, please
00:42:58 —John chapter 14.
00:43:01 We give and have voluntary contributions
00:43:04 because we love our Lord Jesus.
00:43:08 And notice what he stated here,
00:43:11 John 14:23:
00:43:16 “In answer Jesus said to him:
00:43:19 “‘If anyone loves me, he will observe my word,
00:43:23 “‘and my Father will love him,
00:43:26 and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him.’”
00:43:29 So appreciate how Jesus put it—“if.”
00:43:33 So it’s a responsibility that falls on us individually.
00:43:37 But if we say we love Jesus
00:43:39 (we’re not like Christendom
00:43:41 with this proclamation of their love for Jesus,
00:43:44 —they really don’t even know the real Jesus, frankly,
00:43:47 until they get an accurate knowledge of the truth),
00:43:50 if we’re in the truth
00:43:52 —dedicated, baptized servants of him—
00:43:55 if we really love him, we’re going to observe his word.
00:43:57 Now, that means not just carrying out the Kingdom work,
00:44:00 putting our time and energy into it,
00:44:02 it also means money.
00:44:05 We are willing to donate money to support the worldwide work.
00:44:10 We’re not ashamed to admit
00:44:12 that it takes money to have these things operate
00:44:15 —branches, supporting all of the preaching work,
00:44:20 the Kingdom work, and all these other initiatives
00:44:22 that we’ve had in recent years.
00:44:24 It takes money.
00:44:25 You can’t go to people that you buy things from and say,
00:44:29 “Well, look, this is a non-profit organization,”
00:44:32 trying to shame them, saying, “Well, can you give it to me?”
00:44:34 No.
00:44:35 They want their money and to be paid for the various things
00:44:39 that we have to use to accomplish Jehovah’s work.
00:44:42 So something to keep in mind, those three things:
00:44:46 Our love for Jehovah —we want to do what’s pleasing to him.
00:44:50 We count our blessings from Jehovah.
00:44:53 Then, we have our love for Christ Jesus.
00:44:56 And we want to do whatever we can.
00:44:59 So how you do it with the financial contributions,
00:45:02 that’s a personal decision,
00:45:04 and Jehovah dignifies us with that.
00:45:06 We never want to be shaming somebody
00:45:09 that we think should be doing thus and so.
00:45:12 That’s a personal matter.
00:45:14 But keep in mind, sometimes, if you are poor
00:45:18 —remember the widow.
00:45:20 So she didn’t come there
00:45:23 to the temple empty-handed.
00:45:26 She didn’t have much, but Jehovah loved her.
00:45:29 Jesus loved her for giving what she had.
00:45:31 So even when we’re poor,
00:45:33 we’re expected to give monetarily.
00:45:36 And it’s because we love Jehovah, we love Jesus,
00:45:39 and we appreciate all the blessings we receive
00:45:43 during the year and are grateful.
00:45:48 As we’ve discussed, we fight discouragement
00:45:52 by replacing negative thoughts with positive thoughts.
00:45:56 Let’s do that right now.
00:45:59 Please enjoy our new music video.
00:46:03 It’s entitled “Always Rejoice.”
00:46:18 Look at the sky; take it in. Feel the sun on your skin.
00:46:35 So much our God provides— blessing our lives, helping us grow.
00:46:44 But even more than this, his love is a gift; we’ll never let go.
00:46:53 Sing to Jehovah with all your heart. Serve him through all your days—
00:47:02 No greater joy could there be than this, No matter what we face.
00:47:12 Always rejoice! Always rejoice!
00:47:21 Always rejoice! Always rejoice!
00:47:31 Family and brotherhood— Unity feels so good.
00:47:49 Beautiful gifts from God, building a bond no one can break.
00:47:57 Freedom may be denied, but joy deep inside no one can take.
00:48:06 Sing to Jehovah with all your heart. Serve him through all your days—
00:48:15 No greater joy could there be than this, No matter what we face.
00:48:25 Always rejoice! Always rejoice!
00:48:33 Always rejoice! Always rejoice!
00:48:44 Earth will be a paradise for all eternity. Jesus’ loving sacrifice truly sets us free.
00:49:02 Sing to Jehovah with all your heart. Serve him through all your days—
00:49:11 No greater joy could there be than this, No matter what we face.
00:49:21 Always rejoice! Always rejoice!
00:49:29 Always rejoice! Always rejoice!
00:49:39 Always rejoice! Always rejoice!
00:49:47 Always rejoice! Always rejoice!
00:49:57 Always rejoice! Always rejoice!
00:50:06 Always rejoice! Always rejoice!
00:50:14 Always rejoice!
00:50:18 Now, didn’t that bring a smile to your face?
00:50:23 Our program reminded us
00:50:25 that we can successfully fight discouragement
00:50:28 and remain joyful.
00:50:30 Despite many hardships,
00:50:32 our Sister Aino
00:50:35 remained faithful and happy by staying close to fellow believers
00:50:38 and keeping herself spiritually nourished.
00:50:43 We learned how to build strong friendships,
00:50:46 which are a blessing in times of need
00:50:49 and discouragement.
00:50:51 Bill put his love for God
00:50:54 ahead of his love for music and has enjoyed
00:50:57 a meaningful life serving Jehovah.
00:51:00 And this month’s music video
00:51:02 is a happy song
00:51:04 that we’ll want to sing
00:51:06 again and again.
00:51:08 Now let’s visit our brothers and sisters in Quebec, Canada.
00:51:15 Quebec is the largest Canadian province by land area.
00:51:19 This is home
00:51:21 to more than
24,000 brothers and sisters.
00:51:25 The province is known for its natural beauty:
00:51:29 the St. Lawrence River, thousands of lakes, waterfalls, ski slopes,
00:51:33 and forests.
00:51:35 Quebec is rich with wildlife:
00:51:37 moose, caribou,
00:51:40 beavers, wolves,
00:51:42 and the Snowy Owl.
00:51:45 Jehovah’s people began preaching here in the 1920’s.
00:51:48 Government opposition
00:51:50 stirred up by the clergy began almost immediately.
00:51:54 In 1946,
00:51:56 our brothers held a 16-day campaign
00:51:59 to publicize the State’s disregard
00:52:02 for freedom of worship.
00:52:04 That led to the arrest of hundreds of Jehovah’s Witnesses.
00:52:08 The first to be tried
00:52:10 were Brother Aimé Boucher and his two daughters,
00:52:14 one of whom was just 11 years of age.
00:52:18 In 1950,
00:52:20 the Supreme Court of Canada ruled in their favor,
00:52:23 legally establishing the right of Jehovah’s Witnesses
00:52:26 to preach in Quebec.
00:52:30 Today, our brothers are taking full advantage of this freedom.
00:52:34 Montreal is the province’s largest city.
00:52:39 Publishers enjoy public witnessing
00:52:41 in Montreal’s popular tourist areas, subway system,
00:52:45 and ports, where workers come from many countries.
00:52:49 They preach to students
00:52:51 attending the city’s eight universities and many colleges.
00:52:55 In Quebec City, they even preach in front of the government buildings
00:52:58 where decades ago laws were written to stop our work.
00:53:03 Brother Boucher was from the small town of Lac-Etchemin.
00:53:07 There are 71 publishers
00:53:10 in the congregation here.
00:53:12 Their vast territory
00:53:14 includes a lot of farmland, but their hard work to reach everyone
00:53:18 has produced several Bible studies.
00:53:22 The average midwinter temperature here
00:53:25 is about minus 12 degrees Celsius,
00:53:27 or about 10 degrees Fahrenheit, and it often gets much colder.
00:53:32 Despite the temperature,
00:53:34 our brothers enjoy warm association.
00:53:38 Quebec produces more than 70 percent of the world’s maple syrup.
00:53:44 A favorite candy is maple taffy
00:53:47 —made by boiling the sap
00:53:49 from maple trees, pouring it onto snow,
00:53:52 letting it harden, and then rolling it onto a stick.
00:53:57 Our brothers and sisters in the Lac-Etchemin Congregation
00:54:01 send us their love and greetings.
00:54:06 From the World Headquarters of Jehovah’s Witnesses,
00:54:09 this is JW Broadcasting!
