00:00:01 Welcome to JW Broadcasting®!
00:00:05 Here are some highlights from this month’s program.
00:00:09 Sharon Hall couldn’t continue as a pioneer,
00:00:12 but she still wanted to expend herself
00:00:14 in Jehovah’s service.
00:00:17 What did she decide to do?
00:00:20 And what can we learn from her experience?
00:00:24 Many schools promote evolution as fact.
00:00:28 Is that what you’re being taught?
00:00:30 We’ll learn how you can take a stand
00:00:33 against this false idea and prove to yourself
00:00:37 that God exists.
00:00:40 And we’ll debut a new series
00:00:42 designed to sharpen
00:00:44 our skills in the ministry.
00:00:47 This is JW Broadcasting for October 2021.
00:01:11 Our theme for this month is
00:01:13 “You Are ‘Especially Acceptable’ to Jehovah.”
00:01:18 We love Jehovah,
00:01:20 and we want to give him our best.
00:01:22 But we want our sacrifices
00:01:24 to be acceptable to him.
00:01:27 So we may strive to be involved as much as possible
00:01:31 in all the exciting things going on in the organization.
00:01:36 But do you ever feel discouraged, perhaps even guilty or frustrated
00:01:41 regarding your sacrifices to Jehovah?
00:01:45 In some cases, it may be that you’re so involved
00:01:48 in so many different aspects of the work
00:01:51 that perhaps you’re not giving adequate attention
00:01:54 to your spiritual, personal, or family needs.
00:01:59 Or, on the other hand, it may be the opposite situation.
00:02:03 You may have those feelings because you cannot do
00:02:06 as much as you’d like to
00:02:08 or as much as others are doing.
00:02:11 For example, you may have been very involved in the work,
00:02:15 but unexpectedly your circumstances changed because of your health
00:02:20 or some other calamity that came along and shut things down.
00:02:26 Such feelings may cause us to ask ourselves,
00:02:29 ‘What does Jehovah really expect of us?’
00:02:34 Well, we’re going to consider three points in our discussion.
00:02:38 The first is this,
00:02:40 we need to set the right priorities.
00:02:42 Second,
00:02:44 do not compare yourselves unfavorably
00:02:47 with others.
00:02:48 And third,
00:02:50 remember what is important to Jehovah.
00:02:54 Let’s start with our first point:
00:02:56 Jehovah expects us to set
00:02:58 the right priorities.
00:03:01 But how can we do that?
00:03:03 Well, a scripture that’s helped me is found
00:03:05 at 2 Corinthians 8:12.
00:03:10 Now, at the time of this letter,
00:03:12 the Christians in Judea were facing many trials.
00:03:15 And these trials included famine, persecution,
00:03:19 and the plundering of their belongings.
00:03:21 They needed relief.
00:03:23 Now, previously, in his first letter,
00:03:26 Paul had encouraged the Corinthians to set aside funds
00:03:30 to help the brothers in Judea.
00:03:33 Shortly thereafter, when Paul wrote
00:03:35 the second inspired letter to the Corinthians,
00:03:38 he urged them to get their gifts ready.
00:03:42 So now, with this context of giving,
00:03:44 sacrificing, and helping others in mind,
00:03:48 let’s read 2 Corinthians 8:12:
00:03:52 “For if the readiness is there first,
00:03:56 “it is especially acceptable
00:03:58 “according to what a person has,
00:04:00 “not according to what a person
00:04:02 does not have.”
00:04:04 Paul here is discussing sacrifices that are acceptable
00:04:09 and sacrifices that are unacceptable to Jehovah.
00:04:13 What’s the difference?
00:04:15 Well, picture it this way.
00:04:17 Picture a young family in Corinth
00:04:20 —a father, mother, and children.
00:04:23 The father hears the letter from Paul being read to the congregation,
00:04:28 and the father is very excited.
00:04:30 He wants to help his brothers in Judea.
00:04:34 Now, when the family gets home, he discusses the matter with his wife.
00:04:38 He says: “We have a little money
00:04:40 “that we’ve set aside to do some work on the house,
00:04:44 “and we were saving to purchase another donkey.
00:04:48 “However, I’d like to take that money
00:04:50 and contribute it to our needy brothers in Jerusalem.”
00:04:54 What do you think?
00:04:56 Would you say that is an acceptable sacrifice?
00:05:01 Yes.
00:05:02 It’s a sacrifice
00:05:03 —he and his family are donating money to help others—
00:05:07 but it’s according to what the family has.
00:05:11 That sacrifice would no doubt be very precious to Jehovah.
00:05:15 You can picture how excited the family would be
00:05:19 to support that decision.
00:05:21 But now let’s imagine a different family in the same congregation.
00:05:26 This time, the husband comes home and says,
00:05:30 “I know we do not have any extra money,
00:05:32 “but I’d like to use the money that we’ve set aside
00:05:35 “to feed our family for the next two weeks
00:05:39 and donate it to the brothers that are in need in Jerusalem.”
00:05:43 What do you think now?
00:05:45 Would you say that is an acceptable sacrifice?
00:05:50 It’s the same good motive, the same good cause,
00:05:53 and it may even be the same amount of money.
00:05:56 But is it acceptable?
00:05:57 No.
00:05:59 Why?
00:06:01 It’s not according to what he has.
00:06:04 Jehovah does not want him to take food away from his children.
00:06:07 Can you imagine him explaining that decision to his family?
00:06:12 The father has a God-given responsibility to feed his family.
00:06:16 Paul says, ‘Just give according to what you have.’
00:06:22 What’s the lesson for us?
00:06:25 How can this help us to maintain balance
00:06:28 and set the right priorities?
00:06:32 Well, our sacrifices are acceptable to Jehovah
00:06:36 if we give according to what we have.
00:06:38 But our sacrifice would be unacceptable
00:06:42 if we try to give beyond what we have.
00:06:46 How can we apply that?
00:06:48 Well, there are certain areas that Jehovah says are nonnegotiable.
00:06:53 What are some of those areas?
00:06:56 One is our relationship with Jehovah.
00:07:00 He expects us to keep that relationship strong
00:07:03 by making time for such important activities
00:07:07 as lingering in prayer, reading and meditating on God’s Word,
00:07:10 attending and participating in our meetings,
00:07:14 and having a meaningful share in the ministry.
00:07:17 So, what we do in the way of work for the organization
00:07:22 must never crowd out the spiritual activities
00:07:25 that keep us close to God.
00:07:28 You see, that would be unacceptable to Jehovah.
00:07:32 Another example is our family responsibilities.
00:07:36 Jehovah expects us to care for our family,
00:07:39 not only materially and physically
00:07:42 but also spiritually and emotionally.
00:07:45 So we must spend time together
00:07:48 in family worship, in the field ministry,
00:07:50 and in recreation.
00:07:53 That means that we must not allow our work for the organization
00:07:58 to interfere with the necessary time we need
00:08:01 to care for our family.
00:08:03 That would be unacceptable to Jehovah.
00:08:08 Another example is our health.
00:08:11 Jehovah expects us to serve him whole-souled.
00:08:14 That involves doing all
00:08:16 that our health allows us to do.
00:08:18 So we do all that we can to maintain our health
00:08:21 by eating well, getting enough sleep,
00:08:24 and exercising regularly.
00:08:27 Well, again, we must not allow our work for the organization
00:08:32 to cause us to neglect our health.
00:08:34 That would be unacceptable to Jehovah.
00:08:39 So do you see the point?
00:08:41 What can help us to set the right priorities?
00:08:44 Well, again, remember the principle here at 2 Corinthians 8:12.
00:08:49 Jehovah, in effect, says:
00:08:52 ‘Give to me according to what you have,
00:08:55 ‘not according to what you do not have.
00:08:58 And that will be especially acceptable to me.’
00:09:03 And we know that even though we have set the right priorities,
00:09:07 it’s still a challenge to maintain balance.
00:09:10 Balance is not something that once you have it
00:09:13 you can just lock it in.
00:09:15 No, it’s like a tightrope walker
00:09:17 who must constantly recalibrate and adjust
00:09:21 to maintain balance.
00:09:23 The same is true with maintaining balance in our lives.
00:09:27 I know it’s a constant process for me,
00:09:30 and I’d guess it’s just as challenging for you as well.
00:09:34 We’ve had excellent articles in our publications
00:09:37 that help with managing our time.
00:09:40 Here are two of them:
00:09:43 The April 2010 Awake!, page 7,
00:09:47 has an article entitled
00:09:49 “20 Ways to Create More Time,”
00:09:54 and the February 2014 Awake!, page 6,
00:09:57 “How to Invest Your Time Wisely.”
00:10:01 You may find these helpful to do further research
00:10:04 on how to set the right priorities and maintain balance.
00:10:10 A second point to help us maintain balance
00:10:13 is this: Do not compare yourselves
00:10:17 unfavorably with others.
00:10:20 There will always be ones
00:10:22 doing more in their service to Jehovah than we are.
00:10:26 And if we start comparing ourselves to them
00:10:29 or feel that they are more acceptable to Jehovah,
00:10:33 this can cause us to lose not just our balance
00:10:37 but our joy as well.
00:10:39 When considering this aspect of not comparing,
00:10:43 I think of the prophets Daniel, Ezekiel, and Jeremiah.
00:10:47 As you remember, these men were contemporaries of one another,
00:10:52 but each had very different circumstances.
00:10:55 Daniel was in the court of the king in Babylon.
00:11:00 Yes, he had times of persecution
00:11:03 and challenges.
00:11:05 But overall, he was an official for the king.
00:11:08 He received special training for his position.
00:11:11 So he may have had it relatively easy.
00:11:16 Ezekiel was living among his fellow exiles
00:11:19 in a community “by the river Chebar.”
00:11:23 Overall, things were fairly stable there.
00:11:27 Remember, the Jews in exile had a measure of freedom.
00:11:29 They built houses, they had children, they settled down,
00:11:33 and they developed skills in various trades.
00:11:36 So it seems that perhaps they had a relatively stable life.
00:11:42 Then you have Jeremiah.
00:11:44 He was in Jerusalem.
00:11:45 It seems that somebody was always trying to kill him.
00:11:48 Much of the time, he was either hiding or in confinement.
00:11:53 So here’s the question, Did the differing circumstances
00:11:56 of their assignments
00:11:58 mean that Jehovah loved or favored one more than the other?
00:12:03 Not at all.
00:12:05 It was just an assignment.
00:12:07 Jehovah wanted a prophet in Jerusalem.
00:12:10 He wanted one with the exiles in Babylon,
00:12:13 and he wanted another in the court of the king.
00:12:16 It was just the way the assignments fell.
00:12:20 Now, you can imagine how counterproductive it would’ve been
00:12:24 for each of these three men to judge his value
00:12:28 based on his assignment
00:12:31 or to compare himself to the other two.
00:12:34 It could happen.
00:12:35 Think about it.
00:12:36 Ezekiel and Jeremiah
00:12:39 could have looked at Daniel and thought:
00:12:42 ‘Ah, he has direct access to the king.
00:12:45 ‘He’s living where all the big decisions are being made.
00:12:48 ‘He’s right in the center of it all.
00:12:50 ‘He can use his influence to help Jehovah’s people.
00:12:54 ‘What a privilege that would be!
00:12:56 I wish I was there!’
00:12:58 Or Daniel and Jeremiah
00:13:02 could’ve looked at Ezekiel
00:13:04 and felt that’s where they wished they were:
00:13:07 ‘We would have at least relative freedom with the exiles.
00:13:11 ‘We’d be able to encourage our fellow worshippers of Jehovah.
00:13:15 We could help others learn about Jehovah.’
00:13:19 Or, believe it or not, Daniel and Ezekiel
00:13:22 could’ve looked at Jeremiah and thought:
00:13:25 ‘We know things are tough, but that’s where we want to be.
00:13:29 ‘He’s on the front lines, risking his life for Jehovah and the nation.
00:13:34 That’s where the action is.’
00:13:37 Different assignments, different circumstances,
00:13:41 different locations
00:13:43 —but they were all special to Jehovah.
00:13:47 What’s the lesson?
00:13:49 The lesson is
00:13:51 that we must be careful
00:13:53 that we do not compare ourselves unfavorably with others.
00:13:57 It is good to see if we can imitate and benefit
00:14:01 from the example of others,
00:14:03 but we need to be careful
00:14:05 that we do not begin determining the value
00:14:08 of what we’re doing for Jehovah
00:14:10 based on what others are doing.
00:14:12 That could cause us to lose our joy,
00:14:15 lose our balance,
00:14:17 and fall into the trap of doing things for the wrong reasons.
00:14:22 That brings us to our last point:
00:14:24 Remember what is important to Jehovah.
00:14:28 Circumstances change in life.
00:14:32 As mentioned, in the past we may have been
00:14:35 extremely busy in Jehovah’s service.
00:14:37 But because of the world’s situation, that may have changed.
00:14:42 Or other circumstances in our life may have changed.
00:14:46 Does that somehow change how Jehovah feels about us?
00:14:50 No.
00:14:51 How do we know?
00:14:53 What is important to Jehovah?
00:14:55 What makes you “especially acceptable” to Jehovah?
00:15:00 Well, let’s read together
00:15:02 Acts 10:34, 35:
00:15:06 “At this Peter began to speak, and he said:
00:15:11 “‘Now I truly understand
00:15:13 “‘that God is not partial,
00:15:15 “‘but in every nation the man who fears him
00:15:18 “‘and does what is right
00:15:20 is acceptable to him.’”
00:15:22 Fear Jehovah.
00:15:24 Do what is right.
00:15:25 Obey his commandments.
00:15:27 That’s it.
00:15:29 That’s what makes us acceptable to Jehovah.
00:15:33 We complicate things at times and equate our responsibilities
00:15:38 —how we’re used, where we’re asked to serve—
00:15:41 as things that define our value.
00:15:44 That’s not how Jehovah sees things.
00:15:48 A scripture that has helped me
00:15:50 is found at Ecclesiastes 3:10:
00:15:55 “I have seen the occupation
00:15:59 “that God has given to the sons of men
00:16:02 to keep them occupied.”
00:16:05 “The occupation” refers to our activities, the things we do.
00:16:10 And Jehovah has given us work to keep us occupied.
00:16:14 Whenever I read that, I think of parents with their children.
00:16:17 Perhaps they take them to the beach for the afternoon, and what do they do?
00:16:22 They give them some toys, and they let them play.
00:16:24 Why?
00:16:26 To keep them occupied.
00:16:29 And that, in a way, is what Jehovah does with us.
00:16:32 If you think about it, Jehovah does not need us to do the work.
00:16:37 Jehovah can accomplish his work without us,
00:16:40 but he dignifies us and allows us to have a share.
00:16:44 He provides us with meaningful work.
00:16:47 Note what it goes on to say in verse 13
00:16:50 of Ecclesiastes chapter 3:
00:16:53 “Also that everyone should eat and drink
00:16:56 “and find enjoyment for all his hard work.
00:17:00 It is the gift of God.”
00:17:03 Work is a gift from Jehovah.
00:17:06 Is it reasonable to think that Jehovah would give a gift
00:17:10 that stresses us out or creates hardship for us?
00:17:14 No.
00:17:15 He wants us to find enjoyment in our work.
00:17:18 We are the ones that may get too concerned with assigning rank and priority
00:17:23 to various privileges and locations of service
00:17:27 —where we are in the sand and what toys we have to play with.
00:17:32 What is important to Jehovah?
00:17:36 Notice our final scripture
00:17:38 at Ecclesiastes 12:13:
00:17:42 “The conclusion of the matter,
00:17:45 “everything having been heard, is:
00:17:48 “Fear the true God
00:17:50 “and keep his commandments,
00:17:52 for this is the whole obligation of man.”
00:17:56 Fear Jehovah.
00:17:58 Keep his commandments.
00:18:00 Just serve Jehovah.
00:18:03 Do the best that you can.
00:18:05 Stay balanced.
00:18:07 Give according to what you have.
00:18:10 Those are the important things.
00:18:12 And if you do them, no matter what your personal circumstances,
00:18:17 you will remain “especially acceptable” to Jehovah.
00:18:22 Now let’s look at some situations
00:18:25 that could challenge us to maintain balance.
00:18:28 In the following dramatization,
00:18:31 notice how the two characters maintain balance.
00:18:39 Ms. Kwon?
00:18:42 Ms. Kwon?
00:18:43 Oh!
00:18:47 Sorry.
00:18:48 Ms. Kwon?
00:18:52 I’m so slow today.
00:18:54 It’s OK.
00:18:55 Take your time.
00:18:57 So can you pioneer next month?
00:19:00 No doubt you will experience greater joy . . .
00:19:05 Brother Joo?
00:19:06 Brother Joo? Over here.
00:19:07 Yes, Sister Kwon.
00:19:08 Can I have one too?
00:19:09 Uh, of course.
00:19:12 Just a moment, please.
00:19:15 Brother Joo, I have many doctors’ appointments next month,
00:19:19 but maybe—
00:19:20 Uh, OK.
00:19:21 Yeah.
00:19:23 I wrote a little something that might help you when you fill it out.
00:19:25 Oh, I see.
00:19:28 Here you go.
00:19:29 Thank you.
00:19:30 And remember, our circuit overseer’s visit is in two months.
00:19:33 Mm-hm.
00:19:34 And only 30 hours are required that month.
00:19:36 I see.
00:19:36 Brother Joo?
00:19:37 Yes. Hello, Brother Lee.
00:19:38 Yes.
00:19:39 Hello, Sister Kwon.
00:19:40 Hello, Brother Lee.
00:19:41 Nice job covering those parts at the last minute.
00:19:44 Anyway, it seems like everyone is away.
00:19:49 Hello, Sister Kwon.
00:19:50 Can I ask you to do something?
00:19:52 Here’s what I need.
00:19:54 Hello, Sister Joo.
00:19:57 If you want to get something done, give it to a busy man.
00:20:01 We can always count on you.
00:20:02 Hannah and I were beginning to feel overwhelmed.
00:20:05 . . . in Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
00:20:09 Brother Joo,
00:20:11 may I have a moment?
00:20:13 I need your help with something.
00:20:14 Then Brother Kim needed help
00:20:16 with the territories.
00:20:19 Of course, we loved being busy with theocratic work.
00:20:32 Yes, Brother Kim?
00:20:35 Just a second.
00:20:36 It’s Brother Kim calling about the territories.
00:20:39 I’ll only take a minute.
00:20:40 Yes, uh-huh.
00:20:43 I see.
00:20:45 Yes, I understand.
00:20:48 OK, sounds good.
00:20:52 Other more important things were beginning to suffer.
00:21:00 It’s like doctors’ appointments
00:21:02 are my whole life now.
00:21:05 I have so many next month,
00:21:07 and they take forever to reschedule.
00:21:10 How could I possibly make my time?
00:21:15 There’s something written here.
00:21:17 “Prayerfully consider 2 Corinthians 8:12.”
00:21:23 “If the readiness is there . . .
00:21:26 “[oh, I am ready],
00:21:29 “. . . according to what a person has,
00:21:32 not according to what a person does not have.”
00:21:35 Hmm.
00:21:39 Jehovah wanted the Israelites to sacrifice their best,
00:21:43 but just imagine what would happen
00:21:45 if they tried to do more than they could.
00:21:48 I can almost hear the reaction.
00:21:52 Dad!
00:21:53 Where did all the sheep go?
00:21:54 All of them?
00:21:55 What are we supposed to live on?
00:21:59 No.
00:22:00 He didn’t want them to sacrifice so much
00:22:02 that they couldn’t support their families.
00:22:05 I need those appointments.
00:22:07 But maybe in two months when I don’t have so many appointments
00:22:12 and it’s the circuit overseer’s visit, I could set a goal.
00:22:16 We knew we were taking on too much work.
00:22:18 But could we say no?
00:22:20 We wanted Jehovah’s view.
00:22:24 What’s so funny?
00:22:26 Um.
00:22:27 There’s something I just shared with Sister Kwon
00:22:32 that is perfect for us too
00:22:34 —2 Corinthians 8:12.
00:22:37 “According to what a person has”
00:22:39 —it’s just like our financial contributions.
00:22:42 Exactly.
00:22:44 Honey, would Jehovah want us to get into debt
00:22:46 to make a huge contribution we couldn’t afford?
00:22:50 Amen.
00:22:52 You know, that scripture that we just read—
00:22:57 Brother Kim Si-Young.
00:22:58 Territories again?
00:23:00 Yes.
00:23:01 But I’ll tell him that I’ll call him after family worship.
00:23:06 We can’t give what’s not ours.
00:23:08 And we can’t let our spiritual routine suffer,
00:23:12 even for theocratic privileges.
00:23:15 Note this promise in the Bible.
00:23:18 Look at this flower.
00:23:19 Isn’t it beautiful?
00:23:21 I love this time of year.
00:23:25 Thank you both so much
00:23:27 for your help this month.
00:23:29 It felt good to find the right balance
00:23:31 and to know we’re giving Jehovah all we can.
00:23:38 How did our brother and sister feel
00:23:41 when they set priorities that were right for them?
00:23:45 They were not downhearted that they couldn’t do more.
00:23:49 No, they felt good knowing they were giving Jehovah
00:23:52 all they can give.
00:23:55 Now let’s consider a different situation.
00:23:58 After serving as a regular pioneer for many years,
00:24:03 Sharon Hall couldn’t continue in full-time service.
00:24:07 But she still wanted to give Jehovah something special.
00:24:13 I started pioneering in 1978, straight out of school.
00:24:18 And then after 17 years,
00:24:20 I had to stop because I could no longer meet the hour requirement.
00:24:24 At one of the conventions, I saw
00:24:27 some sisters interpreting the program into sign language.
00:24:31 And so I thought that even if I couldn’t continue pioneering,
00:24:35 I could do something more in Jehovah’s service
00:24:38 by learning sign language, and so I started to do that.
00:24:42 Because I was deeply grateful to Jehovah
00:24:44 for all he had done for me,
00:24:46 I resumed pioneering again
00:24:49 in September 2009.
00:24:51 And then I had the added blessing
00:24:54 of now pioneering in the sign-language field.
00:24:57 One day I met Cecilia.
00:24:59 She suffers from a genetic syndrome called
00:25:04 Usher Syndrome, which causes deafness
00:25:07 coupled with tunnel vision
00:25:10 that can, over time, lead to blindness.
00:25:14 Because of that disability,
00:25:16 it made her extremely shy.
00:25:19 So it was very difficult to communicate with her.
00:25:22 I started studying with her
00:25:24 in October 2009,
00:25:27 and very quickly she started attending meetings.
00:25:31 I would fetch her for the meetings and then drop her off at home afterward.
00:25:35 I lived about five minutes from the Kingdom Hall,
00:25:38 but she was thirty minutes away.
00:25:41 And I quickly realized
00:25:43 that she would also need to put in effort
00:25:47 to get to the meetings in order to make progress.
00:25:50 Cecilia lived close
00:25:52 to where she could catch a taxi
00:25:55 up to the train line,
00:25:57 and then it would be two train journeys
00:25:59 to get to the Kingdom Hall.
00:26:01 So it would take her, each way,
00:26:03 an hour and a half to two hours.
00:26:05 She also lived in a notoriously unsafe area
00:26:10 because of gang violence.
00:26:13 But I knew that Cecilia was
00:26:16 strong-willed enough and independent enough,
00:26:19 in spite of her timidity and reticence,
00:26:24 to be able to get herself to the meetings.
00:26:27 Cecilia was attending meetings regularly.
00:26:30 But instead of a skirt,
00:26:32 she wore pants to the meetings.
00:26:35 So I chatted to Nancy,
00:26:37 a sister who at the time was accompanying me
00:26:40 to her study most weeks,
00:26:42 so that we could try and figure out a way of helping her
00:26:45 to make the change she needed to make.
00:26:47 It took about a year
00:26:49 of gently showing pictures
00:26:53 and reviewing the Bible principles,
00:26:55 but eventually she did get the point.
00:26:57 One of the weekends that she was staying over,
00:27:00 I went into her room,
00:27:02 and on her bed, neatly laid out,
00:27:04 was a skirt and top
00:27:06 ready for the meeting.
00:27:08 I thanked Jehovah at that point
00:27:11 because, finally, our patience had been rewarded.
00:27:15 We had all of our meetings on a Saturday
00:27:18 with a lunch break in between when we would associate,
00:27:22 but we noticed that Cecilia was isolating herself.
00:27:26 To reinforce for Cecilia
00:27:29 the principle at Acts 20:35,
00:27:32 a friend came up with the good idea of helping her
00:27:36 to bake cookies the day before the meeting.
00:27:39 Cecilia shyly offered the cookies to each person there
00:27:43 during the lunch break,
00:27:45 and it elicited such a warm response
00:27:47 from the brothers and sisters and friends there.
00:27:50 It really drove home the point for Cecilia,
00:27:53 and it was beautiful to see her, after that, come out of her shell.
00:27:57 In July 2014,
00:28:01 Cecilia gave her first student talk,
00:28:05 and in that month she also started publishing.
00:28:08 There have been challenges, particularly
00:28:12 with learning sign language but even more so
00:28:15 in getting to understand the deaf culture
00:28:19 —the way that they think— and also financial hardships.
00:28:23 But the challenges and the sacrifices
00:28:28 were far outweighed by the blessings.
00:28:32 A day that’s etched in my memory
00:28:35 is the day that she told me she wanted to get baptized.
00:28:39 Cecilia has really become like a daughter to me,
00:28:43 and I’m so proud of the enormous strides that she made in the truth.
00:28:48 In October 2015, she was baptized,
00:28:52 and I cried with joy that day.
00:28:55 I’ve been pioneering now for 28 years.
00:28:58 And over that time, particularly since I started again
00:29:02 (and with Cecilia),
00:29:04 many, many, many brothers and sisters in the congregation helped me.
00:29:09 They accompanied me to her study;
00:29:12 they became friends with her;
00:29:14 they took over when I went away.
00:29:16 I could never have done it on my own.
00:29:19 Above all,
00:29:21 Jehovah has helped me to cultivate qualities
00:29:24 like patience, self-control,
00:29:27 humility, compassion.
00:29:30 It was really wonderful to play a small part
00:29:33 —such a privilege— to help Cecilia
00:29:37 to become part of Jehovah’s family.
00:29:45 Sharon’s decision required sacrifice,
00:29:49 but it led to wonderful blessings for her
00:29:52 and for Cecilia.
00:29:55 We hope that young Witnesses
00:29:57 have been enjoying our series My Teen Life.
00:30:01 It features real issues that you face today.
00:30:05 Our next episode
00:30:07 deals with one of life’s most important questions:
00:30:11 Why believe in God?
00:30:15 Have you ever asked yourself that,
00:30:17 even though you’ve been reading the Bible and attending meetings for years?
00:30:22 Listen to your peers explain
00:30:25 how they convinced themselves that God does exist.
00:30:37 So I’m sitting in physics class,
00:30:39 and all of a sudden,
00:30:41 the subject of evolution comes up.
00:30:43 When my teacher asked me, “Why?”
00:30:45 —to give the reason why I don’t believe
00:30:47 in evolution—
00:30:48 I remember all I could say was: “It’s just because I’m one of Jehovah’s Witnesses.
00:30:51 And that’s my belief.”
00:30:53 Many students actually believe
00:30:55 —like, they seem so sure— that evolution is a fact.
00:31:00 I could feel my hands, like my palms, getting sweaty
00:31:04 and was just nervous.
00:31:06 I felt intimidated.
00:31:08 I just sat there.
00:31:09 I felt paralyzed, and I couldn’t defend the truth.
00:31:13 Why can’t I explain this?
00:31:14 I could explain so easily why I don’t salute the flag
00:31:17 and why I don’t celebrate birthdays.
00:31:19 I didn’t understand why I couldn’t explain this specific topic.
00:31:24 I had doubts.
00:31:25 And I was asking myself questions like:
00:31:30 ‘Does God really exist?
00:31:32 Is the Bible accurate?’
00:31:34 So that day, after I came home from school,
00:31:36 I went to my mom and I told her,
00:31:39 “This is what happened at school, and I need— I need answers.”
00:31:44 I felt like I didn’t know what to do,
00:31:47 especially since my parents were not serving Jehovah.
00:31:51 So I had to pray to Jehovah to help me.
00:31:55 So she sat me down at the computer.
00:31:57 We went to jw.org,
00:32:00 and then in the search box, my mom told me to type in anything
00:32:03 that was the problem —what I had questions on.
00:32:06 So we typed in “evolution.”
00:32:08 That’s when I clicked on The Origin of Life brochure.
00:32:11 It just started, like, coming in.
00:32:14 Everything started clicking as if, like,
00:32:17 you know, there’s a light bulb that went off.
00:32:19 So in one of the videos in the “Viewpoints on the Origin of Life” section,
00:32:24 it talked about the brain
00:32:26 and how the brain is so complex
00:32:29 that billions and billions
00:32:31 of neurons are connected to one another.
00:32:34 It amazed me so much that because of the brain,
00:32:38 we can move our hands, we can move our feet,
00:32:41 we can do facial expressions.
00:32:43 We can do so many things
00:32:45 because of this great part of the body
00:32:47 —the brain.
00:32:48 It had, you know, the exact questions
00:32:50 that I was having trouble understanding.
00:32:54 And for each question, I was like,
00:32:56 ‘Oh, I remember reading this in one of the Watchtowers
00:33:00 or one of the books I was studying.’
00:33:02 But it broke it down into ways
00:33:04 and into words that were simple for me
00:33:06 to understand at that point.
00:33:08 So it was almost— It felt like
00:33:10 Jehovah was talking to me
00:33:12 through this brochure.
00:33:14 And it just felt—
00:33:15 I was like, ‘This is what I need to read.’
00:33:16 And that’s what helped me get through it.
00:33:20 So I thought to myself: ‘This couldn’t have been
00:33:23 ‘made just by chance.
00:33:25 ‘It couldn’t just exist by an accident.
00:33:28 ‘It had to be created.
00:33:30 It had to be designed.’
00:33:33 So I was able to go back.
00:33:34 I went to my science class, and I told my teacher,
00:33:38 “I’m ready to explain why.”
00:33:40 So here we go again.
00:33:41 It’s physics class.
00:33:43 It’s the same topic all over again.
00:33:46 But this time it was different.
00:33:48 I was able to defend my faith in Jehovah.
00:33:51 I realized that, you know, Jehovah always provides the answers
00:33:55 to any topic—anything.
00:33:57 I just have to be willing to go and find it.
00:34:00 Whenever I have questions about anything, I look for the answers.
00:34:03 But first, I pray to Jehovah.
00:34:05 And Jehovah has made it so easy for us to find the truth.
00:34:10 And I’m totally convinced that whatever he says in the Bible,
00:34:13 we can completely trust in it.
00:34:34 As we saw, it’s important
00:34:37 that you teens do more than disprove evolution.
00:34:41 The underlying issue
00:34:44 is whether you personally believe in God.
00:34:47 Use your “power of reason”
00:34:49 to prove to yourself that he does exist.
00:34:54 We’re very excited to share with you a new series.
00:34:59 Many of us enjoy the visit of our circuit overseer,
00:35:02 especially the way he takes the lead in the ministry.
00:35:06 Often, the circuit overseer helps us
00:35:09 to apply suggestions from the faithful slave
00:35:13 on how to better carry out our ministry.
00:35:16 This new series features
00:35:19 experienced circuit overseers doing just that,
00:35:22 helping us sharpen our skills in the disciple-making work.
00:35:27 The series is called Iron Sharpens Iron.
00:35:31 In our first episode, Taylor Bornschein
00:35:35 shares suggestions on how to effectively start conversations.
00:35:42 Hi, I’m Taylor, and this is “Iron Sharpens Iron.”
00:35:55 Today, we’re going to practice
00:35:56 how to start a conversation
00:35:58 that could lead to a witness.
00:36:00 Now, for many, this can be terrifying.
00:36:03 Why?
00:36:05 Well, as soon as we see someone that we’d like to talk to,
00:36:08 we can start to think to ourselves: ‘What am I going to say?
00:36:11 How am I going to give a witness?’
00:36:13 Or, ‘How are they going to react?’
00:36:15 And we can become so overwhelmed with anxiety or nerves,
00:36:20 thinking about how the conversation will end, that we never even start.
00:36:24 So here’s something that we must keep in mind.
00:36:27 Our goal is simply
00:36:30 to start a conversation.
00:36:33 So if we’ve started a conversation,
00:36:36 we’ve succeeded—we’ve reached our goal!
00:36:38 Then we can just relax and see if it leads to a witness.
00:36:43 The September 2018
00:36:47 Life and Ministry Meeting Workbook
00:36:49 shows us how we can start a conversation
00:36:53 like Jesus did with the Samaritan woman in John chapter 4.
00:36:58 So when we see someone that we would like to talk to,
00:37:01 we want to keep these three steps in mind:
00:37:04 Step 1: Be friendly.
00:37:08 That’s it. Just be friendly.
00:37:11 Now, we could be nervous.
00:37:13 So we can say a quick prayer to Jehovah to give us courage,
00:37:16 but then we can give a friendly greeting.
00:37:19 Then we can mention something that’s happening right then and there:
00:37:22 maybe the weather, a long line at the grocery store,
00:37:26 their nice car, or another genuine compliment.
00:37:30 When Jesus started his conversation, in verse 7,
00:37:34 with the Samaritan woman, he simply said
00:37:36 (and no doubt in a friendly way): “Give me a drink.”
00:37:41 Step 2:
00:37:43 Let the conversation progress naturally.
00:37:46 Don’t rush it.
00:37:48 If the conversation ends before we are able to give a witness, it’s OK.
00:37:53 We accomplished our goal. We started a conversation.
00:37:56 Now we’re ready to try again.
00:37:58 Now, if the conversation continues on,
00:38:01 then we can look for an opportunity to take step 3:
00:38:05 Make a simple expression of our faith.
00:38:09 Seven verses after Jesus started the conversation
00:38:13 with the Samaritan woman, he then witnessed to her.
00:38:17 He said he had water that imparts everlasting life.
00:38:20 But between those two points, he didn’t lecture her.
00:38:24 He let her talk and express herself,
00:38:27 and he listened to what she had to say.
00:38:30 So with those three steps in mind, now it’s our turn.
00:38:34 It’s our turn to practice
00:38:36 starting a conversation that could lead to a witness.
00:38:40 Now, tied in with us, we have
00:38:42 Taís and Carolina who have joined us for a demonstration.
00:38:46 So where are you going to try to start your conversation today?
00:38:50 We are in a department store.
00:38:52 Yes, we are in a Portuguese congregation,
00:38:54 and it’s common to hear people speak Portuguese when we are out shopping.
00:38:57 Excellent.
00:38:59 So you’ve heard the three steps that we want to try.
00:39:01 But first, let’s see what could happen if we rush the conversation.
00:39:05 OK.
00:39:06 Oi, tudo bem?
00:39:08 I heard you speaking Portuguese.
00:39:10 Where are you from?
00:39:11 Oi, I’m from Rio de Janeiro.
00:39:13 I’m from São Paulo.
00:39:14 How long have you been here?
00:39:16 Just three months.
00:39:17 It’s so hard to adjust, isn’t it?
00:39:19 You know, the Bible helped me so much when I moved here.
00:39:23 I don’t want to keep you from your shopping, but you can read
00:39:25 the Bible in Portuguese on our website,
00:39:27 and it has articles that I know you will find comforting.
00:39:30 OK, so time-out.
00:39:32 Now, Taís, we know you rushed that on purpose,
00:39:35 but how did it make you feel when you did?
00:39:38 Yeah, it didn’t feel right to start witnessing so quickly.
00:39:41 And I saw that she wasn’t expecting it.
00:39:43 Right.
00:39:43 And Carolina, how about you? How did it make you feel?
00:39:46 It started OK, but then it got awkward real fast.
00:39:50 Right.
00:39:51 So now, maybe you can show us
00:39:53 what it’s like when the conversation will progress more naturally.
00:39:56 OK.
00:39:58 Oi, tudo bem?
00:39:59 I heard you speaking Portuguese.
00:40:01 Where are you from?
00:40:02 Oi, I’m from Rio de Janeiro.
00:40:04 Oh, nice. I’m from São Paulo.
00:40:06 I recognized your accent.
00:40:08 I’m Taís.
00:40:09 I’m Carolina. Nice to meet you.
00:40:12 Wow! How long have you been here?
00:40:14 Only three months.
00:40:16 Well, for me it’s been three years,
00:40:18 and the first was the hardest.
00:40:21 Yes, we finally have work.
00:40:24 But we are still looking for a place to live.
00:40:26 And immigration has been harder than we thought.
00:40:29 Wow! I’m so sorry.
00:40:31 Do you have family with you?
00:40:33 My husband.
00:40:34 We had to leave our son with my mother.
00:40:37 I miss him so much.
00:40:39 Wow, that’s so hard.
00:40:41 But we have to keep trusting in God.
00:40:43 In my case, it’s what got me through.
00:40:46 I know, but I still worry when I don’t know what He will do for us.
00:40:50 OK, so let’s stop there.
00:40:52 Really nice, thank you.
00:40:54 So Taís, where do you feel the conversation is at at this point?
00:40:57 Yeah, I felt like I found a good time to say something about my faith.
00:41:01 And now she’s saying how she feels.
00:41:04 Nice, excellent.
00:41:06 And Carolina, how about you?
00:41:08 It was just a nice conversation.
00:41:10 So when she mentioned God, it was not awkward.
00:41:12 Thank you, sisters, for letting us learn from your conversation.
00:41:17 I found that helpful, and I hope you did too.
00:41:21 Make it your goal to start conversations with those three steps:
00:41:25 Be friendly, converse naturally,
00:41:29 and find the right time to express your faith.
00:41:32 Practice at home or with a friend,
00:41:35 and see for yourself how “iron sharpens iron.”
00:41:41 That was a great demonstration!
00:41:44 Future episodes of Iron Sharpens Iron
00:41:47 will show us more ways to enhance our skills as ministers.
00:41:53 Each of us wants to be a source of comfort
00:41:57 and encouragement to our brothers.
00:41:59 That was the subject of a recent morning worship
00:42:03 by Brother William Turner.
00:42:07 Well, I think we would agree
00:42:09 that it’s very heart-warming to know
00:42:11 that we serve a God of comfort,
00:42:14 and he provides us with so many reminders
00:42:17 that highlight the need for us to encourage,
00:42:20 strengthen, and comfort one another.
00:42:22 Especially now in the times in which we live,
00:42:25 because none of us know the full weight
00:42:28 of what our brothers here in the Bethel family
00:42:31 and our congregations might be facing or dealing with.
00:42:35 So having and showing empathy
00:42:38 and fellow feeling toward one another is so important.
00:42:43 Perhaps a good example of how not to show comfort and fellow feeling
00:42:48 is described for us by Job’s three comforters.
00:42:52 You might recall that they were so busy judging him
00:42:56 and giving Job speeches
00:42:58 that they failed to take the time to understand him
00:43:01 and to show fellow feeling.
00:43:03 In fact, in all the talking they did,
00:43:06 not once do we read that they even addressed Job by name.
00:43:11 The Watchtower made a statement regarding these comforters.
00:43:15 It said: “Evidently they viewed [Job]
00:43:18 more as a problem than as a person.”
00:43:23 Now, how do you think that treatment made Job feel?
00:43:27 Turn with me in your Bibles to Job chapter 19,
00:43:33 and we’ll listen to Job’s words
00:43:36 —Job 19:2.
00:43:43 He says: “How long will you keep irritating my soul,
00:43:48 crushing me with words?”
00:43:52 How sad!
00:43:54 Instead of providing encouragement and comfort,
00:43:58 those companions only made Job feel irritated,
00:44:02 crushed, and frustrated.
00:44:06 Well, doesn’t this highlight that if we don’t give thoughts
00:44:09 to our words and actions,
00:44:12 if we view our brother more as a problem than as a person,
00:44:17 then we’re not going to be able to provide them
00:44:19 with the comfort and support they may need?
00:44:23 Perhaps we might work with or we’re in the congregation
00:44:27 with someone that has faults or traits that bother us,
00:44:31 and it may be that these faults
00:44:34 are actually legitimate causes of concern.
00:44:38 But in our dealings with them,
00:44:40 if those faults are the only things that we can see,
00:44:44 if that’s the only thing we focus on,
00:44:46 then it’s going to be very difficult
00:44:48 for us to see them as a faithful fellow worker of Jehovah.
00:44:53 More than likely, all that we’re going to see
00:44:55 is someone who is an obstacle or impediment to our work,
00:45:00 someone who is affecting or impacting our production and joy.
00:45:05 And certainly, we’re not going to feel good
00:45:09 because now we’ve developed negative feelings about our brother,
00:45:12 and our brother is likely going to feel the spirit that we give off.
00:45:17 How is that going to affect them?
00:45:20 Well, like Job, likely they’re going to be frustrated and irritated,
00:45:25 and we’ve only added to their anxiety.
00:45:28 Well, obviously, none of us want to have that sort of effect on our brothers,
00:45:32 and that’s why Paul’s words to the Thessalonians
00:45:37 are a good example worthy of imitation.
00:45:40 When we look at this congregation
00:45:42 —practically from the beginning,
00:45:44 the congregation that was established in Thessalonica—
00:45:47 those brothers and sisters experienced persecution.
00:45:51 In Acts chapter 17,
00:45:53 it mentions that fanatical Jews stirred up mob violence,
00:45:56 prompting the brothers to send Paul and Silas away
00:45:59 for their personal safety.
00:46:01 Another issue that was affecting the congregation
00:46:03 was that they seemingly expressed great sorrow
00:46:07 over losing ones of their number in death.
00:46:11 So now think about that. You have the full picture.
00:46:13 Here you have a brand new congregation,
00:46:15 and they’re feeling the heat and pressure
00:46:17 of intense persecution from the outside,
00:46:21 and then on the inside,
00:46:24 they’re feeling the pain of losing loved ones in death.
00:46:29 Is that congregation in need of comfort and encouragement?
00:46:34 Without question.
00:46:36 But interestingly, in the midst of all of this persecution and sadness,
00:46:41 it was also discovered that those Christians
00:46:43 were dealing and struggling with some personal weaknesses.
00:46:47 When you look at 1 Thessalonians chapter 4,
00:46:50 there they were counseled to abstain from fornication,
00:46:54 to love one another in fuller measure,
00:46:56 to mind their own business, to work with their hands.
00:46:59 Then in chapter 5, to stay awake spiritually
00:47:02 and to abstain from every form of wickedness
00:47:05 and a number of other matters that needed attention.
00:47:09 Now, each of those matters
00:47:11 were all legitimate causes of concern.
00:47:16 In fact, Paul felt this was so urgent
00:47:18 that he sent them a second letter which closely followed his first.
00:47:24 But what was Paul going to focus on?
00:47:27 Would he focus on the problem
00:47:30 or the people?
00:47:32 Turn with me, please, to 2 Thessalonians chapter 1.
00:47:35 Let’s note how Paul begins this chapter.
00:47:38 Second Thessalonians chapter 1,
00:47:43 and we’ll read his words beginning in verse 3.
00:47:49 He says: “We are obligated always to give thanks to God for you, brothers.
00:47:54 “This is fitting, because your faith is growing exceedingly
00:47:59 “and the love of each and every one of you is increasing toward one another.
00:48:04 “As a result we ourselves take pride in you among the congregations of God
00:48:09 “because of your endurance and faith in all your persecutions
00:48:12 and the hardships that you are suffering.”
00:48:16 How beautiful!
00:48:17 Did you note that Paul starts with specific commendation?
00:48:21 Yes, there were problems that needed to be addressed,
00:48:23 but he starts with their good qualities
00:48:27 —what they were doing right.
00:48:29 Can you and I do the same in our dealings with our brothers?
00:48:34 Instead of first thinking about what they’re doing wrong,
00:48:37 what do they do right?
00:48:39 What do we appreciate about them?
00:48:42 Isn’t it so much better to focus on their good traits?
00:48:46 The benefits of doing this is that it helps us to develop
00:48:50 genuine personal interest in our brothers.
00:48:54 Because if our brothers can sense that we truly care about them,
00:48:58 then it actually puts us in a better position
00:49:00 to assist them with any matters that may need adjustment.
00:49:04 And what we’ll find is that this personal interest
00:49:07 can start with something as simple as acknowledgement.
00:49:12 You’ll recall that Job’s false comforters didn’t even address Job by name.
00:49:16 But with the young man Elihu,
00:49:19 when he was given the opportunity to speak
00:49:21 (when addressing Job),
00:49:23 he respectfully addressed him by name.
00:49:27 At Job 33:1,
00:49:29 Elihu begins his words by saying:
00:49:31 “Job, please hear my words.”
00:49:36 And there were many other verses
00:49:38 where he used Job’s personal name as well.
00:49:42 I think we’d agree that sometimes it can be so easy
00:49:44 (especially for us as brothers),
00:49:46 to get into work mode, business mode
00:49:49 —where we’re just so focused on getting information,
00:49:53 whether it’s here at Bethel or in the congregation—
00:49:55 that we could completely forget to acknowledge
00:49:59 or even greet the brother in front of us.
00:50:02 So what a beautiful reminder we learn from Elihu!
00:50:07 Now, if we go back to Paul,
00:50:09 after his commendation in 2 Thessalonians chapter 1,
00:50:13 he starts chapter 2 of 2 Thessalonians with the word
00:50:17 “however.”
00:50:19 So now there’s a contrast; there’s a shift in wording,
00:50:22 and he begins to address the problem that some had developed
00:50:25 regarding a wrong view of Christ’s presence.
00:50:28 So we learn from this that Paul did not sugarcoat or overlook
00:50:33 issues that needed to be addressed.
00:50:36 He handled them.
00:50:38 But he did it in such a way
00:50:40 that the brothers were still able to feel
00:50:42 his loving care and concern.
00:50:45 In fact, if you look in verse 13,
00:50:48 you’ll notice he uses the word “however” again.
00:50:52 So another shift,
00:50:54 but this time shifting back to words of empathy, love,
00:50:59 and exhortation for his brothers.
00:51:01 Paul was convinced, he had a positive conviction,
00:51:05 that his brothers would do the right thing.
00:51:08 So in review,
00:51:10 if we want to be a source of comfort and encouragement to our brothers,
00:51:15 how important it is that we see them
00:51:18 not as a problem,
00:51:20 not as an impediment to our work,
00:51:22 but as our fellow worker.
00:51:25 And instead of judging, we commend
00:51:28 —showing genuine personal interest and acknowledgement.
00:51:31 And if there is a legitimate issue of concern,
00:51:35 well, we can lovingly address what needs to be addressed.
00:51:39 But let’s always be remembered more for our encouragement than our counsel.
00:51:45 And if we’re able to do this, then our brothers are going to love us
00:51:48 for the way that we deal with them.
00:51:50 But more important, our Heavenly Father,
00:51:53 our God of comfort will love us as well.
00:51:58 In our program, we’ve discussed the value
00:52:02 of setting the right priorities.
00:52:04 This is particularly important during our youth,
00:52:08 when we’re encouraged to give our best years to Jehovah.
00:52:12 As our new song reminds us,
00:52:15 we will never regret making that a priority.
00:52:22 When you were younger, life seemed so simple.
00:52:27 You did your best to do what’s right—
00:52:32 Giving answers and preaching the good news;
00:52:37 You would pray each and ev’ry night.
00:52:41 But as you got older, with this world trying to mold you,
00:52:46 Suddenly it was not so easy to be knocking on those doors.
00:52:51 But as you get taller, smarter, trying to work harder,
00:52:56 Never let go of Jehovah. The best is still in store.
00:53:03 You have a treasured place in Jehovah’s house;
00:53:09 He’ll help you out.
00:53:13 And you have so much to offer, so much to do.
00:53:18 Jehovah sees your faith; Know he treasures you.
00:53:31 Now you are older and dealing with changes,
00:53:37 Like all the trials have just begun.
00:53:41 Growing anxious from all of your fears—
00:53:46 Talk to God; he always listens.
00:53:51 And as you get wiser, find the ways you can apply
00:53:55 The truth in your life and feel the joy of sacrifice.
00:54:01 And as you get taller, smarter, trying to work harder,
00:54:05 Never let go of Jehovah. The best is still in store.
00:54:13 You have a treasured place in Jehovah’s house;
00:54:19 He’ll help you out.
00:54:23 And you have so much to offer, so much to do.
00:54:28 Jehovah sees your faith; Know he treasures you.
00:54:43 So use your strength for Jehovah’s name.
00:54:47 You won’t regret it; just ask the ones who did it.
00:55:13 You have a treasured place in Jehovah’s house;
00:55:19 He’ll help you out.
00:55:22 And you have so much to offer, so much to do.
00:55:28 Jehovah sees your faith; Know he treasures you.
00:55:42 So use your strength for Jehovah’s name.
00:55:48 You won’t regret it; just ask the ones who did it.
00:55:52 So use your strength for Jehovah’s name.
00:55:57 You won’t regret it; just ask the ones who did it.
00:56:04 In this month’s program,
00:56:06 we learned the value of maintaining balance.
00:56:09 We cannot let our spiritual routine suffer,
00:56:13 even for theocratic privileges.
00:56:17 Sharon Hall made sacrifices to do more for Jehovah,
00:56:21 and she received many blessings.
00:56:25 We saw how teens use
00:56:28 their power of reason to prove to themselves
00:56:31 that God exists.
00:56:34 And the first episode of our new series,
00:56:36 Iron Sharpens Iron,
00:56:38 showed how we can start conversations
00:56:42 by being alert for opportunities
00:56:44 and by being friendly and kind.
00:56:47 Now it’s time for our video postcard.
00:56:50 Let’s visit our brothers and sisters in Madagascar.
00:56:54 Lying off the east coast of Africa,
00:56:58 Madagascar is the fourth largest island in the world.
00:57:02 Its climate and diverse terrain make it
00:57:07 a sanctuary for an amazing variety of plants and animals.
00:57:13 The baobab tree is known
00:57:15 for its barrel-shaped trunk
00:57:17 and extraordinary longevity.
00:57:20 There are nine species
00:57:22 of baobab in the world.
00:57:25 Six can be found only in Madagascar.
00:57:29 About 40 different species
00:57:32 of lemur live here.
00:57:34 Among them is the ring-tailed lemur,
00:57:38 and this one is called Coquerel’s sifaka.
00:57:42 Rice fields dot many parts of the country.
00:57:45 Rice is the staple food of the Malagasy people.
00:57:51 Antsirabe is Madagascar’s third largest city
00:57:55 and home to 34 congregations.
00:57:58 Since few in Madagascar have running water,
00:58:03 many people can be contacted while they do their laundry
00:58:06 in rivers and lakes.
00:58:08 Let’s visit Tanambao Sahafony,
00:58:11 a remote community on the southeastern coast.
00:58:16 Our brothers share the good news despite frequent rain showers
00:58:20 and the great distances they have to walk between villages.
00:58:26 Response to the Kingdom message is strong, and many ask for a Bible study.
00:58:32 Here, two sisters are conducting a study
00:58:36 while others wait their turn.
00:58:38 Interested ones
00:58:40 walk up to 16 kilometers, or about 10 miles,
00:58:43 every week to attend meetings.
00:58:46 The village has no electricity.
00:58:50 So to download big video files
00:58:53 such as convention videos,
00:58:55 this elder and other brothers travel 12 hours,
00:59:00 mainly by boat, to the nearest town.
00:59:05 There are 32 publishers in the congregation,
00:59:07 but on average, 150 people
00:59:11 attend weekend meetings —40 percent of them children.
00:59:17 Our dear brothers and sisters from the Tanambao Sahafony Congregation
00:59:20 in Madagascar send their love and greetings
00:59:23 to the worldwide brotherhood.
00:59:26 From the World Headquarters of Jehovah’s Witnesses,
00:59:29 this is JW Broadcasting.
