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00:00:01 Since our last update, 00:00:03 the coronavirus pandemic has taken 00:00:06 a grim toll around the world. 00:00:09 And we know 00:00:10 that more and more of you dear brothers and sisters 00:00:13 are grappling with the effects of this crisis every day. 00:00:17 We want to assure you of our love 00:00:20 and of how deeply concerned we are about each one of you 00:00:24 and of the many prayers being offered in your behalf. 00:00:28 And we trust that Jehovah will give you 00:00:32 “the power beyond what is normal,” 00:00:34 as promised at 2 Corinthians 4:7, 00:00:38 so that you can endure this pandemic 00:00:40 with your faith in Jehovah’s unfailing promises intact. 00:00:47 Despite all the challenges we’ve been facing, 00:00:50 hasn’t it been encouraging to see how quickly 00:00:53 and effectively Jehovah’s people have adapted 00:00:56 to the change in circumstances 00:00:59 —from holding meetings by videoconference 00:01:02 to preaching and teaching by e-mail, letter writing, 00:01:06 telephone, and text message? 00:01:09 And this was especially true regarding the Memorial. 00:01:14 In this report, we’d like to share a few updates 00:01:18 about how our brothers and sisters around the world 00:01:21 were strengthened as they came together 00:01:24 for the special talk and the Memorial. 00:01:28 As the day of the Memorial drew closer, 00:01:31 did you wonder how this was all going to work? 00:01:34 Would we be meeting in smaller groups? 00:01:37 How would we handle the emblems? 00:01:40 How could we invite coworkers, neighbors, and interested ones? 00:01:43 Where would we invite them to if we couldn’t meet at the Kingdom Hall? 00:01:48 We longed to be together on this important occasion, 00:01:53 but we also recognized how important it was to comply fully 00:01:57 with any government restrictions and physical-distancing guidelines 00:02:02 —not only to show our “subjection to the superior authorities” 00:02:06 but also for our own safety and that of our neighbors. 00:02:11 And so we observed the Memorial, 00:02:14 even though that meant doing so in unique ways 00:02:17 —ways we might never have experienced before. 00:02:21 For the first time in theocratic history, 00:02:25 millions observed the Memorial by videoconference. 00:02:30 This resulted in some unique opportunities 00:02:33 to share the Memorial with others. 00:02:35 As you may have seen on the jw.org® Newsroom, 00:02:39 in the Philippines, one young pioneer’s invitation 00:02:44 to view the Memorial by videoconference 00:02:46 resulted in over 31,000 non-Witnesses 00:02:50 tying in by video or audio! 00:02:53 For each of us, being in our own home for the Memorial 00:02:58 was an unforgettable experience. 00:03:01 Yet, we were fully united with our brothers worldwide 00:03:05 in demonstrating our love for Jehovah and Jesus 00:03:09 on this special day. 00:03:11 In this video report from Tab Honsberger, 00:03:16 who serves as a member of the Haiti Branch Committee, 00:03:19 notice the benefits that came from observing the Memorial 00:03:23 by videoconference and even by telephone in Haiti. 00:03:27 No doubt you will identify with the feelings experienced 00:03:31 by the brothers in Haiti. 00:03:35 We can truly say 00:03:37 that the commemoration of Christ’s death 00:03:39 in Haiti this year was a memorable Memorial. 00:03:42 One congregation of 24 publishers in the far northwest of our country 00:03:47 was so pleased and thrilled to have 85 in attendance 00:03:52 for the Memorial in their congregation. 00:03:56 A brother relates how he studied the Bible with a man in the past, 00:03:59 but because he didn’t progress, it was decided at that time to stop the study. 00:04:04 That was two years ago. 00:04:06 So this year, for this year’s Memorial, in fact, the day before the Memorial, 00:04:10 the man (the former student) calls the brother 00:04:13 and says, “I would like to attend the Memorial.” 00:04:15 Of course, our brother said: “That’ll be wonderful. 00:04:17 You can attend the Memorial with our congregation via Zoom.” 00:04:21 So that’s what the man did. 00:04:23 After the Memorial observance, he was quite touched by it. 00:04:27 He said, “You know, when I look around the world right now 00:04:31 “and I see everything that’s happening, it’s very clear to me 00:04:35 “that it will be very soon when God’s Kingdom will intervene 00:04:38 and put a stop to all the problems that we now know.” 00:04:41 In fact, he said, “If anybody wants to serve God, 00:04:46 it is now the time to start doing so.” 00:04:50 So the man took his own counsel to heart, 00:04:53 and we’re happy to say that he’s attending meetings with us once again. 00:04:57 So whether it was through videoconferencing 00:05:01 or telephone conference calls, we can say that the faith of our brothers 00:05:05 was truly strengthened through the Memorial this year. 00:05:09 In fact, one sister, a pioneer sister in the south of the country, 00:05:13 explained why it was special for her. 00:05:15 She said, “It’s like we took the commemoration of Christ’s death 00:05:18 and we brought it into the homes of all the brothers and sisters.” 00:05:22 And, of course, Jehovah blessed that arrangement. 00:05:28 Don’t we feel united with our brothers in Haiti, 00:05:31 having observed the Memorial in similar ways? 00:05:34 Here at world headquarters, 00:05:37 we realized that not all those invited to the Memorial 00:05:41 could log on to a videoconference. 00:05:44 So adjustments were made to the jw.org website 00:05:48 to make the special talk and the Memorial talk available 00:05:52 to the public to stream 00:05:54 or download in over 500 languages. 00:05:58 Thanks to this provision, millions more 00:06:02 had the opportunity to benefit from these programs. 00:06:06 I’d like to share one beautiful example of a brother named Martin, 00:06:10 who lives in a very remote town in Kenya. 00:06:14 He downloaded the Memorial talk 00:06:17 so that he could share it with others in his service group. 00:06:20 Now, Martin is disabled 00:06:22 and also suffers from a serious health condition 00:06:25 that causes his body to overheat, 00:06:29 but that didn’t stop him from hiring a driver 00:06:32 with a motorcycle and traveling in hot weather 00:06:36 to provide a recording of the Memorial talk 00:06:38 to those who otherwise wouldn’t have had access to it. 00:06:42 Because of Martin’s self-sacrificing effort, 00:06:46 13 people in this remote area, 00:06:49 including some Bible students, attended the Memorial. 00:06:54 What a blessing all of these special arrangements proved to be! 00:06:58 In many cases, they resulted in non-Witness family members 00:07:02 “attending” their first Memorial right from their own homes. 00:07:09 Now, of course, the technology that made this possible 00:07:13 is not readily available everywhere. 00:07:16 In many parts of Africa, for example, 00:07:19 Internet access is extremely limited. 00:07:22 This made video and telephone conferencing 00:07:26 or streaming talks over the Internet 00:07:28 virtually impossible. 00:07:31 Since this all unfolded very quickly, 00:07:34 about one week before the Memorial, 00:07:37 several African countries faced the fact 00:07:41 that many of their publishers 00:07:43 would not be able to use any of these options. 00:07:47 As a result, the Governing Body approved for branches in Africa 00:07:52 to make the special talk and Memorial available 00:07:55 on TV and radio. 00:07:58 As reported on jw.org, 00:08:01 these arrangements benefited over 400,000 publishers 00:08:06 in addition to an untold number of interested persons. 00:08:10 Brothers worked tirelessly just days before these events 00:08:15 to negotiate the needed arrangements with radio and TV stations. 00:08:20 In one location in Mozambique, 00:08:22 the agreement with the TV station was finalized 00:08:25 only three hours before the Memorial talk 00:08:29 was to be broadcast! 00:08:31 In some congregations, 00:08:33 after struggling with unsuccessful downloads, 00:08:37 unreliable phone lines, and failing Internet connections, 00:08:42 the situation started to feel hopeless. 00:08:45 Then brothers unexpectedly started receiving 00:08:49 e-mails and text messages notifying them that the Memorial talk 00:08:54 would be available on TV. 00:08:56 In some cases, they found out 00:08:59 just minutes before the program began. 00:09:03 Here’s how some who received the program this way 00:09:06 expressed their gratitude: One brother said: 00:09:11 “The Creator has surpassed our needs 00:09:14 “in a way that we could not imagine. 00:09:17 “The pandemic cannot stop Jehovah’s will. 00:09:21 “This makes us more and more convinced 00:09:24 that he indeed is a strong tower.” 00:09:27 Another wrote: “We are very grateful 00:09:31 “for the arrangement that was made to broadcast the Memorial. 00:09:34 “It felt like we were at the Kingdom Hall and not alone. 00:09:38 “We are deeply grateful that in this time of COVID-19, 00:09:43 “nothing has prevented us from holding the Memorial 00:09:46 of the death of Jesus Christ.” 00:09:50 The Branch Committee in Congo (Kinshasa) 00:09:53 made similar arrangements for both the Memorial and the special talk 00:09:58 to be broadcast on television and radio stations throughout the country. 00:10:03 In the following interview with Hugues Kabitshwa, 00:10:07 note the encouraging experiences that resulted. 00:10:13 With the lack of Internet in most parts 00:10:15 of our branch territory 00:10:17 and the growing restrictions 00:10:18 because of the pandemic, 00:10:20 we were delighted to receive approval 00:10:22 to have the special talk broadcast over radio. 00:10:25 But we were asking, Will it really work? 00:10:29 A circuit overseer reported 00:10:31 that in the city of Gemena, the brothers tried to arrange 00:10:34 with a local radio station to broadcast the special talk. 00:10:37 But when they went to pay, they learned from the director 00:10:41 that the original time they had arranged for was no longer available. 00:10:45 The only available time 00:10:47 was an hour and a half earlier, at 8:30 a.m. 00:10:51 Relying on Jehovah, they agreed to the new time, 00:10:55 but they had only a few hours to inform everyone about the change. 00:11:00 Despite the earlier time, many people tuned in. 00:11:03 And right after the talk, a heavy rain began 00:11:07 disrupting all radio broadcasts until later that night. 00:11:11 Jehovah’s hand was with the brothers. 00:11:14 And we’ve received encouraging reports from all over the territory. 00:11:18 For example, another circuit overseer 00:11:21 reported that in his circuit, public response to the talk was so positive 00:11:26 that people called the radio station asking to hear the talk again. 00:11:30 So the brothers arranged to broadcast the talk a second time on the same day. 00:11:35 So far this 00:11:37 has resulted in 25 new telephone Bible studies in that circuit. 00:11:41 Clearly, despite this pandemic, the radio worked 00:11:45 —Jehovah made sure that this talk remains for us even more special. 00:11:52 What do these experiences show us? 00:11:56 Even a global pandemic could not stop us 00:11:59 from being united in true worship. 00:12:02 As Jesus said at John 14:15: 00:12:06 “If you love me, 00:12:09 you will observe my commandments.” 00:12:12 Above all else, it was our deep love for Jehovah 00:12:16 and for Jesus that moved us to give thanks for what they did 00:12:21 in providing the ransom and to obey Jesus’ command 00:12:25 to “keep doing this in remembrance of me.” 00:12:28 We showed that love by observing the Memorial 00:12:32 and enjoying the special talk as one united people, 00:12:36 even though it meant doing so in unique ways. 00:12:40 We are certain that Jehovah and his Son 00:12:44 are very happy and very proud of what we were able to do 00:12:49 worldwide under the present circumstances. 00:12:52 Surely, the words of Hebrews 6:10 apply, 00:12:56 where we’re reminded that Jehovah will never ‘forget our work 00:13:01 and the love we have shown for his name.’ 00:13:04 Although we don’t know when the present world situation 00:13:08 with this pandemic will end, we do know this: 00:13:13 God’s purpose will not fail. 00:13:16 There was a beginning to the pandemic and there will be an end. 00:13:20 Jehovah and his Son will make certain 00:13:23 that all causes for harm will soon be completely removed 00:13:28 once this system of things is gone forever, 00:13:32 and aren’t we grateful for that? 00:13:35 Please be assured of our warm love 00:13:38 and prayers in your behalf. 00:13:41 From the World Headquarters of Jehovah’s Witnesses, 00:13:45 this is JW Broadcasting®.
00:00:01 Since our last update, 00:00:03 the coronavirus pandemic has taken 00:00:06 a grim toll around the world. 00:00:09 And we know 00:00:10 that more and more of you dear brothers and sisters 00:00:13 are grappling with the effects of this crisis every day. 00:00:17 We want to assure you of our love 00:00:20 and of how deeply concerned we are about each one of you 00:00:24 and of the many prayers being offered in your behalf. 00:00:28 And we trust that Jehovah will give you 00:00:32 “the power beyond what is normal,” 00:00:34 as promised at 2 Corinthians 4:7, 00:00:38 so that you can endure this pandemic 00:00:40 with your faith in Jehovah’s unfailing promises intact. 00:00:47 Despite all the challenges we’ve been facing, 00:00:50 hasn’t it been encouraging to see how quickly 00:00:53 and effectively Jehovah’s people have adapted 00:00:56 to the change in circumstances 00:00:59 —from holding meetings by videoconference 00:01:02 to preaching and teaching by e-mail, letter writing, 00:01:06 telephone, and text message? 00:01:09 And this was especially true regarding the Memorial. 00:01:14 In this report, we’d like to share a few updates 00:01:18 about how our brothers and sisters around the world 00:01:21 were strengthened as they came together 00:01:24 for the special talk and the Memorial. 00:01:28 As the day of the Memorial drew closer, 00:01:31 did you wonder how this was all going to work? 00:01:34 Would we be meeting in smaller groups? 00:01:37 How would we handle the emblems? 00:01:40 How could we invite coworkers, neighbors, and interested ones? 00:01:43 Where would we invite them to if we couldn’t meet at the Kingdom Hall? 00:01:48 We longed to be together on this important occasion, 00:01:53 but we also recognized how important it was to comply fully 00:01:57 with any government restrictions and physical-distancing guidelines 00:02:02 —not only to show our “subjection to the superior authorities” 00:02:06 but also for our own safety and that of our neighbors. 00:02:11 And so we observed the Memorial, 00:02:14 even though that meant doing so in unique ways 00:02:17 —ways we might never have experienced before. 00:02:21 For the first time in theocratic history, 00:02:25 millions observed the Memorial by videoconference. 00:02:30 This resulted in some unique opportunities 00:02:33 to share the Memorial with others. 00:02:35 As you may have seen on the jw.org® Newsroom, 00:02:39 in the Philippines, one young pioneer’s invitation 00:02:44 to view the Memorial by videoconference 00:02:46 resulted in over 31,000 non-Witnesses 00:02:50 tying in by video or audio! 00:02:53 For each of us, being in our own home for the Memorial 00:02:58 was an unforgettable experience. 00:03:01 Yet, we were fully united with our brothers worldwide 00:03:05 in demonstrating our love for Jehovah and Jesus 00:03:09 on this special day. 00:03:11 In this video report from Tab Honsberger, 00:03:16 who serves as a member of the Haiti Branch Committee, 00:03:19 notice the benefits that came from observing the Memorial 00:03:23 by videoconference and even by telephone in Haiti. 00:03:27 No doubt you will identify with the feelings experienced 00:03:31 by the brothers in Haiti. 00:03:35 We can truly say 00:03:37 that the commemoration of Christ’s death 00:03:39 in Haiti this year was a memorable Memorial. 00:03:42 One congregation of 24 publishers in the far northwest of our country 00:03:47 was so pleased and thrilled to have 85 in attendance 00:03:52 for the Memorial in their congregation. 00:03:56 A brother relates how he studied the Bible with a man in the past, 00:03:59 but because he didn’t progress, it was decided at that time to stop the study. 00:04:04 That was two years ago. 00:04:06 So this year, for this year’s Memorial, in fact, the day before the Memorial, 00:04:10 the man (the former student) calls the brother 00:04:13 and says, “I would like to attend the Memorial.” 00:04:15 Of course, our brother said: “That’ll be wonderful. 00:04:17 You can attend the Memorial with our congregation via Zoom.” 00:04:21 So that’s what the man did. 00:04:23 After the Memorial observance, he was quite touched by it. 00:04:27 He said, “You know, when I look around the world right now 00:04:31 “and I see everything that’s happening, it’s very clear to me 00:04:35 “that it will be very soon when God’s Kingdom will intervene 00:04:38 and put a stop to all the problems that we now know.” 00:04:41 In fact, he said, “If anybody wants to serve God, 00:04:46 it is now the time to start doing so.” 00:04:50 So the man took his own counsel to heart, 00:04:53 and we’re happy to say that he’s attending meetings with us once again. 00:04:57 So whether it was through videoconferencing 00:05:01 or telephone conference calls, we can say that the faith of our brothers 00:05:05 was truly strengthened through the Memorial this year. 00:05:09 In fact, one sister, a pioneer sister in the south of the country, 00:05:13 explained why it was special for her. 00:05:15 She said, “It’s like we took the commemoration of Christ’s death 00:05:18 and we brought it into the homes of all the brothers and sisters.” 00:05:22 And, of course, Jehovah blessed that arrangement. 00:05:28 Don’t we feel united with our brothers in Haiti, 00:05:31 having observed the Memorial in similar ways? 00:05:34 Here at world headquarters, 00:05:37 we realized that not all those invited to the Memorial 00:05:41 could log on to a videoconference. 00:05:44 So adjustments were made to the jw.org website 00:05:48 to make the special talk and the Memorial talk available 00:05:52 to the public to stream 00:05:54 or download in over 500 languages. 00:05:58 Thanks to this provision, millions more 00:06:02 had the opportunity to benefit from these programs. 00:06:06 I’d like to share one beautiful example of a brother named Martin, 00:06:10 who lives in a very remote town in Kenya. 00:06:14 He downloaded the Memorial talk 00:06:17 so that he could share it with others in his service group. 00:06:20 Now, Martin is disabled 00:06:22 and also suffers from a serious health condition 00:06:25 that causes his body to overheat, 00:06:29 but that didn’t stop him from hiring a driver 00:06:32 with a motorcycle and traveling in hot weather 00:06:36 to provide a recording of the Memorial talk 00:06:38 to those who otherwise wouldn’t have had access to it. 00:06:42 Because of Martin’s self-sacrificing effort, 00:06:46 13 people in this remote area, 00:06:49 including some Bible students, attended the Memorial. 00:06:54 What a blessing all of these special arrangements proved to be! 00:06:58 In many cases, they resulted in non-Witness family members 00:07:02 “attending” their first Memorial right from their own homes. 00:07:09 Now, of course, the technology that made this possible 00:07:13 is not readily available everywhere. 00:07:16 In many parts of Africa, for example, 00:07:19 Internet access is extremely limited. 00:07:22 This made video and telephone conferencing 00:07:26 or streaming talks over the Internet 00:07:28 virtually impossible. 00:07:31 Since this all unfolded very quickly, 00:07:34 about one week before the Memorial, 00:07:37 several African countries faced the fact 00:07:41 that many of their publishers 00:07:43 would not be able to use any of these options. 00:07:47 As a result, the Governing Body approved for branches in Africa 00:07:52 to make the special talk and Memorial available 00:07:55 on TV and radio. 00:07:58 As reported on jw.org, 00:08:01 these arrangements benefited over 400,000 publishers 00:08:06 in addition to an untold number of interested persons. 00:08:10 Brothers worked tirelessly just days before these events 00:08:15 to negotiate the needed arrangements with radio and TV stations. 00:08:20 In one location in Mozambique, 00:08:22 the agreement with the TV station was finalized 00:08:25 only three hours before the Memorial talk 00:08:29 was to be broadcast! 00:08:31 In some congregations, 00:08:33 after struggling with unsuccessful downloads, 00:08:37 unreliable phone lines, and failing Internet connections, 00:08:42 the situation started to feel hopeless. 00:08:45 Then brothers unexpectedly started receiving 00:08:49 e-mails and text messages notifying them that the Memorial talk 00:08:54 would be available on TV. 00:08:56 In some cases, they found out 00:08:59 just minutes before the program began. 00:09:03 Here’s how some who received the program this way 00:09:06 expressed their gratitude: One brother said: 00:09:11 “The Creator has surpassed our needs 00:09:14 “in a way that we could not imagine. 00:09:17 “The pandemic cannot stop Jehovah’s will. 00:09:21 “This makes us more and more convinced 00:09:24 that he indeed is a strong tower.” 00:09:27 Another wrote: “We are very grateful 00:09:31 “for the arrangement that was made to broadcast the Memorial. 00:09:34 “It felt like we were at the Kingdom Hall and not alone. 00:09:38 “We are deeply grateful that in this time of COVID-19, 00:09:43 “nothing has prevented us from holding the Memorial 00:09:46 of the death of Jesus Christ.” 00:09:50 The Branch Committee in Congo (Kinshasa) 00:09:53 made similar arrangements for both the Memorial and the special talk 00:09:58 to be broadcast on television and radio stations throughout the country. 00:10:03 In the following interview with Hugues Kabitshwa, 00:10:07 note the encouraging experiences that resulted. 00:10:13 With the lack of Internet in most parts 00:10:15 of our branch territory 00:10:17 and the growing restrictions 00:10:18 because of the pandemic, 00:10:20 we were delighted to receive approval 00:10:22 to have the special talk broadcast over radio. 00:10:25 But we were asking, Will it really work? 00:10:29 A circuit overseer reported 00:10:31 that in the city of Gemena, the brothers tried to arrange 00:10:34 with a local radio station to broadcast the special talk. 00:10:37 But when they went to pay, they learned from the director 00:10:41 that the original time they had arranged for was no longer available. 00:10:45 The only available time 00:10:47 was an hour and a half earlier, at 8:30 a.m. 00:10:51 Relying on Jehovah, they agreed to the new time, 00:10:55 but they had only a few hours to inform everyone about the change. 00:11:00 Despite the earlier time, many people tuned in. 00:11:03 And right after the talk, a heavy rain began 00:11:07 disrupting all radio broadcasts until later that night. 00:11:11 Jehovah’s hand was with the brothers. 00:11:14 And we’ve received encouraging reports from all over the territory. 00:11:18 For example, another circuit overseer 00:11:21 reported that in his circuit, public response to the talk was so positive 00:11:26 that people called the radio station asking to hear the talk again. 00:11:30 So the brothers arranged to broadcast the talk a second time on the same day. 00:11:35 So far this 00:11:37 has resulted in 25 new telephone Bible studies in that circuit. 00:11:41 Clearly, despite this pandemic, the radio worked 00:11:45 —Jehovah made sure that this talk remains for us even more special. 00:11:52 What do these experiences show us? 00:11:56 Even a global pandemic could not stop us 00:11:59 from being united in true worship. 00:12:02 As Jesus said at John 14:15: 00:12:06 “If you love me, 00:12:09 you will observe my commandments.” 00:12:12 Above all else, it was our deep love for Jehovah 00:12:16 and for Jesus that moved us to give thanks for what they did 00:12:21 in providing the ransom and to obey Jesus’ command 00:12:25 to “keep doing this in remembrance of me.” 00:12:28 We showed that love by observing the Memorial 00:12:32 and enjoying the special talk as one united people, 00:12:36 even though it meant doing so in unique ways. 00:12:40 We are certain that Jehovah and his Son 00:12:44 are very happy and very proud of what we were able to do 00:12:49 worldwide under the present circumstances. 00:12:52 Surely, the words of Hebrews 6:10 apply, 00:12:56 where we’re reminded that Jehovah will never ‘forget our work 00:13:01 and the love we have shown for his name.’ 00:13:04 Although we don’t know when the present world situation 00:13:08 with this pandemic will end, we do know this: 00:13:13 God’s purpose will not fail. 00:13:16 There was a beginning to the pandemic and there will be an end. 00:13:20 Jehovah and his Son will make certain 00:13:23 that all causes for harm will soon be completely removed 00:13:28 once this system of things is gone forever, 00:13:32 and aren’t we grateful for that? 00:13:35 Please be assured of our warm love 00:13:38 and prayers in your behalf. 00:13:41 From the World Headquarters of Jehovah’s Witnesses, 00:13:45 this is JW Broadcasting®.
