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00:03 I have an illness that affects my level of energy, 00:06 so I didn’t feel that I could accept just any kind of assignment. 00:10 Since the end of this system is near, 00:14 I want to do whatever I can 00:16 that Jehovah wants down to the very end. 00:19 So I applied. 00:21 Before attending SKE, when I received my invitation, 00:24 all of a sudden I had challenges or worries about myself. 00:28 I felt unworthy, even unqualified. 00:32 Being a single sister, going into the class with so many couples, 00:37 I thought I would be out of place. 00:43 I used all my abilities. 00:47 I felt like my head was swelling up. 00:51 Even so, I felt that I was really being refined 00:55 and ended each day feeling fulfilled. 01:01 Something that I 01:03 really enjoyed about SKE 01:04 was Friday afternoons. 01:06 That’s when we had a talk 01:08 from one of the Governing Body members. 01:10 That was special. 01:12 During the eight weeks of school, 01:14 such an emphasis was placed 01:15 on serving where the need is greater. 01:17 So this way of thinking became more important to us. 01:20 After eight weeks of attending the school, 01:22 you are even ready to be sent to the moon. 01:25 When I was told 01:26 that my next assignment 01:28 would be in Mesa, Arizona, 01:30 I thought, ‘Where is that?’ 01:32 And then I thought, ‘Oh, no, scorpions!’ 01:35 And then I thought, ‘OK, 01:37 this is where Jehovah thinks I should be, so I’m ready to go.’ 01:41 One of the challenges in my new assignment 01:43 was finding suitable accommodations. 01:46 There was a couple in the congregation 01:48 who had two rooms that they rented in the back of their property, 01:51 but it needed some renovations. 01:53 So the brothers very quickly came together, helped sort it out, 01:56 and even built an extra little kitchenette lounge. 02:00 So now we have a beautiful little home 02:02 to go back to after a long, hot day in the ministry. 02:06 I always thought that I’d do much better in the cold than I would in the heat. 02:10 So the brothers and sisters were very helpful 02:13 in making sure that I stayed hydrated, 02:15 making sure I knew how to handle myself in the heat, 02:19 giving me pointers on things to carry, 02:22 and they made sure that I had 02:24 an extra-large water bottle with me. 02:27 We really felt supported by the congregation 02:31 because they found us an apartment. 02:33 This meant that we could concentrate on our ministry. 02:39 One of the things that really helped me was an experienced brother 02:43 who gave an encouraging comment about whether my health 02:46 would permit me to attend the school. 02:48 He said, “If she can pioneer, 02:51 then it’s also possible for her to attend the school.” 02:55 The education that we received at SKE 02:58 especially helped us with our qualities, 03:01 our personality —putting on the new personality. 03:04 That really will help us not only now in our assignment 03:07 but right through into the new world. 03:12 I think there are many who could meet the qualifications 03:15 with just a little more effort. 03:17 Please know that there is a wonderful education program, 03:22 and we were able to experience it in our 60’s. 03:25 We could get through it. 03:29 So if others are thinking of applying, 03:32 I want to tell them that we were able to do it, 03:35 and by all means, 03:37 I want them to taste the same joy that we experienced. 03:43 You could be nervous 03:45 and have performance anxiety and worry about, 03:48 ‘How will I handle answering, 03:50 ‘and how about all of the student assignments 03:52 and the tests?’ —worries like that. 03:55 But for my own part, 03:57 it was two months with an incredible amount of joy. 04:01 And you have to focus on that. 04:03 It is a gift —it is a wonderful gift from Jehovah. 04:08 I wasn’t sure if I was going to put in the application 04:11 because I thought maybe I wanted to do it as a couple 04:13 rather than as a single person. 04:16 But I prayed to Jehovah about it, and I put my application in. 04:20 I wouldn’t be experiencing the happiness 04:22 that I have now if I had waited. 04:24 So I’m happy that I just put my application in 04:27 and let Jehovah do the rest. 04:29 And now, sometimes I’m driving down the freeway, and I think: 04:31 ‘Wow, Jehovah, I am so happy! Thank you!’