Hello, my name is Bonnie, I will start by how I came "into the truth". my husband and i lived in dallas, tex in '72, of course we were not married at the time of our being contacted by a work friend of his, though they still befriended us and our families became close. Soon, we were married and quickly thereafter, we were invited to the kingdom hall. i was a little hesitant at first, and my husband was also invited to attend a church by another workmate of his, at the same time, so i wanted to check them both out before i could make that kind of decision, worshipping God had always been a serious matter for me, and i would not take it litely. well, we went to the church, and i was so upset to be treated like a star by this mans name, that i chose to try this kingdom hall out. Well, i fell in love with it immediately, the people welcomed us and we were made to feel welcome. we studied for almost 6 mos before we were baptised in april of '73, and i began aux. pioneering as soon as i was allowed!! We gave this expierience at the assemblies for several weeks a few years later!! well, i spent the next 13 years doing all i could for the elderly, and those who were in need of help, picking up those who had no way out in service, or the meetings, i was always happy to be there for them!! and everyone thought my husband was terrific, though at home i was strugglng to keep my boys from being beaten by him, numerous bruises by the belt lashings he gave them, crying about how sorry he was afterward, and proudly abusing the "spare the rod spoil the child" thing!! I carried a picture of my Aaron when he was 2, with a black-eye and fat lip froma beating this jerk gave my beautiful baby boy!! but, because we had to stay together, i could do nothing!!
For years i dealt with this to the point of my haveing anxiety attacts everytime he was near me!! so, i finally made the decision to leave!! he brought the elders in and they had the nerve to tell me that what a man does in his home is his business!!! OH MY Gosh!! that was all i could take, i waited for my oldest son to graduate from high school, and moved out!!
for 6 mos after i left this jerk, he kept coming around bringing me things--perfume, flowers(he never did this ever before!!) and i could not take it anymore, so i told him that I hated everything about him and i never wanted him around me or my boys again!! well, do you know, it wasn't a month after that, that he and a woman who I had concidered my friend, wife of a well respected elder, was disfellowshipped and they were married not 2 months later!! he was seeing her while he was trying to get me back!!
Well, I tried to attend a local hall, but something wasn't right for me anymore, i just stopped going. Was out for about 10 years, had remarried another loser, but was given the gift of my terriffic Josh!! that marriage didn't last, and it was just us two for a long time!! We ended up living in a small town just south of Daytona Beach, we were very lonely and i was depressed a lot, so i contacted the cong. there, as i had had a lot of good memories in the early years of being a witness and thought that this would give Josh a chance to belong to something!!
This is where it gets good!! we both jumped head first back into the meetings, service(everyday!!) an elder began studying with him and he was baptised after a year. I had gotten a good job, had no problems, had to ask no one for help, then the job ended... a bro. and sis. offered me a position helping them with her alzheimer mother, promising me everything!! They really messed me up, wouldn't give me time off for service, didn't pay me what they had promised, i became very behind on my bills, then one day out of the blue, they said they had found someone else and wouldn't need me anymore!!
my car got repo'd, i lost my appartment, had to move in with a "worldly" friend, and was always haveing to ask for rides, couldn't get a job, no money, some of the friends helped us as much as they could, and believe me i was so thankful, and i always told them, and showed them how much!! BUT, not according to the almighty bro.(my kids are missionaries..and i write articles for the mags)blanchard!!
One sunday, i was called into the library by 2 of the brothers(not 3) and I now know how it feels to be railroaded, they told me that i was the most unthankful person they had ever met, they had it by word of mouth that i had never once said thank you for any of the help i had been given!! I was using people and i was required to write personal thank-yous to everyone who had helped me!!
i had no words for anything he said, i was devastated!! we had not missed a meeting in 2 years!! we associated with elders families, i drove 10 miles for every meeting to pick up a sister who no one else wanted to deal with.. i didn't know what was happening, and it wasn't til we moved to pensacola and i was praying to jehovah that i realised what it was!! He was getting us out of there, and we have been blessed since then, no weight, no dark clouds!! it will always have a bearing on both me and my son, but we are better people for this happening!!
WOW!! That feels great to tell and know you all know understand!! thanks for this site!!