"it just looks good on paper"

Gilberto

The "where's your jacket brother" thread reminded me of an incident.

I was conducting 4 bible studies two on a monday evening, one wednesday evening and one on a Sunday morning. I was working full time.
So the only first call I did was on an Saturday Morning for an hour (the cats ministry) never did RVs then. So my report at the end of the month was in the 20+ hour mark with 20 RVs return visits and 4 Bible studies. I was keen.

On a "shepherding call" (don't you just hate that) The elder told me I should be going out with the group on a Sunday morning and do RVs on a Saturday. His words were that my ministry wasn't that good "it just looks good on paper".

I was demoralised.

Did he really think that would make me want to do more?

Mrs Smith

wow. He was proberbly jealous that you did way more than he did.

Gilberto

That was the conclusion we finally came to Mrs Smith.

Serg

I agree, you probably were doing 4 times as much as he really was and had 4 more studies than he did, so his only comment was that it looked good on paper. Of course if you had the same amount but without the studies then he would have asked you about studies.

I call those elders "catch-22 elders", you're damned if you do and you're damned if you don't!

How about I DONT AT ALL!

Pioneer Spit...oh, i mean Spirit

Back when my husband wanted to be 'used' in the cong, 'looking good on paper' was all that counted--Brother Loser with 5 kids turned in 20 hrs a month (I was told) and therefore could be 'used', I said he better Fn turn in 20--that accounts for studying with all his kids and NO OTHER service whatsoever.

However, my husband worked 60 hrs a week (so that I could regular pioneer) and consistently FOR YEARS turned in 8-9 hrs per mo. They wouldn't 'use' him/consider him of value because his yearly average was 8.9 hrs per month not 10.

It all started to stink. . .

Bonnie_Clyde

My son would turn in about 8 hours per month--he purposedly kept it just low enough so he wouldn't be appointed as a servant. He's totally out now--I'm so glad.

carla

Can you explain this to me? I'm not trying to be a smart aleck, ok, you had Mon & Wed book studies (new jw's) then you probably had Tues & Thurs meetings and Saturday too and Sunday meetings, just when did you see your wife & kids if you had them?

Just looking at from my view point with a dub husband and all the time he spends in jw crap. It really pisses me off sometimes and he doesn't even have a book study yet with someone he would like to indoctrinate. I guess what really annoys me is he has no clue as to what goes on with his own immediate family but seems to be up to speed on the doings of jw kids (when he is stupid enough to mention it). One child says they are just going to start saying they don't have a dad and it would be far from the truth.

Gilberto

How about I DONT AT ALL!

LOL

Pioneer Spirit

Your husband should have done what my BIL did when he wanted to be "made up". He used to "borrow" hours from the proceeding month! The elders wondered why his report always showed exactly 10 hours month in and month out. I don't think he ever paid back his debt. His IOU to Jehovah must be huge by now

Bonnie Clyde

Your son was shrewd, enough hours to keep the elders away but not enough to be spiritual. But I would think 8/9 hours a month would be very good nowadays.

buffalosrfree

looking good on paper is what the elders are all about, at least that seems to have been my experience in the congregations that I have attended. In one cong they put up on the board all the various assignments each particular elder had, and that was when I discovered who the elder was in charge of shepherding calls. Never knew, not one call in four years of attendance there. In fact in 20 years, have had maybe 3 shepherding calls. So they say they do it, (because it looks good on paper you know) but really do they????

Gilberto

Hi Carla

You are right about the meetings. I had a wife but no kids then.

My wife was a JW (she's out aswell now), so it is a bit different than your situation. She was sort of happy that I was so "spiritual" but was concerned for my welfare.

I agree that it didn't leave much time to spend with her. Funnily enough we always used to say, even when we were quite zealous, that we would find it hard to bring up kids as "good" JWs.

I hope your husband comes to his senses, once I found out the truth, I waited patiently for a few years for my wife. She finally came round last year. Obviously by then I was just going through the motions.

"it just looks good on paper"

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