So........
It started in 1998 when we were disfellowshipped (my husband and I) for the big A word. Apostacy! Going against our baptismal question agreement.
My husband already partook inside. Started at 29 years old. Born and raised a jw but new he should be partaking since 17 yrs old. Fear and who is he a kid to think hes one of the 144,000.
Finally at 29 couldn't hold back. Most were ok with him cuz we were prettty popular inside. Its who ya know you know! After almost 3 years being disfellowshipped....
in 2000 we decided to go to memorial as a family and partake since we now knew it is for all, an open covenant not just for the priests.
We went, partook, caught them off guard and they were not going to have it again. Following year 2001, we go......and they stop us at the door tell us we are not invited in, had no friends and they would call the authorities if we were to force our way in. At the time we didn't know the laws on this legally. So we told them we were here for them, not for us out of love for them as all our families are inside. But we are not here to cause any problems, so we left peacefully.
8 years went by. I guess you could say fear stopped us and feeling of why go if their not going to let you in anyways. Who needs that rejection.
And then holy spirit kept reminding us, "who else will go and show them how they are denying my son by not partaking if you don't go. You've been raised one of them. You lived it to the letter of the law the best anyone could, now it has turned on them. Go....remember they rejected me (Christ) first. And a slave is no greater than his master, but they will not be able to say someone was not sent.
So in 2009 my husband and I went. Totally caught them off guard and we went in fine. Partook (you could hear a pin drop) and left peacefully.
Now 2010 is here and we know they are expecting us. We figured they would try and stop us at the door and not let us in.....
But what happened is interesting. 3 brothers were outside directing parking. When we showed up (our 3 sons were with us this year) what a witness. All grown up!
They sent their spy in to report us arriving and a brother met us outside and said We need to stop you here. You may come in but you have to wait outside til in starts. We have seats for you in the back already ( wow! reserved seating)
But....I told them there is 5 of us this year not two. He said uuh wait here I have to get more seats then.
Now mind you we arrived early to all seat together and now we have to stand outside for 25 minutes. Its trying to snow its so cold.
The great thing is everyone coming in had to pass by us. Amazing looks on certain people. Scared to death of us. You knew who the visitors(worldly ones) were cuz they all smiled and said hello. lol
When it started they let us in. Song had started.
Everthing went great. All 5 of us partook.. Noticeable decrease in the goblet on the platform. My husbands father and mother sat right in front of the bread and wine, so they had to notice.
When it was over we started to exit and funny thing...the brother at the beginning who told us to stand outside stood in the way of the isle with his arm out as to keep us from walking to the front of the kingdom hall. Like what were we going to walk to the front for anyways. Make an announcement, bomb it??????? who knows. I looked at him and said goodnite, my husband said thank you and we all left. Noone looked at us.
We felt great when we got out. Very bittersweet. You feel no life or spirit at all in there. Our youngest said, noone looks happy or even like they wanted to be they. Looked like they had to be there not because they wanted to be. Our boys were ......how in the heck did they get that out of that scripture. It clearing says "EAT" not "OBSERVE"....lol
So.....another year has passed. We will see what next year will bring.
