Despite your reservations with being a JW, did you ever sometimes felt like you accomplished something in field service?

by miseryloveselders 18 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  miseryloveselders

  I've got my fair share of things that irritate me to no end regarding this religion. However, I have to be fair. I got up this morning, and for some reason I didnt feel overwhelmingly negative about what I was getting ready to do. I showed up at the group a tad bit late. Another elder is in my group and helps relieve some of the pressure off of me. I have a little trouble with social anxiety, and this religion physically and mentally exhausts me as a result. At any rate, 11 people showed up at the meeting point. The territory was adjacent to the meeting point, so we didnt have to travel far. It was hot than a MOFO out there today too. It's like 85 out right now. We did 2 hours straight door to door, no break. I'm happy to say we finished the territory so the brother can turn that in. Afterwards we went on calls. What really made my day though, was being able to help a couple people.

  I still personally feel that the door to door ministry is outdated and ineffective in this day and age of media. I also hate with a passion the WTS view that all other Christian faiths and even nonChristian faiths are invalid. I run into mostly Baptists, Catholics, Protestants, etc., and there is a divide between us over minor doctrine. Minor doctrine that is highly debateable. To me, that kind of divide shouldnt exist. We should be able to look at other Christians as brothers in the faith, with differences over interpretation. So that part of field service bothers me. However, I'm happy when I run into someone who truly is looking for some kind of guidance. It makes me feel good when I can encourage them with a scripture. Or when I can help them understand something in the Bible they had misconstrued. I was able to do those things today, and it made me feel good. Don't get me wrong, I'm not planning on pioneering or anything. That's going beyond whats written. But as someone who still considers himself a Christian, granted very imperfect, but still trying, I have to say today I'm glad I went out in field service.

  So I'm asking you, did you ever feel very good about your day in field service? And I don't mean good as in glad that its over!!! Seriously, did you ever help someone while in field service, and feel good about it later?
• 

  Palimpsest

  No, I never had that happen. I would sometimes have fun just being out with friends, but the "work" I did never accomplished anything. I'm from a very liberal, largely Jewish and Catholic area, so we almost never had anyone talk to us. At best, I'd be able to get through maybe 10 seconds of my sales pitch before I got the "not interested" from them. I never had successful calls. No one wanted to talk, so the encounters you describe never happened for me.

  On a related note, we only seemed to get new members in our congregation when people found someone truly helpless (like low-income single mothers who wanted somewhere to socialize) or when children were born. And most of the new recruits never progressed to baptism. For a relatively large congregation, we were lucky if we had one baptism in an entire year. It was just impossible to get people to engage at the door.
• 

  Open mind

  I think RVs on older people who were living alone without any family in the area may have helped them have a bit more human contact than they would have otherwise.

  Sharing the hope that God is soon to fix everything probably helped some people feel better.

  Pointing out specific, common sense Proverbs may have done some good. (Don't isolate yourself, don't be too proud, work hard, enjoy the fruits of your labors, don't be jerk, be generous, help & protect the weak, etc.)

  That's about all I can think of.

  But the underlying "JOIN US OR DIE" message was always there, right below the surface.

  om
• 

  EndofMysteries

  Yea, growing up, I enjoyed getting to know others. It feels good when your giving a sacrifice to help other people and your sincere. There are many sincere in the Org too. I hate though when I recall how I judged others according to the unscriptual judging doctrine.

  Everyone who's left, and I still myself need to find something, but should make an effort to help others. Those who do believe in God, can try to do like Jesus said, helping fatherless children and widows, and help with a basic understanding of God and the bible and encourage to develop their own relationship with God. (children not sure how to go in that aspect....until adults or teens would need human guidance)

  Those who don't believe in God, can still help others.
• 

  villabolo

  NO!
• 

  finallysomepride

  No never in all my life of door knocking.

  Only thing I achieved was I reduced the pile of crap (magazines) i had at home.
• 

  White Dove

  I never ever felt like I accomplished one blasted thing at all while in service.

  I pioneered to capture that elusive "joy" they were always talking about.

  I got nothing but grief from it.

  It was due to the old gossiping geese sisters' back biting and jealousy at others' accomplishments.

  Getting the door shut in my face and "not interested" all the time just wore me down and made me feel sad.
• 

  sherah

  I have to answer no as well. FS was mostly a social gathering and guilt-absolving mission. It always felt like a burdensome obligation.

  Even though the territory consisted of families from various christian backgrounds, most objected to the JW interpretation of the scriptures.

  Toward the end of my FS career, i would only use the bible if i went out. In the D2D ministry, you are there as a representative of JW's and whatever scriptural thought you share with a householder has to be in line with whatever lite the WTBS is currently cranking out. I may feel one way about a bible verse but have to tow the company line for uniformity. And there was always a chance that the person you helped by sharing a scriptural could become interested in learning more. I quit going out.

  My 2 hours is better spent helping persons by donating money and time to organizations in line with my beliefs.
• 

  Think About It

  Guilt-absolving mission.

  Great 3 word phase to describe FS.

  Think About It
• 

  Darth plaugeis

  No here too... I was a Pioneer and never got joy from service... it felt wrong. That's why I pioneered LOL