When do you begin counting time? (page 3)

Reopened Mind

When I pioneered I would I would start my time by calling a RV to go over the day's text before heading out to the meeting for field service.

When I had a study come to the meetings I would count the time from when that person arrived at the hall (if I picked her up, even better) until the time she left. Of course I would sit next to her and explain things during the meeting.

There were trailer parks and apartment complexes in our territory where we couldn't get in to witness so we counted time driving through copying addresses. Then I counted time writing out by hand the form letters.

I could also add another 4 hours a month studying with my unbaptised children. When we had unbaptised children with us in our car group we kept our time going from the time we formed the group until we stopped for the day.

So many useless rules on time.

Reopened Mind

clearpoison

Interesting theme indeed. In general I started counting time from the first call, until the last call.

In my wild and carefree youthful years as pioneer a lived in district that was quite big geographically, even it was kind of city/metropolitan area. I could start with one RV in city center and then as I was cheap took the bus with my year card to northern part of the city to another RV. Busride would take some 45-60 minutes, and taking train with just 30 minutes was not a option for me even the year card would have worked there too. Obviously next RV would be in eastern part of the city, bus ride there would take some 70 minutes as there was need to switch the bus. You guessed it right, next RV in western part of the city and the ride would take some 80 minutes. If I was in righteous mood, I could then do some door-to-door activity there to call the day. Counting time whole the time ofcourse. Short coffee breaks was not deducted, but full-scale lunches would be.

The good thing with all this was that me and my current wife could really learn to know eachother even be slightly affectioned, riding bus and counting time.

CP

snakeface

I used to begin my time when the field service meeting ended. Many people would stand around in the hall and socialize. Some would start their time when we got to the territory, or when they knocked on the first door.

I always thought of it like my secular job; I'm there from 9-5. I expect to be paid from 9-5 even if the computers are down or I'm called into a meeting or whatever else happens. I arranged to be there at 9, ready to work. I don't punch out to use the restroom or get coffee in the breakroom at work, so I never stopped counting my field service time when I took breaks. After all, had I not been out in field service at all that day, I would not have been on that break either. The break was part of that activity.

WTWizard

I used to start my time at 9:30, just to make computation easier. Usually, I would count until noon, trying to get to the nearest half hour for the day. For the month, I would round down to the hour--no fake time slips.

And yes, sometimes (especially later) I would do dummy "service". I would take a walk where I know no one is going to show up and count that as an hour of service. And a couple of times I sat on a drive across town, hitting every red light, and the call was not home. And that was my month of field circus. Just drives home what a waste of time the whole thing is.

C6H12O6

I used to count time like this: 10-12, as 2 hours

Then, Sister Nosy saw my time slip and asked how I counted my time. I explained it to her just like from above. She told how I should be honest with the time counted and that "Jehovah sees and knows everything."

So then I started counting time when I knock on the door, place something with people or tried to. Travel time not included.

I started writing letters to make up for the time lost; but apparently that wasn't good enough. Since I'm doing the letter writing by myself it was not considered "real service" because it wasn't the same as D2D or street witnessing. Those two ways are the ones that I hate most, because I'm socially awkward, extremely shy, and have trouble talking to strangers. Plus I have no transportation to the Hall except walking 2 miles.

Later I couldn't count coffee and bathroom breaks.

Then "official field service time" ended once I leave the door of the home.

Eventually, I had to count time by the minutes with the stop watch feature on my phone. The only time I'm allowed to count is D2D and street witnessing with a partner. At the end of the month, all the minutes would be added up and divided by 60. (ex. 120 minutes/60 = 2 hours)

By using this method, my hours got cut from 10 to 3 hours per month...even if I go out to service on every weekend of that month! Of course I got hounded for the low hours even during field service.

Extra: Did you get hounded to turn your report in, did an elder call your home asking you for your time?

Sometimes they remind everyone to turn in their reports as part of the announcements. The elders did call my home several times for my time. All those times I could have sworn I put my time slip in the box. Maybe I forgot to put my name on it.

Ding

If there is a bigger waste of time than door-to-door field service, I'd like to know about it.

Sitting in repetitive meetings.

At least going d2d, people get some exercise.

Anony Mous

One of our local pioneers works at night. So he starts his time when he comes home from work by dropping of a tract, then he goes home, changes and goes to the FS meeting, hands out territory if need be, goes home to take a quick nap, goes back out around 11:30 to catch up with the group. Does the same for the afternoon except that he usually doesn't return then - 8 hour days that dude gets while working hard labor (literally, no easy job he has) full time night shifts, being an elder and having loads of other responsibilities.

blondie

I knew an older pioneer sister who would call a "return visit" with her cell phone as she left her home and then as she walked into her home. Of course, she knew they wouldn't be there. She used to call on a house in her block...no one home of course.

I knew elders that took an hour "break" and count the whole time because they "witnessed" for 60 seconds to their waitperson.

Pioneers have very creative ways to punch up their time.

When do you begin counting time?

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