I remember all the years the WTS milked the guilt re the woman who preached in an iron lung.
*** w03 9/1 p. 17 Trust in Jehovah Completely in Times of Distress ***“Not Even an Iron Lung Could Stop Her Preaching.”—Awake!, January 22, 1993.
*** km 6/03 p. 7 par. 4 Disabled—Yet Fruitful ***Were you not encouraged by the life story of Laurel Nisbet, who was confined to an iron lung for 37 years yet helped 17 individuals to come to an accurate knowledge of Bible truth? In like manner, your example can inspire fellow believers to exert themselves in Jehovah’s service.—g93 1/22 pp. 18-21.
*** w01 9/15 p. 17 par. 10 Jehovah’s Blessing Makes Us Rich ***Consider the example of Laurel, who was stricken with polio and lived in an iron lung for 37 years. In spite of her extremely trying circumstances, she served God zealously until her death. Over the years, Jehovah’s rich blessing overtook Laurel. For instance, she was able to help some 17 individuals to come to an accurate knowledge of Bible truth, even though she was confined to her machine 24 hours a day!
*** km 8/96 p. 1 par. 3 No Letup in Declaring the Good News ***Modern-Day Examples of Preaching Without Letup: One sister, a victim of polio, was confined to an iron lung. She was not able to go to the Kingdom Hall or attend an assembly. But she was intensely occupied with declaring the good news. During her 37-year confinement, she was able to help 17 people learn the truth! How did she do it? Although unable to go from door to door, she found a way each day to witness informally to those who came in contact with her.
*** g93 9/22 p. 9 Loneliness—Are You Determined to Fight It and Win? ***Take the case of Laurel Nisbet. She contracted polio and at 36 years of age was placed in an iron lung, where she lay flat on her back for 37 years. Totally paralyzed from the neck down, she could move her head, but that was all. At first she was sad beyond despair. Then, after about a day of self-pity, she decided, ‘Enough of that!’ She had two children to raise and a husband to care for. She began to rebuild her life; she learned to manage her home from an iron lung.
Laurel slept very little. How did she pass the long nighttime hours? Giving in to loneliness? No. She prayed to her heavenly Father, Jehovah. Prayed for strength for herself, prayed for her Christian brothers and sisters, and prayed for opportunities to witness to others about God’s Kingdom. She devised ways to preach and impressed many by her witnessing for Jehovah’s name. She allowed no thistles of loneliness to grow; she was too busy tending the roses.
*** g93 1/22 p. 18 Not Even an Iron Lung Could Stop Her Preaching ***Sometimes it takes courage just to keep living. This is the story of one who had such courage. Her name was Laurel Nisbet.
