I actually loved field service

gubberningbody

That might seem odd, but it really suited my personality. Even before I became a JW I was annoying people with personal questions. The thing is that it's sort of OK in normal land to do that as a cult member, but not as a "normal citizen".

Suppose you just go about knocking doors and say....

"I live somewhere in town, but I was kindof wondering what the people 'round here thought of X. What are your thoughts?"

Do that as a JW or a Mormon and it's annoying but OK.

Do that as an individual and people all of a sudden get really, really scared.

LostGeneration

Loved it? Or didn't mind it?

I'll tell you as a kid raised in it where we went out almost EVERY SINGLE SATURDAY there was nothing that petrified me more. Not even Armageddon was as scary as running into one of my classmates, probably because deep in my mind I knew Armageddon wasn't going to happen, while it was inevitable that I would eventually run into some kid from school.

gubberningbody

No. I loved it. I was a regular pioneer for 16 years and worked full time the whole time I did it. I started telephone witnessing before the organization pushed it.

I remember this woman getting mad at me at this gas pump at a convenience store and as a result getting gas on her dress becuase she was being a bitch about the whole thing, it was funny.

I loved the whole confrontational thing. I felt the Borg wasn't doing enough to piss off the world and they should've gone back to the days of placards and handing out tracts to church-goers as they entered their churches.

MrFreeze

When I was first baptised, I actually enjoyed it somewhat. I guess I had the zeal for Jehovah's ministry! After about a year and a half, it suddenly became grueling.

Nambo

I loved it too gubberningbody, though not for the confrontational thing, I actually thought I was being a diciple of Jesus, and prior to joining the Dubbs, I had been a very non-communitive person, suddenly though, I had something to talk about and siezed it at every oppurtunity.

So much so in fact, that I would be ringing up Pioneers, trying to get them to come out of the field service in the eveinings when I was home from work, those that did enjoyed far more productive field service when people where home than thier usual habbit of knocking on empty doors in the mornings.

You get out of things what you put in, I had pioneers express thier jealousy at the amount of RVs and studies I had. I look back on what I got away with with amazement, people think its bad being knocked on at 9 am on a Saturday morning, well imagine its 9:30 pm on a dark foggy evening in the countryside, and people would answer the door to find me wanting to talk about God, yet people where so receptive!, maybe I was more interesting and shocking than whatever rubbish was on the TV.

In the end, I was given my own map, even though I wasnt a Pioneer, and I would go out on my own as it was so hard to get others too, that is the very best ministry you can have, when you are on your own, householders probably are intemidated to have two people preaching on thier doorstep.one is far more acceptable.

Doing the Ministry out of genuine Love for God rather than fear of men, also brought benifits in the form of Holy Spirit, sometimes I would be in such a Spiritual high by the time I got home, that I would ask God to please take it away so I could get to sleep.

Its the only part of my life I feel truly proud of, though in restrospect obviously the Witness doctrines of men sully the work, but getting people to think about God and the Bible, I would still do, and in fact do do at work, I still Witness about the Bible, but leave out the JW stuff, and people are less reluctant to listen when you lose the JW stigma.

Just as you say, you can no longer go knocking on peoples doors to do it.

gubberningbody

Nambo,

Sometimes I want to go show up at a KH and pretend I'm out of town just to go through the experience again.

I'd get jazzed up by the experience.

I used to be the school and FS overseer...the last CO wanted me to get into the substitute CO work and I did too, but that was before I figured things out.

elderelite

Then your actually an idiot.

Seriously, this is the first you have shared your role as a sub CO..... Please share more!

Bungi Bill

What else is there to say, but "each to their own!"

Bill.

PS: When anybody buttonholes me now - whether at my door, on the street, or by telephone - and tells me that they are "going around asking what people think of such and such?" , I feel like replying:

"Why do you want to know, and why should I tell you?" (In other words, "ever hear of minding your own bloody business!")

shopaholic

Gubberingbody, have you considered joining the board of a local charity or leadIng their fundraising committee. You have to talk to tons of complete strangers and convince them to donate to a cause...hopefully a good one. Good replacement for those that are people-people and enjoyed the ministry.

TweetieBird

I don't think I ever enjoyed it, not one minute. I enjoyed getting home and hoping that Armaggedon would come that day because I had actually done something that I was suppose to. I enjoyed feeling that I was pleasing Jehovah by going out in service but I HATED knocking on doors.

I actually loved field service

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