Did you/Do you actually LIKE Field Service?

LovesDubs

God I hated it..every living breathing minute of it. It was pure hell for me, and based on the PACE I see the JWs all over the world moving, they aint so fond of it neither. The persecution that the JWs feel they get is from irritated householders who know nothing about their religion except that they hit people over the head with it and then judge them because they dont LIKE being hit over the head with it. I even "vacation pioneered" a few times to make myself look better to the "in" crowd...but I gotta tell ya, Id rather have had root canal work every one of those 30 days than do what I had to do. How do you guys feel about having to do this "life saving work."??

joelbear

I liked it when I was a kid. Man could I sell truth books. And now 30 years later I am still a salesman.

We had some hysterically funny times out in service when I was a teenager. We had a lot of rural territory where I lived so there was lots of time for hilarity between houses. I was always happy when one of the older sisters would get stuck on a long call, then I could sleep and still count time.

Me and my buddy Chris made up a song one day in service that I still remember.

You have crushed my gate with your pachydermic weight
and now you expect me to thank you
but let me tell you this
you have taken me amiss
and I'll never ever speak to you again

I liked my bible studies, although I always rushed over the 1914 stuff, man it didn't make sense.

I have a 1000 field service stories, anyone want to buy me a beer and get me started.

Joel
www.joelbear.com

OrangeBlossom

I can't remember, not one time, in my 40 years of going in field service (I was dragged from birth) did I EVER enjoy going out in service. Saturday morning was pure hell being dragged out of bed to go out. So put me down as a NO!!!

doubtingsister

I hated it! I hated driving and having to back in and out of driveways. The pain of getting in and out of a car in a dress and nylons in winter and trying not to slip on the ice or having to watch for mean dogs. I hated the salesman feel to it all and I hated bothering people in the morning.

The only times it was enjoyable was when we made lots of stops at McDonalds. I would constantly tell my friends that I felt more comfortable and more efficient talking to people informally about the bible.

I am so glad to never have to do that again, what a blessing!

JAVA

joel,

I have a 1000 field service stories, anyone want to buy me a beer and get me started.

I'll buy you a beer if you don't! Actually, it's fun sharing some of the crazy things that happened while we were out making $$$ for the Tower.

LovesDubs,

Like you, I hated field service. It always felt unnatural, forced, and ineffectual. The next time you see a group of JWs in service, watch how they act. They move ever so slowly, stand at not-at-home doors several minutes, gather in clusters chatting whenever possible. About the only time you'll see them move a normal pace is when they head towards the Coffee Shop to refresh their weary souls.

I have a few stories about doing field service when the Witnesses hit my neighborhood! It's a hoot, and a great way to liven up their morning drudgery. If anyone's interested, let me know.

--JAVA

...counting time at the Coffee Shop

Amazing

I was very nervous at first because I was rather shy at age 19. But, as I got used to it, and became a little better at talking at the doors, I started to enjoy it some ... meeting people, having some fun and interesting experiences. Like a lot of JWs I learned very quickly to do 'unconscious' things to make 'Service' more enjoyable, such as working with people I liked, coffee and donut time at 11AM, and return visits and Bible Studies. IN my 25 years as a JW, I helped 15 people to become JWs, and I averaged about 20 to 30 hours a month when I was not AUX Pioneering.

I think that what made me enjoy Service in the beginning was the belief that Armageddon was so close (pre-1975 days) and that I was sharing in the final gathering of those who would survive into the New System. I enjoyed sharing experiences because it made me part of the JW group. And, I eventually learned that regular and productive service resulted in being promoted to MS and then Elder. It was very validating.

In time, as the years wore on, I found myself cutting corners and not finding this JW feature as exciting. IN the Pre-1975 days in California there was almost a euphoria among the JWs. In Oregon and Washington States I found there was more of a dull attitude about Service and this affected me. Although the Society kept up the 'Urgency' theme, it had less meaning then it did before 1975.

By cutting corners, I mean 'rounding off' time, and starting time from the Kingdom Hall instead of at the first door, and leaving about 20 back issues of the magazines at laundromats to bring up my count, and stretching my time with Bible Studies to increase my hours. Also, I became less intense at the doors, that is, I did not feel the need to try and 'reason' with people as much. I learned to work more rural territory (under the guise that it is not worked as often) but this allowed driving time between doors, and generally more friendly householders. So, I did my part, and was not a 'slacker' but I found ways to count time and work where it was more fun.

When I arrived at the realization that Jehovah's Witnesses and its Watch Tower organization were not what they claimed, then going door to door was not possible. I counted time by family study and one remaining Bible Study. I trimmed down door to door real fast. Funny the other Elders never really noticed. The reason I cut time at new doors was that I did not feel good about what I was presenting. I found a creative way to bring my last Bible Study to a conclusion (he is now out of the organization too, and we are still friends), and I used family study time to help my wife and children reason and come to their own conclusion ... they to left the organization.

I never found Field Service awful. But, it was not my most favorite thing to do. And after 1975 its meaning dimminished. I will post some fun experiences in the near future. - Simply Amazing

Esmeralda

Like field service, you say? LIKE FIELDSERVICE???!!!!!!!

Two words: Hell no!

Doubtingsister summed up the rest of my feelings exactly. Nothing I can add to that!!!

Essie
Who never took money for literature
in her life: always put it in the box herself!
(Fortunately, I didn't place much...)

BugEye

LovesDubs

I hated the field service, with a passion. however after having
experienced root canal and its torture, I must say that I would
take FS as the lesser of two evils. But it's close.

I regular pioneered for 2 years and was quite good at it, but the
brothers usually would see me a young man, and pioneer and pick me
as the odd one out in uneven groups, ie, I had to work on my own
a lot. If only they knew the sheer terror it put me through until
the first few doors were over.

My lovely wife used to take the first doors for me because although
she didnt like it, she didnt want me to suffer the agony.

I havent gone on FS for over 4 years and to be honest, if I never
do it again, it will be too soon.

BTW I tried selling, but it gives me the same terror.

Dave

joelbear

Most people don't like selling and even those of us who do never really get completely over the anxiousness of having to talk to strangers constantly and in the mode of trying to convince them of something at the same time.

I think this is because it goes against our natural tendency to bond with people before trying to get something out of them. Human nature dictates social interaction at a more friendly level than selling allows.

I did field service with the annointed quite a bit when I was a kid and a teenager. My memories of that are truly weird. One time a householder turned us away and while we were walking away from the door the annointed guy said, "He will make great fertilizer for the ground." I about freaked, cause it was a big guy behind the door.

Im a skeerdy cat. I have had dogs sicced on me, a gun pulled on me and was physically threatened a number of times. I ended up studying with all the old "cat lady" people in my town. You know, the ones who live in a house with a bunch of cats. sheesh.

leoj

BugEye

Essie

The picture that you use looks familiar to me, but I cant place it.

Who is it?

****

Also, once the generation changed and the end could literally be
a thousand years away, I basically dropped off the earth as far as
FS was concerned. As I said to an elder, once it no longer means a
time, the end is no longer urgent.

I loved the reply though.

"The end is closer than it was a year ago"

Duuh: so is the year 5288158258

Sorry, got a little annoyed there.

Dave

Did you/Do you actually LIKE Field Service?

--JAVA

Share this