Found this on one of the JW sites a couple of years back .... just came across it again and just had to share it with you all ... the mind boggles!!!!!
Pioneering and the New System
We were sitting around, relaxing in the wonderful spring weather. A group of us were chatting about how thankful we were to Jehovah for allowing us to have survived Armageddon. "Wasn't it scary when it looked like the moon turned red?" Sister Cassanova commented. "I agree," Brother Clarke chimed in, "because at that same time, my family and I were being dragged out of our house by a guard of student police, and then it turned red so suddenly..." his voice trailed off as he suddered to think that living organisms could have ever been so heartless and cruel.
Then Sister Correy spoke up and said, "I'm really happy, because I had heard of the truth, but never had a real chance to understand it until Brother Clarke stopped me in the park just eight months before they started declaring "True Peace & Security!". If it weren't for the angels and Jehovah directing Brother Clarke to speak to me that day, I'd be just another one of those who were spread as fertilizer among the fields by the animals."
Brother Clarke replied in agreeable relief, "And if Sister Cassanova hadn't contacted me while I was getting in my car at the grocery store, I would have just been living my life, making fun of "those strange Jehovah people", only to find out too late that I would have been wrong."
Sister Cassanova stated humbly, "Yes, but I was only doing what Jehovah asked of me. I remember being the only one out in service that day. Well, just me and my five year old son. When he said it looks like nobody else is going out in service, I had told him, oh yes there is. The angels always go out with us, so we're not alone. In fact, all this means is that we have the angels all to ourselves, so they'll really be able to help us be successful, because we won't have to share them with anyone else.
"I don't know why, but we decided to work parking lots that day. And I hated parking lots. And all I did was place tracts that day. I was so disappointed because I didn't get any addresses, no bible studies started, I thought I had wasted my time.
"But in this six months after Armageddon, I've already had five people thank me for giving them tracts that day! It turned out most of them were from nearby towns, liked what they read and contacted the brothers where they lived. It was a more successful day than I could ever have realized until now."
She paused, and looked at Brother Clarke. "And our dear Brother Clarke is one of them!" Then turning her gaze back towards the general group, she stated, "But, I could have never done it, if it weren't for Brother and Sister Taylor. They were sitting next to me in the hospital waiting room, when they noticed I was crying.
"I was so sad about my mother's death, I just couldn't hold it in, even though people were staring at me. But they were so comforting, so warm, and so understanding, I just had to know, where they got their tenderness and warmth from. When they told me from the Bible, I was surprised, since my dealings with preachers was harsh, calloused, and cold. They never had the chance to ask me for a Bible study, because I pressed them to tell me more, and we made a schedule so I could. I didn't think of it as a Bible study, but it was what I wanted! And Jehovah has blessed me ever since!"
Everyones eyes turned towards the Taylors, in anticipation of the developing pattern of backwards traceability. Being an extremely shy couple, she lightly elbowed him, and he said, "We just felt so sorry for you. We knew that what the Bible said was what you needed, so we would've felt guilty if we held back from you... But we are so glad it was a comfort to you. Praise Jah that he always takes care of our needs.
"But, we too, could not have done it were it not for Brother Jones. I hated religion. All religion. But when we worked side by side secularly, and I saw how calm he was, even after smashing his thumb and rolling on the floor in pain, he said not one foul word, I knew that he had something I could respect. So, when he spoke to me about this new order thing again, as I knew he would, he always did, then I invited him over and we began to discuss it... Jehovah knew his personality was the one I needed."
Then, Brother Jones spoke up, "Alright, alright. My turn eh? Okay then. This is fun. If it weren't for Brother Pembrooke, I would have been a couch potato until the day Armageddon fell. I liked movies, because they helped me to escape reality. If it was a bad movie, I could always say to myself in consolation, 'well, it's just a movie'. If it was a good movie, then I would really get into it, and be able to ignore the badness that was going on outside my home.
"Until Brother Pembrooke came to my home. He was so bold as to offer me a bible study, right then and there on the spot. There were no good movies on at the time, so I figured 'why not?'. We studied in the Knowledge book, and I never did watch too many movies after that. Now I often wonder why I did since the plots were always so predicable, especially after the first 15 minutes. But, Brother Pembrooke was just the bold personality I needed to jar me out of my spiritual slumber."
Brother Pembrooke spoke up, "These are all great stories! When I first heard the truth, I knew that's what I was going to do, as a career. No bones about it. So, I quit my high paying job, started part time work, and full time ministry. But, that would not have happened were it not for..." then he turned his head and pointed his finger at ME!
I felt my heart thump. My mind raced. Should I tell them the whole thing? Would it scare them how close it had gotten? I decided to divulge...
"I." I cleared my throat. "I, uh. Well, once the Kingdom Ministry called out for more pioneers. I thought about it, and hemmed and hawed. Even after the service overseer really encouraged me to join in the the rest of the brothers and sisters worldwide. I just didn't quite feel up to it. I had laundry to do, cleaning to do. I was going to help with some quick build preparations, my car needed a tune up, and just an endless supply of need-to-do's.
"It wasn't until an older pioneer sister encouraged me, using the sweet charm that only they and mother's possess. She somehow talked me into it, despite my lack of motivational desire. Once I applied, I felt obligated. I guess my heart wasn't into it, because my success was mediocre. I gathered some interest, some developed into studies, other's not. I turned those studies over to pioneers because their schedules didn't match mine.
"How happy I was, when finally, the last day of the month arrived. I worked my time, but for the last five minutes. We finished the territory, the brothers I was out with that day. We got into the car, and started to drive away. I was thinking happily, 'I am glad that's over!', when I noticed a new home far back in a lot. My heart said, 'ignore it!', but for some reason, my mind made my mouth speak.
'Stop!' I could not believe myself, when I got out of the car, and told them, 'One more house, and I'll get it.' I walked up, knocked. No response. Out of habit, knocked once more. No response. I turned to leave when abruptly I saw someone in the distance to one side of the home. I looked at the time. I was now five minutes over. My heart was telling me I'm going to pay for this. My mind, to my betterance once again, took my body's helm. I walked over to the person, and offered him a magazine. He is now Brother Pembrooke."
Brother Pembrooke chimed up with excitement and said, "Yes! I remember that!" Then he paused, and his face grew suddenly serious. "That was close! I never got to live in that house. I had just had it built, but when the plumbers were installing the hot water heater, their torch caught fire on the frame, and it went up like a dry match. That day was the last day I was ever there. If you hadn't caught me at that moment...." then his voice choked and he looked at me. I looked back, then his gaze turned slowly towards brother Jones, who looked towards the Taylors, who looked towards Sister Cassanova, who turned to Brother Clarke, who turned to Sister Correy. She slowly said while looking at Brother Pembrooke, "Wow. That was years before 'my' close shave, but an even more scary near-miss..."
For a time we were all silently thankful.
OK OK - Out come the Barf Bags
JanG
CAIC Website: http://caic.org.au/zjws.htm
Personal Webpage: http://uq.net.au/~zzjgroen/