A question for former pioneers.

JV

Everytime you go to an assembly or to a convention or the co pays a visit, there's always a call for people to pioneer. They always drag out a couple of pioneers on to the stage and "interview" them. The one question they always ask is if the pioneers have any regrets over pioneering. Well, any regrets out there? Any former pioneers have regrets? Bad pioneering experiences they'd like to share?

pr_capone

Hey JV. I was a regular pioneer for 2 years at the West Congregation. Although I was never chosen to appear at an assembly, I did do parts at the local meeting about being a regular pioneer.

Honestly, now that I am out looking back on this... of course I regret it. I am only thankful that even though I put in my 90 (when it was still 90) a month I was never able to "reach a persons heart".

BUT, while I was still in I never once regretted pioneering. It was a stepping stone I used to try to be appointed as a servant, which never happened anyways. I knew that I was doing Jehovah's will and thats all that mattered to me.

Funny story though. We got so bored out in service one day we stopped by my house and got plastered, then went back out in service. Somehow the elders found out and all 3 pioneers were very nearly removed. The only thing that saved us is that 2 of them were elders children and if they were reproved, their daddies would be removed. lol

Kansas District Overbeer

LittleToe

I Pioneered (even went to Pioneer School, and got that cool green book (the old one)).

That's the story, experience, and regret in one neat package.

scotsman

I pioneered for 2 years. We lived a fantastically slacker lifestyle drinking endless amounts of coffee, going to the cinema, art galleries and just hanging' out. And I met a great range of people from heroin addicts to lord advocates. My report was always just over or under 90 hrs and bore no corelation to what I had actually done which was probably about 25 hrs. Thankfully, I was responsible for no one's assimilation.

scotsman

Where and when did you go to the school Ross?

I went in Glasgow in '95.

LittleToe

I was living down near Nottingham, at the time.
It was held in Ripley KH (Derbyshire) around '88, I think??

It was interesting going out in the Min with just our bibles, the first FS day.
I actually started making that part of my practice, occasionally, after that.

ChileanRick

I was a pioneer for 4 years. The CO always called me for attending the special meetings for the pioneers at the Assembly Hall by the time of the circuit assembly, and I was an instructor for those ocassions. I have to be honest, I enjoyed those moments, and I have good remembrances of it. But at the present, I wouldn't spend any time in that activitie.

ChileanRick

ApagaLaLuz

I pioneered for nearly 2 years, and aux pioneered off and on. I was used in the assembly when I was fresh out of Highschool to show how you can count time at school. I only regret the fact that I tried to infect others with the falseness that I believed. Other than that, I quite enjoyed it. I´´m a people person and loved meeting and talking with people. And the fact that I made up many of my hours didnt make it all that bad either :)

nobody told me

10 years full-time (90hrs/month). I regret not using my education. I used pioneering to get ahead in the org. Which I did. The more you do, the more the borg asks you to do. They literally let me become exhausted, and did nothing about it to show they appreciated all the hard work. Jw's are very thankless people. The org gives you nothing back. A better paying paycheck would have been much better. Glad I'm gone

franklin J

I was a "regular Pioneer" ( full time) back in 1973-1977. Back then you had to put in 100 a month; and if I recall correctly; there were certain "quotas" that you were expected to meet. Yes, I was one of those "exampler" young people dragged onto the stage at circuit assemblies to "sing the virtues" of the pioneer life.

I do not miss it in the least and have never regretted my exit from that stifling religion. I like to think of it as my own time in a very specific type of "Peace Corps". ( Well, maybe that is stretching the imagination a bit).

This is all ancient history now; and I am far enough "removed" from that lifestyle to laugh at it in disbelief.

A question for former pioneers.

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