A question for former pioneers.

by JV 29 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  talesin

  I moved to another province to 'serve where the need was greater'. I was 17, filled with the certainty that Armageddon would soon arrive (it was early 1975). A true believer.

  There was a group of about 12 of us; we ranged in age from 16 to 20. Away from the sheltering interest of my parents, I learned the realities of Witness life. Partying, sex, lying - this was the name of the game for my fellow pioneers.

  I returned home almost a year later, became inactive, and shortly thereafter stopped attending the KH, never to return. At the time it was difficult - I was young, disillusioned, and bitter. To be honest, I almost didn't survive, literally. Now I realize it was probably the best thing that ever happened to me.

  talesin
• 

  Narkissos

  I certainly regret not to have used my youth better (especially as regards education), but I must admit at that time I generally enjoyed it. The best of it was certainly when I resumed as a special pioneer after resigning from Bethel. I gradually stopped using the WT literature -- preaching and teaching with the Bible only. Quite an experience, especially in the cong. (As could be expected, after a few months I was disfellowshipped.)
• 

  Mulan

  I started pioneering when my youngest son was in 6th grade, and the only one of the four still at home. My husband was a very busy elder, who was also very active in field service and had a bible study that came to our home on Wednesday nights.................you better believe I sat in on it.

  During the second year, I started resenting the time away from home so much that I complained constantly. I know the others in the car groups must have thought I had a really bad attitude. But, riding around in a car all day, knocking on doors where no one was home, or at the least were insensed to be disturbed by us, was getting to me. The only thing that saved my sanity were the Bible studies I had...........several of them.

  I take pride in my clean home and my cooking ability, and it was also frustrating me that so many things were being left undone at home..............and meals were always thrown together, with little effort and less nutrition. I made a huge effort to be home when my son got home from school, though, but didn't always make it. Summers were the worst................I love summer and the long, lazy summer days at home..............NOT walking up and down an empty block.

  There was another sister who pioneered with me my first year, and we once talked about how we felt it was a waste of our time in many ways. So I said "why are we doing this?" She didn't bat an eyelid, and said "the GLORY". I am sure she was right too.

  So YES I have many regrets.
• 

  Badger

  I pioneered...because I was held to a promise I made when I was 11. Two years.

  Basically, it was the beginning...I was doing all I could and getting ridiculed for it (no studies, almost no RV's, little lit.) and basically told that I wasn't trying hard enough. Reaching out for service but getting turned away.

  DO MORE...how on earth can you say that to a pioneer?

  I've gone on this rant before, but the last straw was when my S.O. made fun of my failures in the car group in front of the Curcuit overseer. I looked for a real job that afternoon.
• 

  Atilla

  I regret that after a year of pioneering, I wasted my two weeks of vacation by going to pioneer school. Also, I should have tried to hit on the cute girl that was the daughter of my host family where I was attending pioneer school. Pioneer school is comparable to that old guy who sells those generic self help CD's so you can master Microsoft Windows. The CD is free but you have to pay for shipping-yeah right.

  I thought pioneer school was the biggest waste of time. Nothing new learned and it was so watered down, that a 5 year old could attend and understand what was going on. Plus, already being poor, I had to take two weeks off from work so I could attend this meeting that was three hours away from home congregation. Oh, and our group did get counciled about partying too much at night-I guess who were to go home and study and be in bed by 8:00. It's really just one big sales convention, like those people who sell kirby vacumm cleaners attend.
• 

  willyloman

  My spouse pioneered and raised childen who all pio'd when they graduated high school. Not one of them speaks well of the experience. It think this comment about sums it up:

  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.

  In addition, Mulan's experience (above) sounds like my own wife could have written it. It was a complete waste of time and induced even more of the guilt it was designed to assuage.
• 

  minimus

  You couldn't answer, "Well, Brother, I DO have regrets because I've pioneered. If I hadn't, I know I would have been accepted at a university and I wouldn't still be cleaning toilets today."
• 

  Mulan

  In addition, Mulan's experience (above) sounds like my own wife could have written it.

  I must add that eventually I came to the conclusion, that if I was going to spend that much time away from home, I had better be getting paid for it, because what I was doing was pretty fruitless.
• 

  BluesBrother

  I tried it once, when I was young and silly. I gave up my job , and with two others we were to be a pioneer force in the congo, a whole new career opened up.

  Well, after a little while both my fellow pioneers had moved away or given up. I soldiered on alone. After a little while I got really low. I hated the idea that I had go out to "Get in the time", and that thought drove away any other motive for doing it . A few months later I gave it up and got my old job back . The PO had told me that "It is better to be a good publisher than a bad pioneer, son" and I heartily agreed with him.

  A couple of times in later years I Auxilliary Pioneered for a month , but only when all the elders were pressurised into it , usually in May of the year. I was always Soooo glad when it was over . Talk about a waste of time!!
• 

  desib77

  I regret that being my goal as a teenager in high school. I aux. pioneered in the summers and the only thing I planned to do with my life was reg. pioneer....I regret not trying to get scholarships and go away to school.