****vomit alert****
This comes from the branch in Canada. This is an encouraging experience from Andre Ramseyer, overseer, just back from the Branch Committee Course at Patterson: In England one of our blind brothers had a seeing-eye dog that would faithfully guide and take him to the meetings each week. He got into the routine of bringing him every Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday to the Kingdom Hall. When the brother died, the dog became the property of another blind person, this time a non-witness. The dog left the man puzzled. EEvery Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday the dog was rearing to go and encouraging his owner to get up and go. So finally the man followed the dog's lead, and unknown to him, was brought to the Kingdom Hall and guided to a chair. The man didn't know where he was, but he enjoyed the warm reception he got from everyone. He started to study with the witnesses. Not only does this experience show how Jehovah can even use his animal creation to bring someone into the Truth, but.... also: If a dog knows where he should be on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays, isn't it a good example for us and our meeting attendance?
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is this the ending...likely not ...as we all have had experiences with the "friends" as we continued for any length of time in the "truth"...what ending could you propose? Mine goes something like this...
Cute story...very "upbuilding"...the dog continued to lead the new convert to the KH...in time though, the novelty wore off...the "warm receptions became less frequent...after a CA demo and presentation, some of the "friends" quietly became jealous of the dog. (he had far more success in the "ministry" than they. He was performing a "sacred work". They approached the elders and complained that the dog was was unfit for the KH...he smelled, needed a bath and was flea infested...plus, he would urinate on the carpet sometimes (having walked some distance and sat for 2 hours in the hall).Also sister "Perfect" gossiped to others about the dirty dog and his blind companion. She was increasingly PO'd and considered leaving the congregation to go somewhere "clean"...after many months of meeting and behind closed door sessions, the local "elders" decided the dog must stay outside after he brought the man to the KH..so out the dog went- with no food or water or shelter from the elements.
After a particularly harsh winter day, the dog 'decided" he wasn't being treated fairly or lovingly (or normally) and decided not to break his routine and only come on "nice weather days". He had better things to do. A local neighbor (worldy) had taken a particular liking to the dog. He was always warm and friendly and caring and generous - for no reason at all. The dog really liked being around him.
The friends lost track of the dog and his mate. Never visited them. Only a few wondered where they were. In time, the dog stopped coming at all. The "friends" just considered him "weak" and misguided. This part of the story never was discussed further. It never made the CA demo cut.
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How easy and great it is to always be able to point fingers at the actions of others without ever considering how our own actions (or inactions) should be considered in light of theri reaction.
My "end of the story" is likely quite realistic...
proandcon