How did field service duty affect your zeal for the troof?

by M.J. 32 Replies latest jw experiences

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  Eyebrow2

  I loved it when I was younger. For the association, and the fact that being a 12 year old girl and knowing more about the bible (or so I thought) than the average householder gave me a big head hahah. I was from a very big family, and would often get to go out in service without my family. This was my chance to show that I was not just part of a big family, but an individual.

  When I was older, I still enjoyed it, got to gossip, got to get to know people better than I could after the meetings. But, at the same time, it was not as fun, because I had my son, and you are always nervous about them behaving. And, I was a single mom, so there was always stupid questions from Elderettes as to when I was going to get married, or even stupider, don't worry if you live through armegeddon you will surely find a husband.

  But coffee breaks were great...but it annoyed me if they were longer than 20 minutes. Made me feel like going out in service didn't mean as much.
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  franklin J

  ...I was a full time pioneer for four years; for those years it became my entire life....I really believed I was representing God....

  Stupid kid....
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  vitty

  I must say, it really stands out, you Americans do like your coffee breaks, its seams that they were really important.

  In Britain, even if you were a pioneer, this really wasnt a big, important thing

  Is it a big tradition to have a coffe break were everyone meets up sounds like fun

  In Britain, you usually meet up for field sevice, in the week, about 9.45. Get partened up with someone you dont like stay out one hour , go home

  Unless you want to make up your hours then you carry on, go on r.v, bible studies till the afternoon, with a half hour break for lunch, if you were lucky.

  What made me really mad was you`d be out of the house for maybe 6 hours and only done 3 hours sevice by the time youd farted about
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  Preston

  I think like most people here, I didn't like it but it was a "requirement" so you couldnt do anything about it and God forbid if you complained. I'm sorry to say that my field service represented my only association with the outside world for the longest time. I liked a lot of the people I met, felt sorry for plenty who felt threatened by organized religion knocking on their door. It didn't really affect my zeal, I felt gratified I got though each instance of field service alive though...

  - Preston
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  BlackSwan of Memphis

  I loved talking to people about God. I suppose that's why I like this forum. It gives me a chance to explore God with others who have been in my shoes.

  What has always bothered me was the gossip. Slowly, I stopped wanting to do the field ministry because of the gossip.

  When I was in highschool I dealt with a lot of cattiness and gossip. It pretty much destroyed my childhood. I know how damaging and hurtful it can be. So, when I would be in service and people would be using the time to drive around and say horrible things about people in the hall, I hated it.

  As for coffee breaks, I thought they were a waste of time. I figured we should have went through the drive through and keep going. But why keep driving around with people who are tearing you down? Finally, I started going out on my own. Making my own return visits. Until, I stopped.
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  144001

  Field service was among the most dreaded aspects of being an exploited child of Jehovah. In elementary school, I was lucky; our territories never coincided with the school neighborhood. Finally, in junior high school, I went to a door and met someone I knew from school. He said hello to me but had a strange expression on his face, and whispered, "I didn't know you were a Jehovah?" I felt like dying. I assumed he would tell everyone at school. But in fact, to my knowledge, he told no one. Maybe he had empathy for my horrific plight?

  To me, this is one of the most despicable charateristics of the WT corporation cult. Coercing parents to require and/or force their children to engage in uncompensated marketing work on their behalf is an act that is at least morally worthy of criminal sanctions. The coercement was accomplished, for the most part, through peer pressure on the parents. It was also encouraged by WT publications and material presented at the meetings.

  Zeal for the "Truth?" Sure, I had lots of zeal for the real truth, which was that the only zeal I possessed in relation to Jehovahs Witnesses was zeal for the end of meetings, end of field service, end of assemblies, and end of my parent's physical ability to compel my involvement and/or association with that cult. That's the "Truth" of it.
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  momof5

  Hi, I just happened to stumble onto your forum so I joined. I too would like to feel the freedom from JW org. although I am not a witness and have only been studying with them and recently going to the meetings. ( I have been studying for over 12 years!) But where do you go from there? Can you really go back to a Church that teaches hellfire or believes you become an angel when you die? Or even believes that Jesus is Gods son and Father(???). And if you don't have a religion at all...then where is the hope? I don't want to feel like all there is is to grow old and die....I'm already half way there!

  I do feel like the weight of the world is on my shoulders and to be free would be a GREAT relief...but like I said where do you go from there?

  momof5
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  OUT and about

  Momof5,

  Keep reading and posting here. Among the nitwits and jokers (myself) are some experianced, wise and insightful persons. 12 years is a long time (even being unbaptised). You will find solace here among ones who have shared experiances such as yours. Don't count yourself short. There's a big world out there, and it's not all evil. And it's definately not too late to make a change! Stick around. It's worth it.

  Regards,

  Will
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  Blue_Shadow

  Well going meant saving lifes meaning you had the responsibility of a life you could have saved.
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  jwbot

  I hated it. I dreaded going to the door-esp in towns where I knew people I went to school with lived...it sucked monkey nuts. I faked sick a lot. I would try to get into a group that had territory elsewhere or was doing return visits.