by ozziepost 21 Replies latest jw friends
10. Other (please detail)
This one elder always after the meetings would come to me and chake my hand and commend me for coming to the meetings......me being a single mom working full time ......I guess.
Hahaahahaha........he was also the same elder that went around saying that he thought my daughter was not too good to associate with. Asshole.
purps
They are really obedient people.
oh yes, they asked me if I'd like to come to the meetings sometimes - I did not. I guest that makes me a gout.
How did the elders encourage you?
1. ..............um........um......
Define encourage.
2. They didn't!
They thought they did but they must have smoking out back during the elders school when Encouragement 101 was being taught.
3. They encouraged me to "build up my hours".
I would remind them that I was a pioneer putting in 90 hours a month.
4. They rang to ask for my report.
Only because the JH book study conductor had lost it.
5. They told me I would have to qualify to clean the windows/do the count/hand out the mikes.
Sorry, I have balls but not the right kind.
6. Two of them dressed in suits and ties visited and wanted to know why I wasn't at the meeting.
I told them I had strep throat, cough, and apologize that I was probably still contagious.
7. They invited me into the "back room" after the meeting.
Never saw the backroom. Afraid I guess.
8. They told me they were the responsible brothers and I had to listen to them.
They were responsible all right, responsible for telling a single sister that because her skirt touched her knee she was giving the married brothers bad ideas; responsible for telling a single mother than her young son was doomed to go to jail (BTW, the one elders son did end up in prison)
9. When I tripped over an elder's meeting bag, he didn't take away my privileges.
I tripped an elder who fell flat on his face at the KH; of course, it was just an accident.
10. Other (please detail)
My pet peeve; elders photocopying encouraging articles and giving them to you during an encouraging call, no discussion and no prayer, total time, 10 minutes. When I was a single sister, I ran after them and shoved the article into their hands, reminding them that I already had that magazine and had read it. Can you imagine going into the doctor's office, his handing you an article from the JMA, and then sending you on your way?
Elders do CYA calls not encouraging calls. No one is encouraged, including the elders, and especially God.
Blondie
# 2 - I always felt like a naughty schoolgirl - there was absolutely no compassion or real interest from most of the elders.
I should say that there were one or two who were encouraging - especially Elder A, #7, who encouraged me to study WT books, which kept me in the 'troof' for another 3 years. I'm sure he had a big heart, but I'm not sure that it was in his chest ...
I'm thinking,I'll get back to you, oh, don't hold your breath.
Golf
This is looking like encouragement=coercion
Well, shoot, many elders tried to be encouraging to me, but I was so shy and so nervous in their presence that I literally hated talking to them. One tried so hard in my last congregation, but he was just annoying. He annoys my son too, who is NOT in need of encouragement. LOL! But this poor man keeps trying to be his "buddy". So sad really. My son picks his own friends, like anyone; and no elder is going to implant himself as his friend.
I wonder, was he trying to encourage the mother through the son?
How did the elders encourage you?By binding up heavy loads consisting of nonsensical legalistic values and tying them on top of the shoulders of the sheep.
3. They encouraged me to "build up my hours".
I guess 3 hours a month at age 12 wasn't enough!
