Why the large fluctuation in Special Pioneers?

by truthseeker 8 Replies latest jw friends

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  truthseeker

  Little is known about Special Pioneers, other than their role. How many hours are expected of them? Are they given preferential treatment? Do they get a stipend? Are they appointed by the Society or the Presiding Overseer?

  For sisters who can't progress further up the WT career ladder, simply for not having a penis, Special Pionnering is probably the ultimate spiritual goal for them - unless they go to Gilead.

  What I find strange is the fairly large number who quit every month. I mean to get to be a Special Pioneer, you probably have to have a certain tenacity to stick with the hours. Surely being a Special Pioneer is a coveted position. Other than for failing health/advancing age, what other reasons would someone have to forgo this rich spiritual blessing?

  Here are the most recent numbers for Special Pioneers in the United States.

  Jun 2005 - 207

  May 2005 - 245

  Apr 2005 - 244

  Mar 2005 - 263

  Feb 2005 - 208

  Jan 2005 - 216

  Dec 2004 - 230

  Nov 2004 - 245

  Oct 2004 - 225

  Sep 2004 - 214

  Aug 2004 - 130

  Jul 2004 - 168
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  carla

  Would the numbers drop off in summer due to kids being around? Or would they just drag them along? on vacations? Special pioneers means at least 40 hours per week doesn't it? How many of these are there in each cong?
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  blondie

  
  Some are only temporary appointments. Remember that the WTS does financially provide some money to the SPs, not the others. It may be driven by funding.

  Blondie
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  jwfacts

  Being a special pioneer is a full time career, there are no months off. There are also few if any special pioneers with children. It is large variation in numbers. There was a large jump 12 months ago, maybe the new ones just couldnt take it for more than 12 months. Maybe old ones are retiring. Better still, maybe they are joining the growing ranks of apostates.
  I know of a number of MTS graduates that were disfellowshipped within a couple of years of graduating in Australia for fornication. I also know of special pioneer couples where the husband committed adultry while serving on the islands.
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  truthseeker

  Good point JWFacts, there can be no months off for Special Pioneers, because they would be marked as "irregular".

  I know of many pioneers who "slack off" for the first few months of the new service year, and then spend their entire summer "catching up", sometimes doing 100 hours or more to make up for lost time.
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  Nathan Natas

  Specious Pioneers are like Delta Force, except that they have no skills and can't do anything.
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  Euphemism

  Little is known about Special Pioneers, other than their role. How many hours are expected of them? Are they given preferential treatment? Do they get a stipend? Are they appointed by the Society or the Presiding Overseer?

  I cannot recall if Special Pioneers are required to put in 120 or 140 hours a month; it is one of those two. They do receive a stipend, and they are appointed by the branch. The branch can send them anywhere within branch territory, and the local congregation where they are assigned usually helps pay for their lodging.

  There is also something called the Special Pioneer infirm list; this is basically a retirement program for COs with health problems. They receive a stipend and are expected to spend as much time as they can in service, but they have no fixed quota.

  Special Pioneers are an extreme rarity in the US; the WTS is more likely to use them in developing countries where growth is higher and there are new territories to open up. I would guess that most--if not all--of the Special Pioneers in the US are on the infirm list.
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  outoftheorg

  
  When ever the phrase "SPECIAL PIONEER" is spoken, the following memory pops up.

  In the early 1980's my niece, who always felt she was special, found a mate who also felt he was special.

  For me they always seemed more self righteous and insulting than special.

  They were living in Idaho and were assigned to some place in the south east of the U S.

  I was living in Wyoming at the time and they wanted to stop over and sleep in my house as they passed through.

  Being the kind loving and caring person that I am, I said " sure come on " .

  My wife cooks up this really nice meal for us all and they show up around 7 pm as we had all agreed to.

  My niece's " special pioneer husband " picks up the dish of food and smells it thoroughly.

  Frowns and sets the dish back down on the table and says "no thanks " and they mutter something and head of for the bed room. Telling us over their shoulder that ' we need to get some sleep ".

  After I calm the wife down and myself, we decide well we can catch up on old times and chat with them in the morning.

  We get up at about 5:30 am and realize that they have already left with out a word or a note of thanks

  So much for the not so SPECIAL pioneers.

  Outoftheorg
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  lawrence

  I remember a couple of older Special Pioneer Sisters, I pioneered with them for a few years. Yes, they received a stipend. Very small, but enough to get the Prevention magazine, and brewers yeast and dessicated cod liver oil. They always stunk of garlic and were humble remnanters. They plodded the good fight until the cod liver oil oozed no more. God rest their souls.