As far as the meetings they were long and boring and the information was very dry. I dont see that as a detriment to myself though.
I see it as a throw back to what everyone was doing in previous centuries. People trudged to church, sat on hard wooden pews and listened to a dried up stick of a minister threaten them with the flames of hell.
If you come from a European or American background then that is exactly what your forefathers and mothers did as children.
It just seemed more antiquated to us compared to other chidlren of our time.
As for the field service that was cruel and unusual punishment!
Especially considering the fact that as it turns out, it was all for a really crappy religion that no one who really looks in to it could be proud of.