Awhile back,
about a year and a half ago, when I was starting to wake up, I
explained to my mom that when the Circuit Overseer is in town, they schedule shepherding
calls after lunch, not because they care, but because they don’t want
to work door to door in the hot summer or cold winter. And they know that a
prepared call means some nice hot chocolate and cookies or some ice cold tea
and snacks. I remember her looking at me kind of funny so I ended the
conversation and left it at that, and never brought it up again. Didn’t want
her to start thinking I’m an apostate.
Well I found
out this morning that a bunch of elderly sisters from different congregations
got together for a meal from both the English and Spanish congregations way
back then and this subject came up. So several of these elderly sisters decided
to put what I had said to the test.
When the CO
started his rounds, like usual, the brothers would approach the elderly sisters
and tell them something like this;
Sister
elderly guess what? The CO is visiting our hall next week and he wants to visit
you to see how you are doing and to encourage you spiritually.”
Now I know
this because this is what I use to say when I was and elder and I had to make
the arrangements for his schedule after lunch. I would approach the elderly,
inactive, and the sick. And like always these people would prepare a feast for
the CO. It was like Jesus Christ coming to visit you.
Well this
time, these tiny, non-threatening, elderly sisters did something different.
They asked
the brother who approached them some very unusual questions.
They asked;
“Did the
Circuit Overseer ask specifically for me by my Name?”
(Of course the answer was NO.)
“Since the
Circuit Overseer really cares for me, can he come and visit me in the morning about
8 AM? I get real sick and tired after lunch and I need to lay down and take a
nap. (Of course the answer is NO)
“Well since
he really didn’t ask for me by name, and since he can’t come when I really need
him to come,
then;
I GUESS NOT, He Can’t Come
To Do A Shepherding Call On Me After Lunch.
And I guess
this has been going on now for over a year.
And I
finally figured out why the Circuit Overseer’s visits to my mom stopped about a
year ago.
I had no
idea!
You never
know what these tiny, quiet elderly sisters are doing in the organization. You just don’t know. It seems a lot of these
elderly sisters in my area have lost totally respect for that arrangement and
the contribution arrangement, and will not support either one anymore. Some don’t
even attend the CO's visit anymore.
That’s why
if you have the opportunity to say something about some of the crazy things in
the organization, by all means speak out but be discerning when to stop
speaking.
This was
over a year ago that all this started.