The zone visit talk (now called worldwide headquarters representative visit or something like that) happened yesterday. Some "Brother Bunn" from the Mexico branch gave the talk. Before the talk, Rod Jung, the branch overseer at Canada Bethel, gave an overview of what's being done by the JWs in Canada, including visiting ships at ports in Vancouver. He actually acknowledged those who were forced to give up being special pioneers/bethelites/missionaries who had to return home and basically just said "We love you/thanks for your work" and just left it at that.
He gave some really, really fake sounding experiences to me, like how a refugee from turkey came to canada and was lying to get his permanent residency, but was given it in record time when he openly told the judge he fled Turkey because he killed people/lead a life of crime but because he's studying the bible with JW's blah blah blah he's leading a better life, and for some reason the Judge appreciated his honesty and immediately allowed him to obtain permanent residency. that was an eye roll from me.
For Bethel member numbers, 380 are now at Canada Bethel (I believe they had 450 before the layoffs), and about 900 at Mexico Bethel.
I honestly forget the theme of the talk, it had something to do with being thankful or appreciative or something like that, the guy talked so much it felt like rambling sometimes and I fell asleep for most of it. he gave one experience of somebody who was super opposed to his family joining the witnesses and the guy was having a heart attack, and when the doctor came he gave the guy medicine and a tract, turned out the doctor was a witness too... yeah right.
blah blah blah blah
