retroHelen

I love reading of places where the number of bible studies exedes the number publishers and looking at the increase some places have. I remember reading - or was it on an Update broadcast that the Phillippino brothers and sisters are having so much increase and success in their country that they can spare teachers and pioneers spreading out to other nearby countries to take Good News to where Kingdom Evangelizer schools cannot be set up yet and where they need qualified teachers and elders to help fledgling congregations, so there can be an equalizing. Statistics can be a bit misleading. We read of decreases and these get put against increases and seem to bring down overall averages to a small increase over all. Yet, when you look at the countries with large decreases, they are war zones. Therefore, it is likely that the faithful ones are still in existance, not left the faith, just left the country and gone elsewhere or the reports, under wartime conditions, may not be so complete, so decreases may not be so large after all. For example - I remember one year reading how the Island of Monserrat had suffered a 50% decrease, when their numbers were greatly reduced due to a massive population evacuation when a large volcano exploded and destroyed much of that island. The small amount of Witnesses there were moved to places of larger numbers of Witnesses, where they would not figure largely in their statistics of increase of publishers, so the overall average would seem small, but not so much really - the few there had just moved on. I know also that, a few years ago many Middle eastern immigrants landed on Turkish mainland to be contacted by Witnesses, had studies, but then were moved on through Europe to re-settle elsewhere as they weren't Turkish and Turkey was not keeping none Muslims over their quota for immigrants in that country, so again people moved out and were lost to their statistics. Same may apply in Greece where migrant camps have been emptied or burned down by far right political protestors, so publishers among them were moved on and needs-greaters went home back to UK to help in Farsi and Arab congregations here.

I repair ceramics in our antique business for ourselves. I sell the items as restored. There was a TV shown opening of another shop and cafe locally with a World War 2 theme about it and the owners had bought a few bygones off us to decorate their themed premises. Many veteran soldiers were invited to te opening day as well as other local dignitaries. A famous ex-SAS officer who lead the raid on the Iranian embassy siege and fought in the Falklands campaign came. He happened to mention to the man who owned the shop and cafe that he had had a mishap with a model of a horse and foal he was fond of. The man told him about me and he brought the broken item to me. I was a bit stressed, as it is very difficult hiding cracks and breaks in porcelain or marrying reconstructed parts to existing models and 1 ear on each of the horses was completely destroyed. It took me ages to hone the epoxy piece to fit with the rest of the model and look right and get the paint colours right. I did warn him that the china figures' original glazes were fired on and a paint repair isn't as stable, so don't soak it or sit it in full sunshine on a windowsill. He was thrilled with the result and I heaved a sigh of relief and he gifted me a few things worth the repair.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6eaDOV6irw I would like to see the old City of David/First Temple period again. It was not as extensively excavated when we went last time. Many wonderful things have been uncovered showing the sophisticated/civilized life the Israelites had compared to other nations round about. Other videos show and extensive water system for the city dwellers that was started by the Jebusites only using the natural underwater channels and then the Israelites tapping into them to create bathing facilities not just in or for the temple area. The large pool of Siloam was not excavated when we were there, neither was the amazing discovery of the beautiful patterned/different coloured marble tiles that decorated the floors of the temple courtyards. The finding of the golden bell from the fringe of the garment of the High Priest in the street drain of the steps on the ascents up to the temple that have been excavated, so you can now walk in the way of the worshippers up to the old temple mount whilst they were singing and rejoicing in their worship and carrying their offerings on their best plates or leading the best of their flock.

Jehovah knows how we are created. We are creatures happier in routines and some panic at changes more than others. He kindly and gradually introduces us to the changes subtly over time.Jehovah only expects what we can give not what we cannot give, so we do our best with what abilities we have. I remember it was announced for our midweek meeting demonstrations that we didn't need to stick rigidly to the presentation outline, it was even saying we need not use the suggested scripture or 'toolbox tool' if we felt that it was not as relevant as another for those in our territory. The words 'having a conversation' were starting to replace 'presentation', especially by the Circuit Overseers. Then we have been prepared with small step by step Watchtower study articles - that now visually more resemble the lessons in the ELF book to get us to realise more and more to try to apply what we are learning, just like we expect new bIble students to do with their ELF lessons. These articles have so much practical advice and good appreciative reasoning to get us moving onwards - even articles about being patient with ourselves with the moving forwards. Also, more emphasis on doing everything we do out of love for Jehovah rather than comparing ourselves to average hourly requirements and then there was a step onwards by making the hourly requirements ever more flexible, so many more could share and feel part of the organisation's work - whatever they could do. Letters were blended with ministry and other forms of witnessing and using our different media/videos, to be more inclusive with the less abled and less abled to express themselves. It is a wonderful thing we are doing, unlike any other organisation in the World. It may seem like a big overhaul, but it will continue to be brought to us with little steps and lots of support over many months and we won't be just starting it all in January. We will get more talks and information to think on and practice with as we go on improving, just flow the best you can with it - you will blend old with new until 'new' is easier and support each other verbally in pairs on the ministry more as well.

Food prices have increased, Fuel here - Petrol is £8 a gallon and diesel fuel is more. Roads have also been very icy and local councils cannot afford to put salt down on as many roads as they used to, so we have to think carefully about going on long journeys and not using unsalted lanes on motorways or dual carriageways. The cost of electricity is so bad that many are living in houses with temperatures below zero and unable to afford to heat them. One utility company has sent electric over-blankets to vulnerable customers to help them have some inexpensive heat source. We have all been encouraged to wear extra layers - warm yourself rather than the room where it is healthy to do that. People are saving cooking costs by using their microwaves or air fryers rather than putting on ovens that have to heat up first and cost a lot to run. When the prices for electricity and gas went up suddenly, most of the low price utility companies went bankrupt, so customers were transferred to more expensive ones. If they paid a fix fee monthly, these new companies sent them ridiculously increased monthly tariffs that many could not afford. To help with the subzero temperatures here at present, we were also told to tape extra layers of bubble wrap at our windows;People were encouraged to use dehumidifiers more as it is very damp here as well. Condensation freezes on windows overnight and then thaws to pools on windowsills in the day, so people were filling old long socks with kitty litter or trays of sodium chloride/salt to absorb it or just wiping it up every day to mitigate against toxic black mould growing on damp windowsills and walls. We are putting foil covered cardboard sheets down the backs of any working radiators to reflect heat back into rooms and not absorb into walls unnecessarily. It is so unfair that electricity and gas companies charge twice the Kilowatt hour and standing charges for using gas or electricity in businesses/shops, so our shared shop had it's gas supply totally disconnected as we cannot afford even to leave the heating off with such high standing charges still ticking over. This is on top of our very high business rates/tax; and our shop rents - no wonder so many shops are closing, we may even end up doing that ourselves, but would miss it greatly - we have many good customers and enjoy interacting with them. Many high streets have boarded up shops now - looking derelict, the once thriving market towns. We changed all our lightbulbs in the shop and home to LED lights. Even lighting rows of glass shop display cabinets with LED string lights (also called fairy lights in UK) instead of the old halogen spotlights they had before, to save money. I even have them at home in the kitchen under my overhead kitchen cupboards as the old spotlights cost too much to run. Need them here with such short days and it going dark after 3.30 pm. A customer came into the shop and could not afford to buy what he wanted. Then he said how he had felled trees on his land that were felled 5 years ago - too many to burn on his fireplace for years. He offered that if he sawed up 2 car boot loads of wood would we take that instead of cash - like barter. We agreed and took a box of goods to him and filled our car boot and it's back seats with wood for 2 runs. We have a multifuel stove at home that heats 7 radiators and the hot water system and buying fuel in has become expensive as the smokeless fuel was from Eastern Europe , local domestic fuel mines are closed and not re-opening. The smokeless fuel has tripled in price and bought kiln dried wood logs has doubled in price.

We love it. WE feel we are getting to know the specialist repairers quite well and also learning so much about how to fix up different things rather than just throw them away or put up with them broken. Jay Blades, the host of the show is dyslexic and never learned to read at school and has just done a program about his latest struggles to learn to read as a man in his 50s. Fascinating insight into a skill that most of us take for granted when we learned to read as little children, when our brains were more flexible and not afraid of making loads of mistakes at first.

I have been in the Truth since the mid 1960s and I always knew that the gravemarker was for all who served at Bethel and Russell had his own separate one. I was also told that it was pyramid shaped because it had 4 faces looking throughout all sides of the graveyard - over the burial areas of all the Bethelites and the pyramid shape would stand up to weather better than 4 straight sides with hollow or filled area atop of it. It seems pretty irrelevant that it may resemble a shape in an older book called the Divine Plan of the Ages. If anything - re: their beliefs back then - it more resembles an arrow pointing to heaven where they all regarded themselves as going at that time.

Seems to be folks mostly in areas where dry summer is coming on, when viruses don't spread as much in the atmosphere and/or where people are double vaxxed and it's still within the 6 months before booster is needed. I suppose this might alter when winter comes on again/new variants emerge and damp weather helps viruses spread and boosters haven't arrived and infection rates start going up again. Wonder if we will have a chance in the Lake District UK where we get rain regularly on odd days all year round that keeps the Lakes filled and only briefly get out of damp weather ever! Getting my booster in a fortnight. Infection rates here are among the highest in the country at present now winter is coming on. It's our flood season here - evacuated from our shop and told to go home while roads were not too flooded in the torrential rains last Thursday afternoon!

An elderly couple in our congregation had 2 bereavements in their family. They inherited from both members and felt they would like to share some out. They had an idea to cheer up a few in the congregations they knew who live alone and have been a bit isolated in the lock downs we have had for nearly 2 years now. Quite a few eating places around here do deliveries of food. UK has a time in the afternoon called 'High Tea' or 'Afternoon Tea' when people socialize, but don't eat a meal, just snack with a cup of tea at home together or in a cafe. It was the fashion from the 1700s when tea was an imported luxury item for just when socializing, to set up High Tea as an opportunity at about 2/3pm to invite friends around and get out your best china tea service and decorate the table with your best linen cloth and napkins/serviettes and serve tea from a pretty teapot with cream/milk in a matching jug and/or sugar in a matching bowl and with it a tazza or stacked/tiered serving-plates with sandwiches on the bottom; scones in the middle; cakes on the top tier. You serve the scones with small pot of butter; small portion of jam/fruit jelly and a pot of clotted cream. The elderly couple found a little hotel in the Lake District near us that did 'Afternoon Tea' but because of lack of trade because of Covid, could provide individual teas to be delivered in individual boxes. They asked 23 people who are alone in our congregation and some 'alone friends' from other congregations to meet up at 2 pm Saturday afternoon (via their zoom connection) , when most are at home. A paid for tea box would be delivered to most of them for that time. All they were to do was get their best cups out and set out a nice display at their table as if meeting up for tea and chat in reality. Those with special dietary requirements that can't eat bread/cakes/pastries were asked to provide their own food and were sent a lovely bunch of delivered flowers instead. They also asked my elderly Dad (86)- he isn't a JW, just a favourable spouse who, in her declining years, wheeled my faithful mother to meetings in her wheelchair and been coming to meetings for Sundays since my mother died. Dad doesn't have internet, so I set the table at our house, with an inherited china tea service from my Grandma that he would recognized and we provided our own food for my husband and myself, so Dad had his box of goodies for himself. 23 zoom screens of old folks who are living alone were all there sharing and chatting. We were also divided off afterwards into smaller breakout rooms. They reminisced about what it was like in wartime - 2nd World War, not just about being Witnesses as children, but things my Dad understood - food rationing, being evacuated, hiding under stairs or in bomb shelters from night-time bombing raids. Dad was evacuated from his hometown as a child because Barrow was a shipyard town that was heavily bombed during that war. Then they discussed how people entertained themselves before TV and internet took that over. We showed each other what china cups and saucers we had that were often inherited and mostly just displayed in glass fronted china cabinets or hidden in attics in boxes because most use coffee mugs to drink with these days. It was a lovely afternoon and there was so much food for Dad in the box that he could take home and keep in the fridge to nibble at further in the week. We all sent thank you emails to the couple for a lovely time and we sent a bag of apples off our tree, so they've enjoyed apple pies since.

We had someone in this position. She likes to comment rather than just hear a meeting. Our congregation co-ordinator went on JW.ORG website and looked for the congregations in a larger area around us. Some shared Kingdom Halls, not so far away had still got later meeting times listed there and a phone number. They rang the number and found one that still had kept to the later meeting time and the overseer - with permissions from ours' - gave the sister the zoom codes for them, so she could comment and be part of breakout rooms as well as hearing the meeting while in hospital.

These atrocities are not new. It's also not just against us. I read in other news reports of Russian people going to their local governments to beg to be moved from their government owned apartments near certain Police stations/prisons because they were suffering PTSD and sleep deprivation from endlessly having to listen to the authorities beating and torturing prisoners of all kinds there day and night. They seem to have had centuries of history of brutal authoritarianism against their ordinary citizens or earlier on - peasants - going unchecked. Pogroms of the past are still going on! Brothers and sisters suffered similar atrocities in Malawi in the 1970s. It was shocking. I find now though that back then it was commented upon in the media and we had letter-writing campaigns that seemed to have more effect. These days the media rarely reports anything that might support a religion. Even human rights charities that used to stand up for us are too embroiled in LGBT+2...etc and likely wouldn't be so interested in helping an organisation that didn't support similar views, even though we don't militate publicly against others' lifestyles. We can only pray that the King of the North & allies gets to "pushing" too far very soon. Their carelessness for their own citizens and surrounding nations they want to annex, shows also in their uncaring unsustainable destroying of the planet/environment in their race to be top nations and that's the part that is not going unnoticed - what they are doing is threatening the whole planet.

I have learned so much about life and benefited so much from others' research coming on here. The site has a goodhearted atmosphere of fair sharing, encouraging and caring. I was on it when it was a different format/website style and my old PC couldn't cope with the new site at first and I did miss coming on here until I had sorted my more up-to-date devices with the help of PC specialists on here that we did not have in our congregation then. I was a bit perturbed by the fact that the threads of information disappeared after a set time, so I saved what I could of people's useful comments on the old site or threads and bookmarked the interesting links to refer to again - a wealth of knowledge I didn't want to lose. I got ribbed a bit for resurrecting old threads to add posts of extra research on them, but I wanted to save the useful stuff to use/share again. It's great hearing news firsthand from people on here who actually live in the countries the events are occurring in. It's been an insight into other cultures and how they survive/endure in their environment. May it continue as long as it can.

September in UK an average of 138 dying per day - This is only counting those who die within 28 days of a Covid test - usually in hospital, so there are more dying at home who have not had a recent test but not counted. Delta variant is the majority now.