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10 years today I got baptised 🥰

I understand what you mean, Justinah. I just feel like they're a little longer than usual. My affection for this brother is beyond words. His smile has become a little sad, and we know why, but the way he looks at the graduates, the warm way he congratulates them, the way he effaces himself, too, is unique and wonderful.

JWB-Dec-2025-158th Gilead Graduation transcript

Brother Peter Price delivered the funeral talk for Sister Susan Lett, and as far as I remember (if my memory serves me right), he referred to her as being one of the other sheep.

The one "standard" that I recall from the early 1950s was the required ability to call on homes "by yourself". Even our 1950s films show two sisters going door-to-door and the narrator explains that the new one is being trained but soon she will be taking the doors by herself. It was a tough situation for a little kid like me. Since 1953, I had been going with my father to had out invitations and handbills and reading a scripture for him at the door. But I was not counted as a 'publisher' until a young special-pioneer brother took me (a little kid from the 4th grade) out with him, had me practice giving my presentation and then sent me to the door by myself. He stood out on the sidewalk by the road, pointed me down the walkway to the front door of the house and gave me a gentle push to get me going. That was 1957. After that presentation they started counting me as a publisher. April next year will finish 69 years as a publisher...♥️

Burnt out, out of gas, fatigued, exhausted, spent, drained, worn out, enervated, run down, bushed, stressed out to the nines...pick your poison...but every single one of those feelings have attached themselves to me like leeches recently. Pulled in different directions, worried about saying too much...scared I'm not saying enough. Avoiding certain obligations due to stress and my ADHD while digging deep into my personal distractions of chess and personal research. Working more hours due to weather conditions in the winter, not spending enough quality time with my wife. The ability to give good advice to others while simultaneously somehow conveniently forgetting to apply it to myself. Attending more meetings on Zoom then in person, feeling disassociated through absence, experiencing lack of love and empathy due to exhaustion, frustration, anger, hurt, and pain. All of this is what I expressed to an elder yesterday as we sat in two chairs on the back room of his empty Kingdom Hall, our ears perked up occasionally by the sounds of the howling wind and driving snow outside...and this is what he said in return: SIX BILLION TONS!! That's how much just one teaspoonful of a single star weighs...and that's how stupid, (my word, not his), Tim really is. All this time, I've been reaching for stars...trying to stretch out on my tippiest of tippy toes in order to grab just one and SHOW Jehovah that I am a capable man...a good man...a man he could love and respect. I was trying so hard, for so long...but to Jehovah...I must have seemed as pathetic as a tiny ant reaching out to carry the whole muffin back to it's colony...when all it was ASKED to do was carry a crumb. As this very kind elder pointed out to me yesterday...Jehovah never asked me to carry the whole muffin...he never required me to grab a star and carry it around...he only asked me to take his hand...hold on tight...and allow HIS light to penetrate deep into my mind and heart. He didn't ask ME to be the "source"...and he never told me to "reach" for it...like I had to carry around the source myself...he simply asked me to reflect HIS light. Those are MY expectations...those are my OWN personal thoughts and feelings about what I felt I should be doing...not Jehovah's. After a few minutes of listening to more of my excuses and self lies...he quietly, gently...led me to a set of scriptures I know very very well...or at least...I THOUGHT I did. Matthew 11:28,29: "Come to me, all you who are toiling and loaded down, and I will refresh you. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am mild-tempered and lowly in heart, and you will find refreshment for yourselves." Refresh: In Greek, the word is anapausis...and it means rest from burdens...or refreshment... that's true. But this brother pointed out that the meaning is deeper, especially when you look at how this word is used in the Greek Septuagint at Exodus 23:12: "Six days you are to do your work; but on the seventh day, you are to cease from your labor, in order that your bull and your donkey may rest and the son of your slave girl and the foreign resident may REFRESH themselves" The Israelites didn't JUST receive refreshment by pausing physical labor...here the word means SABBATH rest...restoring equality!! It means relief from pressure, a pause that restores a person's dignity and self-worth. THAT'S the "load" that Jesus offers...and here's why: https://www.jw.org/finder?srcid=jwlshare&wtlocale=E&prefer=lang&docid=502300130 Under "I will refresh you"...look at HOW Jesus provides relief: "Jesus promised to give relief, or rest, to those who accepted his kind invitation. He did so by helping them to understand what God truly expected of them. In other words, he was relieving them of all the unfair rules and restrictions that had been piled upon the Israelites by the Pharisees...and this brother pointed out that, while we don't have physical Pharisees doing that today...each one of us has a "Pharisee" INSIDE us...constantly piling on added rules and restrictions to ourselves, criticizing our every move, condemning our every thought...and all in the name of US attempting to be self righteous. "I should be doing more because..." "I'm not good enough because..." "Jehovah expects too much from ME, because I just can't do what everyone else can do!!" 😔 This dear dear brother then gave me a piece of paper and a pen and asked me to write down ten things in which I felt I am not "ENOUGH". After I had finished, we went over them one by one. In each and every instance, I was absolutely shocked to see how my inner "Pharisee" was condemning me...piling on small and subtle "adjustments" to Jehovah's actual requirements. I always knew I would have to face reality one day...I just didn't think that reality would take the form of a Pharisee. Starting now, I am going to strive every day to see myself as Jehovah sees me...not as I THINK he should see me. Starting now, I am going to improve where I can, pray about what I can't and allow Jehovah to work out the details. Starting now, I'm going to listen to Jehovah's voice more than my own and stop piling up unrealistic expectations based on where I think I SHOULD be in Jehovah's organization...not where I actually am. If Jehovah opens the door, I'll walk through it. But I'm going to try my best to stop creating my own doors...I'm going to stop reaching for a star...and be content with reflecting Jehovah's light.

Thank you for sharing all of your amazing efforts with the rest of us, Brother Michelle. 🥰 I have never enjoyed my Bible reading more than when doing so through your Photo Drama. We are constantly encouraged to visualize the texts we are reading and to meditate on them. Your project allows us to do this. I have watched all nine of your Photo Drama episodes and I fully intend to re-watch them over and over again. I hope you will continue to share more visual chapters with us, as your personal Bible study continues. 💜👍👍

I am amazed by the number of brothers and sisters we have at the assemblies and conventions; there is always a lack of space, and all the events are packed. The mountain of Jehovah's house is very high, and that is incredible. Evidence of the end times, where many will run to the arms of Jehovah.

It is now! And yes, it's 133. ...and it's almost an hour and a half!

In many parts of Africa, investments and migration from China have sparked tensions with local residents—but some Chinese migrants are finding a welcoming community in Mandarin-speaking Zambian Witness congregations https://www.sapiens.org/language/chinese-migration-zambia-xenophobia-jehovahs-witnesses-belonging/

I would love a JW widget that showed the day text.

Some are saying beef fat is healthy now; has immunological properties to it. Some also say reducing fat intake causes brain issues. Can't tell you who lies more on health issues. 🫢

Brothers and sister a loving reminder please limit your intake of chocolate maybe you will become fat, and becoming too much fat is dangerous (Ezekiel 34:16) 😁

so the mini tracts have arrived and put on the display unit

Let's all get through this alive, please, and with plenty of chocolate in our backpacks. Oh, speaking of emergency backpacks — which have nothing to do with the Great Tribulation — a letter was read at the meeting reminding us to always be prepared for natural disasters, to have an emergency backpack ready, or to review the one we already have, and to plan a family escape route. Encouragement to consider the magazine article as a family. When Disaster Strikes—Steps That Can Save Lives https://www.jw.org/en/library/magazines/awake-no5-2017-october/disaster-steps-that-can-save-lives/

Hi All As you know, we cannot us NWT text or audio as it is copyrighted, so the videos posted here on jwtalk do not have NWT audio. So I use the 2001translation.org Bible translation, it's the best Copyright Free, Open Source translation I could find. (uses Jehovah, no trinity, stake instead of cross...) However, you do have the option to watch the videos with NWT audio by going to my website: https://www.bibliaprints.com/bible/isaiah/ The NWT audio is streamed directly from jw.org, so there are no copyright issues. I obviously recommend the NWT, much better than 2001translation.org! Any more questions please feel free to ask me. Christian Love Michael

JW Broadcasting—December 2025: 158th Gilead Graduation

Gilead And code should be 133.

I think the translator didn't translate my idea correctly and I didn't have time to check, but I meant that Brother Peter was referring to himself as being one of the other sheep.

Hey my brother, I really appreciate your trust in reaching out to me. I wanted to be upfront with you though — I won’t be able to search for online jobs on your behalf. You know your skills, work history, and interests far better than I do, and brothers in your own area are in a much better position to help you with opportunities that fit your situation. I also just don’t have the time to take on something like this right now. What I can encourage you to do is keep applying the suggestions I already shared, and make it a matter of prayer. Jehovah can absolutely guide your steps, but you’ll need to take the lead in the actual searching. And honestly, if you’re going to work remotely, being able to search, apply, and follow through on your own is an essential part of that kind of job. 🤔 I’m still cheering you on, my brother, and I know Jehovah will help you as you put in the effort.

have found when unpacking they are fiddly to deal with and once you have undone the paper wrapper, they can easly get mixed up with the other mini tracts. As a result to keep them them in order and neat we have bought 3 plastic boxes which keep three of mini tracts

All I can say is "Come quickly Jesus"... No righteous person like to be here in this system.

The reason why I post this so the topic keeps on rolling.

I really hate when I see an old person and then realize we went to high school together.

From JW.org: Over 257 of Jehovah’s Witnesses worldwide are imprisoned for their faith as of November 2025. Russia: Currently, at least 156 of Jehovah’s Witnesses are either being held in pretrial detention, serving sentences of forced labor, or serving prison terms. I was thinking about the brothers and sisters in Russia who are being convicted, on what seems an almost weekly basis, but then I remembered the total number mentioned above, and it helped me put things in perspective. Let me first say, that even one brother or sister being arrested for their faith, is one too many. However, if I remember correctly, the total number of publishers in Russia at the beginning of the ban in 2017 was approximately 175,000. Statistically, the 156 who are presently being held in pretrial detention, serving sentences of forced labor, or serving prison terms, as mentioned above, is a rather small percentage when you think about it. In other words, if my math is correct, 156 is less than 1/8 of 1% of 175,000. That means that more than 99% of our brothers and sisters have either evaded arrest while continuing to live in Russia or have fled from Russia to avoid arrest. So, once again, while even one arrest is one too many, and is a travesty of justice, I think it's encouraging to see the big picture as we continue to pray for all 156 of our brothers and sisters who are suffering this injustice and proving Satan a liar by their endurance.

Oh dear. This could grow into a long text. One of the talks I am currently working on involves the events that happened in 66 C.E. I only recently realized how strongly Matthew draws parallels between those events and Jesus’ prophecy about the “last days.” In Luke 19, Jesus openly weeps over Jerusalem. He sees the future destruction of the city, and in that moment he pronounces a prophecy against it. However, just a couple of days later, Jesus was back in Jerusalem with his disciples. He noticed the poor widow contributing her two small coins, and the disciples began marveling at the temple and its beauty. It seems clear that they did not fully grasp what Jesus had meant earlier when the crowds tried to make him king. So Jesus repeated the prophecy again; this time in the temple itself. This leads directly into the scene preserved especially vividly in Matthew 24. However, it seems that the occasion is somewhat different from Matthew’s perspective. To him, he wrote When Jesus sat on the Mount of Olives, his disciples approached him privately and asked: “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your presence and of the conclusion of the system of things?” But Luke says, “When will these things actually be, and what will be the sign when these things are to occur.” Here, “when will these things be?” clearly refers to the destruction of Jerusalem. The disciples seem to be trying to understand why Jesus wept over the city, and why he repeated the warning at the temple. They were curious and confused. But then they asked two more questions: the sign of his presence and the conclusion of the system of things. This is significant. Jesus’ answer blends the destruction of Jerusalem with the sign of his future presence. Why? Because the disciples asked about both, and Jesus gave an answer that addressed their time and ours. There are indeed strong parallels between the experience of early Christians and the conditions Jesus said would mark his presence. Here is what I deduced: The “sign” and the “conclusion” appear to be two distinct phases. In Matthew 24:6, Jesus said that “these things” — the signs — must occur, but the end is not yet (Luke 21:9). If we follow that, then most, if not all, major features of the sign have already appeared. So we are either near the conclusion or in the final part of the sign of Jesus’ presence. Another important detail: Jesus said that when Jerusalem was surrounded by armies, its desolation was near. That surrounding was the final sealing of the prophecy, marking the beginning of the end for the city. In our time, the proclamation of “peace and security” seems to act as a similar final marker, an event that signals the beginning of the end. My personal opinion — and I acknowledge it could be wrong — is that the proclamation of “peace and security” may overlap with the destruction of Babylon the Great. Here is why: In 66 C.E., various Jewish factions overthrew the Roman fortresses, killed High Priest Ananias, and drove the Roman governor out of the city. Then the Romans tried to capture Jerusalem not once, but twice. But the days for meting out justice started when they surrounded the nations in 66 C.E. And it triggered the beginning of the end. But the prophecy was fulfilled in 70 C.E. So I think the cry of “peace and security” may be tied to the removal of false religion. And I think the cry of peace could happen in intervals too. I believe a series of peace and security could trigger a final assault on False Religion, which will lead the mission to be finally fulfilled. Since Jesus’ presence in 1914, we have seen the peace accord with the League of Nations, and the United Nations and countless peace accords. Maybe the finale of that peace and security is the end of the mother of the disgusting things (Babylon the Great) Again, I know I may be wrong, but I found this comparison interesting and worth exploring as part of my research. Wow. I didn’t know this would be too long

I cook and pack my lunch because they use bad oils at resto.. I used cocnonut oil.

If he is an anointed brother with a heavenly hope, and meets the other requirements, then he could be appointed. In the 1970s, there was a maximum of 18 brothers on the Governing Body, so if Brother Peter Price is appointed, there would be 12 brothers. According to the publications, there is no limit on the number of brothers on the Governing Body.

Wednesday, December 3 Clothe yourselves with . . . patience.—Col. 3:12. Consider four ways we can demonstrate patience. First, a patient person is slow to anger. He tries to stay calm and to hold back from retaliating when provoked or under stress. (Ex. 34:6) Second, a patient person can wait calmly. If something takes longer than expected, such a person tries to avoid becoming restless or irritable. (Matt. 18:26, 27) Third, a patient person is not rash. When a patient person has an important task to accomplish, he does not rush into it; nor does he rush through it. Rather, he sets aside a reasonable amount of time to plan what he will do. Then he gives the task the time that it requires. Fourth, a patient person strives to bear trials without complaining. He does his best to continue enduring while maintaining a positive attitude. (Col. 1:11) As Christians, we need to show all these facets of patience. w23.0820-21 ¶3-6

So it seems that the soc got a well done for its translation efforts https://blueprint.ng/jehovahs-witnesses-commended-for-documenting-nigerian-languages/

I am really proud to be in this wonderful organization that Jehovah is using in a mighty way.

Certainly a matching scripture for Br. Lett's Gilead Graduation talk. "You are the salt of the earth."

Bro Keneth Flodin is the host

Hello Brothers and Sisters, I wanted to let everyone know about a website helpful for those who have difficulty reading. It's called JW Assist. It provides free, accessible content from JW.org formatted to support reading accessibility for individuals who are blind, deafblind, have low vision, are partially sighted, or are living with conditions such as dyslexia, dyspraxia, autism, dementia, or other neurodiverse challenges. In accordance with U.S. copyright law, JW Assist uses accessible features that provide independent and accessible navigation and access to God’s Word for educational and personal use, and assists individuals with visual or print disabilities. Check it out at: https://jwassist.org

It up with code 133

Isaiah Chapter 4 The attached image (Isa 4:5) Illustrates the moment in the evening when the pillar of smoke changes into a pillar of fire. This dramatic scene can also be viewed as a video clip. You can watch the video with NWT audio narration at this link https://www.bibliaprints.com/bible/isaiah/chapter-4/ All videos and 4K images are free to download at the same link. chapter 04.mp4

And they were a year behind you

I remember once when some JW-hater in one of Russia's anti-cult groups said something like: 'if we throw enough JWs in prison, all the rest will get scared and leave their religion.' When are they going to learn it doesn't work like that?

The “end“ or the “time of the end” starts on verse 40. that verse 27 was fullfilled decades ago

Beautiful and insightful. One brother here mentioned this scripture over the Ukraine and Gaza talks: (Daniel 11:27) “As regards these two kings, their heart will be inclined to do what is bad, and they will sit at one table speaking lies to each other. But nothing will succeed, because the end is yet for the time appointed."

I happen to know a former congressman from Florida. I have known him for more than 40 years. We have worked for each other at and/or in each other's homes. I used to have the key to his house and home office. He was in DC when Trump gave that speech. He was also a Trump supporter who felt the election was "stolen". We spoke the very next day on the phone as he called me a couple hours after he was back home - mostly to say "Hello" and let me know he was OK. While, in the view of many, Trump did not "call" for violence, there was the "expectation of violence" in the admonition to stop the vote count. From a legal perspective, if you incite a group to action that has the "expectation of violence", even if you do not call for violence, you can still be held legally actionable if violence does happen. Keep in mind, this aspect of what happened "on the ground" comes from someone who was actually there and on Trump's side. He told me he was glad to get out of DC and didn't care if he ever went back because his political experience in DC was not what he thought it would be. The shame is, even though he can see that man does not have the answers, he is too Catholic to accept the truth.

Gilead? or Annual Meeting?

Since 2003 I’ve been producing free 3D Bible animations as part of my personal Bible study. My first project was Solomon’s temple: ( https://www.bibliaprints.com/free-bible-animations). For the last two years I’ve been preparing for another personal Bible study project: The Photo Drama of the Bible The goal is to illustrate, in 4K resolution, all 31,100 verses of Scripture and to create a cinematic video for each verse. The videos will be bundled by Bible chapter. I’ve started with the book of Isaiah and am releasing the visuals in step with our weekly Bible reading. As a bonus, you can watch the videos with NWT audio streaming from a link from jw.org. The NWT audio is NOT hosted on our servers: Here is the link: https://www.bibliaprints.com/bible/isaiah/chapter-1/ Please Note: "The Photo Drama of the Bible" is hosted on bibliaprints.com, that is my Bible micro-printed on one poster business website. All content for "The Photo Drama of the Bible" videos and images are FREE to download. (Just as a preview, I've just attached a sample quick-time video and sample images of Isaiah Chapters 1 and 2. The full resolution images and full video at normal speed can be found at the same link as above: https://www.bibliaprints.com/bible/isaiah/chapter-1/) Isaiah Chapters 1 and 2 in 30 seconds.mp4

Monday, December 1 The dead are raised up.—Luke 20:37. Does Jehovah have the power to resurrect the dead? Absolutely! He is “the Almighty.” (Rev. 1:8) So he is powerful enough to defeat any enemy, even death. (1 Cor. 15:26) Another reason why we know that God is capable of resurrecting the dead is that he has a limitless memory. He calls each star by its name. (Isa. 40:26) Also, he remembers those who have died. (Job 14:13;Luke 20:38) He can easily remember the smallest details about those he will resurrect, including their genetic code, their experiences in life, and their memories. Clearly, we can believe in Jehovah’s promise of a future resurrection because we know that he has both the desire and the power to fulfill it. Consider another reason for believing in God’s promise of a resurrection: Jehovah has already done it. In Bible times, he empowered a handful of faithful men, including Jesus, to raise the dead. w23.04 9-10 ¶7-9

Last night a local man was hit by a violin, then a clarinet and then a french horn. Police say it was an

Sunday, November 30 I have approved you.—Luke 3:22. Jehovah gives his holy spirit to those whom he approves of. (Matt. 12:18) We can ask ourselves, ‘Have I been able to display some aspect of the fruitage of God’s spirit in my life?’ Do you notice that you are more patient with others than you were before you came to know Jehovah? Actually, the more you learn to display the fruitage of God’s spirit, the more evident it will be to you that you have Jehovah’s approval! Jehovah applies the value of the ransom to those whom he approves of. (1 Tim. 2:5, 6) But what if our heart resists the idea that Jehovah approves of us, even though we have faith in the ransom and are baptized? Remember, we cannot always trust our own feelings but we can trust Jehovah. He considers those who have faith in the ransom to be righteous in his eyes and promises to bless them.—Ps. 5:12; Rom. 3:26. w24.03 30 ¶15; 31 ¶17

Huge disruption in the Arctic Polar Vortex, lots of warm air going in, refreezing slowed to almost to a halt. Sea Ice level at its Lowest for 3rd day in a row.

Hey! I resemble that remark!!

been told that we now have delivery of the new mini tracts - 4000 of each one