JW Broadcasting - March 2023

[Parale]

11 minutes ago, Parale said:

17 minutes ago, Parale said:

The first dramatisation appears to have an interesting timeline 🤔

 

In one of the first scenes the Sister is at the Watcthower Study at the Kingdom Hall, she answers up using the Watchtower February 2022, from Study Number 7, which places the timeframe as the weekend of 16/17 April 2022

 

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2022281#h=7

 

 

 

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Which then takes us to one of the middle scenes where the Sister wakes up in the middle of the night, restless and unable to sleep when she looks at the time on her mobile phone.

 

The mobile phone says it is 3:11 on Thursday 13 January. The last, most recent year when this happened was 2022. Therefore ithe timeframe this scene is set is Thursday 13 January 2022

 

https://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/monthly.html?year=2022&month=1&country=1

 

 

In one of the last scenes we are back at the Kingdom Hall, this time for a midweek meeting when the SIster answers up again, this time using the Mrch/April 2022 Meeting Workbook.

 

Specifically she answers up using the material for 21-27 March. Thus placing the timeframe for this scene from 21 to 25 March 2022

 

Thus, to recap, opening scenes are April 2022, middle scenes are January 2022, and the last scenes are March 2022 😮

 

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/202022086
https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/202022101

 

 

[Parale]

Our sister above learned to manage her anxiety, in part, by managing her expectations — a crucial step to giving her best to Jehovah. That lesson is an excellent introduction to this month’s theme: “Realistic Expectations — The Key to Joyful and Successful Service.”

 

TRANSCRIPT:

Spoiler

“Realistic Expectations — The Key to Joyful and Successful Service.”

Harold Corkern, Helper to the Publishing Committee

When you hear the word “realistic,” what comes to your mind? “Realistic” conveys the idea of something that is practical, rational, reasonable, and sensible. Having expectations that are realistic is essential to joy and success in Jehovah’s service. In contrast, unrealistic expectations cause discouragement, as Proverbs 13:12 says: “Expectation postponed makes the heart sick, but a desire realized is a tree of life.”

Appropriately, we often use this verse when referring to expectations that are not achieved as quickly as we would like. However, expectations that are too high can also make our heart sick. Notice this quote from the August 8, 1983, issue of Awake! [page 16]: “Disappointment is often not so much a matter of ‘expectation postponed,’ as expectations too high. Now at times it is good to have high goals, to ‘aim for the stars.’ But always expecting to come out on top is a sure-fire way to beckon disappointment.”

To avoid disappointment, our expectations should be reasonable and sensible. In our discussion, we’re going to answer the following three questions about our expectations: (1) Why must we be realistic about what we expect from ourselves? (2) Why must we be realistic in what we expect from our brothers and sisters? (3) Why is it realistic to expect that Jehovah will reward us for our faithful sacred service?

Our first question is, Why must we be realistic about what we expect from ourselves? Of course, we love Jehovah with our whole heart, mind, and soul, and we want to do everything for his glory. However, the reality is that no matter how much we love Jehovah and want to obey him, we are sinful descendants of Adam. As a result, we occasionally transgress in thought, word, and deed. Ecclesiastes 7:20 states: “For there is no righteous man on earth who always does good and never sins.” And James 3:2 reads: “For we all stumble many times. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man.”

Perhaps you can relate to the feelings of the apostle Paul at Romans 7:18-20: “For I know that in me, that is, in my flesh, there dwells nothing good; for I have the desire to do what is fine but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good that I wish, but the bad that I do not wish is what I practice. If, then, I do what I do not wish, I am no longer the one carrying it out, but it is the sin dwelling in me.”

Paul’s struggle with his sinful flesh made him feel miserable. At times, we too might feel dejected, disappointed, and frustrated over our shortcomings. We may begin to feel like a failure. What enabled Paul to continue serving Jehovah with joy and zeal? He honestly acknowledged his sinful condition and had complete confidence in the ransom sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Paul went on to say at Romans 7:24, 25: “Miserable man that I am! Who will rescue me from the body undergoing this death? Thanks to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!” Yes, through Jehovah’s undeserved kindness and his loving provision of the ransom, we can confidently remain in Jehovah’s love and render worship that’s acceptable to him, even in our imperfect state.

How powerful is the ransom in allowing us to have a clean conscience and retain Jehovah’s approval? Acts 3:19 answers this question: “Repent, therefore, and turn around so as to get your sins blotted out, so that seasons of refreshing may come from Jehovah himself.” The original-language word translated “blotted out” means “to cause to disappear by wiping,” “to remove so as to leave no trace.” Jehovah completely wipes out our sin.

To illustrate: Imagine a white writing surface representing our clean standing before Jehovah. Now imagine that red dots are drawn on it, representing our sins. We should not view the ransom as if Jehovah draws an X over each dot to cross them out. Those red dots would still be visible. Rather, we should imagine Jehovah, based on the ransom, completely erasing the red dots so that a clean, white writing surface is restored. Jehovah further reassures us of the completeness of his forgiveness with the words recorded at Psalm 103:12-14. Jehovah ‘remembers that we are dust’ and does not expect perfection from us. As a merciful Father, he puts our sins “as far off as the sunrise is from the sunset.”

Even if a servant of Jehovah commits a serious sin, if he is truly repentant with godly sadness, his sin can be blotted out, completely forgiven. Therefore, it is essential for us to maintain a reasonable, sensible, realistic view of our imperfect state. We’re going to make mistakes, but we must have full trust in the reality of Jehovah’s forgiveness based on the ransom. Also, we can learn valuable lessons from our errors so that we’ll be less likely to repeat them. We need patience, though, because some personality flaws and bad habits may not go away overnight. Some of them may even be a lifelong battle.

At times, we may need counsel and discipline. What should we realistically expect when receiving discipline? Hebrews 12:11-13 makes it clear that initially it will not “be joyous.” “It is painful”! However, when we humbly accept discipline and apply the counsel, we can be sure that we will gain inner peace and be a better servant of Jehovah. Therefore, do not give up, but keep making progress. Never allow the Devil to convince you that you are a failure. As stated in the September 1, 2001, issue of The Watchtower, on page 18: “Satan would like nothing better than to rob you of your peace... He would surely like you to feel that your imperfection makes your service unacceptable to God. Never allow the Devil to demoralize you!”

Our second question for consideration is, Why must we be realistic in what we expect from our brothers and sisters? Just as it’s essential to avoid having expectations that are too high for ourselves, we must also avoid expecting too much from our brothers and sisters. Such unreasonable expectations create stress, disappointment, and frustration. The Awake! of September 8, 1994 [page 14], quoted a factory supervisor who said: “You have to accept people as they are. If you expect more than they can give, [you] will elevate the stress level, making everyone unhappy.”

We should expect from our fellow workers what Jehovah and Jesus expect from them. Jesus’ illustration of the talents, recorded in Matthew chapter 25, conveys their thinking. The main point of this illustration is that the Master, Jesus, expects each of his anointed brothers — the slaves and, by extension, those who are of the other sheep — to do his or her best in the assigned work of preaching the good news. How did Jesus distribute the work? Matthew 25:15 provides the answer: “He gave five talents to one, two to another, and one to still another, to each according to his own ability, and he went abroad.”

Jehovah and Jesus are pleased with and will reward each of us when we do our best within our circumstances and ability. When the slave with two talents gained two more, the master did not say to him, ‘Why did you not gain five more like your fellow slave?’ He gave the two-talent slave the same commendation as the one who was given the five and gained five more: “Well done, good and faithful slave! You were faithful over a few things. I will appoint you over many things. Enter into the joy of your master” [Matthew 25:23]. As a result, the two-talent slave could be just as successful and joyful as the five-talent slave. They both met their master’s reasonable expectations, and their master was joyful too. What a fine lesson for all of us, including those serving as elders! In imitation of Jehovah and Jesus, we should never put pressure on our brothers to do more than they’re capable of doing. Failure to take this reasonable and realistic approach can result in much frustration.

Another way that we show we have reasonable expectations is to acknowledge that from time to time disagreements and hurt feelings will arise among our brothers. Have you ever heard someone say, “I expect to be treated that way by the world, but not by my brother”? Is it reasonable to expect that there will not be any difficulties among brothers? No. Does Jesus expect that at times his disciples will have difficulties among themselves? Yes. Why can we say this? Remember some of the expressions Jesus used throughout the Sermon on the Mount: “Happy are the peacemakers, since they will be called sons of God” [Matthew 5:9] “If... you are bringing your gift to the altar and there you remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar, and go away. First make your peace with your brother, and then come back and offer your gift” [Matthew 5:23 and 24]. “Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors” [Matthew 6:12]. “Stop judging that you may not be judged” [Matthew 7:1]. These verses show that Jesus knew his disciples would have challenges among themselves. That was a realistic expectation. But it’s also reasonable to conclude that these problems can be successfully resolved if godly principles are applied. Then peace can be restored. Additionally, we should expect some tensions to arise among the brotherhood today. But by applying Bible principles, peace can be restored and maintained.

We’ll now consider our third question: Why is it realistic to expect that Jehovah will reward us for our faithful sacred service? At Hebrews 11:6, the Bible tells us that Jehovah is “the rewarder of those earnestly seeking him.” And at 1 Corinthians 15:58, the apostle Paul encourages us to have “plenty to do in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labour is not in vain.” Paul was absolutely sure of his heavenly reward. Despite his sins prior to becoming a Christian and his battles with sinful inclinations, please note his confidence expressed at 2 Timothy 4:7, 8: “I have fought the fine fight, I have run the race to the finish, I have observed the faith. From this time on, there is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give me as a reward in that day, yet not to me only, but also to all those who have loved his manifestation.”

We can have similar confidence in the reward Jehovah has promised, whether our hope is heavenly or to enjoy everlasting life on a paradise earth! This is a realistic expectation because our reasonable and loving God has promised it, and he does not lie.

Therefore, may we develop and maintain realistic expectations for ourselves and for our fellow workers. May we never lose sight of the reality that Jehovah will reward “those earnestly seeking him.” If we have realistic expectations, we can find joy and success in our service to Jehovah now, as well as have the prospect of doing so forever.

[lord-360]

Ok Japanese branch, very impressive animation work.

[Parale]

Young ones, no doubt you have many expectations for the life that lies ahead of you. Be assured that Jehovah wants the best for you and will give you holy spirit and the direction you need to make good choices. But what can you do if you make a decision that in the end disappoints you or those who love you? Let’s watch this next episode: My Teen Life — How Can I Fix My Mistakes?

 

TRANSCRIPT:

Spoiler

My Teen Life — How Can I Fix My Mistakes? With Thalila and José, from Brazil Thalila: I started to make a lot of friends at school, and aside from school, I began learning how to Rollerblade. So whenever I’d go out to practice, I’d meet lots of different people. José: I made some mistakes because of bad associations. We started going out at night and maybe just drinking a little alcohol. But eventually, we were drinking a lot. By the time I realized what was happening, I was already really involved. I was 17 years old. "Bad associations spoil useful habits" - 1 Corinthians 15:33 Thalila: I started being close friends with them. They were everything to me, and I really trusted them. They were doing some wrong things like doing drugs and using bad language. But I thought: ‘I’m just with them. As long as I don’t do what they’re doing, it’s not a problem.’ "Or can a man walk on hot coals without scorching his feet?" - Proverbs 6:28 José: I began to make excuses, saying that it didn’t really matter and that there wasn’t anything wrong with what I was doing. Thalila: My spiritual routine was just going to the meetings. José: I started missing some meetings. Thalila: I never prayed. I didn’t even know how to do personal study. José: I wasn’t reading the Bible every day. Thalila: In this group of friends, there was a boy who liked me and asked me out. And since all my friends were dating, I thought, ‘Why not?’ So I started dating him, and my parents had no idea. I’d lie about where I was going, what I’d be doing, and who I’d be with. I was pretty much two completely different people. At home, I was one way, and with my friends, I was another. José: I tried to pray to Jehovah, but I just couldn’t. I felt ashamed because I knew inside that Jehovah wasn’t happy with what I was doing. "A heart broken and crushed, O God, you will not reject" Psalm 51:17 Thalila: My conscience really bothered me. There was a moment when my boyfriend and then some of those friends really let me down. I began thinking about how I didn’t have anyone else in my life. José: One time, we were all drinking, and this girl invited us all to go to her house. I started thinking about what might happen if I said yes to that girl’s invitation. I knew that there’d be drinking, drugs, and maybe even something immoral might happen. Thalila: So after having not prayed for a really long time, I closed my eyes and said: “Jehovah, please help me. I’m just so alone. I don’t have anyone.” I felt completely abandoned by everyone. José: So right then and there, I said a prayer to Jehovah, asking him that if he would help me to say no, from that day forward, I would stop associating with those friends and serve him whole-souled. Thalila: Many times, I asked Jehovah to forgive me. I said: “Jehovah, you’re the only one I have. Please help me.” And that’s exactly what happened. José: After saying that prayer, I felt determined to leave. I started thinking about everything that I’d done and how I was putting not only my own life at risk but also my relationship with Jehovah. Thalila: I thought, ‘I’m going to talk to the elders.’ José: Since I’m a very shy person, the thought of confessing my mistakes was really difficult. "For you, O Jehovah, are good and ready to forgive" - Psalm 86:5 Thalila: I talked to them, and I told them everything that had happened. It was like a weight had been lifted off me. I saw that I really wasn’t alone after all. I still remember a scripture that they read to me at Psalm 86:5, which showed me that Jehovah’s forgiveness has no limits if I’m truly repentant. So I knew that Jehovah would forgive me. But the elders also told me that I’d have to tell my parents, which was very difficult. But I thought, ‘Well, I need to speak up.’ And I just opened up and told them about what had happened. "Whoever confesses and abandons [his/her transgressions] will be shown mercy" - Proverbs 28:13 José: I decided that I was going talk with an elder, and he read a scripture with me from Philippians 4:7, which says that “the peace of God “that surpasses all understanding will guard [our] hearts.” So I was able to pray again, knowing that if I really changed, I could feel that peace that comes from Jehovah. “The peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts” - Philippians 4:7 Thalila: I started studying the Bible for real. José: I stopped associating with those friends and started being more involved in spiritual things. Thalila: I had the privilege of getting baptized and becoming a regular pioneer. And today, I’m serving at Bethel. José: I had the privilege of being invited to help with construction projects, but my greatest privilege is the strong friendship that I have with Jehovah and also having true friends. Thalila: I’ve seen that Jehovah has always been by my side. And even when I didn’t want to be with him, Jehovah never abandoned me. What could help you... fix your mistakes? ·      Confess and abandon your mistakes - Proverbs 28:13 ·       Avoid bad associations - 1 Corinthians 15:33 ·       Draw closer to Jehovah - James 4:8

[Parale]

More than 20 years ago, Awake! magazine published the life story of Alena Žitníková. Alena realized that pleasing Jehovah would mean rejection by this world. But in the following episode of Where Are They Now? note what she describes as perhaps an even bigger test.

 

Awake! 22 February 2002 - "How My Dream Was fulfilled"
https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/102002125

 

TRANSCRIPT:

Spoiler

Where Are They Now? With Alena Žitníková My name is Alena Žitníková, and I was born into a family of a zealous Communist. We believed that a world was coming where people would have everything they needed. They’d be happy, and there would be peace worldwide, and I deeply believed it. But I found paradise among God’s people. As I grew up, I realized that Communism had its deficits because I saw its hypocrisy. People didn’t practice what they preached. In high school, I met a friend who started talking about God and the Bible. So the fact that God’s name is Jehovah and that something called God’s Kingdom and Armageddon will come — those were all new concepts for me. I’d never heard of these things before. I’d never even held a Bible in my hand. A Bible study gradually helped me gain faith. In 1983, I was baptized in a bathtub. At that time, Jehovah’s Witnesses were under ban. In 1989, the Velvet Revolution took place in Czechoslovakia. That also meant a change for Jehovah’s Witnesses because we could begin to express our faith publicly. The house-to-house ministry started, and it was something amazing and new for me. I got to know Petr in our local congregation, and we got married in 1990. We entered into full-time service two years after the wedding. We first started serving as regular pioneers, and two years later we were invited to Bethel. Those were years full of joy and full of hard work, which greatly enriched me. We left Bethel eight years later, and I found that people had changed. And it was a challenge for us because now people had become more materialistic. When I learned the truth, it seemed to me that Armageddon was at the door — that it would come soon. And the world helped us in a way because it didn’t want us; it didn’t want Jehovah’s Witnesses. But today’s world, with its freedom, doesn’t tell us that it doesn’t want us. In fact, it wants us. It wants our time, it wants our attention, and therefore there may be a great danger. We could feel that Armageddon is delaying. So we might feel the need to fulfil our dreams already today. Jehovah teaches me to be patient. Jehovah is a happy God, and even when he waits, he does not wait idly. Jehovah is hardworking; he’s always doing something. When you fill the waiting with activity, time goes faster. The field ministry is very important to me. Sometimes it costs a little effort, but my service partners are always a great encouragement to me. With Jehovah’s help, we have nice conversations in service. And even today, we find people who think about the meaning of life. Service does not only consist of house-to-house service; service is the whole Christian way of life, including caring for brothers and sisters. I think serving my brothers and sisters requires us to set aside time for them. In this way, I can promote a good atmosphere in the congregation. To be in a spiritual paradise, I must contribute something. As a result, the spiritual paradise will be bigger, deeper, and more beautiful! When we do something for others, we don’t think too much about ourselves — our pain. I think life in Jehovah’s service is sometimes challenging, but the result is happiness. And already today, I can say that my dream of a happy life has come true. To read Sister Žitníková's life story, see the article "How My Dream Was fulfilled" in the February 22, 2002, issue of Awake!

We’re encouraged to see Sister Alena Žitníková and her husband, Petr, remain busy in Kingdom service. How wonderful that this has helped them to have realistic expectations and continue to remain joyful! In a world that wants our time and energy, Alena maintains her focus by sharing her Christian hope, caring for her brothers and sisters, and doing her all to encourage others.

[Parale]

What if you want to encourage others but you don’t know what to say? Notice the lessons we learn from the apostle Paul’s example in this morning worship presented by Brother David Schafer.

 

When was this recorded? The closest reference for the quote "The Watchtower article from which our text is taken says" is the Watchtower November 2016, page 5, paragraph 5 - but that seems too long ago? Is there a more recent reference that he could be referring too???

 

TRANSCRIPT:

Spoiler

David Schafer, Helper to the Teaching Committee “If you have any word of encouragement... tell it.” Who said those words? How or what did the apostle Paul say in response? How did his audience react? And what can Paul’s example teach us about encouragement? Let’s open our Bibles to Acts chapter 13. This is the account of Paul’s first missionary tour. After a dangerous journey of about 110 miles (180 km), Paul and his companions find themselves seated in a synagogue in Pisidian Antioch. Verse 15 says: “After the public reading of the Law and the Prophets, the presiding officers of the synagogue sent word to them, saying: ‘Men, brothers, if you have any word of encouragement for the people, tell it.’” Well, the next five paragraphs contain Paul’s speech. How effective was it? Verses 42-44 show the results. First, the people begged Paul to come back and give another talk the next weekend. Second, many Jews and proselytes became believers. Third, on the following Sabbath, nearly all of the city turned out to hear Paul’s next talk. Impressive. We have to ask ourselves, ‘What did Paul say in those five paragraphs that was so persuasive?’ One of the first things we note is his introduction at Acts 13:17: “The God of this people Israel chose our forefathers.” Now, note that inclusive pronoun “our” — not your forefathers, not mine — “our forefathers.” Did you realize that the last time that little word was used in the book of Acts was all the way back in chapter 7 during Stephen’s powerful speech? Stephen used the word “our” ten times, usually in connection with the word “forefathers.” Paul heard that speech back when he was Saul of Tarsus. And now, more than a decade later, he himself uses the exact same expression for the same purpose — to establish common ground. ‘Your ancestors are my ancestors. I am what you are.’ And that is the starting point of true encouragement. The Watchtower [November 2016, page 5, paragraph 5 ?] article from which our text is taken says that “the Greek word usually translated ‘encouragement’ literally means ‘a calling to one’s side.’” And, yes, it’s related to the Greek word for “comfort,” which has a similar connotation. So Paul began from their perspective: ‘I know where you’re coming from. I grew up learning the same holy writings as you.’ And then in verses 17-31, he uses Jewish history and recent events to prove that Jesus was the Messiah. Then in verses 32-37, he connects current events with fulfilled prophecy — prophecy that they knew. We do that today, don’t we? We go to the door; we read Matthew 24:7; we ask: “What do you think? Are the wars, famines, and earthquakes that we’ve seen in recent years the same as ever or are they a distinct fulfilment of Bible prophecy?” And what is the message? That Jehovah is real; that Jehovah is alive; his Word is coming true. And yet, Paul went further, didn’t he? He didn’t stop there. In verse 33, Paul said: “God has completely fulfilled it to us.” Yes, this is personal. Jehovah is at work in your life — in my life. Then the big conclusion in verses 38-41. In effect, Jehovah did this for you; don’t miss out; you can succeed with Jehovah’s help. That was Paul’s answer to a simple request for a “word of encouragement.” That’s why Paul made disciples. And isn’t that how we’re counselled to fulfil our student assignments today? To strengthen and encourage our audience, we should show what Jehovah has done, what he is doing, and what he will yet do. But Paul’s speech was so persuasive that it also drew persecution, which followed him to the next two cities. In Lystra, his persecutors thought they had killed him. But Acts 14:20, 21 says that “on the next day he left with Barnabas for Derbe. After declaring the good news to that city and making quite a few disciples,” they faced a choice. You can see the choice on Map B13 [Revised New World Translation]. We’re looking at the red lines indicating Paul’s first missionary tour. Derbe is the last stop, but notice the next town over to the east — Tarsus. Sound familiar? Saul of Tarsus. There was a passageway from Derbe to Tarsus. Paul would have known the road. He used it on his second missionary journey and his third missionary journey, but not this time. Acts 14:21 — and the red arrows show that Paul returned to all three cities where he had been persecuted, including Pisidian Antioch, where he first received the request for a “word of encouragement.” Why? Why return? It would have been so easy for him to think: ‘You know, we’ve had a pretty good run here. I helped the ruler of Cyprus into the truth. I performed my first miracle, striking Elymas blind. We started new congregations in Pisidian Antioch, Iconium, Lystra, Derbe. I endured all manner of hardships. I was beaten up and stoned and left for dead. It was a successful missionary tour, but I need to regroup.’ No. He didn’t think that way. Why? Because the needs of the congregation outweighed his own personal feelings or fears. Do you suppose that the opposers who stoned him and left him for dead were any kinder to the new disciples in Lystra? Besides, who was taking the lead? Paul needed to appoint overseers. This was a weighty task. So back they went. Likewise today, our brothers are putting the needs of the disciples ahead of their own comforts. Do you remember these scenes from Jehovah’s Witnesses — Faith in Action, Part 2: Let the Light Shine? Now, Brother Pillars explains that when he refused to salute the flag in Winnsboro, Texas, he was beaten up and hanged. [See also 1975 Yearbook, pages 188-190]. Thankfully, the rope broke, and he survived to tell the story. What the video doesn’t tell us is that Oscar Pillars was a circuit overseer. Some months later, guess where it was time for him to return? Winnsboro, Texas. Now, in the months since the hanging incident, the brothers hadn’t been preaching downtown — they were preaching in the rurals. Brother Pillars reasoned that if he didn’t preach downtown, the brothers may never get the courage to preach there. So he checked out all the territories within the city limits. They worked there all morning and had a beautiful time with no negative incidents, except at the very last door. A woman said, “Say, you’re one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, aren’t you?” He said, “Yes, ma’am, I am.” She said, “You know, we hanged one of you people here, and we’ll do it again.” Well, he didn’t tell her that he was the one that they hanged. But what a beautiful example of standing with your brothers and putting their needs ahead of your own feelings! And we have to say that this Bethel family is not self-sparing when encouragement is needed. At times, though, it could be easy to think, ‘Well, I just don’t know what to say.’ But is saying something always necessary? How do you suppose those in Lystra felt just to see Paul again, knowing what it must have taken for him emotionally simply to return? That of itself spoke volumes. ‘OK, but I still feel like I should say something.’ What did Paul say? Verse 22: “We must enter into the Kingdom of God through many tribulations.” The Kingdom — words of true encouragement always centre on the Kingdom. You’re not like Job’s false comforters: ‘Clearly, you have problems here. You must be doing something wrong.’ No, rather: ‘You’re imitating Jesus. It brought the wrath of our enemy. Well done! And that you’re willing to suffer proves that this is real. You will see Jehovah back you up now. You will see him reward you in the future. Stick with it!’ Have you been called on to offer a “word of encouragement”? Don’t over think it, just go! Stand beside those who need you. And if you have any words of encouragement for the people, “tell it.”

Isn’t it faith-strengthening to consider both first-century and modern-day examples of brothers who poured themselves out to encourage others, even in the face of grave danger?

[Parale]

Has a health condition caused you to pause and re-evaluate your goals and expectations? Please consider the following interview that was presented to the United States Bethel family.

 

TRANSCRIPT:

Spoiler

Eulah Coulter, United States: Well, we have many fine examples of those who have maintained their focus during extreme life events. Consider the experience of Felix and Mayra Terrazas in the following pre-recorded interview. ----------- Eulah Coulter: Well, it’s a privilege to be with Felix and Mayra Terrazas, serving at Wallkill. We understand it’s been a very difficult year. Could you share some of the details of your medical condition? Felix Terrazas: Well, about a year and a half ago, I started developing an infrequent pain in my chest, which led me to seeing several doctors. Soon thereafter, I was diagnosed with a malignant tumour that was only going to be treatable by its complete removal. After the surgery, we were hoping to hear good news moving forward. Then, a few weeks later, one of my doctors conveyed to us some of the most difficult words that one could imagine hearing —a life expectancy of just a few months. Eulah Coulter: Wow! That had to have been difficult to hear. How were you able to get your mind wrapped around that? Felix Terrazas: Well, as you can imagine, after many intense and tearful prayers asking Jehovah to give us peace of mind and to give us a calm heart and wisdom to make a good decision, we decided on a treatment of hospice care that would allow me to make the most of the time that I had left and to be able to give my very best to Jehovah. Eulah Coulter: That’s remarkable, Felix. And, Mayra, you’re such a supportive wife. How have you been able to be so positive? Mayra Terrazas: I have to say that it is my hope in Jehovah. That is what has helped me. At the moment, we are ‘sharing in the sufferings’ mentioned at 2 Corinthians 1:7. But the verse concludes that ‘we will also share in the comfort,’ and we are also experiencing that right now. I have no doubt that I’ll see Felix again in the resurrection. When I look to the future, I can vividly picture us walking through the Paradise earth, enjoying Jehovah’s beautiful creation. This is the life, “the real life,” that Jehovah promises. And it’s this hope that gives me joy and peace. Eulah Coulter: Beautifully expressed. Thank you. And, Felix, how have you been able to be so joyful? Felix Terrazas: My relationship with Jehovah has never been stronger than it is right now. And I believe that it’s this closeness and this intimacy with him that is providing me the joy that I’m experiencing. Now, Philippians 4:6, 7 assures me that “by prayer and [by] supplication,” it says that “the peace of God... will guard your hearts.” Prayer has been so indispensable in bringing me peace during this process, and it’s also amplified my appreciation for the resurrection like I’ve never experienced before. Proverbs 12:25, I think, perfectly illustrates our current situation. There it says: “Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs it down, but a good word [it says that it] cheers it up.” Both Mayra and I have benefited from what we feel is an enormous storehouse of good words received in the way of concern, of love and compassion, from the brotherhood. And lastly, my current circumstances have opened up such a wonderful opportunity to share Kingdom truths with family members, including the beautiful privilege of being able to study the Bible with my mother during the past few months. Eulah Coulter: Wow! Amazing! Tell us, how has this experience affected your faith and trust in Jehovah? Mayra Terrazas: Well, we have seen Jehovah’s hand from the very beginning, but one time sticks out in my mind. It was the day we received Felix’s prognosis. That evening, the Bethel family Watchtower Study considered the article “Keep Calm and Trust in Jehovah,” [January 2021, pages 2 to 7] and this was followed by a lecture entitled “Remain in Jehovah’s Everlasting Arms.” Jehovah provided us exactly what we needed to hear that very day. We felt it was an answer to our prayers, as if to reassure us that he has everything under control. This has strengthened my faith in that Jehovah will continue to “more than superabundantly” provide for us care and guidance as we face new challenges and will without a doubt fulfil his promises for the future. Felix Terrazas: I think when you come to understand that you only have a short time to live, you know, that’s something that can very easily knock you right off of your feet. But we know that we have been grasped by Jehovah’s caring hands right now, and that is what’s stabilized us. You know, throughout this ordeal, we have seen Jehovah’s love — his care and assistance — in every decision, in every step, that we’ve taken. From the first visits to the doctors, through surgery, and into the most difficult part of the prognosis, we have lacked nothing. I absolutely know that my faith has only been strengthened by the challenges of this trial. So now as I prepare to close my eyes and fall asleep for just a brief time, it is a privilege for me to demonstrate to Jehovah my trust in all of his promises and to maintain complete integrity right down to the end. Eulah Coulter: What an outstanding expression of faith! Thank you both so much for sharing those deeply personal and motivating expressions. You are a living example of faith in action, and we love you. ----------- Eulah Coulter: I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen that, and it’s so moving each time. On June 8, 2021, our dear brother Felix went to sleep in death, just seven weeks after this interview. And any, frankly, that were around the Terrazas during this time would see first-hand the power of faith and their focus on wanting to give Jehovah their absolute best. It was tremendous! Mayra, dear Mayra, continues to show that same faith and endurance even now. And Felix’s mother — she has continued to progress spiritually, we understand. Felix will be so happy to hear that.

For me personally, it’s been heart-warming to see Mayra’s unshakable faith and the love and support she receives from the Bethel family. Along with Mayra, we long to see Felix again. Even in failing health, he used the strength he had to build up those around him. Jehovah truly appreciates shepherds with this same self-sacrificing spirit.

[Parale]

Did you once serve as a congregation elder? Can you serve again? Note the ways Jehovah assisted two brothers to overcome their feelings of disappointment and qualify again to serve their brothers.

 

TRANSCRIPT:

Spoiler

Return and Serve Again! Jonathan Gomes, Brazil: I served as an elder until the end of 2014. And that’s when some problems came up, and I ended up being disqualified. Marcelo Menezes, Brazil: I had already been serving as an elder for nearly two years. But at the time, I felt that the best thing to do would be to stop and give up my privilege of service so that I could care for myself emotionally. Jonathan Gomes: Before I lost my privileges, my qualifications were reviewed by the elders on three separate occasions, and that ended up dampening my desire to want to serve again in the future. I began thinking: ‘A publisher receives the same reward as an elder. So why should I put myself through that all over again?’ Marcelo Menezes: When you resign or are disqualified from serving as an elder, you’re not immune to feeling like you’re a failure, feeling sad, and especially feeling that you’ve let Jehovah down. And it’s a fight to remain active. One of the biggest things that helped me during that phase was my wife’s support. She believed in me and helped motivate me. Jonathan Gomes: My wife was already a pioneer, and she encouraged me to start pioneering too. So within just a few months, I had already started serving as a pioneer. It was in the ministry that I began to cultivate a desire to serve once again as an elder. Marcelo Menezes: Getting involved in activities with the congregation, helping out with the cleaning ... Jonathan Gomes: Being with my wife in the preaching work, conducting Bible studies ... Marcelo Menezes: I had a lot of help from the brothers who cried with me when I needed to cry and who laughed with me when it was possible to laugh. Jonathan Gomes: A mature elder helped me to see that I needed to leave the matter in Jehovah’s hands. Marcelo Menezes: That time period when I stopped serving as an elder, I can say that that may have been when I prayed the most in all my life. I still wasn’t an elder, but I felt at peace. I remembered 1 John 3:20, that “[Jehovah] is greater than our hearts” and that he knew what I was going through. And just because I wasn’t serving any longer as an elder, that didn’t make Jehovah love me any less. That helped me a lot. "God is greater than our hearts and knows all things" - 1 John 3:20 Jonathan Gomes: The most difficult thing to overcome was really the resentment that I felt toward some brothers who had participated in the whole process. The scripture at Psalm 119:165 helped me to see that when you’re going through a difficult situation, that’s the time that you need to show that you love Jehovah. I could see that during that time of my life, that’s when I had to show that I really loved Jehovah. I would pray to Jehovah each and every day, and I would mention those brothers by name. That helped me to start softening my heart, to lessen and eventually to eliminate this resentment. "Abundant peace belongs to those who love your law; nothing can make them stumble" - Psalm 119:165 Marcelo Menezes: Trusting in Jehovah was so worth it, and I felt like it was a great act of love on his part to allow me once again to serve as an elder. And it’s as if he told me, ‘Marcelo, I trust that you are going to do a good job as an elder.’ Jonathan Gomes: We just have to trust in Jehovah. When I began to show more trust, that’s when things started happening in a way that I couldn’t have imagined. In less than two years, I had already begun serving as an elder again. And in 2016, we received an invitation to serve at Bethel. Marcelo Menezes: My wife and I have now been serving here at Bethel for a little more than ten years. Jonathan Gomes: When you accept the discipline, then you stop thinking about privileges and start thinking more about the brothers and about being more involved in the ministry. Marcelo Menezes: I still had the most important privilege: that of being one of Jehovah’s Witnesses.

[Sofia]

For me it was nice to hear the brothers and sisters speaking in Portuguese 😊

that’s a change

teenagers and the elders are from Brazil.

it touched my heart this BC

bro Felix faith in ressurection was emotional 🥹 

[WilliamChew]

3 hours ago, Parale said:

 

Which then takes us to one of the middle scenes where the Sister wakes up in the middle of the night, restless and unable to sleep when she looks at the time on her mobile phone.

 

The mobile phone says it is 3:11 on Thursday 13 January. The last, most recent year when this happened was 2022. Therefore ithe timeframe this scene is set is Thursday 13 January 2022

 

https://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/monthly.html?year=2022&month=1&country=1

 

 

 

Great detective work. 

[WilliamChew]

JWB March 2023 transcript.

 

Spoiler

JWB March 2023.pdf

JWB March 2023.docx

JWB March 2023.epub

 

[Jwanon]

I guess we will see Caleb be baptized in the next episode

[Hope]

This Broadcast hit the right notes for me in every scene.. rough times in my life. 😔 But thank you Jehovah for giving the right food at the right time 🤎

[Dages]

10 hours ago, Parale said:

 

In one of the last scenes we are back at the Kingdom Hall, this time for a midweek meeting when the SIster answers up again, this time using the Mrch/April 2022 Meeting Workbook.

 

Specifically she answers up using the material for 21-27 March. Thus placing the timeframe for this scene from 21 to 25 March 2022

 

Thus, to recap, opening scenes are April 2022, middle scenes are January 2022, and the last scenes are March 2022 😮

 

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/202022086
https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/202022101

 

 

The anxiety of being a time traveler 😜

[Parale]

17 hours ago, Dages said:

It's nice to see Caleb growing  

 

It also looks like Caleb's family have moved house?....

 

[procarvalho]

Caleb's father need to change his car. two lessons and he can't fix it.

[Jwanon]

What's with the Caleb's family car ? The dad is always working on the car 😭

 

EDIT: ha, I had the same thought as Paulo above me

Edited March 7, 2023 by Jwanon

[Tortuga]

11 minutes ago, Jwanon said:

What's with the Caleb's family car ? The dad is always working on the car 😭

 

EDIT: ha, I had the same thought as Paulo above me

He may be doing preventative maintenance such as changing the oil. What a good example of taking care of our personal assets and using our resources wisely. 😁

[Luigi62]

14 hours ago, Jwanon said:

I guess we will see Caleb be baptized in the next episode

or maybe Sophia will be.

[Tortuga]

14 hours ago, Jwanon said:

I guess we will see Caleb be baptized in the next episode

He isn't an unbaptized publisher yet! 🤣

[Luigi62]

21 hours ago, Parale said:

 

It also looks like Caleb's family have moved house?....

 

 

Or been renovated.

[Parale]

1 hour ago, Luigi62 said:

Or been renovated.

 

Possible, but the roof lines have been completely changed, plus the windows along the top ridge line?

[procarvalho]

Bethel Brazil

 

[Parale]

50 minutes ago, procarvalho said:

Bethel Brazil

 

Looks like the building that housed the original Brazil Bethel still exist today - 76 Rosario Street, Rio de Janeiro (second floor).

• https://www.jw.org/en/news/jw/region/brazil/Brazil-Bethel-Supporting-Spiritual-Growth-for-a-Century/

• Streetview: https://goo.gl/maps/TEaNmfTtvEaKZskNA

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Violin]

On 3/7/2023 at 10:42 AM, Jwanon said:

What's with the Caleb's family car ? The dad is always working on the car 😭

 

EDIT: ha, I had the same thought as Paulo above me

Sounds like our family.  Three old vehicles and they are always breaking down and getting fixed by handyman hubby and our boys 😬

Edited March 9, 2023 by Violin