GB Update #5 2023

[Tortuga]

Any idea when we will get the next GB Update?

[Sete]

12 minutes ago, Tortuga said:

Any idea when we will get the next GB Update?

This title wasnt an accidental clickbait. 

[Tortuga]

22 minutes ago, Tortuga said:

Any idea when we will get the next GB Update?

Last year it was on Friday July 15th.. Will it be Friday July 14th this year?

[Dages]

It should be soon, it's almost 2 months now... maybe the recent update on Ramapo will be included

[Parale]

4 hours ago, Tortuga said:

Will it be Friday July 14th this year?

 

It appears that the spacing for recent GB Updates has been up to nine weeks, for example 26 August 2022 > 28 October 2022, and 6 January 2023 > 13 March 2023.

 

The last GB Update was released on Friday 26 May 2023, hence:

• 7 weeks = 14 July 2023
• 8 weeks = 21 July 2023
• 9 weeks = 28 July 2023

 

 

Edited July 9, 2023 by Parale

[TheKid23]

5 hours ago, Tortuga said:

Any idea when we will get the next GB Update?

Don’t worry, it will not be late 😜😂

[Tortuga]

My wife and I were looking at the Spiritual Gems part for the MWM this week and we were talking about how much the Jews reluctance to return to Jerusalem describes the reluctance for some to return to in-person meetings at the KH. We were wondering if the next GB Update may be stronger encouragement to return to in-person meetings.

[Bosko]

Host is Brother Losch.

[Parale]

On 7/9/2023 at 5:49 AM, Tortuga said:

Will it be Friday July 14th this year?

 

Yes, it would appear so....

[Sofia]

I think we will have news about projects, Ramapo or others. 

[Josue Roman]

The presenter is Brother Gerrit Losch

[Luigi62]

I hope there is an update to the JW Library app update. It was in GB Update 3 where it was said it was only weeks away, it been months. Must be harder to execute the playlist feature in the app. Hopefully the update date will be announced in this update.

[billy11]

On 7/12/2023 at 9:03 AM, Luigi62 said:

I hope there is an update to the JW Library app update. It was in GB Update 3 where it was said it was only weeks away, it been months. Must be harder to execute the playlist feature in the app. Hopefully the update date will be announced in this update.

Update is live Br Luigi! It’s so amazing 🤩 

[Tortuga]

On 7/12/2023 at 6:03 AM, Luigi62 said:

I hope there is an update to the JW Library app update. It was in GB Update 3 where it was said it was only weeks away, it been months. Must be harder to execute the playlist feature in the app. Hopefully the update date will be announced in this update.

Its here!

My JWL just updated with playlists.

[Josue Roman]

JW Library was also updated on my cell phone

[AH173]

Indeed. 

 

It has arrived! 

[Keep Fighting]

Can Anyone pm me with it please?

[Tortuga]

7 minutes ago, Keep Fighting said:

Can Anyone pm me with it please?

The JWLibrary app has been updated and now it can create playlists. It was discussed earlier in this topic and now it has arrived. You can update your app as you normally would, there is nothing to PM you...

[Parale]

9 minutes ago, Keep Fighting said:

Can Anyone pm me with it please?

 

Update, or install, the JW Library App

 

https://www.jw.org/en/online-help/jw-library/

[Keep Fighting]

7 minutes ago, Tortuga said:

The JWLibrary app has been updated and now it can create playlists. It was discussed earlier in this topic and now it has arrived. You can update your app as you normally would, there is nothing to PM you...

I have ofcourse jwlibrary onmy phone, pc and laptop but the update is not there. I click on the update button and look at jw..org/ English cant see or find it.

[AH173]

All of my windows, android, Amazon devices have the update. 

 

Not so far the iPad. Maybe after I do a system update that came out. Maybe later. 

 

Yep. As I thought. I applied a security update, then restart iPad and the update is there. YAY 

 

Edited July 13, 2023 by AH173
update

[Parale]

14 minutes ago, Keep Fighting said:

I have ofcourse jwlibrary onmy phone, pc and laptop but the update is not there. I click on the update button and look at jw..org/ English cant see or find it.

 

You may need to go into settings on your device and manually update JW Library.

 

Once updated, when you restart you should see a pop-up window telling you 'What's New' and briefly explaing via visual graphics that 'playlists' have been added

 

[Josue Roman]

2023 Governing Body Update #5 Now available in the servers!

[Parale]

2023 Governing Body Update #5 is now available on the website

 

https://www.jw.org/en/library/videos/#en/mediaitems/docid-702023015_1_VIDEO

Edited July 14, 2023 by Parale

[Parale]

2023 Governing Body Update #5 Transcript

 

TRANSCRIPT:

Spoiler

Governing Body Update 2023 / #5 - 14 July 2023

Gerrit Losch

Welcome to our update. In many parts of the world, conventions are underway. In fact, as of early July, over 2.3 million have attended the “Exercise Patience”! Regional Conventions in person. Seeing old friends and making new ones at the conventions is bringing so much joy to God’s people. And the program is truly spiritual “food at the proper time.” Those who have already attended the convention have benefited greatly, and we assure those who will be attending in the future: You’re going to love it!

On June 1, tours of many Bethel facilities resumed worldwide. This has been so exciting for the visitors and for the Bethel family.

1 June 2023 - Britain Bethel Erin Seah, Britain Bethel: Seeing the first tour group arrive was exciting, so encouraging, knowing the efforts that they’d made to come. Jonathan Manley, Britain Bethel: In honesty, I don’t know who was more excited, the Bethel family or the tour group, because we really love to have them here. Farmer Family [daughter]: My favorite part was the amazing surprise of walking in and everyone being there and welcoming us and waving and so many hugs. It was a great surprise. Kenward Family [son]: The welcome we got was amazing, and they just kept on coming and talking to us. Kenward Family [mother]: When I think about it, most of their lives they’ve been watching updates about Chelmsford on jw.org. So to finally be here — I just never imagined it would be possible. 5 July 2023 - Warwick Bethel Ellis Bott, Warwick Bethel: It has been over a month now since tours have resumed, and it has been amazing! Cancejo Family [mother]: We are originally from the Philippines, and we are now in Canada. Cancejo Family [daughter]: We drove about eight hours to get to Warwick Bethel. Cuevas Family [father]: We planned to tour Warwick in March of 2020. Cuevas Family [mother]: Here we are three years later. We said, “There’s one trip that we have to plan and make this year,” and it was coming to visit Bethel. I would definitely encourage families to plan the trip. It’s definitely encouraging spiritually, but it’s something that your kids are going to remember. Cancejo Family [mother]: There are so many things in the museum that you cannot really absorb them in just one visit. So, hopefully, we will be back again.

These brothers and sisters echo the inspired words of David, as recorded at Psalm 122:1: “I rejoiced when they said to me: ‘Let us go to the house of Jehovah.’” We warmly invite you to experience the joy of touring Bethel. Please make a tour reservation on jw.org. You can find more information on the “Bethel Tours” page, or you may contact your local branch office.

As announced on jw.org, on Wednesday evening, June 28, 2023, the Ramapo project received a major approval. The Town of Ramapo Planning Board unanimously approved the site plan for the project! Although there are many permits and technical details to work through, this approval now allows the project to proceed. We are grateful for the hard work of the Town Planning Board and all the brothers and sisters working behind the scenes. And we thank Jehovah for his continued blessing on this project.

In May 2022, Brother Dennis Christensen was released from prison. Shortly after, we interviewed him and his wife, Irina. As you watch the following video, notice what helped them to endure and remain faithful.

Dennis and Irina Christensen Dennis: We were at a meeting of our congregation in the city of Oryol. But then one of our ministerial servants came running to me and said, “Dennis, you have to go in the hallway.” “OK, OK.” I then went in the corridor, and there were people standing there in masks — a lot of police officers and a lot of FSB people. They showed their IDs and said that they were going to search our hall. After that, they also showed me some paper. It was a ruling that I was the main one in this case and that they would arrest me for two days. I thought: ‘It’s no big deal, and it’s going to be resolved. Two days is something I can live with. Other brothers and sisters were in prison before me, and I can do it too.’ And I was sure, too, that Jehovah was protecting me. On 26 May 2017, a judge ordered Dennis to be transferred from the temporary holding facility to a pretrial detention centre   Dennis: The hardest part was being separated from my wife, Irina. Irina: The detention center is located so that you can’t generally see the prisoners, right? I tried to find a place where I could see his window. And just from his window, he could see me well. And so we agreed that I would go there. Dennis told me what time. Dennis: That was my favorite time, you might say, of the whole day. I was looking forward to 1:00pm, my opportunity to see Irina. It was only five to ten minutes. For two years we had this routine. Irina came every day! In the snow, in the rain, in bright sunshine — no matter what the weather was, every day she was there. It was our little secret that we reveal now. For two years, we didn’t tell it to anyone at all. Dennis: I really tried my best to be a good husband. When I was in the detention center, I tried to call her twice a month. I tried to write her letters five times a week. Irina: I had friends supporting me, coming over, visiting. I got a lot of emails, and so did Dennis. There were people who said, “If you’re having a hard time, you can call and text; we’ll come over.” They offered all sorts of help, and I am very grateful to them. Dennis: During the trial, I particularly remembered the support of the brothers and sisters. That’s amazing! [Dennis Christensen shown in detention being moved (for court appearence?) brothers and sisters in attendance to show support Dennis [to brothers and sisters]: Thank you, everybody, for coming. I am very happy that you are here. Thank you! Dennis: When I got my final sentence of six years, then there were a lot of people in the audience. How I dealt with it: I was very strict about my attitude because I knew, basically, as it says in Proverbs: ‘If you’re sad, then your strength also disappears.’ [Proverbs 17:22 / Proverbs 24:10] I knew it would be a long struggle, and I wanted to endure. I tried to read the Bible every day like I was supposed to and to meditate. I did have a special notebook where I wrote down good thoughts from the Bible that would strengthen me. For example, I often remembered Isaiah 30:15, where it says that we have to ‘keep calm and trust in Jehovah.’ And that is our strength. And very often I prayed that I’d have peace in my heart, that Jehovah would help me to keep my joy, to be happy, because I wanted it to be that way. I often thought too: ‘Yes, OK, you can steal my freedom. Yes, you can make me not see my family and not be able to hug them as often as I’d like. But inside, I will not let you steal my peace; I will not let you steal my joy. I want to be happy, to serve Jehovah, to do as he wants because he is a happy Father.’ Irina: Dennis once wrote this interesting phrase, “If you want to be happy, make others happy.” And that thought helped me a lot. And I was always busy. I was always looking for opportunities to help someone — who to visit and who to bring groceries to — or to visit the sick. Dennis: A member of the prison staff said to me, “Dennis, I can see that you’re very joyful.” I said: “Yes, I’ll be free soon; all my thoughts are there right now. It’s like I’m not here. I’m already out there.” Then he said to me, “Look, Christensen, you’ve never been here. You’ve always been on the outside. You’ve always been free. You’ve always been joyful and happy.” I also imagined that day many times: when I’d go out, when I’d see my brothers and sisters again and my family, and when I’d hug them. On 24 May 2022, Dennis was released from prison and escorted to the airport for deportation   Irina: I was amazed at the number of people who were already there. They got there early, and they were people from completely different cities. On 25 May 2022, Dennis and Irina arrived to the airport in Copenhagen, Denmark   Dennis: We already knew ahead of time that there would be a few people who would meet us at Copenhagen Airport. But it was a great feeling when we saw so many brothers and sisters there who were shouting with joy. I hugged everybody. I had waited a long time for this, so there were a lot of emotions there. Now we’re back in Denmark. Here we have to start a new life, start from scratch. We had an invaluable and unique experience that we really want to use to help others. You could say that prison is a very good school to polish your Christian qualities. I’m out now, and I’m very happy about that. But my prayers for my brothers and sisters who are still in prison haven’t changed. On the contrary, I pray for them even more now because I know what they’re facing there. It’s not always easy, but I’m also sure that Jehovah helps them as he helped me.

Brother and Sister Christensen, thank you for sharing your experience with us. We’re encouraged by your patient endurance.

I recall many years ago when I was working with the brothers behind the Iron Curtain, I saw their faith and integrity. It was so touching, and that has stayed with me until now. When we see vivid accounts or hear reports about the faith and determination of our brothers in countries under ban today, doesn’t it strengthen and inspire us? We continue to pray for the over 180 brothers and sisters worldwide who are presently in prison for their faith.

As you watched the interview, did you notice what helped the Christensens to endure? Brother Christensen said that daily Bible reading and meditation helped him. He wrote strengthening thoughts from the Bible in a notebook. Brother and Sister Christensen encouraged each other by regular letters and phone calls. And wasn’t it touching to hear how seeing each other briefly from a distance strengthened them? They were also built up by the support of their spiritual family. And they did not just receive support; they looked for opportunities to help and encourage others. Do you remember what Dennis wrote to Irina? “If you want to be happy, make others happy.” This reminds us of Jesus’ words recorded at Acts 20:35: “There is more happiness in giving than there is in receiving.” One of the scriptures that Dennis said helped him through this trial was Isaiah 30:15. There we read: “Your strength will be in keeping calm and showing trust.”

We are pleased to inform you that the full interview of Brother and Sister Christensen will be made available on jw.org in the future. Yes, just as Jehovah strengthened the Christensens to endure their trial, he will help all of us to endure faithfully as we keep trusting in Jehovah!

Dear brothers and sisters, we take note of your patient endurance. Please know that we love you all very much. From the World Headquarters of Jehovah’s Witnesses, this is JW Broadcasting.