"Special week of activity"

by stillin 13 Replies latest jw experiences

• 

  WTWizard

  Special: A term to make sure everyone is going to waste that week out in field circus. If they can get the whole congregation to blow off work and waste 50 or 60 hours on the hounder-hounder, plus keep them from skipping boasting sessions, of course they are going to call it a "special week". To me, it is no big deal. It just means wasting more time with boasting sessions that can end as late as 11 PM or even later, and taking more than 45 minutes to go out in field circus (I was told that 15 was the limit).

  To me, a truly special week is when I see half the landscape lit up for Christmas. Or, when I order major items such as large numbers of batteries (the expensive Eneloop kind), chargers, flashlights, LED light bulbs, L.L. Bean clothing, Christmas lights, silver, and quality items at once. That is genuinely special since it means I could go a good 20 years of hyperinflation before needing new items, and they will last several days in the event of blackouts before needing recharging. And it is always special to get things that are going to last me 20 years on items that traditionally last about 6 months before ending up in the rubbish--with money that "should be given back to joke-hova".
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  blondie

  In a way it was more special in the past. The CO and his wife went out in service with the group Wednesday, Thursday, and Fridays, morning and afternoon. And Wednesday evenings to be with jws that could not make it on a weekday. The CO would work with each regular pioneer from d2d and on on a study perhaps taking the time to have a friendly chat. His wife would go out with others that came that day. They would show people how to be effective with people, how to conduct a study, not just a read the paragraph/ask the question process. There was a camaraderie (sp) that I haven't seen though since pre-1975. Witnesses were more hopeful and the CO and his wife seemed less pushed to toe an organizational line. They went out on Saturday morning, trying to work with more than the elders (as the CO and the elders drove off in some bro mini-van seating seven). They even went out Sunday afternoons. But now the focus is more on administrative duties and dealing with their aliments, allergies, special food requirements,
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  Phizzy

  Ms Phizzy used to question the "Special" label a lot, Special Talk ? she would ask afterward "What was special about having a guy who cannot read properly do a Manuscript talk ?"

  The other thing she used to laugh out loud about was when they said something like "Excitement is building for this Summer's D.A's"

  She would say "Excitement ? I dread them!"

  She never joined in the C.O's week at all, neither of us would usually go out on the Saturday, waste of time. We were both glad when they moved on, apart from a couple of C.O's and their wives who were really sweet, but that is all, two couples in many decades.

  No wonder she was pleased when she asked me "Are we not going anymore then to the K.Hall etc? " and I said , "Yes, that is all over".
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  blondie

  Pre-1975 the talks weren't canned ones...you never knew what the CO might say, personal ideas, etc. I guess that's why the WTS reeled them in with manuscript talks. It was like listening to FRED Franz give a talk...never knew what kind of speculations would come out in pre-1975.

  But now the CO is scared he might veer off his script and someone tell on him.

  The urgency is gone, it will never be like that pre-1975 time and the WTS doesn't dare use a date again, 1914, 1925, 1975 all failed for them and led to a big drop in membership. With cash flow tight, they can't have that happen again.