by misspeaches 20 Replies latest jw experiences
I remember when they brought out the new program of Pioneer Assist. It appeared that everyone thought it was a marvellous idea.
Was anyone invovled in it? Assister or Assistee? What were your feelings about it?
I really thought about it. I wanted to be asked to be on it. I always felt like ministry efforts were pitiful and I was praying that the elders would pick me. But it never happened. Not that I care now though!
What about you guys?
I'm in it right now. Hell, i've been in it for almost two years, however i've only been able to go out once with the pioneer. (he blamed it on my PO cause he was my book study conductor and he was working with me alot)
I think they're considering me for a MS but one of my three problems is my field service time, other two are my unspiritual (?) prayers and lack of comments (i only comment after i read the watchtower). It sucks cause i make 15 hours a month, and when i asked an elder whats an "acceptable" amount of time he said i had to be exemplary, and i said "so a pioneer", he got pissed off. lol.
Anyway, The pioneers who do it in my congregation make it sound like its god sent or they are helping the publisher become rehabilitated, i hate it.
I was the SO for a while so got to match up assisters with assitees.
My take is that, some people got offended (even though they didnt show it)
Many acted pleased to be assisted but never showed up to work with the pios
A few really enjoyed the help and benifited.
It was mostly discouraging to the pios who made arrangements to work with them and they didnt show. yay.
The CO road my ass for two visits til we got it off the ground. (It did suceed in reactivating one publisher )
The main intent behind it was to give training to publishers who were already active but just needed some polishing.
I couldn't help but think it was like a popularity contest. The people in my congregation who were involved in the program all came from families who were all involved in the religon. Maybe this was specific to my congregation? I have no idea.
So dune - where do you stand these days? are you still keen to progress?
Not really. I dont really feel that its worth it anymore, and after being on the site, i dont think i'll be able to progress with out much reservation. Unless i can become more like sir82 or something. To tell you the truth tho, most of the things i see on this site hasnt really phased me, i dont know if i'm just that stupid or if i'm just too conditioned.
A part of me wants to stay tho. I kind of feel obligated to stay as a witness until i graduate from college because if i leave now, then everyone will have leverage to discourage my younger friends from going to college. I also feel that if i become a MS, then abruptly leave once i get out of college, it might send a message to all of them.
However, if i feel that i'm just missing out on too many things in college, i'm considering leaving this particular congregation sometime next year, transfering out to another and then fading once i get to the next congregation.
Procedure around here
Tell husband that wife, Sister Capable, will be participating in Assist program
Ask husband who wife would work with
When husband tells SO anyone but Pioneer Sister Supreme Gossip
SO then assigns Sister Capable to Pioneer Sister Supreme Gossip (only one left because no one wants to be paired with her)
SO tells Pioneer Sister Supreme Gossip that Sister Capable is assigned to her without talking to Sister Capable first
SO has the embarrassing experience of telling PSSG that Sister Capable will not be paired with her after all.
What happened to the Book Study Conductor/Overseer assist program?
***
km 3/00 p. 8 Ask for Help ***You may want to approach your book study conductor and ask if you can work with him in field service.
*** km 3/91 p. 1 Making Progress in the Ministry ***
Your book study conductor or the service overseer may also be in a position to work with you from door to door and further demonstrate how to talk and reason with people.
Blondie
What happened to the Book Study Conductor/Overseer assist program?
Oh its still there blondie. In fact we had a couple COs in a row who wanted to know exactly who was being helped by the BOs and their assistants, as well as what progress had been made.
Now I wasn't familiar with the bookstudy conductor helping anyone. In fact our conductor preferred to work alone then with people!
Shortly before we quit attending meetings, I had asked the Congregation Secretary™ to assist me in maintaining my Field Service™. I had been diagnosed with severe postpartum depression and found myself having anxiety attacks going Door-to-Door™, and would end up hyperventilating or becoming panicked to the point of vomiting. I thought it would help to take the pressure off me if I could go on Bible Studies™ with some of the Pioneers™ for a short time while I was recovering from my illness. The Secretary™ thanked me for confiding in him and said he would make arrangements to help me.
The next meeting, someone took me aside and said there was a rumor circulating that I didn't want to go Door-to-Door™ anymore. Then one of the Pioneers™ approached me and told me to "go and find my own damn Bible Studies™".
That's when it dawned on me that the Pioneer Assist Program™ was an exercise in mutual masturbation between the Pioneers™ and their friends. If you weren't part of the in-group, there's no way you'd get to play.
I voluntarily asked to be assisted as part of the Pioneer Assist Program on two separate occasions. The first time, the elders never got around to assigning someone to me. The second time, years later in another congregation, they assigned a young single sister to me, who was also a good friend. We went out together a few times and then she started dating and that was the end of that. Very disappointing.
tall penguin
