Do you realize that elders have their own families to care for and the majority have full time jobs to tend to?
Very true. It is rare to find an Elder following their own advice about putting first the kingdom and pioneering!
Do you realize the pressure of caring for 80 to 100 publishers?
With power comes responsibilities. Most Elders don't understand the concept of genuinely 'caring', and very few live up to their responsibilities, except the ones that elevate them, like talks etc.
Do you realize that they also get tired and fatigued?
Not from spiritual activity they don't. The ones I know can't even manage the average monthly hours unless they ad 4 hours for the 'family study', public talk etc.
Do you realize that they are humans?
So true - if only THEY would realize it! Instead they are God's representatives, apointed by Holy Spirit and entitled to promote whatever pet idea they have as if it came from God. Object and you are labeled rebelious!
Do you realize what it takes to prepare the different assignments for the meetings?
Yes, for the clever ones, a few minutes printing it out from the cd-rom, or getting their wife to do it while they are at work. For the 'mentally challenged' it can take hours to prepare a short talk that inspires nobody. At my hall they even used an Elder who couldn't even speak the language!
All this without adding judicial committees, shepearding calls or service.
I don't know if the order was deliberate, but it is true they do spend a lot of time on the first point - so much so that point 2 is a rare occurance in most congregations. As for service, most of the time 'counted' is handing out assignments, talking on the corner, and 'just going to check xx is Ok', meaning I am going to disappear for half hour, then return to my car, say I am 'going on a call' kmowing they are unlikely to be in, or just to hand them 2 mags, then going home satisfied, having 'preached' to noone, but being happy in the knowledge that you were 'seen' by the brothers 'taking the lead'.
