Miss Field Service?

searching4truth

I was just thinking today about the old days going door to door and street work and I have some very fond memories of those days. Coolhand and I used to go in street work everyday together when we were pioneering. I used to be my happiest when I was in the preaching work. I was just wondering if any of you miss it?

luna2

Nope. Not one little bit.

I'm shy with new people and field service was hours of having to disturb a bunch of people I didn't know and who, generally, were not happy that some religious nutball was bothering them at home. I also detest telling other people what they should do or believe. I usually spent any time I was out with my stomach in knots.

"Service" meant getting up early to try to get myself and my kids pressed, dressed, prepared and out the door. It was working with a congregation that had a custom of dragging its feet on a Saturday morning so that you could have gotten up at 7:30 to get ready, been out til noon or later, and still have only gotten an hour or an hour and a half of "countable" time. It was spending money I didn't have on breaks, eating crappy, grease-laden immitation food at McDonalds. It was driving around, usually in someone else's car, listening to sanctimonious babbling about how fab we were for doing this important work or gossip (thinly veiled as concerned discussion) about some poor sap at the KH who didn't make the grade.

I always thought that it was a gigantic waste of time and money, and incredibly inefficient.

Of course, if I was a young thang out with CHL, I might have enjoyed it more.

sass_my_frass

Even when I was pioneering field service was terrifying. Every night before a cold call day I'd be staring at the same old KM for the same old intro I used to do. When I woke up it would be pure anxiety from eyes open to the last driveway we walked out of. It was always a massive relief to start packing up and saying our goodbyes, or, joy of joys, be invited on return visits by a pioneer (free time!!)

Sorry love, can't share the joy with you on that one!

bubble

No I don't miss field service. But I did used to quite enjoy it when I was pioneering. I am an outgoing person so I didn't get nervous at meeting total strangers. I found it quite challenging, especially when people would open up to you and ask you questions.

I stopped liking it once I had children. I hated having to drag them out of bed and take them on the service in the freezing cold and people thinking I was a bad parent. I used to do the minimum hours I could possibly do then, about 4 per month.

Seeker4

I was pretty good at it at times, but I hated it since childhood. This from someone who pioneered for many years.

S4

thecarpenter

This is an interesting question. Honestly, there have been certain aspects of the field ministry that I miss, such as the beautiful spring days when I had a chance to work out in the service with some 'friends' from the hall, but for the most part, I really didn't enjoy the service. I did it out of a sense of obligation, a sense of Christian duty. I was pretty good in the field service, pioneered for several years, brought 6 people in and could overcome many objections but as time went on, I realized that I was struggling teaching certain doctrines that I had difficulty believing. I was in the organization for 22 years and the last 10 I sort of coasted more and more, involving myself in the RBC, Ministerial and hall related duties in order to avoid going out in service. The last three years, I hardly went out door to door at all, it didn't feel right anymore.

Mary

I guess I'm strange, because I'm one of the (very) few, who actually enjoyed going out in Service. I think it was a combination of things: I truly enjoyed talking about the bible to people and when I believed this was "the Truth", I felt like I was accomplishing something. I enjoyed being out with the other sisters and I once I got over my first door, I was never nervous about talking.

Once I discovered that alot of the doctrines were not bible based, I found it increasingly difficult to go and preach about something I no longer believed in so I stopped.

Ironhead

My reply is similar to Mary's. I loved the ministry. I liked it so much that I'd stay out until 9pm just to find some sheep. I sulked when illness and other responsiblities forced me to quit pioneering. I could no longer go out on service when I realised that the wts teachings were false.

Gill

Miss it?!!!!!

I'd rather be hung and the 'event' shown all over the world than spread the manure that eminates from the mouths of the FDS!!!

I always hated it with a vengeance from being a small child!!!! What a foolish, ridiculous, time wasting escapade that used to be!

Every time I see a JW out on 'service' to the Watchtower I feel immense pity and then an equal amount of loathing for anyone stupid enough (myself in the past included) to be so arrogant and ignorant to be out trying to get sane and sensible people to become as stupid as themselves!

Sorry for the rant, but you did ask!

dedpoet

I didn't like field service at all, but I preferred it to the meetings. At least I could talk to the brother or sister I was working with, and if we were really lucky, we might find a few normal human beings to talk to as well, whereas at meetings we had to sit there and listen to the mindless drivel pouring our way from the platform.

Having said that, I don't miss the fs, or any other aspect of jw life.

Miss Field Service?

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