Being raised "in the Truth", I came from a very well respected JW background. I was "groomed" for the Theocracy from babyhood. All my mom's family was in. I quickly shot up the "ranks" and was a MS at 20. At 24 I was an elder. A few years later I was PO of the Hall. As a "kid elder" I was either very much admired or not at all. Being young and cocky, I believed I was able to counsel and direct families with kids, while I had little or no experience. Or tell an elderly person what they should do, etc. So in my earlier years, I was considered a very "theocratic" example by the older generation of COs and longtime elders.
After pissing off some very very prominent elders in a nearby congregation, I was of the opinion that I better leave my Hall before I officially get the boot. I did leave, wasn't appointed an elder in the new Hall, where I had many friends because the prominent elder wrote the Society negatively about me and I was made a MS first and then a couple of years later made an elder again. (They wanted to teach me humility)
When I was an elder the 2nd time around, I was the elder that anybody that had a problem talked to. I was asked to marry couples, preside over their dear ones that passed away and was invited to all social events.
When I left in 2003? I saddened everyone in the congregation, including the CO who was moved to tears by my resignation as an elder and my subsequent departure from the Witness community.
So that was my abbreviated story of my standing over the years.
