JW youths - How did you spend your vacation and holidays?

by truthseeker 7 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  truthseeker

  You don't have to be a "young one" to answer this question!

  The Society prides itself on the thousands of JW youth who open "a large door leading to activity" during the holidays and summer vacation. We are led to believe that the youth have few interests of their own and spend the majority of their free time away from school (or college!) knocking on doors.

  In the February Kingdom Ministry young ones are suggested to go out on field service straight after school and during the evening to take advantage of the extra daylight hours.

  If you are a current or former JW youth how did you spend your free time?

  I'll start the ball rolling.

  I didn't go out in service for most of my teen years, let along Saturdays. I would hang out with my friends. During my late teen years, an elder studied with me and encouraged me to go out more which I did to a point, but I lost interest.
• 

  WTWizard

  I noticed that point about going out in field circus directly after school in the Feb 2004 Kingdumb Misery. Which leaves one question: When do children find time to get their homework done or study for classwork?

  I have seen it myself. During Christmas week, February recess, and April recess, children are spending the whole week out in field circus. I don't see that too much in June, because the weather is getting hot and people think there will be all summer to pioneer. I guess they are cracking down on that, though--and they still have to make the Grand Boasting Session, wasting a weekend plus a Friday.

  That is a slap in a child's face. It's bad enough they don't get to do Christmas. But, then they have to waste the whole week out in field circus instead of playing with new toys. What a waste! No wonder so many of them end up leaving!
• 

  Wordly Andre

  I don't really remember doing much for vacation when I was a kid, my family would spend a 3 day weekend in Mexico, and once we went to visit my Aunt in northern California, not much other than that.
• 

  Rooster

  

  My first holiday photo.
• 

  lovelylil

  When we left our kids were still pretty young, they were 9 and 11. In the summer and on vacations I did take them out in service with me for 1 extra day during the week. They actually liked service, especially in the summer. Because usually some nice elderly householder would feel sorry for my kids, being out in 90+ degees handing out mags, and invite us in for cool lemonade or icecream. We also stopped at a few doors where the householders gave my kids each brand new gold dollars.

  Once kids grow out of the "cute factor" I think service pretty much goes down hill. Lilly
• 

  Velvetann

  My memories of summer holidays were not fun. My parents were regular pioneers and in the summer we did unassigned territory for 2 months, We started at 9 AM and finished at 10PM Once in a while we had fun and found a lake to go for a swim for a an hour or so.

  Later in my teen years we had regular territory where they had dozens of bible studies and we spent all summer doing that.

  We had picnics for lunch by the side of the road. gobble down the food and on to knock on the next door. It turned me off the whole thing because it was Just TO MUCH!!!!!
• 

  Tired of the Hypocrisy

  young ones are suggested to go out on field service straight after school and during the evening to take advantage of the extra daylight hours.

  HA HA HA HA HA

  We never did any of that shit....

  vacation time was just that! Christmas vacation? Played football and in the snow! Spring break? Rode our bikes all over creation! Summer Vacation? More Biking, Hiking anything to our LIKING....But never an extra minute in service....
• 

  Amber Rose

  My favorite was in the summer all the parents would drop off thier teenagers at the KH and be off on their merry way. So proud of themselves for raising such spiritual kids who wanted to auxiliary pioneer. The kids contributed nothing, couldn't drive, had no calls, only talked to other teenagers and would whine when they were made to get out of the car and work territory. To the parents we pioneers were just unpaid baby sitters. The kids got out of thier household chores and got to spend all day with their friends.