I've been embarrassed so many times!

stillin

I was kind of proud to go out in field service, most of the time. Important message, straight from God to their doors, right?

But if you met with the group and didn't have previous arrangements, you could end up with the village idiot for a companion. I knew that God chose the foolish things of the world that He might put the high and mighty to shame, but it got ridiculous sometimes.

Once the door was firmly closed and we were sent packing, I was relieved to know it was over. And I wondered how the householder would relate the "visit" to another person.

I can forgive somebody for being stupid, or even a little arrogant and pushy. But is that really the impression that God wants to make with the public?

millie210

You are bringing back memories...

I think the whole concept is one that sounded good in theory to those up in the ivory tower but fails miserably in actual real life.

The more the Org sinks, the more that open door policy seems to be attracting the disenfranchised and the more the balance changes inside the congregation.

scratchme1010

Wow, you just brought some memories. So much to think about in your post!

Since I was born in, I grew up going house to house preaching. I gave my first WT and Awake magazines to a person when I was 4. It wasn't a big deal to me. In fact, as the only activity where I could get out of the house, I actually enjoyed it. Also, that was the only way I was able to know the areas where I grew up.

However, as an adolescent and a young adult, many, many times I was paired up with people who the rest of the congregation didn't like. Those were people who were arrogant and pushy with people.

I learned how to handle them. In fact, I remember this one older guy who people hated going preaching with because he was very talkative and had a mind of his own (you know that in JW land that's a big no-no). At the same time, the people in the group weren't that fond of me either, so they thought that they were going to make me miserable by having me go with that man.

I noticed that the guy had a lot to say about a lot of things, so I let him talk and talk and talk. In fact, I encouraged him to talk more by asking him questions. Turns out he was quite an interesting person with a lot of knowledge about a lot of things. So we had a great time preaching house to house, he did and said whatever he wanted and I had absolutely no problem at all.

When we were done, ready to part ways, in front of everyone he express how delightful he was of going preaching with me and hugged me. Of course, the rest of the group hated me more.

I know well how dreadful it is to deal with everything around house to house preaching. I don't think God is anywhere near those events or people.

tiki

I used to seriously believe that some people shouldn't have been allowed door to door because of how ignorant and or weird...fringes of society types...

blondie

I was out with one sister who got into a screaming match with a man, retired military. I put hand over her mouth and escorted her back to the car, opened the door and assisted her getting in.

She was going to keep yelling, so I started praying to God to forgive us for treating anyone like that.

She got quieter and tried to apologize to me trying to give an excuse. I stopped her and said there was no excuse for what she had done. When the car driver showed up I asked to be taken back to my car and went out by myself. I was set up for sure. I went back then to the house and talked to the man and he said he had a good laugh watching me escort her back to the car. So no foul that time. His wife brought out cookies and coffee and we had a nice conversation about my experiences in a military family. They were a backstop for time until he died and she moved to another state to live with their son.

I always preferred working by myself (but with a group) after that.

Darkknight757

The pickins became slim in my service group before we left The Borg. Either they were too old and crusty to go d2d or they were crazy and made trouble for the householder. We even had one who unfortunate for her had frequent seizures and was seriously scary to work with. I felt bad for her but at the same time she had no business doing the work. Top it off she never took her seizure meds so it was very stressful to have her in your group.

One old brother was "old school" and he would start his presentation with, "Do you wanna die?" The conversation that ensued was lovely.

We lived near a small city with quite a few creeps and weirdos so many came in to "da truuf" from that area. So many creeps.....

jookbeard

I was set up once as well Blondie with an old fart of a sister who was a typical foot in the door merchant who would not take no for an answer, my mate who arranged the groups must have pissed himself, never again though, I was also working with a brother who ended up in a shouting match with a very nice person because all she said was that the people next door weren't in! I refused to work with him ever again. We heard reports of old timers who used to yell down the letterboxes of houses telling them they were going to die! Another sister I knew was invited in to one house on the D2D and ended up in bed with the home owner!

Half banana

Any group of humans will have "fringe" people but the JW org is a magnet for them.

I remember how a young man with autism would usually be put out in the field service with an older single sister who would quietly mumble an incoherent message to the householder. I used to ponder what picture of JWs they must have given. Both of them were complete innocents but had borderline communication skills.

They would never make an impact in preaching but a charitable view would be that they gained satisfaction in acting like the others in the looney Watchtower social club.

Lostandfound

John Blaney, a circuit overseer in U.K. during wartime and after for many years, used to go to back doors if there was no answer at front, pounding on door and shouting, "I am an ambassador for the King!" , he also took as many as 8 pioneers to doors with them standing in a semi circle round him, no idea what hh thought. He sometimes scribbled a note to shove in not at home doors telling the hh they were doomed. He drove a very old car, often the wrong way up one way streets , his Pioneer meeting involved the pioneers unpacking all his stuff from his car and taking it into his accommodation , case after case. In those days co' had no permanent base. He wanted his paper, the Daily Telegraph, bought for him by his hosts and ironed before he read it, apparently to stop ink from paper getting on his hands. Ended up in bethel with helpers to get him around, died many years ago, but not forgotten. If he was unhappy with the accommodation the cong servant as they were, had arranged, he would replace him on next visit. Servants were terrified of him. Many years ago in my youth he showed me one of his suitcases, full of ties, must have been hundreds, he said they were a gifts from lots of grateful sisters, which got me thinking!

jookbeard

LostandFound, I remember John Blanley being escorted to a seat near the field one year at Twickenham while I was on field security with his Bethel helper, he was in the advanced stages of dementia.

I've been embarrassed so many times!

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