Transcripts: Governing Body Updates

Transcript: 2024 Governing Body Update 1
(David H. Splane. Governing Body)
David: Welcome! We’re going to discuss the importance of setting personal goals in the ministry. But first, here are some updates. On January 1 of this year, a magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck central Japan.
(Road with large crack dividing it)
Thankfully, none of our brothers were killed.
(Images of Buildings destroyed)
But over 100 of their homes were damaged, and 2 were destroyed.
(Images of Kingdom Hall damage)
Also, nine Kingdom Halls were damaged. The branch office quickly provided accommodations and other necessities for our brothers and sisters.
(Image of 8 Brothers in suits, sat at a table with laptops, all smiling at the camera)
Soon after, the branch appointed a Disaster Relief Committee and sent branch representatives to visit our brothers in the affected areas.
(Brother’s talking to publishers, then sat eating with them)
Within just a few days, additional relief aid was delivered to congregations in need.
(Boxes of supplies in the back of a van. People in safety high vis clothes and hard hat’s deliver boxes)
In the Wajima Congregation, the elders couldn’t account for one sister.
(People standing in a group talking)
To reach her, an elder walked for eight hours, avoiding landslides and cracks in the ground, until he was able to confirm that she was safe.
(Images of landslides and broken roads. In the street, a sister smiles as she talks with a brother)
Congregations in the area, including those severely affected, have held their meetings from the very week the earthquake hit.
(Meeting in progress, with many boxes stacked to one side)
Most of the publishers have gathered in person to encourage one another.
(Hugging each other at the Kingdom Hall)
We’re praying for our brothers and sisters in Japan and in other lands affected by recent disasters.
(Many letters and drawings displayed on a table)
On January 1, the Patterson Visitors’ Center officially opened for tours! Construction began in early 2021 and was completed in September 2023. What will you experience when you come for a visit? Let’s take a look!
(The large glass entrance to the Patterson Visitor Center, brothers shake hands as people enter)
The Patterson Visitors’ Center features three museums and a coin display.
(Happy people in the lobby and reception area. A young boy wears headphones and looks at a handheld device)
The first exhibit you’ll notice is entitled “Defending and Legally Establishing the Good News.
(People look at artifacts on display)
It presents the powerful experiences of men, women, and even schoolchildren who held to their Bible-based beliefs despite legal opposition. This exhibit shows how Jehovah’s organization supported them through difficult tests.
(Some watch a video shown on a large screen)
A Biblical coin gallery presents a unique display of original coins that were in circulation in the first century, along with their Scriptural context and significance.
(A small coin rotates, under a glass display case. Brothers touch a large interactive screen)
Another exhibit, entitled “All Your Sons Will Be Taught by Jehovah,” features some of the training programs and schools that have been used by Jehovah’s modern-day organization to equip us as ministers and teachers.
(Visitors bend to read display information)
We trust that it will motivate you to see additional ways that you can take advantage of the education Jehovah provides. Our feature museum is a first-century Bible village.
(People in historical attire at stalls)
The “local villagers” are very welcoming and will be eager to show you how they live and work together as a community. You’ll see first-hand what life was like when Jesus walked the earth. You’ll walk through agricultural areas, a marketplace, residences, a synagogue, and even by the seashore.
(People smile and laugh while pulling a rope on a boat, another takes photo’s)
No doubt these new museums will enhance your appreciation for the Bible and for what Jehovah is accomplishing through his organization today.
(Various groups take photos together in different locations at the center)
We welcome all who are able to come and see the new Patterson Visitors’ Center!
(People wave as they leave. Sky view of the buildings and surrounding land)
The Patterson Visitors’ Center is outstanding! We thank all who worked on this project. We now invite all of you to come and tour. You can request a tour on jw.org. Now let’s talk about the recent adjustments to the way we report our ministry and how these affect our personal goals. At the recent annual meeting, we learned that as of last November, we’d no longer be submitting a detailed field service report. That was a big change, wasn’t it? But although we’ve changed the way we report our activity, we haven’t changed the way we view the ministry itself. The focus is on people. We love people, and we want to help them. We’re ready to share the good news wherever we find them. On Saturday morning, we may spend a couple of hours preaching from door to door. Then, we go grocery shopping. Are we “off the clock,” so to speak, because we’re no longer in the formal preaching work? We don’t look at it that way. When we’re at the grocery store, we’re still on the lookout for people we can share the good news with. We may be able to talk to someone standing next to us in a long checkout line or perhaps with the clerk who processes our order. We can keep it simple. After exchanging a few friendly words, we might pull out a contact card and simply say: “This is a website I think you’d enjoy. It has interesting articles in more than 1,000 languages.” Or, after a few appropriate comments, you might offer a tract. If time permits and the person is receptive, we can say more. The same principle can apply when we’re waiting at a doctor’s office, an airport, shopping, or on public transportation. Here’s an idea: Why not have a small supply of contact cards or other literature with you wherever you go? We’ve said that we’re ready to share the good news wherever we find people. But what about the people we don’t find —those who are often not at home? Have you ever driven through a neighborhood on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon and noticed that there was a car in every driveway? Yet, when you called on those same homes in the morning, no one was at home. I wonder how many of those people would accept a Bible study if we were able to offer one. Our love for people will move us to call when they’re at home. I remember on one occasion we were going out for supper at a nearby restaurant with another couple. The brother was driving. As we passed a certain house in the neighborhood, he stopped, parked, and said: “Excuse me, but I see a car in the driveway. We’ve been trying for weeks to find this person at home. We won’t be long.” And he and his wife got out and made the call. Bravo! Another area where diligence is needed involves following up on interest. A person doing cart work has a conversation with an interested person who requests a visit. That person lives in your territory, and you agree to make the call. Saturday morning, you knock on the door, and what happens? You know the answer: The person isn’t at home. Are we going to throw up our hands and say, “Well, I tried”? Not at all! That person showed interest, and we’re going to keep calling back at different times until we contact him. Although we no longer fill out a detailed field service report, we can still set personal goals for ourselves. Some worthwhile goals might be listening more carefully when the householder is speaking or showing more personal interest. Another goal might be to cover our territory more thoroughly. Having personal goals is in line with Paul’s counsel found at Galatians 6:4. You can follow on-screen as we read this. Paul wrote: “But let each one examine his own actions, and then he will have cause for rejoicing in regard to himself alone, and not in comparison with the other person.” Personal goals can give us the motivation we need to get out in this all-important work. Let’s hear how some of our brothers and sisters feel about the recent adjustments and what they’re doing to expand their share.
(Alexia Cruz. Mexico)
Alexia: Thanks to these adjustments, I can now enjoy my ministry and making disciples even more.
(Alexia and a sister walk down the street smile and knock on a door)
And honestly, I love it.
(Landon Reynolds. United States)
Landon: I feel like the new adjustment to reporting hours has really helped me because I’m not so worried about starting my time and ending my time. I feel like I’m in the ministry all the time.
(Lynda Hull. New Zealand)
Lynda: Well, the first thing is that I’ve completely changed my schedule, so I’m going out when people are out there.
(Tauno Ernits. Estonia)
Tauno: Previously in the ministry, I expected people to listen to me, but now I want to listen to them.
(Simone Cammisa. Italy)
Simone: It doesn’t matter how many publications I leave with people. Now I see the importance of taking every opportunity to talk to people with the goal of making disciples.
(Tanel and Liina Kaljulaid. Circuit Work. Estonia)
Liina: Before, I was so happy when I could leave something from my witnessing bag, but now I’m really happy if I leave someone a piece of my heart.
(Shingo Yamasaki. Taiwan)
Shingo: It has helped me really focus on what’s more important, and that is making disciples.
(Leslie Osorio. Mexico)
Leslie: I love this new approach to the ministry because I’m not memorizing a specific conversation. Now I can talk to them more naturally and really enjoy what we discuss about the Bible.
(Enès Fils. Mexico)
Enès: Our activity isn’t defined by what we might call quantities. But rather, it’s motivated by the love we have for people.
(Max and Mery Castro. Circuit Work. Mexico)
Max: We’ve noticed that the brothers and sisters in the circuit are really excited about this adjusted approach to our ministry. Before it was more structured, a topic then a scripture. Now it’s a conversation.
(Teno and Karolin Kangur. Estonia)
Karolin: I used to be worried about what I would say and how I would bring the conversation to the Bible. But now I realize that what matters more than what I say is that the person feels that I genuinely care about them.
(Ariel Bennett. Taiwan)
Ariel: So just like Jesus approached the woman at the well, I like to approach people about their dogs, and I like to talk to them and ask if I could pet the dog. It starts a nice, relaxed conversation, and that can lead into, like, giving them a card or talking about the truth a bit. And oftentimes when I leave, I’ll look back and they’ll be scanning the card with their phone, and they’ll be looking at the website already.
(Alex Vásquez Mexico)
Alex: I’ve noticed that now in the congregation, we’ve become more observant, and then we can use those observations in our conversations.
(Jeeyoon Bennett. Taiwan)
Jeeyoon: I’m kind of quiet and shy by nature, so there’s this new method that says, ‘Don’t talk too much.’ And when I heard that, I was like: ‘Yes! That’s something that I can do really well.’ And I just love it.
(Laurelys Ferreras. Dominican Republic)
Laurelys: I feel much more relaxed because now our goal is to start conversations. So, I focus on preparing ideas based on the needs of the people in the territory.
(Shelby McDonald. New Zealand)
Shelby: I feel really excited by the adjustment in the preaching work because it’s encouraging us to engage in different forms of the ministry, such as informal. And while these don’t come naturally to me, I feel really supported by Jehovah and his organization to try these different avenues and to really pursue my goal of regular pioneering.
(Jarred and Mellanie Grogin. New Zealand)
Mellanie: Well, it’s definitely made us want to expand our ministry so much more just so that we can go out and help people to get to know Jehovah.
(Ma Hua Huang. Taiwan)
Ma Hua Huang: I see many in the congregation who find great joy in pioneering. I wanted to feel the same. So, I am very happy to be a regular pioneer starting this month.
(Nathan and Mariana Garcia. Mexico)
Mariana: As a couple, we want to attend the School for Kingdom Evangelizers because we want to improve in learning new ways of showing our love for people.
Ariel: I can’t wait to pioneer. I want to pioneer, and then I’m going to go to SKE, and then I want to go wherever SKE sends me, because it sounds like a fun adventure.
Lynda: It’s fantastic! All I have to do now is focus on people, and that’s great. That’s what it’s all about.
(Various scenes of the publishers preaching in different settings, all with big smiles)
David: Brothers and sisters, we love you for doing all you can according to your circumstances! Jesus said, as found at John 14:15: ‘If you love me, you will observe my commandments.’ We love our Master, and we love people, so we gladly obey Jesus’ command to his disciples: ‘As you go, preach.’ From the World Headquarters of Jehovah’s Witnesses, this is JW Broadcasting®.
(Logo: Black capital letters JW.ORG inside a white box. Copyright 2024 Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania)