Transcripts: Broadcasts

Transcript: JW Broadcasting January 2025 Annual Meeting 2024 Part 2
(Hermanus van Selm. Helper to the writting committee)
Hermanus: Greetings! This is JW Broadcasting® for January 2025. In last month’s broadcast, we shared Part 1 of the 2024 annual meeting. It included uplifting talks and videos. And there is more to share! Please enjoy Part 2 of the annual meeting.
Gage Fleegle: The next part of our program relates to the remarkable response we’ve seen to Jehovah’s mercy expressed to those who had been removed from the congregation. It’s a video entitled Blessings of Jehovah’s Mercy. Please enjoy.
(Text: “I thought how much I would like to return, but I was so deeply entrenched in the world that I felt that I could never get out. I knew that I wanted to come back into Jehovah’s love. But how?”)
Mark Sanderson: The Governing Body has prayerfully considered how Jehovah’s mercy could be better reflected when dealing with wrongdoers in the congregation. In his love, Jehovah wants sinners to become reconciled to him if at all possible. He doesn’t want anyone to be destroyed, so he appeals to them to repent.
(Doug Rime. Congregation elder United States)
Doug: And we see these pictures, you know, these illustrations, might be a drawing or something, that show a shepherd going after that one lost sheep. And you think: ‘That’s really nice. You know, in concept, oh, that’s good.’ But it’s not just an academic concept. It’s reality.
(Werner van Zijl. Congregation elder Namibia)
Werner: The fact that He loves people in this way, even those who’ve been removed from the congregation, just gives me an opportunity to reflect that same love that Jehovah has and extend that to others as well.
Gary and Susan McKee: The elders in our circuit promptly responded to the adjustments. Once they heard the update and we got the printed direction, the brothers promptly met together.
Sonwabile Prince Sihlala: With the fellow elders, we all discussed how we can help all these ones in our territory who have been removed from the congregation, and we visited them. They were grateful that they were not forgotten, they’re still remembered.
(Gary Breaux. Helper to the Service Committee)
Gary: It’s heartwarming to hear reports of how Jehovah has blessed congregation elders as they search for those who have been removed from the congregation. For example, in the first four months after the 2024 Governing Body Update number 2, in the South Africa and Philippines branch territories combined, more than 1,200 have come back to the congregation. Here in the United States branch territory, over 5,000 brothers and sisters have been welcomed back. In the Brazil branch territory, some 5,200 publishers have been reinstated. And in the Central America branch territory, over 5,300 individuals have come back to the congregation. The numbers are exciting, but we can’t overlook that each of these dear ones have returned to Jehovah, and Jehovah loves them!
(Jeremy Thomerson. Congregation elder United States)
Jeremy: One man came to mind because he’s deaf and blind and he’d been away from Jehovah for 45 years. We prayed with him. We asked him where he was with things, and he said: “I want to be back. I want to be back in the family.” That’s what he said. He’s been studying regularly and attending the meetings ever since then, and he was reinstated about a month later. So, when I tactile signed that announcement for him that night, I said: “You’re back in the family. You’re one of Jehovah’s Witnesses again.” And he was just overjoyed at that.
(Benoit Jr and Megan Janvier. Circuit work United States)
Benoit: There is a pioneer sister in our circuit who was asked to conduct a study with a young mom who’s trying to make her way back to Jehovah. She was so excited after the first study. She said that first study went so well. It seems like everyone in the congregation is very happy just to have this arrangement in place. A sister told me that it made her so happy to see that young mom who’s studying, smiling again. She hadn’t seen it in a long time.
Brother 1: And one experience that is exciting is that there’s this man who’s been removed for over 30 years, but he started coming to the meetings early this year, and he would sit at the back and not talk to anyone. But eventually, after this arrangement had been made available, when we visited him, he was so excited because he said, “I didn’t know what to do to come back to the congregation.” And here we are visiting him. And he says he felt like a heavy weight has been lifted off his shoulders. And he has been reinstated.
Brother 2: A young man whom I studied the Bible with, came into the truth under great difficulty, and so we thought of him immediately. And right away, I sent him a message, because I still had his phone number, and said, “Please watch this Governing Body update.” Then I sent him the link. Well, the next day, I received a reply to this message, and there was a photo of a letter that he had written to the congregation’s body of elders, asking to be reinstated. I wrote back very excitedly and said, “Have you actually watched the update?” And he said, “Yes, since yesterday, I’ve watched this update six times.” Well, of course, our hearts were absolutely overflowing, but it was even, we were even happier when about a month later, he was writing us to say, “I have finally been reinstated.”
Sister 1: A sister who was asked to conduct a study with a person says, “It’s the greatest gift I’ve ever gotten, to study with someone who has been removed from the congregation.” So, her experience of crying with her, telling her that she liked her bag, and the student saying, “I bought this bag years ago so I could go out in service, when I got ready, when I was reinstated” showed her that she had been trying for a long time to come back, but just did not know how. And so, the student now realizes that, that is Jehovah who is helping her, and she feels grateful to be helped to come back.
Benoit: Sitting in on that Bible study with someone who was removed from the congregation and seeing the benefit helped me to see the depth of Jehovah’s mercy, because this young man has been removed from the congregation for nine years and he has wanted to come back, he mentioned, but he just didn’t have the strength to make steps to come back.
Gary: One person had been removed from the congregation some 17 years ago, and on his own, he was watching JW Broadcasting®. He saw the update. He said, “This is, it’s time to come home.” And so, he called the Kingdom Hall, he left a voicemail, and the brothers received his message. They reached right out to him. A Bible study was started, and very happily he too has progressed to being reinstated. And his parents were able to fly in and be there at the Kingdom Hall that night he was reinstated. He later said, “This is truly a homecoming.”
Megan: I feel like it helps us to see another side of Jehovah as our Father. And you see how much he loves his children. And then he allows us to have a part in helping them to come back to him. And so, we get to reflect his mercy too, it’s such a privilege.
Brother 3: Back in 1979, my father was removed from the congregation, and I was eight. You can grow up thinking, ‘OK, maybe, you know, my dad will come back.’ And a decade goes by, two decades go by, three decades go by. And you don’t want to lose hope, but it does tend to make you think that maybe this person might not ever come back. I get a phone call. And it’s a friend of mine I’ve known for many years. He and another brother went to go see my dad, and he even accepted a study. At this point, I said, “Wow!” I said, “That’s, That’s, that’s great,” because most of my childhood and my entire adult life, I have not known a father who was serving Jehovah. You should never ever underestimate the lengths Jehovah will go to, to save one sheep, one sheep. So, yeah, it’s, Yeah, it’s, if you weren’t a believer in Jehovah’s mercy before, No one will ever be able to say, when everything is over in this system of things, that Jehovah didn’t care enough, he didn’t make the efforts, and he didn’t send anybody out. Yeah, you can’t, you really can’t say that because Jehovah is making sure that the extra effort was made.
(Text: “Jehovah, does not desire anyone to be destroyed but desires all to attain to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:19)
Gage: It’s very touching indeed. But it wasn’t just a one-time invitation. In imitation of our Father, Jehovah, the elders continue to try to render assistance to those who have been removed from the congregation. They continue to reach out to them. But Jehovah is more than just a God of mercy. What’s the connection with his righteousness and his justice? Brother Kenneth Cook will now discuss the theme “Help to Tear Down and Build Up.”
Kenneth: Well, we certainly have learned much during the past few years regarding Jehovah’s mercy, haven’t we? In fact, even just today we’ve highlighted how we now have a broader understanding of Jehovah’s mercy during the great tribulation. The May 2024 Watchtower stated this: “Even after the great tribulation starts, “it is possible that some who see the destruction of ‘Babylon the Great’ “will recall that Jehovah’s Witnesses “had long spoken of this event. Might some who see these events have a change of heart?” End of quote. Well, it could be, and if so, we’ll be happy for them, won’t we? Then there’s Jehovah’s mercy in welcoming repentant ones back into the congregation again. We’ve been highlighting this and properly so. What a beautiful thing! The August 2024 Watchtower stated “Jehovah does not condone unrepentant wrongdoing. However, he does not turn his back on wrongdoers. He wants them to return.” Jehovah’s feelings toward repentant wrongdoers are expressed at Hosea 14:4 and he says toward such repentant ones, here as quoted in the article, “I will heal their unfaithfulness. I will love them of my own free will, because my anger has turned away.” The article continued, “What a strong incentive for elders to respond to any signs of repentance. And what a strong incentive for those who have left Jehovah to return without delay.” End of quote. Well, throughout the Scriptures, we see Jehovah’s warm appeal to wrongdoers, urging them to repent. At Zechariah 1:3 we read that Jehovah told his prophet “Say to them, This is what Jehovah of armies says “Return to me, declares Jehovah of armies, and I will return to you.” But does our increased understanding of Jehovah’s mercy here mean that his righteous and just standards have somehow been changed? Also, in line with our theme, what things should we properly tear down and what things should we desire to build up? According to Ecclesiastes 3:3 it’s Scriptural to do both as needed. Along with the opening comment from verse 1, verse 3 reads in part “There is an appointed time for everything, a time to tear down and a time to build up.” So, then, to answer our questions, let’s examine Jehovah’s love of righteousness, justice, and mercy. At Psalm 33:5 the inspired writer highlights that Jehovah “loves righteousness and justice.” Also, Jesus’ words recorded at Matthew 9:13 highlight that Jehovah wants mercy, not sacrifice. Since Jehovah loves each of these qualities, how does he balance what he righteously chooses to tear down with what he mercifully chooses to build up? He does so by knowing how these qualities work together. Now, some things just go together. Let’s just make it every day real life. To illustrate, for some people, an ice cream sundae is not complete unless it includes chocolate sauce, whipped cream, sprinkles, and what else? The cherry on top, right? The combination is what defines it. Well, far more importantly, on a spiritual level, our love of righteousness and our acts of justice must include mercy whenever possible. Jehovah requires that we uphold all of his righteous standards. So, to answer a question from earlier, James 1:17 tells us that Jehovah “does not vary or change.” And quoting Jehovah himself, Malachi 3:6 says, “I am Jehovah, I do not change.” So, then, Jehovah doesn’t change, and his standards as to what is right and wrong have not changed. That is why recent adjustments to our view of God’s mercy are just that, adjustments to our view or understanding. Have you been able to adjust? Jesus too loves righteousness, justice, and mercy, and like his Father, he does not change. Hebrews 13:8 says of Jesus that he “is the same yesterday and today, and forever.” This means that what Jesus did while he was on earth teaches us about his thinking now, right now. For example, Jesus displayed intense love for righteousness and justice by driving out the money changers from the temple area on two occasions. The money changers were extorting the people, and they were turning Jehovah’s house into a house of commerce, and Jesus hated that. He hated it. Jesus’ zeal for what is right moved him to act, and in doing so, he also demonstrated his merciful concern for the people. Above all, we see in such actions the love that Jesus has for the pure worship of his Father. And because Jesus doesn’t change, he still has the same desire to drive out what is bad. As the wickedness of this world increases, we know that Jehovah and his Son will always do what is right, what is just, and what is merciful. At Exodus 34:6 and 7 we find a summary of Jehovah’s balanced qualities. Now, it reads in part “Jehovah, Jehovah, a God merciful and compassionate, slow to anger and abundant in loyal love and truth, showing loyal love to thousands, pardoning error and transgression and sin, but he will by no means leave the guilty unpunished.” Well, knowing that Jehovah “will by no means leave the guilty unpunished,” what things should we, then, help to tear down or send away from the congregations? At the same time, knowing that Jehovah is “merciful and compassionate” as stated there, what things should we, then, help to build up and welcome back into the congregation? We’ll look at an interesting account in Zechariah chapter 5 as well as some other accounts and find some answers. As we do, look for the lessons that we can apply to our efforts to show righteousness, justice, and mercy. So, then, first of all, what should we tear down and send out? The concept of tearing down is not difficult to see when we think of it in terms of a building. Some houses are just beyond repair, and for this reason, they must be torn down. The house in this illustration makes that point, doesn’t it? I don’t think you’re going to fix that one. Have that in mind as we consider what Zechariah saw. Now, Zechariah was a prophet who was favored with seeing some amazing God-given visions. And what he said describes real conditions that existed in Israel at the time. At Zechariah 5:2 we read that an angel asks Zechariah “What do you see?” Zechariah replies that he sees a very large “flying scroll,” depicted here. The flying scroll is written on both sides and contains a curse that tears down the houses of wickedness, leaving evil exposed. One side of the scroll targets those who steal. The other side targets those who lie or who make false oaths. After the house is consumed, or torn down, he next sees an ephah container. It contains a figurative woman referred to as “Wickedness,” who is trying to escape. She is exposed, and the angel treats her appropriately by throwing her back into the container and thrusting a heavy lead weight over it. The container with Wickedness is then removed from the land, exposed, restrained, removed. The angel’s actions leave no doubt about how Jehovah views such things. What lessons can we take away from the vision? Well, first we see that Jehovah does not tolerate wickedness, such as lying and stealing. We find Scriptural examples of this in how Jehovah dealt with greedy Achan or what happened with Ananias and Sapphira. We know those accounts, don’t we? God’s Word lists many things that Jehovah does not tolerate. For instance, Proverbs 6:16 to 19 speaks of Jehovah’s hatred for “a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart plotting wicked schemes, or a false witness who lies with every breath,” and so forth. And Revelation 21:8 speaks of everlasting destruction for those who unrepentantly practice what is immoral. Well, next we learn from Zechariah’s vision that Jehovah uses his faithful angels to expose wickedness. The lesson? Treat wickedness like Jehovah and his faithful angels do by tearing it down, exposing it, and removing it from the congregation, expose and remove. We do not want the conduct of unrepentant ones to take up residence in our congregations. That is why since sin is still on the earth, the elders will continue to remove unrepentant ones from the congregation. Nevertheless, while there are things that we must send out from the congregation, what must we help to build up and welcome back into the congregation? When wrongdoing is removed from among Jehovah’s people and they are united together in clean and pure worship, Jehovah sees this, and his people are blessed. Malachi 3:16 tells us that he is ‘paying attention and he is listening to those who properly fear him.’ He places their names in his “book of remembrance.” What a privilege! Even so, to keep his blessing, we must also imitate his mercy and remain ready to welcome back repentant ones. Like the concept of tearing down, the concept of building up is not difficult to picture when you think of it in terms of a building. Now, some houses are in bad shape, but they are not beyond repair, like the one we saw earlier. They can be restored, as illustrated on screen. It’s in bad shape but look at that. It can be fixed up. With that in mind, when it comes to welcoming back and building up repentant ones, we are helped to do this when we imitate Jesus and the faithful angels. They have not only witnessed Jehovah’s mercy from the start, but they have developed this quality themselves. Here is what we mean. When humans were first created, mercy was not needed because humans were perfect. Only after the rebellion, when the first imperfect child was born, did this aspect of Jehovah’s love and compassion become evident. Jesus and the angels witnessed Jehovah’s great love in action when he extended mercy to humans who were born in sin. In turn, these faithful angels imitated their heavenly Father and showed mercy in helping to build up repentant ones on earth. For example, Jesus showed mercy to Peter, didn’t he? and also, to the woman who poured perfumed oil on his feet. Jesus used powerful illustrations to help us understand the depth of God’s mercy, just reading the parable of the lost son who returned. Luke chapter 15 makes the point, doesn’t it? So, like Jesus and the faithful angels, we desire to imitate Jehovah’s precious qualities, all of them. That is why we seek to welcome back and build up repentant ones. We do this in harmony with the direction that the congregations have received. Now, regarding this direction, one person who was removed from the congregation wrote to the Governing Body, and this is what he said “The fact that friends can now say a simple, heartfelt greeting blows my mind. I have felt like a walking plague, walking into the Kingdom Hall, as many friends avoided eye contact and would clear out of the way. But I get it, that was our understanding up until that time. Jehovah is an amazing one and only true God. His love is always being manifested as in this case to direct you brothers to announce this new arrangement. I look forward to receiving a visit from the elders.” Well, what a fine expression that was! Things do change over time. But like that repentant one, he gets it. And see, we get it. Jehovah is helping us to understand why these changes come. And we comply, and we love it. As we have considered, Jehovah’s qualities of love and mercy, though, have not changed, but our understanding of his marvelous qualities, well, this has improved. Each of us must work to learn the depth of his love and mercy and then show the depth of these things ourselves. At the same time, Jehovah’s standards of righteousness and justice have not changed. Each of us must work to uphold his standards of right and wrong. Like the angel in Zechariah’s prophecy, the elders today must protect Jehovah’s people by exposing, restraining, and sending out what is bad from the congregation. So, in summary, while we do not hesitate to tear down wickedness and send it away, we desire to do all that we can to bring back and build up those who return to Jehovah.
Gage: Thank you, Brother Ken. What a beautiful talk illustrating Jehovah’s mercy and love yet also his justice and righteousness! May we all continue to work hard to reflect those qualities in our life. Now, earlier in our program, we saw a trailer for the video Become Jehovah’s Friend, The Greatest Act of Love, and it ended with the words “Coming Soon.” Well, soon has arrived. Let’s now enjoy, the full-length epic episode “Become Jehovah’s Friend, The Greatest Act of Love.”
(Text: The Greatest Act of Love. John 3:16)
[At home, baby Zoe looks out the window at the full moon. Her grandma holds her. Her mom walks up and takes her into her arms. They smile as Zoe rests her head on her shoulder. Later, grandma plays peek a boo with her. Zoe picks up a stuffed zebra, then runs around grandma. A few years later, grandma stirs dough in a bowl. Beside her, Zoe rolls out dough with a rolling pin. She loses her dough, then finds it stuck on the rolling pin. Grandma opens the oven and sets a pie inside. Zoe hands her a mini pie that she sets beside it. Together, they watch the pies bake through the oven door. Now at the table, they eat some. Mom comes in and sneaks a bite. In a playground, Zoe rocks on a spring rider shaped like a whale. She waves as grandma takes her picture. Through the camera lens, grandma sees Zoe fall off. At home, grandma puts a band aid on Zoe's leg. Zoe looks down at it, holding her stuffed zebra. Then grandma sticks a band aid on the zebra's leg. She hugs Zoe tightly. Later, Grandma chases her with a hairbrush. Now, an older Zoe sits in the kitchen as Grandma braids her hair. Zoe closes her eyes and smiles. Half of Zoe's tight curls stick straight out. Grandma hands her a mirror. She smiles at her neat braids in the mirror, then at Grandma. At night, Zoe, mom, and grandma eat at the table. On another night, Zoe and her mom, Camille, eat alone. Grandma's chair is empty. Present day, Zoe stands in the kitchen. She stares at the empty table and sighs, then turns and slowly walks away. Wearing a backpack, she heads to the door with her head down. After she leaves, her dog sits, staring at the door.]
(The Greatest Act of Love, John 3: 16)
[At school, Zoe digs through her locker. A paper falls out. Sophia picks it up. It's a photo of Zoe, grandma and mom. Zoe hangs it back in her locker with a magnet. Sophia shows her an invitation.]
Sophia: Oh! Here you go.
Zoe: Thanks!
Sophia: Hey, soon we’re having the Memorial, and you have to come! It’s the most important event. This invite is for you and your mom. I can tell you more about it at our study.
Zoe: OK, thanks.
Sophia: Bye!
Zoe: See you later, Sophia!
[At Sophia’s house in the kitchen.]
Sophia’s Mom: That’s right, Camille. OK, let’s move on to the next paragraph. Do you mind reading?
Camille: OK, sure. “Many people hope for good things to happen, but they cannot be sure that their hope,
[At the coffee table, Sophia shuffles 6 pictures]
Sophia: OK. Now it’s your turn!
Zoe: Hmm. Life was perfect. Adam and Eve disobeyed Jehovah. They lost their perfect life and died.
Sophia: Right!
Zoe: After that, nobody was perfect, so everyone would grow old and die. Jesus came to earth and taught everyone about Jehovah. He gave his life. He died for us.
Sophia: That’s right, so that in the future nobody will have to die. Has anybody ever given you a special gift?
Zoe: Hmm
[Zoe thinks back to when she was little. Grandma shows her a stuffed Zebra wrapped in a big pink bow. Little Zoe grabs it, then closes her eyes and hugs it tightly]
Sophia: Why do you think they gave it to you?
Zoe: Because she loved me.
Sophia: Right! Jehovah and Jesus gave us the greatest gift. It cost a lot. But they gave it to us because they love us, and they want us to live forever.
[Zoe frowns]
Zoe: But what about my grandma?
[Sophia leans forward]
Sophia: Their gift is for her too!
[Sophia picks up her tablet]
Sophia: There’s somebody in the Bible, I would like you to meet. She’s a lot like you. Luke chapter 7.
[They imagine a house in Bible times]
She lived in a city called Nain.
[A woman comes out of the front door]
She had a husband,
[Her husband harvests olives by hitting the branches of a tree, with a stick]
and a son.
[Their young son walks up to him. Olives from the tree fall on the son’s head. The woman brings them a skin bottle. Her husband takes a drink, then hugs their son. Now the husband pushes a heavy millstone to crush olives. All done, he wipes his forehead. Suddenly, his son shows up, holding a basket full of more olives. Nearby, the woman makes flatbread. She smiles, seeing her son try to push the millstone. Later, the son carries a basket of chicken feed. It breaks dumping seed at his feet. Chickens swarm him. One lands on his head. His parents watch him. At night all three sit on the roof looking at the stars. The husband points to one of them. Daytime carrying a walking stick and a bag, the husband says “Goodbye” to his son]
Sophia: But then her husband died.
[On the roof, the woman kneels, sobbing. Her son puts a blanket on her shoulders, hugging her tightly]
She still had her son to keep her company.
[years later, the woman sits with her grown son in their house. He hands her a plate of flatbread. Now he pushes the heavy millstone. A chicken sits on the handle. He beats an olive tree with a stick. She brings him a drink in a skin bottle. At night, they stand on the roof looking at the stars. He talks excitedly as she smiles]
But then her son died too.
Zoe: They both died?
[Sobbing, she collapses on a bench]
Sophia: She was already a widow, and now she was all alone.
[Outside the city, she walks ahead of a group. Behind her, four men carry her son’s body]
The day of the funeral, Jesus came to Nain, and he saw the widow.
[Jesus and his disciples walked toward her. He puts his hand on her shoulder. She looks up at him, then covers her face with her hands, weeping. In his mind, Jesus pictures the woman with her husband and young son looking at the stars, then later on the roof with her son grown up. Jesus sighs]
Jesus: Stop weeping.
[She looks up at him with tears in her eyes. Jesus walks over to the men carrying her son. They lower the stretcher from their shoulders to waist high. He stands beside it, then prays, putting his hand on the son’s shoulder]
Young man, I say to you, get up!
[The body moves. The woman’s eyes and mouth open wide. She runs up from behind, giving her son a big hug. She touches his cheek, then they hug again. Jesus watches them with a big smile. People around them stare in amazement]
Zoe: Wow!
Sophia: Why do you think Jesus brought him back to life?
Zoe: Hmm. Because he loved them.
Sophia: Yeah! He loves all of us. He loves you. That’s why he died for us. Jehovah brought Jesus back to life. Soon, Jesus will resurrect people, and because he died for us, we can all live forever! It’s the greatest gift anyone could give us. When we go to the Memorial, it’s a way to say thank you.
Zoe: Hmm. I hope my mom wants to come too.
[Later at Zoe’s house her mom comes home carrying a heavy bag of groceries. She walks into the kitchen]
Zoe: Mom!
Camille: Hi, baby.
Zoe: Should we get ready for the Memorial?
[Zoe wears a pink dress]
Camille: Oh, honey. It was a long day. I’m so sorry. I don’t think we can make it.
[Camille puts the grocery bag on the table. It covers the Memorial invitation. Camille gets a message on her phone]
Sophia’s mom: “Can’t wait to see you tonight. Let us know if you need a ride.”
[She turns to Zoe]
Camille: It’s Sophia’s mom.
[Zoe picks up the invitation]
Zoe: Mom, we can do this!
[She holds it up with both hands. Her mom looks at the picture of Jesus on the cover]
Camille: Let’s do it!
Zoe: Yay!
[Zoe runs and hugs her mom]
Mommy?
Camille: Yes, my little princess?
Zoe: I’m glad you’re studying the Bible.
Camille: Me too.
[At the Kingdom Hall]
Brother: At this time, we’ll have the passing of the wine.
[In the audience, Sophia passes a glass of wine to Zoe. Zoe passes it to her mom]
As we all go home tonight, think about what Jesus’ sacrifice means to you.
[Zoe looks at a monitor near the stage. It shows a picture of Jesus wearing a golden crown and cape. She imagines herself in paradise surrounded by plants with big green leaves. She parts the leaves to see a huge waterfall]
Zoe: Wow!
[Infront of the waterfall is a park on a small island. She runs across a bridge toward the park]
Mom!
[Camille stands on the bridge, lined with flowers. Zoe runs to her. They hug each other tightly. Together they walk to the park. Caleb and Sophia greet them. Zoe walks off to look around the park. She waves at Sophia’s dad, mom, and others as she walks along the park path. Some of the people wear clothes from Bible times. Zoe sees Lydia a young sister from Sophia’s congregation. Lydia points to her left, so she dashes off in that direction. She runs along the winding park path, then stops at a railing in front of the waterfall. Spinning in a circle, she looks around her, then frowns, seeing no one. She looks at the waterfall, then down, with tears in her eyes. Jesus appears in the clouds. He wears his golden crown and cape]
Jesus: Zoe.
[She looks up, surprised. Jesus smiles]
Turn around.
Grandma: Zoe!
[She turns towards the voice]
Zoe: Grandma?
[Grandma walks toward her. She is younger]
Zoe: It’s you!
[She opens her arms to Zoe]
Grandma: My baby girl!
[She picks her up twirling her in the air]
Zoe: I missed you.
Grandma: Grandma is here now.
[Grandma holds her close. Zoe stops imagining. At home, she looks out of the window at the full moon. She thinks about the memorial]
Narrator: Jehovah has shown love in many ways. But when he gave Jesus’ life for us, that was the greatest act of love.
[Her mom joins her at the window]
Gage: It’s remarkable how even Caleb and Sophia videos can touch our emotions. That was not brought to you by artificial intelligence, just so you know. Our brothers and sisters, dear brothers and sisters, in Audio/Video Services devoted thousands of hours. We wish to express thanks to them. And, of course, we express thanks to Jehovah for this touching video portrayal.
[Applause]
Brother Steve, I think part of that applause was for you. The next part of our program relates to the cherished hope of living forever. Brother Lett has been experiencing a little bit of back pain, but he is improving, so he just wanted us to relate that before his next talk. But he will discuss the theme “Everlasting Life! Possible? Boring?” Brother Lett, you have our attention.
Steve Lett: The good news that we preach has many facets, many aspects, like a gorgeous, multifaceted diamond. But now, what is one facet that we especially enjoy teaching people about? The fact that faithful humans under Kingdom rule will never grow old and die. Unlike Adam and Eve who threw away the privilege to eat of “the tree of life” and live forever, faithful humans will be granted life without end. But now, sometimes when we discuss this aspect of the good news, people will bring up a couple of questions. One, they may say “Is everlasting life really possible? It just seems like it’s too good to be true.” And two, “If I actually do live forever, will life not eventually become boring?” Well, let’s discuss those two questions during our talk. Now, first, how can we be sure that everlasting life will become a reality? The first and foremost reason is because the God “who cannot lie” has promised it. At Revelation 21:4, Jehovah says that “he will wipe out every tear, and death will be no more.” And then, in effect, he publicly signs that promise in the next verse, verse 5. He says “Write, for these words are faithful and true.” In other words, ‘Write it down where everyone can see what I’ve promised, and I certify it will happen. I guarantee it will.’ But now, here’s a question. What evidence do we have that humans originally were designed to live forever? Well, think about the first book of the Bible, the introductory book. The first two humans were told that if they ate from “the tree of the knowledge of good and bad,” they would “certainly die.” Now, what is implied? If they didn’t eat, they were faithful, obedient, they would still be alive. They would never die. How old would Adam be now? A little over 6,000 years old and Eve a little bit younger. How would they look? Just as beautiful, handsome, perfect as the day they were created. What would be their health condition? They would feel just as healthy and vibrant as the day they were created. Now, we know that they did sin, and they died as Jehovah said, but his original purpose was for them to live, and that purpose will be fulfilled as scriptures in the Bible certainly verify. What’s another line of reasoning that we were originally designed to live forever? Well, think about the astounding capacity of the human brain. Now, scientists in recent years are finding out more and more that the brain has much more capacity than they previously thought even just a couple of years ago. Here’s what a recent study had to say about this. It said, “The average adult human brain’s memory capacity “is estimated to be 2.5 million gigabytes.” Now, if you want to compare that with a smartphone, the average smartphone is 150 gigabytes, 2.5 million gigabytes, the brain, 150, a smartphone. No comparison. In fact, that study went on to say that “the brain would never run out of storage capacity because new memories keep replacing old ones. That happens because new neural connections are formed.” So, the brain was obviously designed to last forever, never to fill up. ‘Don’t give me your name. ‘Don’t give me any more information. My brain is full. I can’t take it.’ No, it will never reach that point. The brain can always take more. Jehovah made it that way. Do you want to get a little, maybe, idea about the capacity of the human brain? Think about the tremendous download that Jesus received at his baptism, eons of time, the memory of that all downloaded. The human brain that Jesus had was able to hold that. It was a human brain, perfect but a human brain. The brain, obviously, is a very, very big place in a very, very small space, isn’t it? That certainly is the case. Now, here’s our intriguing question.Why would Jehovah create us with a super brain, super capacity, if we’re only designed to live 70 or 80 years? It wouldn’t even make sense, would it? That would be like making a smartphone with a 2.5 million gigabyte capacity, knowing that the user would only use a few hundred gigabytes in his whole lifetime or like building an automobile with a million-horsepower engine, knowing the owner would only use a few hundred horsepower during his life. It wouldn’t make sense, would it? The brain, obviously, loudly proclaims that humans were designed to live forever. Now let’s get one more line of reasoning that we were designed to live forever. Go to Ecclesiastes, please, Ecclesiastes 3:11. We’ll read the A part. It says he Jehovah “has made everything beautiful in its time. He has even put eternity in their heart.” Now, what does that mean? Well, Jehovah has implanted in the hearts of humans the desire, the strong craving, to live eternally, to live forever. Now, think about it. Isn’t it true that when death lurks at a person’s door, we see that they keep trying to live, don’t they? They will pursue doctors and medicine. They will endure all kinds of difficult treatments. They want to live. If a person was asked to pick the day on which he wished to die, most would keep pushing that day farther and farther into the future, wouldn’t they? They want to keep living. Throughout history, humans have looked for the fountain of youth, the medicine, an elixir, or a potion to keep them living. And the search certainly continues today. But now, here’s our intriguing question. Why would Jehovah create humans with that strong desire if they’re only meant to live 70 or 80 years? It would actually be cruel, wouldn’t it? It would be kind of like, if you think of this illustration, tying a dog on a 20 foot or 6 metres chain and putting a juicy steak 21 feet or 6.5 metres from the post where that chain was secured. The dog could see that steak, he could smell that steak, but he couldn’t get a bite of it, could he? That would be cruel. And we know Jehovah is definitely not a cruel God. He’s a very loving heavenly Father. Well, the foregoing is just a few reasoning points that humans were designed and will live forever. But now, let’s get that second question. Why do some people reason that living forever would be boring? Well, some reason that if everyone lives forever, they’re all perfect, so will they not all eventually become carbon copies of each other with variety being lost? Well, that reasoning is not sound. Our publication Is This Life All There Is? addressed that shallow reasoning. Here’s what it said. It said, “Life in human perfection does not mean that everyone will be doing all things equally well and with the same intense interest. What the Bible holds forth is the promise of life without sickness and death. Healthy people today are not all alike, so why should anyone conclude that bodily and mental perfection would make people virtual copies of one another? People will still vary as to personality. They will have varying preferences as to work, building, home decoration, landscaping, food and drink, entertainment, the fine arts and so forth.” Additionally, think about this,there is nothing, absolutely nothing, boring about Jehovah or any of his creation. I personally can’t think of any two things that are exactly identical, even so-called identical twins that you’re looking at here. Notice their teeth are different. Their freckle pattern is different, their fingerprints are different, their personalities are different. They are certainly not identical. In fact, there are no two dogs, no two trees, no two tigers, no two things I can think of that are exactly alike. Think about zebras for a moment. Now, you look at this herd of zebras, it looks like they’re basically all striped the same. No two zebras on the planet are striped exactly the same. And scientists even think that this is how a baby zebra recognizes and finds his mother in a big herd. He memorizes her unique striping pattern. Isn’t it amazing what evolution can do? If you believe that, I’ve got a bridge to sell you. It’s amazing what Jehovah has done! Or think about snowflakes for a moment. Out of the trillions of snowflakes that fall in one large snowstorm, no two are alike, amazing! even though all of them are six-sided, as you can see here. They’re hexagonal, but no two are alike. There’s nothing boring about Jehovah. And you can be sure that humans who are the work of the hands of a God of that kind of infinite variety will never become carbon copies of one another. Now, another reason, though, that people think some of them that living forever would be boring. They think that finally you would learn everything there is to learn, you would do everything there is to do, and life would cease to be stimulating. It would become drab and uninteresting. Well, again, such reasoning is not sound. First of all, to repeat something that is pleasurable is not boring, is it? I mean, think about eating. Most people eat over a thousand meals in a year. Does the man who is 40 years old and has eaten over 40,000 meals become more bored than the 20-year-old who’s eaten 20,000 meals? No, that certainly is not the case. Think about apples. How many varieties of apples have you personally tasted? Maybe a couple of dozen: Fuji, Gala, Rome, McIntosh, Red and Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, Jonathan Winesap. Maybe you’ve tried a couple dozen. Studies show there are more than 7,500 varieties of apples grown on the earth. If you sample one apple every day, it would take you over 20 years just to sample the varieties that are grown on the earth today, not speaking of new ones that may be developed in the new world. But it’ll take you over 20 years. And you could go back 20 years later and eat that first one you sampled. And it’d be like a brand-new variety, wouldn’t it? There’s nothing boring about Jehovah’s creation. Think about this too, another example. If you take a wonderful vacation in a beautiful part of the earth and you go back into the same area, you take another vacation that’s similar, are you bored? No. Repeating pleasurable things is not boring. And also remember that you will never learn it all. We will never do it all, learn it or do it all. Let’s go back to Ecclesiastes chapter 3. And this time, let’s read the entire verse, verse 11, “He” Jehovah “has made everything beautiful in its time. He has even put eternity in their heart, yet mankind” now look at that word will never “never find out the work that the true God has made from start to finish.” So, Jehovah says that you’ll never learn it all. You’ll never do it all. How long would it take you to learn to play all the musical instruments that exist today, to learn to play them well. People spend their whole life learning to play one instrument, don’t they? When they die, they wish they had more time to develop that skill. What about new instruments, even ones invented in the new world? You brothers, imagine living 100 years with a beard, 100 years with just a mustache, 100 years with a goatee, and 100 years clean shaven. Then go back and repeat that process with different variations. Imagine living for 100 years in a beautiful house that you built in the mountains, you and your family, and then trading that house for a house that a family built on the seashore. And you live in that house for 100 years. And you continue the trading process all around the planet Earth until finally you get back to that original house that you built in the mountains, but now it’s greatly improved, remodelled and beautiful. You live there another 100 years. You start that process again. I mean, just think about some of these things. Imagine learning about all the millions of varieties of fish, amphibians, mammals, birds, insects. I read about one man who studied fleas, 22 years he spent studying fleas. He is a flea expert. He probably doesn’t know much about anything else, but he knows about fleas, 22 years. Imagine getting to know and appreciate every human among the billions who will be living on the earth, getting to know and appreciate every one of them, learning from their talents and their experiences, coming to regard them as a dear friend. Here’s just one example. Wouldn’t you like to spend some time with Noah’s wife? I know what I’d like to know. What is your name? Right now, all we know is Sister Noah, right? And how were you and your husband able to protect your sons from the evil influence that was around you? What was it like in those years before the Flood? What was it like to come out of the ark?” You could spend a lot of time with Noah’s wife, couldn’t you? Imagine learning about all, each one, of the more than 200 billion stars in the Milky Way galaxy. And then after you do that, you could go to the next galaxy. And they estimate there are more galaxies than there are individual stars in the Milky Way galaxy. Now, when you think of that, it gives you a headache, doesn’t it? A lot of time could be used there. Even more impossible, imagine learning about Jehovah. Throughout all eternity, we will learn more and more fascinating things about our God and never begin to learn it all. Well, we could go on and on, but hopefully we could use some of these points if we ever encounter someone who brings up that reasoning, “Is it really possible to live forever?” It’s not only possible, but it’s guaranteed, isn’t it? And it definitely will not be boring. And hopefully all of us appreciate even more this marvelous prize that Jehovah has invited humans to reach out and take hold of. Don’t miss it. Don’t miss it. Reach out and take hold of the real life.
Gage: As always, you’ve given us much to think about, Brother Steve, many thought-provoking illustrations as well. Thank you so much. At last year’s annual meeting, we received a new brochure Love People, Make Disciples. And we embraced a new approach to our ministry. How’s it going for you? The following video will share a few experiences related to our new approach to the ministry. Let’s watch.
(Indira Alfonso. United States)
Indira: Did I enjoy memorizing presentations? No.
(Ivy Balcaceres. Mexico)
Ivy: I think I just got used to memorizing presentations. It was something we did since we were kids.
(Kenny Guest. United States)
Kenny: I found that it was kind of hit or miss in the way that people responded. Sometimes they responded well, sometimes they didn’t because maybe that wasn’t a subject that interested them.
Giovanni Alfonso. United States)
Giovanni: When I was feeling kind of unsure, like what to do, I’d probably just bail out with, “Well, I don’t want to take too much of your time right now,” and “It was nice talking with you,” and “Maybe some other time.”
(Text: Our New Approach to the Ministry)
(Maria Dill. United States)
Maria: I read and studied the brochure completely. Honestly, I thought, ‘I got this.’ I didn’t.
Kenny: When we first got this brochure, I was very intimidated because I was so used to the method that we used before.
Maria: I was at the airport, and the guy behind me was complaining about the heat in Florida and that the only reason why he was there was because of a funeral. I stopped him, and I said “Excuse me, I overheard you saying that you were here for a funeral. Who died?” And he said, “My mother-in-law.” Then I remembered that I had a magazine about comfort for those who grieve, and then I pulled the magazine out. And the conversation was done. In my mind, I said ‘Wah wah. He ain’t going to talk no more.’ He didn’t.
(Stacie Johns. United States)
Stacie: I love our new approach because people can see Jehovah’s people as loving, caring people, not just preachers.
Giovanni: Because there’s no agenda necessarily, you’re not trying to leave a specific publication, you feel more relaxed. And oftentimes, the conversation is naturally going to go there.
Ivy: And sometimes it doesn’t lead to opening up to a scripture. It’s just talking about their crazy situation at work or something else going on in their family, but it’s OK because I made a friend.
Indira: So, this lady, I was about to pay, and she had these very colorful nails long, colorful, decorated nails. And it’s like she wanted me to say something about her nails.
Giovanni: Yeah, she definitely wanted to make a statement with them.
Indira: Yeah. So, I said, “Girl, your nails look good.” And she was like, “Oh, well, my nails have a meaning.” And I’m like, “They do?” And she’s like, “Yeah, I want to support.”
Giovanni: Domestic Violence
Indira: Domestic Violence Awareness Month.” And I’m like, “Whoa! You really care about people.” Yeah. We went to the website.
Giovanni: Yeah, we showed the website.
Indira: And the feature article for that month was literally about domestic abuse, and she got to see some Bible principles, and she took that with her. And we had a good conversation.
(Dylan Renaud South Africa)
Dylan: My wife and I were working together in a territory, and we were walking back to our cars. We saw a man across the street on the block that was already done, and we asked him how his week had been going. That led to us asking what this sort of work he did. Just from that bit of interest, he really appreciated it, he loved what we had to say. And so he actually just asked, out of the blue, for a study after we showed him the Enjoy Life Forever! brochure. He’s attended many meetings and been a good return visit.
(Sachiko Suzuki. Japan)
Sachiko: When I entered a shop, I started a conversation with the owner. I asked, “How long have you been doing job?” We talked about a lot of things. Then naturally she started expressing how she always had questions about life. I then offered a Bible study, and she accepted the offer with interest. From then on, we have been studying each week. And about five months have passed, but we continue to enjoy the discussions.
Stacie: I was walking through a park one day, and I saw a family, and we had a beautiful conversation. I asked a few questions, and by listening to them, I was really able to hear the concerns of their heart regarding the future for their daughter. I offered a Bible study. She’s been studying now every week, and she attended the convention for the first time this year. And she’s been attending meetings.
(Text: Love People, Make Disciples.)
Indira: By us showing them some love, they might feel like they might be worthy of more love than just from us but from their Creator.
Kenny: This has really helped me to view them as a potential servant of Jehovah, as one of our brothers and sisters.
Maria: I don’t want to be that obstacle. Let me listen; let me be patient; let me be humble and wait to see what’s the right time. But my goal is still the same: We’re going to talk about my God, Jehovah, just not so fast.
Gage: So may all of us continue to show love for people and continue to try to make disciples. Earlier this year, we received the soundtrack to last year’s convention drama, “Commit Your Way to Jehovah.” Have you found this to be inspiring and encouraging? Well, you’ll be happy to know that the Governing Body has approved of preparing multiple soundtracks for “The Good News According to Jesus.” Would you like to hear a sample? Let’s listen to some audio excerpts of this soundtrack.
[Music]
The music for “The Good News According to Jesus” is very important to the Governing Body, and so we’re happy to share these excerpts with you. You’ll be happy to know that the release of the first soundtrack to gnj,” The Good News According to Jesus” will be in the late spring or early summer of 2025. Well, the time has come for the concluding part of our program, and it’s a special treat. That’s all I’m going to say. Brother David Splane will now give the talk “Give Jehovah Glory.”
David Splane: Well, I don’t have to tell you that many people today are totally self-absorbed. They spend a lot of time on the Internet, a lot of time on social media talking about themselves and talking about their own accomplishments. And that’s in contrast with Jehovah’s people because Jehovah’s people are concerned with giving God glory. And this is in line with what we read at Psalm 96:8. Now, this is the only text we’re going to read during this talk, and I am going to have a look at three words in the phrase that we’re going to be reading. So, please, let’s look it up. I’ll give you a moment to find it. If you’re like me, sometimes it takes a little while to find things in the Bible. Psalm 96:8, and it’s just the first clause, the first phrase, that we’re going to look at. It says: “Give Jehovah the glory due his name.” “Give Jehovah the glory due his name.” Now, what were the circumstances during which these words were first spoken? They were first spoken on a very happy occasion, a special, spiritual occasion. They were first spoken, they’re part of a song, and that song was first composed by David when he was bringing the ark of the covenant back to Jerusalem. So, you can imagine the joy with which these words were spoken. And finally, eventually, that song became part of the theocratic songbook that the Israelites used when they were praising Jehovah. Now, we’re going to focus on three words in this phrase that I just read, “glory,” “due,” and “name.” “Give Jehovah the glory due his name.” Now, when you think of the word “glory,” what comes to your mind? If you’re like me, you probably think of a blinding light, a light that’s so intense that you have to shield your eyes. And you might think of the words of the apostle John when he wrote that “God is light.” And so, you might ask yourself, ‘How could an imperfect person like me give God glory?’ Well, it all comes together when we appreciate what the Scriptures mean by “glory.” Now, let’s be really simple. “Glory” in the Scriptures means “anything that makes someone or something impressive.” I’m going to repeat that. In the Scriptures, “glory” means “anything that makes someone or something impressive.” Now, with that simple definition in mind, we realize that we can bring glory to God in our preaching work, when we tell others how wonderful Jehovah is, how impressive he is. We have many reasons to boast in our God. Our God is merciful and compassionate. Our God is empathetic. When we feel hurt, he feels hurt. Our God is humble. He shows concern for widows and orphans and others who are often neglected by society. We also bring glory to Jehovah when we give him credit for our accomplishments. David did that. Remember what David said? “By God’s power I can scale a wall.” But we can give glory to God without saying a word. Think of the heavens. What does the Bible say about the heavens? “There is no speech, and there are no words, their voice is not heard.” And yet, what does the psalm continue to say? “The heavens are declaring the glory of God.” We can’t help but be impressed by Jehovah’s creation. Well, so much for glory. “Give Jehovah the glory due, due, his name.” Now, we give someone his due when we give him what’s rightfully his. And Jehovah has an absolute right to receive glory from men. We’re reminded of what the 24 elders said as recorded at Revelation 4:11. They said, “You are worthy, Jehovah our God, to receive the glory.” “Give Jehovah the glory due his name.” What about God’s name? Well, we were thrilled when we first learned that God has a name. And that prompted some of us to study the Bible and come into the truth. Now, if learning that God has a name had that effect on you, don’t you think that it could also have that effect on people in your territory? Have you asked people in your territory recently, “Would you like to see God’s name in the Bible?” or “Have you ever seen God’s name in the Bible?” That could lead to some very interesting discussions. A missionary is serving in a country where most of the people believe in God. They’re either Catholic or Muslim, but they all believe in God. They don’t know much about Him, but I like the way he reasons with them. He says: “When you want to become friends with someone, “the first thing you do is introduce yourself. You tell him your name, he tells you his, and you become friends. Well, we all want to be friends of God. So, a good first step is to find out his name.” And then he reads God’s name in the Bible. We give God glory when we defend his name and his reputation. But what does the name mean? Well, many scholars say it means “He Causes to Become.” And we know that Jehovah can cause us to become whatever he wants us to be. So, think about what we heard earlier in this program today. If he wants us to become a missionary, if he wants us to work in construction, if he wants us to be a special pioneer or to serve at Bethel, then Jehovah can give us the strength and he can give us the ability to do that. And all we have to do is put our trust in him. Now, like the heavens, we can sometimes give God glory without saying a word. How? By our fine conduct. How many unbelievers have come into the truth, sometimes after being violently opposed for years, because of the conduct of their Christian mate and children? How many unbelievers have been impressed by the way we take care of one another and others when disaster strikes? So, we think about the words of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount. When people see our fine works, they give glory to our Father in heaven. Jehovah is also glorified when his servants respond to the leading of his spirit in their Christian life, when they become more humble, more loving, more trustworthy. Now, if you’re an appointed man, have the elders found you to be more reasonable, more tactful, more yielding over the years? When they see those changes in us, our brothers and sisters don’t fail to give credit to Jehovah God, and Jehovah God is praised. So, in 2025, let’s give serious thought to ways we can give God glory. And to remind us, those words, the words of Psalm 96:8, are going to be posted in our Kingdom Halls as our year text. So, what’s the year text again? Psalm 96:8: “Give Jehovah the glory due his name.”
(Text “Give Jehovah the Glory Due his Name.)
[Applause]
Now, there’s a poem entitled “Give Jehovah Glory.” And I’m going to read it to you. We don’t usually, we don’t, do poetry in our publications because it’s too hard to translate, but this is a good one, and I’m going to read it to you. It’s entitled “Give Jehovah Glory.” “Who is like you, O Jehovah, high on your heavenly throne? How could I ever repay you for all of the love you have shown? When I look up to the heavens, power and glory I see. Who then am I, O Jehovah, that you would show favor to me? My life is yours, O Jehovah. May all I do bring you praise. Gladly I’ll speak of your goodness. And tell of your glorious ways. Serving you, Great God Jehovah, fills me with honor and pride. You are my strength and my glory. Forever may you be my Guide. Oceans and valleys below me, Sun, moon, and stars up above. Fill me with joy and with wonder and show me your unending love. Majesty, wisdom, and beauty, these are the things that I see. How could I not give you glory, for making it all come to be?”
[Applause]
Those words were composed for a very happy occasion, a spiritual occasion. They’re part of a song, an original song that was composed specially for this annual meeting. And guess what? Guess what? We are going to sing that song at the conclusion of this meeting. I said to the Governing Body, “Are you sure?” And they said, “Oh, yes!” They have tremendous confidence in your musical ability. Now, just so you know, the Governing Body has decided that from now on, a new original song based on the year text, is going to be featured at each annual meeting.
[Applause]
The brothers in music services are busy working on the one for 2026. Now, during the past two months, the music team and Translation Services all around the world have been working feverishly to translate, record, and mix the song. And as a result of their efforts, when this talk is released on October 14, the song will be released simultaneously with the English in over 400 languages. So, let’s see how those words sound when they’re put to music. Now, remember, we’re going to be singing this song at the conclusion of the meeting, and we don’t want anybody just moving the lips with no sound coming out. There is a reason why we call it a song. So, pay attention and enjoy “Give Jehovah Glory.”
[Applause]
You sure are an encouraging group with all of this applause! You know that’s why we’re going overtime. Well, now, if you’re listening in, in your room, when the time comes to sing, be sure to join in. Remember, the Lord is listening, so don’t think that just because you’re in private that you shouldn’t join in. Now, we all want to join in, and this is a way we can give additional glory to Jehovah. So, in 2025, let’s pay special attention to ways we can give God glory. He certainly is worthy.
Gage: We pray that this program has strengthened your faith and will encourage each one of us to remain steadfast in Jehovah’s service and have “plenty to do in the work of the Lord.” Be assured that the Governing Body loves each of you, and we are truly interested in your everlasting welfare as one of Jehovah’s precious sheep.
Hermanus: What a joy to share this beautiful program with all of you! Let’s conclude with this month’s video postcard, which takes us to Armenia. Armenia lies east of Türkiye and south of the Caucasus Mountain range. Yerevan, its capital, enjoys a magnificent view of Mount Ararat, where, according to tradition, Noah’s ark came to rest. Armenia is even more mountainous than Switzerland with deep river valleys, forests, and extinct volcanoes. More than 3,000 plant species thrive in this small country. Farms produce a variety of crops pomegranates, cherries, peaches, and 50 different types of apricots, which are sometimes called Armenian apples. Jehovah’s Witnesses have been active in Armenia since 1975, when the country was still part of the Soviet Union. For many years, congregation meetings were held in homes, and it was not possible to hold assemblies or conventions here. But beginning in 1989, Witnesses in Armenia were invited to attend international conventions in other countries, including this one in Kyiv, Ukraine, in 1993. That same year, authorities began imprisoning our brothers for their neutrality. Over the next 20 years, more than 500 brothers were sentenced to prison terms of up to three years. But in 2011, the European Court of Human Rights upheld the right to refuse military service, based on conscientious objection. This was the first time that the court recognized that conscientious objection to military service based on one’s religious beliefs should be protected under the right of freedom of thought, conscience, and religion. By November 2013, all imprisoned brothers had been released. Today, more than 11,000 publishers and 2,480 pioneers serve in Armenia. They preach in seven languages, including Persian, Kurdish Kurmanji, Hindi, and Russian Sign Language. On December 7, 1988, an earthquake devastated Armenia’s northern region. It claimed some 25,000 lives and left half a million people homeless. The quake destroyed the town of Spitak, which has since recovered, though some evidence of the quake remains. Through it all, our brothers and sisters continued diligently to share the good news. The 44 publishers and 18 regular pioneers in the Spitak Congregation send us their warm love and greetings. From the World Headquarters of Jehovah’s Witnesses, this is JW Broadcasting!
(Logo: Black capital letters JW.ORG in a white box. Copyright 2025 Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania)