I Will Continue Learning

I wor born in 1927 in one small town near Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A. My pa and ma get five children, Jetha, Don, me, Karl, and Joy. All of us decided to serve Jehovah with our whole heart. Jetha went to the second class of Gilead in 1943. Don went to Bethel in Brooklyn, New York, in 1944. Karl went to Bethel in 1947 and Joy also went there in 1951. The fine example my family set really touch my heart.

OUR FAMILY LEARN THE TRUTH

My pa and ma really love God and they use to read the Bible. They also teach us to love God too. After our pa serve as soldier in Europe during World War I, he lost respect for the church dem. Our ma wor happy our pa come back home, he not die in the war. She tell him say: “Karl, let go to church the same way we use to do it.” Our pa say: “I will carry you there, but I will not go inside.” Then she say: “For what?” Then he say: “During the war, the pastor dem from the same religion, use to pray for the soldier people who wor fighting against each other! That who side God wor on?”

Later on, when my ma wor in church, two Jehovah Witness people came to our house. They gave my pa two books that talking about the book of Revelation. They call this book dem Light. Our pa wor having interest, so he accept the book dem. As soon our ma see the book dem, she start reading it. Then one day she see announcement in one newspaper that wor inviting people for Bible study, where they will use the Light books. So she decide to go. When she reach there, one older woman open the door. Our ma show one of the books to the woman, and ask her, “That here they studying this book?” The woman say: “Yes, sweetheart, come inside.” The next week our ma carry us there, and we always use to go there.

During one meeting, the conductor tell me to read Psalm 144:15 that say those who worship Jehovah will be happy. This Bible verse and two other verse dem really encourage me. One that 1 Timothy 1:​11, where it say Jehovah that “happy God,” and the other one that Ephesians 5:​1, where it encourage us to “become imitators of God.” I decide in my heart that I will do what I able to do for my Creator and tell him thank you plenty. And that what I been trying hard to do throughout my life.

The congregation that wor close to us wor way in Chicago. It wor 32 kilometers (20 mi) away. But still we use to go, and I wor learning plenty things from the Bible. One time the conductor call Jetha to make comment. When I wor listening to her, I start thinking: ‘I know the answer. I suppose to put my hand up to comment.’ So I start preparing and making my own comments. The more important one that, my friendship with Jehovah start getting strong just like my two brothers and sisters. So I get baptize in 1941.

LEARNING FROM JEHOVAH DURING CONVENTIONS

I can still remember the 1942 convention in Cleveland, Ohio. They use telephone to connect more than 50 places in America. Our brother dem arrange for us to stay in tents near the area they wor having the convention. That time, they wor fighting World War II and the persecution on Jehovah Witnesses wor getting too much. In the evening, I use to see some brother dem parking their cars and they use to turn the head on the road. All of us agree for somebody to be in each car to be watchman in the night. If the brother them see people coming to attack, they will flash the car lights in their eye and blow the horns so the people can’t see. Then the other brother dem will rush there to help. This one convince me that ‘Jehovah people can really be prepare for anything!’ And because I wor feeling safe, I wor able to sleep good and nothing bad happen.

After some years pass, when I think about that convention, I remember that my ma wor not even scary. She put all her trust in Jehovah and his organization. I will never forget her good example.

Right before the convention, my ma start regular pioneering. So, she listen good-good to the talk dem they wor giving about full-time service and she take note. When we wor on our way home, she say, “I really want continue pioneering, but I not able to do it and take care of our house at the same time.” So she ask if we able to help her. We say yes. So she gave each of us one or two rooms to clean before breakfast. When we go to school, she use to check in the house to see if it clean and then she will go field service. Even though she wor really busy, but she never forget about us. When we use to come to the house for recess and when we come from school, she always use to be there for us. And sometime after school, we use to go with her in field service, and this one really help us to understand what it mean to be pioneer.

I STARTED PIONEERING

I started pioneering when I wor 16 years old. Even though my pa wor not Jehovah Witness yet, he wor having interest in what I wor doing. One evening, I tell him that even though I wor trying my best, I still not get anybody to study the Bible with. He not say anything, so I ask him, “You think we can study the Bible together?” He think small and say, “Okay no problem.” My pa wor my first Bible student. And that wor real privilege for me!

We study the book “The Truth Shall Make You Free.” After we study for some time, I get to know that my pa wor helping me to be good student and teacher. For example, one evening when we finish reading one paragraph, he say: “I see what the book say. But how you know it talking the truth?” I wor not prepare to answer that question. So I say, “I not able to prove it to you now-now, but the next time we studying, I will be able to answer it.” And I answer his question. I find some Bible verse dem that prove the point we wor talking about. From that time, I use to prepare good-good for the study, and I learn to do research. It help me to know the Bible good-good and it help my pa too. He apply the thing dem he wor learning and get baptize in 1952.

I CONTINUE LEARNING IN BETHEL

I left my parents house when I wor 17 years old. Jethaa became missionary, and Don became Bethelite. Two of them like their assignments, and it really encourage me. So I apply for Bethel and Gilead School and I leave everything in Jehovah hand. What wor the result? They call me to work in Bethel in 1946.

For some years, I been doing plenty different-different work in Bethel, so I wor able to learn plenty new things. I been in Bethel for 75 years, and during that time I learn how to print books and do accounting work. I also learn how to buy things for Bethel and how to send things outside to other places. But the main thing I enjoy, that the morning worship and the other talk dem they can always give.

I also learn from my small brother, Karl, who came to Bethel in 1947. He wor good teacher and he understand the Bible good-good. One time I ask him to help me with my talk. I tell Karl that I made plenty research but I wor finding it hard to put it together. He ask me one question that help me. He say: “Joel, what your talk title?” I know strict what he mean. He wor telling me to just use the one dem that alright for my talk and forget about all the other one dem. I never forget that lesson.

To be happy in Bethel, we need to always go field service, and that one can make us to get good-good experiences. One experience I will never forget about that the one that happen one evening in Bronx in New York City. Me and one brother went to talk with one woman who accept The Watchtower and Awake! before. We introduce our self and say, “This evening we helping people to learn encouraging thing dem from the Bible.” She say, “If that Bible business, then yor come inside.” We read different-different scriptures about God Kingdom and the new world and talk about it. It really touch her heart because she invite plenty of her friend dem to join us the next week. After some time, she and her husband became Jehovah Witness.

LEARNING FROM MY WIFE

I wanted to get marry and after 10 years I find the right sister. Wetin help me to find good wife? I pray to Jehovah and ask myself this question, ‘Wetin I want do after I get marry?’

After the 1953 convention to the Yankee Stadium, I met one sister name Mary Aniol. She and Jetha attend the second class of Gilead, and two of them serve as missionary in the same area. Mary wor happy to tell me about her missionary assignments in the Caribbean and the Bible study dem she been conducting for some years. When we start knowing each other good-good, we get to know that she and my self wor having the same spiritual goals. Our love for each other get strong, so we get marry in April 1955. In plenty different-different ways, Mary show that she wor gift from Jehovah and she set good example to follow. She wor happy with any assignment they give her. She work hard, care for people, and always put God Kingdom first in her life. (Matt. 6:33) We serve in the circuit work for three years, and in 1958, they call us to work in Bethel.

I learn plenty things from Mary. For example, when we just got marry, we decided to read the Bible together. And we use to read 15 verses every day. After one of us read few verses, we can talk about the thing dem we learn and how to apply them in our life. Most of the time, Mary use to tell me thing dem she learn from Gilead or when she wor missionary. The thing dem I learn from her help me to give good talks and know how to encourage other sisters.—Prov. 25:11.

My dear wife Mary die in 2013. I really hoping to see her in the new world! I want continue learning and trusting in Jehovah with my whole heart. (Prov. 3:​5, 6) When I think about what Jehovah people will do in the new world, it can make me happy and make my heart to lay down. Some of this thing dem include learning new things from our Grand Instructor and learning new things about him! Yes, I really want tell Jehovah thank you plenty for all the thing dem he been teaching me and all the good-good thing dem he been doing for me.