Happy Full-Time Servants

¹ When you talk with those who are or have been in the full-time service, it becomes apparent that this activity has been rewarding for them and that their memories are happy and satisfying ones.

² After a fine month in the service, one mother with two children wrote: “I just wanted to thank you for the best month that I can recall. When the auxiliary pioneer arrangement was introduced, I was overjoyed because now I can auxiliary pioneer every month.”

³ A brother who was recently married and is a regular pioneer with his wife said: “My wife and I want to tell you how much we have enjoyed being in the pioneer service!” A wife wrote: “For the past two years my husband and I have enjoyed the full-time service as regular pioneers. It has served as a great protection for us as well as given us a very rich, full life. Perhaps one of my greatest joys is to be able to share in the pioneer service with my husband. It has been such a fine way to begin our marriage, drawing us closer to one another and to Jehovah. The rewards are uncountable.”

⁴ A pioneer husband and wife said: “Jehovah has richly blessed us. We are able to care for our two teenagers. Really, our pioneering has aided them to be more spiritual minded. They are both going to be baptized at the summer assembly and join us by auxiliary pioneering in July.” What a rich blessing for parents to have!

⁵ One pioneer wrote, saying: “I planned to auxiliary pioneer for one month, which I did. But I found so much interest that I couldn’t stop. I had to keep pioneering to look after all the interest and to conduct the studies.” Another pioneer said: “My greatest joy is finding interest and then conducting Bible studies.”

⁶ A sister, a widow, 61 years of age, after five years of full-time service said: “I am so thankful to Jehovah for this short period of time. These past years while pioneering have brought so much happiness and contentment, I just had to tell you. I pray that I can continue as long as there is work to do. I cannot really begin to name all of the blessings and joys.”

⁷ Are you one of those happy pioneers? Then you know what these brothers and sisters are talking about. Many who are now in the pioneer work or who have been in the past have said: ‘I used to hear the exuberant expressions of appreciation from those in full-time service—pioneers, missionaries, members of the Bethel family and traveling brothers and sisters—but it was not until I got into the full-time service myself that I really understood what they were talking about.’

⁸ Perhaps you could be one of those happy pioneers—even temporarily. Many have auxiliary pioneered for a month or more. Last year 17 percent of the publishers in the United States, over 100,000, shared in this activity. Were you one of them? In some congregations over half of the publishers have succeeded in arranging their affairs to share in the auxiliary pioneer work. This has been true especially where elders and ministerial servants have taken the lead.

⁹ Many young publishers who are out of school for the summer are planning to auxiliary pioneer for one or more months. Are you planning to do this too? Perhaps you can share in this activity when your circuit overseer visits the congregation. Many brothers and sisters who are now serving at Bethel, in missionary work or other branches of full-time service first served as auxiliary pioneers and then took up the regular pioneer work when they completed their schooling. Is it your goal to serve your Creator in your young manhood or womanhood? (Eccl. 12:1) Can you serve as an auxiliary pioneer or begin to serve as a regular pioneer this summer?

¹⁰ Those who are in the pioneer service are not there because they have nothing else to do or no other responsibilities. They are there because they choose to be. This service was one of their goals; it was high on the list of their priorities. Full-time service is not always easy. However, the blessings are rich and the satisfaction of serving Jehovah in this way is great.

¹¹ Those of you who are members of a family and are in full-time service are to be commended for arranging your schedule to have a share in this work. And you other members of the family who have cooperated by sharing in necessary work at home and helping in other ways to make it possible for a member of your family to be in the pioneer service are to be commended too. By your support you show you appreciate the importance of the work.

¹² It may be that you are not able to be in the full-time service now, but you would like to be. Perhaps it is your goal to serve as a missionary or at Bethel some day. As you reach for your goal, we encourage you to attend the meetings at the district conventions for those who are interested in Bethel and missionary service.

¹³ The circumstances of many of our dear brothers and sisters do not permit them to be in the full-time service. Nevertheless, it is obvious that they, too, are happy in Jehovah’s service. How generous Jehovah has been in making it possible for all of his people to be happy in their service to him no matter what their circumstances in life may be.—2 Cor. 8:12.

¹⁴ However, if you are one who enjoys the privilege of sharing in some feature of full-time service, we know that you have often thanked Jehovah for your blessings. We are glad to assure you that we appreciate what you are doing and you can be sure that Jehovah does too.—Heb. 6:10.