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Post by Deleted on Aug 19, 2010 21:32:54 GMT -5
Nathan, That they wouldn't share never crossed my mind....oh my.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 19, 2010 21:35:02 GMT -5
Nathan, I think you indicated that you had Howard M as a companion. Was he as positive and cheerful as a companion as he was in speaking? As a little girl, I was always so happy when he would get up to speak.
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Post by ts on Aug 19, 2010 21:39:39 GMT -5
I had three older companions who were genuine brothers who cared and wanted to communicate. One was an overseer. Two of those three are not in the work anymore. I probably had extensive time with 15 to 20 companions. With those three I felt like we were working together and not me just following blindly along on a "need to know" basis.
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Post by ts on Aug 19, 2010 21:45:28 GMT -5
the first convention I spoke at, Howard M was there. I didn't know him from Adam since I was not raised professing. He came up to me after I spoke and put his arm around me and said, "The Lord chooses the cream of the crop for His work". That was very encouraging considering that what I actually spoke extremely little and was pushed through sobs. Kindness and compassion goes a long way.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 19, 2010 21:46:39 GMT -5
I had three older companions who were genuine brothers who cared and wanted to communicate. One was an overseer. Two of those three are not in the work anymore. I probably had extensive time with 15 to 20 companions. With those three I felt like we were working together and not me just following blindly along on a "need to know" basis. I can imagine that was a wonderful feeling.
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Post by ts on Aug 19, 2010 21:53:37 GMT -5
yes, It was a wonderful feeling. After spending so much time waiting for the axe to fall for some unseen or unwritten rule violation, I must admit that I was still on my nerves with even the good guys.
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Post by Alan Vandermyden on Aug 20, 2010 1:35:11 GMT -5
I got along well with nearly all of my companions, but certain ones do stand out, of course. I was with Larry Taylor a couple of years here in the Pacific - one year on Pohnpei, and another in which we island-hopped a bit - Four months on Hawai`i, a few weeks on Likiep Atoll, three months on Saipan. Larry made a genuine effort to get out and meet people. We peddled the 59 miles around Pohnpei - on dirt and mud roads - 3 times, in addition to making a 15-mile trip out to a certain community 7 additional times. We were all amused when the Guam paper's Sunday insert carried a front-page spread about "the first person to peddle around Pohnpei" - on a nice, multi-speed bike, of course - We had already been around on our old beach-cruisers, carrying them through a couple miles of mud . . .
Larry taught me to respect people's cultures, as he was always quick to defend island people or others that were being bad-mouthed for some perceived trait or misunderstood practice. Larry did/does love people! He's on O'ahu right now . . .
One evening on Saipan, we unthinkingly ate supper before going out to visit Micronesian families, and ended up eating supper twice again, the last time at about 11! I have to admit I was often ready to go home, but Larry did have a zeal for sharing what he loved with people.
As far as other issues that have been touched on, I do remember that some made sure to share all money given by the friends. Though others may not have been as diligent in this way, I can't say I ever really lacked, and companions generally checked at least occasionally to see that I was doing okay in that regard. When in the islands, our overseers communicated well to make sure we had enough, though there was a time or two when it was "going on faith" for both of us.
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Post by ajourneyman on Jan 27, 2011 12:37:35 GMT -5
Nathan, That they wouldn't share never crossed my mind....oh my. I for one share in this thought - I can not remember when we didn't share - There were times when there was nothing to share - But always the older companion made sure that I had what was needed. From number 325 Goodness and mercy shall Be with me all my days Preserved andkept by Him I am From all the by-path ways
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Post by Alan Vandermyden on Jan 27, 2011 14:41:34 GMT -5
Nathan, That they wouldn't share never crossed my mind....oh my. I for one share in this thought - I can not remember when we didn't share - There were times when there was nothing to share - But always the older companion made sure that I had what was needed. From number 325 Goodness and mercy shall Be with me all my days Preserved andkept by Him I am From all the by-path ways I did find that my companions shared fairly with me - I'm not talking about an "equal split," but I did have what I needed. I actually felt like it didn't require any faith on my part as far as where my meals, clothing, etc. would come from. But I did have an experience in the Marshall Islands that was very confirming to me. We flew from Majuro Atoll to Likiep Atoll in a 19-seater Dornier, and we were charged by the pound for our luggage (I think this was above a certain maximum). Well, one time a companion (I think it was Larry Taylor) and I were actually 50 cents short, and as we looked for some small thing to chuck, they said "Oh, go ahead." That part was only embarrassing, but the frightening part was that we had no money for our return to Majuro, planned in a couple of months. It seems like we already had return tickets, and we had purchased food to bring along (we tried to not be a burden to the people we stayed with out there), but we had absolutely nothing for food and lodging back on Majuro. Of course, it's probably easy enough to take it for granted here that some money will come along within a two-month period. But, with transportation and communication being what it was out there - basically a once-a-week plane, or phone-patching in an emergency, it wasn't as simple to take things for granted. Something did come along in the weekly mail in time, and I think we both felt it was a very enriching, confirming experience. And now I've gotten the thread off-track . . . I'm going to say this about "appreciating older companions" - I found things I appreciated and things that concerned me in all of my companions, as well as in others I worked among, as I know they found about me too. Does this not give us opportunity to be what a "brother" (or sister!) should be? Part of it is forbearance, but helping them to learn can be part of it too. I am not one to simply say, "Let's just talk about the positive," but neither do I want to focus on anyone as irrevocably, irredeemably bad. And Nathan, I am certainly not intending this as a refutation of your statement that some don't share - I have heard stories along that line from workers whom I have confidence in. That kind of thing does exist, but I didn't really feel the brunt of it. I would have to say that some were more thoughtful, asking to make sure I had enough. Some would just give some occasionally, others would give me some of what was given to them after a gospel meeting - I had usually received some too at those times, though generally not as much, and they would make sure I had been given enough. I appreciated this.
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Post by Linford Bledsoe on Jan 27, 2011 21:09:59 GMT -5
In the 12 years I was in the work I had nothing but older companions. I appreciated them so much and what they taught me that is still a part of my life today.
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