Kingdom Proclaimers Report

Persistence in Their Divine Commission

JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES take very seriously their divine commission to preach the good news of God’s Kingdom. (1 Corinthians 9:16; Acts 20:26, 27) A couple in France felt the force of this commission to reach everyone with the good news. In their territory was a hostel that kept political refugees and young foreign workers. The couple explain: “We wondered how we could ever get inside unless invited in by someone that lived there. So we decided to contact people just outside and possibly get an invitation to visit them on the inside. A young man eagerly accepted the magazines and asked to be visited.

“We visited this young man, and a study was immediately started. Each time a friend of his was present, but the friend never said a word. When, at the end of the second study, we asked if he too would like to learn more about God’s Word, he replied: ‘Why not?’ Thus a second study was started. We invited them to the meetings from the start, and they have not missed one since. Their progress was very evident, especially at the hostel, where they immediately started talking about the things they were learning, resulting in a third study being started with a couple. One day the whole group was in the entrance, ready to leave for the meeting, when another friend decided to come along too. She was very enthusiastic and wanted her boyfriend to learn all about it. Both started studying.

“Up to then five studies were being conducted. Each was like a meeting! Everyone attended everyone else’s study, and new ones joined in too. They all talked about the truth, and as a result, a sixth study was started with another man, who also started attending meetings and witnessed to his girlfriend.

“Of course, all of this was a marvelous witness in the hostel. It was not easy for these young people to put on the new personality. They had to overcome smoking, alcoholism, violence, loose morals, and bad company. Satan saw to it that former friends tried to hinder their progress, enticing them to smoke or have noisy parties. One of the interested men was engaged to a girl who belonged to a cult. She tried to turn him away from the truth. However, she eventually started studying and since then has made good progress.

“According to the latest news,” report the couple, “one of the young men went to prison for his stand on neutrality. In less than a year, six others were baptized, five of whom immediately entered the auxiliary pioneer service. Out of the whole group, six are now regular pioneers, with special-pioneer work as their goal.”

How richly rewarded this couple were for their persistence in carrying out their divine commission to search for sheeplike ones! Jehovah certainly blessed their faithful efforts. While we may not have such outstanding experiences, we always want to carry out faithfully our divine commission to preach the good news of the Kingdom.​—Matthew 24:14.

[Picture on page 21]

The couple in France along with the six regular pioneers