The Best Help for Knowing the Future

By One Who Found the Road to Life

RELIGION played an important part in the life of my family. My father was a Jew, and even though he had converted to Catholicism to marry my mother, he still had great respect for the Bible. Mother came from a family with deeply rooted Catholic traditions​—two of her sisters were nuns, a cousin was a monsignor, and two nephews were friars.

During the second world war, the anxieties, fears, and ever-present threat of being deported to a concentration camp for being a Jew brought my father to an early death. Firmly believing in the doctrine of the immortality of the soul, my mother took part in spiritistic séances, trying to get in contact with my father.

When I reached adulthood, traditional religion continued to be part of my life. I remained a “good Catholic.” Nevertheless, Catholicism could not explain what the future held for me. Whom could I turn to for help in finding out?

Just as my mother had once done, I also consulted spirit mediums. Since they began every sitting with the sign of the cross and prayers, I was convinced that the strange happenings I witnessed were from God. It was at this time that I, wanting to do something to relieve the sufferings of others, joined a Catholic association that organized trips to the Marian sanctuary at Lourdes, where the sick hoped for miraculous healings.

I had never heard of Jehovah’s Witnesses until the day when my husband accepted two magazines that I found very interesting. What impressed me most was that the Bible was quoted in support of comments in the magazines. At once I realized that these publications would be very useful in acquiring a knowledge of God’s Word. I wrote asking for a subscription to both magazines. Jehovah’s Witnesses visited me, and I began to study the Bible.

I was very enthusiastic about the Bible truths I was learning and began to speak about them to acquaintances. I was shocked by the reaction of a friend, the one who organized the religious pilgrimages, when I told her I was examining the Bible with the Witnesses. She became very angry and said such bad things about them that I left. Then I had to face opposition from my husband. (Matthew 10:36) At first it was difficult, but the more I put into practice the things I was learning, the more my family life changed for the better. I was baptized in 1977.

I realized that I would never have found the road to life if Jehovah’s Witnesses had not shown an interest by trying to help me come to know the Bible’s marvelous truths. I knew that I too was under obligation to do all I could to help others come to know about Jehovah and his marvelous purpose for the future. How was I going to do this? The best way was to take up the full-time ministry. Since I lived in a religiously divided household, this was not easy for me. But I trusted in Jehovah’s support and guidance and took refuge in him. Now, I am living the happiest years of my life as a regular pioneer. I am more convinced than ever that “Jehovah is good” and that anyone “that takes refuge in him” is happy.​—Psalm 34:8.