Pioneers and Their Reports

A variety of questions involving pioneer service are received by the office in Brooklyn. We thought you would be interested in a few of them and the gist of the answers that we give. For example:

● Should auxiliary pioneers be counted as such if their application was approved by the elders but then they were not able to devote 60 hours to the field service? Yes.

● May coffee and lunch breaks be counted as field service time? The “Organization” book (p. 126) says that the time to be counted on our reports is what we spend actually in Kingdom-preaching and disciple-making, witnessing to persons who are not themselves baptized Witnesses. Are you witnessing to someone while you have your coffee or eat lunch? Then count such time. If not, it might be better to start counting time again when you make your first call after lunch.

● If a pioneer is ill or is involved in an accident, or serious family problems come along, and the individual wants to be given consideration so as to remain on the pioneer list without having to make up the time, who should write to the Society about the matter? The local elders.

A few other points that could save the office much time are these:

● Married sisters should show “Mrs.” and then their husband’s first name on their monthly report cards (e.g., Mrs. John Witness). If someone else makes out the card for the pioneer, it would be appreciated if the pioneer would check to be sure that the name is correct.

● When single pioneer sisters marry, they should supply the Society with the husband’s first and last name and the date of the marriage. Thereafter they should list their name as requested in the preceding point.

● Pioneers should inform the Society if they move from one congregation to another or if they are going to be away from their home congregation for more than three months.

● When anyone finds it necessary to stop pioneering for some reason, he should notify the elders in the congregation. They should then notify the Society, using the S-206 form. A brief explanation should be given as to why the individual has stopped pioneering and the form should be signed by the local service committee.