The Bible Changes Lives

" The Witnesses didn't tell me what to believe." -ALEXANDER SOSKOV

   YEAR BORN 1971

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: RUSSIA
HISTORY: COMBAT INSTRUCTOR

MY PAST: I was born in Moscow, which at the time was the capital of the Soviet Union.  My family lived in a large apartment building, and many of our neighbors worked together in the same factory.  I remember their complaining  that I was a very active child and predicting that I would either die and early death or end up at the police station.  In fact, by age ten, I was already on file with the police.

When I turned 18, I was conscripted into the army and served as a border guard..  I returned home after two years and worked in a factory, but the job bored me.  So I joined the Moscow police riot squad and worked as an instructor in hand-to-hand combat.  I helped round up criminals in Moscow and traveled to various hot spots around the country.  The tension  inside me was like a coiled spring.  When I returned home, I sometimes had to rest apart from my wife-I feared that I would injure her in my sleep.

HOW THE BIBLE CHANGED MY LIFE: When I began studying the Bible with Jehovah's Witnesses, I discovered that the violent lifestyle I led was not compatible with Bible standards. I also saw the need to stop smoking and to control the amount of alcohol I drank.  However, I reasoned that I couldn't change my job, since I had no other skills that could provide me with the work i needed to feed my family.  I also felt that I could never go preaching as the Witnesses did. 

Eventually, I became convinced that  the Bible record was accurate.  And I drew comfort from the account at Ezekiel 18:21, 22.  That passage says:  "As regards someone wicked, in case he should turn back from all his sins that he has committed-they will not be remembered against him." 

I liked that the Witnesses didn't tell me what to believe but helped me to reason on what I was learning.  I took a stack of 40 or more of their magazines and read them within three weeks.  What I learned convinced me  that I had found the right religion.

HOW I HAVE BENEFITED: Before studying the Bible, my wife and I were on the brink of divorce.  Now our marriage has improved.  My wife began studying the Bible when I did,m and we decided to serve Jehovah together.  Now my family life is happier.  I was also able to find work that did not conflict with the Bible principles.

When I first engaged in door-to-door preaching, I would become very tense-the feelings that I had before taking part in a raid would well up inside of me.  Now I am confident  that I can remain calm, even if someone tries to provoke me.  Over time, I have learned to be patient with people.  I regret that I wasted so much of my life, but I now feel that my life is try worthwhile.  I enjoy pouring the strength I have into serving Jehovah God and helping others.

Next time: Draw Close to God-"Remember Me, O My God for Good"

The Watchtower, 2011