Jehovah's Blessing Has Enriched My Life/AS TOLD BY MELITA JARACZ

OUR FAMILY LEARNS THE TRUTH

I was six years old when my parents heard of the truth.  Their first son, Johnny, had died shortly after he was born.  My distraught parents asked the local priest, "Where's Johnny?"  The priest said that  the baby had not been christened, so he was not in heaven.  Rather, he was in Limbo.  The priest also said that if my parents paid him, he would pray for Johnny to get out of Limbo and go to heaven. How would you have felt? Dad and Mom were so disillusioned that they did not speak with the priest again. Yet, they still wondered what had become of Johnny.

One day Mom came across a booklet entitled Where Are the Dead?  published by the Jehovah's Witnesses. She read it eagerly.  When Dad came home, she said excitedly:  "I know where Johnny is!  He's sleeping now, but one day he's going to awaken."  That evening my father read the entire booklet. Mom and Dad were comforted to learn that the Bible says that the dead are asleep and that there will be a future resurrection. -Ecclesiastes 5:10; Acts 24:15. 

What they found changed our lies for the better, bringing both comfort and happiness.  They started studying the Bible with the Witnesses and attending meetings with  the little congregation n Wakaw, where most had a Ukrainian background. Soon Mom and dad were sharing in the preaching work. 

Not long after that, we moved to British Columbia and a congregation warmly welcomed us.  I think back with pleasure on our family preparation of the Watchtower for the Sunday meetings.  All of us were developing a deep love for Jehovah and for Bible truth.  I could see how our lives  were being enriched and how Jehovah was blessing us. 

Understandably, it was not the easiest thing for us children to speak to people about our beliefs. Something that really helped, though, was that my younger sister Eva and I prepared the month's field service presentation and demonstrated it at the Service Meeting. It was a wonderful way for us, though we were shy, to learn to speak to others about the Bible. I'm so grateful for how were trained to preach!

One of the highlights of our childhood was having full-time servants stay with us. For example, we loved it when our circuit overseer, Jack Nathan visited our congregation and stayed in our home.  His countless stories were a delight and his sincere commendation made us want to serve Jehovah faithfully. 

I recall thinking, "When I grow up, I want to be like Brother Nathan," Little did I realize then that his example  was helping to groom me for a career in full-time service. By the time I was 15 years old, I was determined to serve Jehovah. In 1942, Eva and I were baptized.  

Next time: Tests of Faith

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