1955 yearbook - Watchtower Archive

Yearbook 105
than they did the previous year. More subscriptions
were obtained, more magazines were placed,
many more back-calls were made and there was
a fine increase in home Bible studies. All of this
reflected itself in the number of new ministers
preaching the good news. The report from the
branch servant gives us a few high points of the
happenings there.
A visit by the Society's vice'president, Brother Franz,
was a helpful stimulus to start off the year. His en·
lightening talks and greetings from the neighboring
countries helped all to appreciate better the love and
unity that now prevail in the New World society.
After several years of training and example from
the missionaries the local brothers are now beginning
to shoulder their own responsibilities. They are now
giving more of the public talks, filling servant positions
and leading field· service groups. A great aid in attain·
ing this status of more mature ministers has been
the three· to eight· minute sermons. By preparing these
all are able to give effective presentations and in·
crease their placements. This contributed to a good
increase in book placements over the previous year.
The younger are not the only ones among the local
brothers who are showing maturity, but in the Belize
congregation an eighty·two·year·old sister regularly
attends the group contacts and an eighty·three·year·old
pioneer still faithfully engages in the full· time min·
istry, thus setting a fine example for the whole con·
gregation.
A publisher in the house·to·house work here called
on a nearly blind man who desired to see. After a
few months' study in one of the Society'S publications
he began getting his eyes open to the truths of life
and to the privileges of serving Jehovah. He soon
began to attend all the meetings and is so happy he
can see with his eyes of understanding that he desires
to be immersed. Another brother in the same congre·
gation who is totally blind could also see the need
of changing his life to fit Jehovah's standards. Though
in his eightieth year he was not too old to bring his
common·law wife to the Kingdom Hall and be properly
and legally married so his efforts could be counted.
With such spiritual foresight the eyes of these brothers
will soon open literally in a perfect new world with
paradisaic conditions.