For JW's : When you miss your meetings?

Question

How do you feel when you miss your meetings due to reasons that could have been overcome if you had only tried a little harder?
do you feel guilty?
do you always go to another hall to make up for the one you missed ?
do you always listen in ( if your congregation has phone hook-up?

thanks for the inquisitiveness of others - but this question is for Jehovah's Witnesses

Dr.sarcasm - I didn't need any

Dr s. - didn't need your sarcasm

Answer 1

I miss going to the meetings. My health makes me very weak. I read of the brothers 70 yrs. old walking 20 miles through dangerous territory just to get to one meeting and I feel sad and mad at myself for not being able to get in my car for a 15 mile drive. I just can not manage it. I get too weak from just trying to get ready, I can barely lift my arms.

The Hall hooked up its first telephone conference call setup last Sunday. I can't explain fully the joy I had (and I don't experience joy that often) at being able to hear both the talk and Watchtower study. I called the day before to set it up and overheard a good crowd there putting the finishing touches on a remodel of the Hall. It was great to hear all the fun they were having while working.

People from several Halls near and far came to help from NC and SC.

It has been a dry hole in me since my health went south for the duration. My aunt brings me the magazines and other publications. Wish they had my copy of the latest Watchtower Library CD in stock, but something happened. I do not know what. Since last week though, I feel a rush of good from that phone line.

Answer 2

One Circuit Overseer said jokingly that we shouldn't miss unless your:

1. As old as Methuselah
2. As sick as Job or
3. Dead

I don't miss very often. I know I've had gone six months without missing a meeting and then I'll get sick and not go if I have a fever and could be contagious. Going to the meeting is a habit, even if I only have 15 minutes to get ready because I got home late from work, I still go, I may not look as good as I as I would like, but I'm there. It seems like if you miss one meeting for a lame reason, then it's easy to miss another one, then another one...just what Satan wants us to do. And yes I do feel guilty if I should miss for not a good enough reason. I think of all the brothers and sisters in Africa especially those who walk for literally miles to go to a meeting then turn around and walk home...and we complain because it takes 20 minutes to get to the Kingdom Hall in a car. Or those who swim crocodile invested waters??? I live in Florida, it would be hard for me if I had to swim in a river or lake with alligators in it....that would be a real test.

No I don't listen to phone hook-up, we have a lot of elderly ones who have too. No I don't usually make it up. I really rarely miss, so I don't worry about it too much.

Answer 3

I only miss the meetings if I'm really not well, which thankfully is a rare occasion.

I wouldn't use the telephone link-up because there are some in the hall who are long-term sick and can't get to any meetings, they may be house-bound, for example. If the hall has two lines available for the link-up, I think it would be unfair of me to take up one of the lines preventing someone who cannot attend at all from getting the benefit.

I recently had to miss two meetings due to coming down with the cold. I didn't feel guilty about missing the meetings because I am very rarely absent but I didn't like being away from the brothers and was glad to get back even though I still wasn't feeling 100%.

Thanks.

Answer 4

Before my daughter died in April, I used to miss meetings a lot, because I didn't want to leave her alone. At first we didn't have a speaker phone that wasn't cordless, but then a brother gave us one. We listened to the meeting on it a couple of times. It felt good to be connected to the congregation and be a part of it by "being there." Since she has passed, we have not missed any meetings except for a family emergency. I did however miss this past Sunday, BUT an old friend came over and we spent our time witnessing to her. So, THAT I did not feel guilty about. :)

Answer 5

You know it really depends on a persons conscious and spirituality because of rationalizing. But personally i feel like I am not giving 100% when i miss them. And yes i feel like i should have done my absolute best and i feel down about it for a while. If i cant make a meeting i usually make sure theres another meeting to make up for it or call in. But never do i rationalize for not being able to go. Jehovah is to be made 1st in our lives, he gave us it and i want to show appreciation. Not only that but the Anointed and discreet slave has put out a lot of work making sure we are fed at the right time about everything and anything. And usually, whenever i have discouragement there are talks that REACH to me and actually gives an ANSWER to my problems. Meetings are such a divine arrangement :)

Answer 6

I have come to appreciate the value of meetings more fully over the years. The meetings are like a personal invitation from our loving God, Jehovah. If He appealed to me in person, I would certainly not reject that invitation.

Only due to illness or genuinely unforseen circumstances do I miss a meeting. It helps also that I usually have assignments and duties at every meeting, so I can't afford to not be there.

After time spent in the world for the customary affairs of life -- working, going to school, transacting business, etc. -- our meetings are a most refreshing refuge of spiritual association. It is only there that we become fortified, encouraged, and strengthened to continue serving Jehovah and following the Christ.

Answer 7

I feel spiritually sick when I miss meetings. I feel like a door is opened for Satan when I miss a meeting, I feel like I am missing out on an important family gathering...I have listened in to a meeting on the phone, and it makes me even more home sick for the meetings...but at least I don't miss anything important, but it is never the same as being present. The meetings are our life-line, our inspiration and support...our motivation, just as our field service is...yes, I do feel guilty, even if I am very sick. I have gone to a meeting with another congregation when I have missed one of ours...it is great to feel like you belong and to feel like family, no matter which Kingdom Hall you go to! I never feel like a strangwer when I visit another Kingdom Hall! That is amazing! and wonderful!

~wannaknow~

Answer 8

I feel aweful about it, even if I am really really sick.

I actually have not missed meetings for just a headache, or tired after work lately. I made a promise to myself after reading the past yearbooks, that if I "could" make the meeting, I will make it.
And usually, whatever is ailing me goes away or lightens up cause I'm in such a good environment. And I have other things to focus on.

But when I've missed meeting just for a headache or stomach ache that could be taken care of with a tylenol or pepto, I do feel guilty.

Answer 9

i have miss a couple recently that i fill very guilty...cause I'm nor sick and i can go...but recently my manager has been given me a hard time by scheduling me the days of the meeting after i remand her week by week that its the same days..and she does give to them almost all the time but this past two weeks i had to work sat..nights cause of high flow in customers and she schedule me to stay and help...in retail it gets hard to get your days off since you work from Monday-Sunday and Broken schedules...so i do fill guilty and i try to make it up on Sunday going to another congregation..and i know this is not an excuse but the job market makes it hard for us sometimes since they don't see the importance of the meetings...

Answer 10

I feel bad, usually. It depends on the reason I am missing. I do try to make it up, and for quite some time did listen in on the phone.