JW subtitle extractor

It’s my great pleasure
to speak for a few minutes
to you dear, beloved servants of Jehovah.
As you well know, we’ve been dealing
with the effects of this pandemic
for a long time.
Are you tired of wearing a mask?
tired of physical distancing?
No doubt you miss getting together in person.
Because this is lasting so long,
it may be tempting to lower your guard
and ease up
on the precautions we’ve been taking.
But as you’re probably aware,
case numbers have risen sharply
in one country after another.
In fact, case numbers and deaths worldwide
are higher than they have ever been
at any point during the pandemic.
This is not a time to let down our guard.
Proverbs 28:14 says:
“Happy is the man
“who is always on guard,
“but whoever hardens his heart
will fall into calamity.”
If we’re “always on guard”
like a watchman at his post,
that can help us avoid the calamity.
In this update, we’d like to discuss
why we need to stay safe
and how we can do so.
And we’ll hear some experiences
that highlight the benefits
of keeping on guard.
First, let’s talk about why we need
to protect ourselves and others.
As the months have gone by
and if we or our family
have not contracted COVID-19,
it can be easy to think,
‘My family and I won’t get the virus.’
The Bible warns us, though,
about being overconfident.
First Corinthians 10:12 says:
“So let the one who thinks he is standing
beware that he does not fall.”
In line with that principle,
rather than being overconfident
when it comes to our safety and thinking,
‘It can’t happen to me,’
we have good reason to “beware”
and remain cautious.
Sadly, as of December 20,
more than 7,500
of our brothers and sisters worldwide
have died from COVID-19.
Our hearts go out to those
who have lost
dear family members and friends.
And, unfortunately,
the tragic effects of this pandemic
are not over.
Some branches have reported
two to three times more cases
among the brothers in just the last month
than they’ve had this entire year!
So we need to stay safe.
In the following video,
note how Brother Peter Canning
from the Croatia branch
explains how vigilance
is helping our brothers
stay as safe as possible.
At the beginning of June, life in Croatia
seemed to be getting back to normal.
Some days, there were no new reported cases
of the virus in the entire country.
So businesses and restaurants reopened,
and tourists flooded back into Croatia.
Some brothers wondered,
‘Can we restart certain activities
such as public witnessing?’
Well, shortly after that,
as a safety precaution,
the Governing Body directed all branches
not to resume public witnessing
until further notice.
At first, this level of caution
was not easy to understand,
as conditions seemed relatively safe
for public witnessing.
But what a wise decision it proved to be!
Within weeks,
the number of cases in Croatia began to rise.
And now there are thousands
being infected every day.
Our experience
has made us even more determined
to pay close attention to the direction
coming from the organization
and to be ready to follow it.
We cannot let our guard down.
As Brother Canning said,
we should not let down our guard.
So, what will help us stay safe?
Well, back in June,
in Governing Body Update #4,
Brother Morris stated
three key principles
to serve as a guide.
It was good advice then
and, with the infection rates rising,
it’s really good advice now.
Let’s review those principles.
Number one:
Place a high value on life.
Although the precautions you are taking
may be inconvenient, remember,
they protect you and your family’s lives.
Number two: Listen to the authorities.
When we follow their safety guidelines,
we show respect for Jehovah’s arrangement
and demonstrate that we really care
about our neighbors.
Number three:
Do not develop a casual attitude.
As this situation stretches on,
please don’t lower your guard.
Those are three excellent principles.
But now, here’s a question to ask yourself:
‘Do my decisions show
‘that I place a high value on life,
‘listen to the authorities,
and have not developed a casual attitude?’
Whatever decisions you make, consider this:
Your decisions affect
not just yourself
but your household,
your brothers and sisters,
and your community.
That’s a sobering thought, isn’t it?
As you consider how you and your family
will handle activities in the coming months,
we urge you
to keep following
the basic safety guidelines.
Remember how COVID-19 is spread
and what you can do to protect yourself.
Here’s a brief overview.
Health experts agree
that the main way the virus spreads
is through the air.
So when someone infected coughs, sneezes,
speaks, or even breathes,
they can spread the virus.
Even if someone infected with the virus
doesn’t have symptoms,
he or she can still spread
the virus to others.
There’s an even higher risk
if we’re in close contact with others,
in crowded places,
or indoors.
One of the best ways
to prevent the spread of COVID-19
is to wear a mask
and maintain physical distancing.
To review other precautions you can take
to protect yourself,
we’ve created a new whiteboard animation
entitled Virus Outbreaks
—What You Can Do.
This video is now available in English
on jw.org
and will be available
in other languages soon.
Please take the time to watch it.
No doubt you’d agree
that it takes effort to remain vigilant,
but how can that benefit us?
Do you recall
what we read earlier
in Proverbs 28:14?
“Happy is the man who is always on guard.”
In this video interview,
notice how Sister Louise Slender,
who is a remote volunteer
with a remote translation office
in the United States,
has benefited by remaining on guard.
You’ll also see
the tragic impact
that COVID-19 has had
on her non-Witness relatives.
I live on the Navajo land,
a place called Tuba City, Arizona.
When it came (the pandemic),
I thought we were so isolated
that it was not going to happen
here in Tuba City.
It affected my family a lot.
In the first wave, we lost 15,
and then after that, some were hospitalized.
And then up to today,
I have lost 35,
and some are still sick and hospitalized.
That makes me really sad,
because it’s really a serious thing.
So right now, my household
is just three.
And anybody outside of the household
could be a risk.
It’s very difficult
because you’re used to being around them
for years and years
and all of a sudden, this happens.
And I have to look at it
as anybody can be positive
or anybody can have it.
So I just keep my distance.
I don’t want to get sick.
I just use caution, you know.
That’s what we’re— Out of Jehovah’s Word,
what I read is we’re a clean people;
we’re Jehovah’s people.
So we have to be clean.
We wear masks,
and we wash our hands
and wipe everything
that comes into the house, even mail.
COVID-19 is very serious
—a pandemic that takes your loved ones
(people you love), and it’s so sad.
And it has taken
many beautiful people,
like my relatives.
They were very knowledgeable;
they did crafts;
they did work; they had houses.
And now we see
their tools are left behind;
nobody to pick up their fields.
They didn’t even put a seed in.
They just prepared it
but never put a seed in.
Their homes and their transportation
are just sitting there now.
So all the warnings that they put out
are really true warnings,
and it’s very important that we follow them.
Our hearts go out
to Sister Slender and her family.
Doesn’t her experience illustrate
the benefits of staying on guard?
What a protection
following direction has been
for Sister Slender, her husband, and her son!
So in review, what have we discussed?
Now is not the time to slacken our hand
when it comes to safety.
Don’t let your guard down.
Don’t think the virus
can’t affect you or your family.
Even with the best of efforts,
some of you may still get sick.
Our prayers are with you and your families.
We long for the day
when Jehovah fulfills his promise
that “no [one] will say: ‘I am sick.’”
Please stay safe,
stay connected to your congregation
and, above all,
stay close to Jehovah.
With Jehovah’s help,
we’re sure that you can cope
with any challenge you face.
It’s my privilege to share with you
the warm greetings of the Governing Body.
We love you all very much.
From the World Headquarters
of Jehovah’s Witnesses,
this is JW Broadcasting®.

2020 Governing Body Update #9