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Welcome to JW Broadcasting®!
On September 13, 2025,
the 158th class of Gilead
completed five months of intensive study.
Graduation day can be a mixture of emotions:
relief at having successfully finished
the course,
joy in sharing the occasion
with family and friends,
and perhaps
—perhaps—
some anxiety about what comes next.
Let’s listen to the encouraging talks
that experienced brothers
shared with the class.
We know you’ll enjoy
the spiritual gems of this graduation.
It is my great pleasure
to welcome all of you
to this graduation program
of the 158th class
of the Watchtower Bible School of Gilead.
I would like to speak
to you dear students
of this 158th class,
the 52 students,
concerning the theme
“Continue as the Salt of the Earth.”
Now, if you look at Matthew 5:13,
Jesus made that comment in verse 13
(just the first part right now).
He said: “You are the salt of the earth.”
Now, Jesus spoke this comment
as part of the amazing Sermon on the Mount.
And even though there was a large crowd
that certainly benefited from his sermon,
to whom was Jesus
especially addressing those words?
Well, it was to his disciples
and, especially,
even more so to the 12 apostles
who had just been selected
and were undoubtedly
sitting very close to him.
Now, these ones
especially needed to be trained
to be good examples and spiritual leaders.
So Jesus’ words,
“You are the salt of the earth,”
applied to those disciples,
especially the apostles.
And they certainly apply
to you dear students,
as we’ll discuss during our talk.
Now, interestingly,
Jesus did not use a simile.
He didn’t say: ‘You’re like salt.’
No, he used a metaphor: “You are . . . salt.”
He was expressing identity,
not resemblance.
Well, what did Jesus have in mind
when he used this metaphor?
Well, he was saying that his disciples
would affect humans
similarly to the way salt affects things.
Well, what did he have in mind?
Let’s discuss three things
that Jesus well could have had in mind
when he used this metaphor.
And you’ll see that you dear students
are like salt in these three ways.
Now, first, go to Colossians chapter 4
—Colossians chapter 4.
And undoubtedly
Jesus would have had this in mind
in chapter 4, verse 6:
“Let your words always be gracious,
“seasoned and with salt,
so that you will know
how you should answer each person.”
Now, what quality of salt
is talked about here?
It’s a seasoner—isn’t it?—a flavor enhancer.
It certainly can make food more appealing
and more tasty, can’t it?
And that will certainly be the case
with you dear students.
By means of your speech and your conduct,
especially after all you’ve learned
at Gilead School,
you’re going to use your words
in a gracious way
that will be palatable, tasty,
both in the congregation
where you’ll be assigned
and the Bethel family
where you’ll be assigned.
You will not flavor your words with pepper.
The scripture didn’t say season with pepper,
did it?
It didn’t say black pepper,
cayenne pepper, jalapeño,
habanero but salt.
It’s not hot but tasty.
That’s how you express things, see.
You’ll do that with your talks that you give,
your comments at the meetings,
your conversations.
You will flavor that Bethel family
and that congregation where you’re assigned.
But, now,
what about a second quality of salt?
Well, we’re not going to read this,
but Ezekiel 16:4
refers to the common practice in Bible times
of rubbing the body
of a newborn baby with salt.
Do you know that they would rub his
(that newborn baby’s) body with salt?
Now, why?
Well, one reason: because salt
has germ-killing,
antiseptic, qualities.
Even today, people with a sore throat
will often gargle with salt water
to kill germs and reduce inflammation.
Many people wash their vegetables
with salt water
to help disinfect those vegetables, see.
Salt can kill or suppress
bacteria and other pathogens.
Now, probably you students
have never thought of yourselves
as being a germicide or maybe an antiseptic.
But in a spiritual sense, you are.
You are!
Just an example,
in the Bethel family or in a congregation
where you are
if someone starts to speak harmful gossip
—that’s a germ, isn’t it?—
you’ll kill that germ.
You’ll change the subject.
You’ll defend this brother.
Somehow you’ll kill that pathogen.
For example, maybe someone
says something like,
“Well, you know, that elder
seems to always go overtime on his parts.”
And you’re going to say something like:
“Well, I don’t know about that,
“but don’t you just love that brother,
“how loving and kind
“and how he just works his heart out
to shepherd the congregation?
Doesn’t that just make you
love that brother?”
You’ve killed that germ, haven’t you?
You’ve been a spiritual germicide.
You’ll do that in the territory.
You’ll kill germs
—the Trinity germ and the hellfire,
immortality of the soul,
and other false doctrines.
So you’ll kill those germs.
Well, let’s get our third thing
that Jesus very likely had in mind.
Leviticus chapter 2, please
—Leviticus chapter 2—
and take a look at verse 13.
It says: “Every grain offering you make
“is to be seasoned with salt;
“and you must not allow
the salt of the covenant of your God
“to be missing from your grain offering.
“Along with every offering of yours,
you will present salt.”
The Mosaic Law required
that all the sacrifices
offered on the altar to Jehovah
be seasoned with salt.
Now, to make that possible,
Jewish history says
there was a large heap of salt
kept at the base of the ramp
that went up to the altar.
And there was a large storeroom
in the temple area known as the salt chamber,
where a large quantity of salt was kept
in order to meet Jehovah’s requirement.
But the question comes up:
Why did Jehovah make this requirement?
Well, The Watchtower made this comment
that it “was not
“done to boost the [flavor or] taste
“of the sacrifices,
but likely [it was] because
salt represented freedom
from corruption or decay.”
And it’s true, isn’t it?
And that’s our third quality:
It’s a preservative.
It prevents decay, corruption, putrefaction.
You can cure meat, for example,
for long periods of time
with no refrigeration
if you cure it with salt.
You can preserve it a long time, that meat.
It’s a preservative.
Well, similarly,
you’ll be a spiritual preservative
in your assignment.
We’re confident that that will be the case.
For example, if you start a Bible study
with a smoker and his lungs
and his heart are damaged
or maybe a drug addict
and his brain is impaired
or a drunkard and his liver is harmed
or a fornicator who’s in danger
of all kinds of terrible diseases,
as you start to teach him the truth,
with Jehovah’s help,
he will stop those bad habits
and that decaying process ceases.
Doesn’t it?
And many times there’s
not only a halting of the decaying process,
but there’s a form of rejuvenation
of the mind and even the fleshly organism.
And, of course, as you teach him the truth,
he builds a relationship with Jehovah,
and then you help to preserve that life
for all eternity.
So you’re truly a preservative
in your territory.
In the Bethel family,
if someone takes a false step
that could lead to spiritual disaster,
being so spiritually-minded like you are,
you’ll try to “readjust [that one]
in a spirit of mildness”
and try to preserve
that life that could be lost.
Well, those are just a few examples
of how you’ll act as a preservative.
And as we’ve discussed,
there are fine qualities of salt.
We talked about how it’s a seasoner,
it’s a germicide, it’s a preservative.
That illustration was rich with meaning,
wasn’t it?
And if you think about it,
it was really a compliment.
And we mean it the same way.
We mean it for you students as a compliment.
“You are the salt of the earth.”
But along with the compliment,
if you go back to Matthew chapter 5,
after giving the compliment,
Jesus did give a warning.
Now, look at Matthew 5:13.
Let’s read the whole verse.
Jesus said: “You are the salt of the earth,
“but if the salt loses its strength,
“how will its saltiness be restored?
“It is no longer usable for anything
“except to be thrown outside
to be trampled on by men.”
So it’s true that salt can be contaminated,
can’t it?
It can become diluted, adulterated,
and become ineffective
if it’s contaminated with corruption.
Well, the same with us.
We have to keep our spiritual saltiness
—our potency as salt, you could say.
Now, how can you do that?
Well, certainly, if you apply all
the beautiful, wonderful things
you’ve learned
during these last five months,
you will keep your spiritual saltiness.
We now are going to get to enjoy
a part we’ve really come to love
these last few years, and that’s the part
The Inside Story.
So please give your attention
to Brother Joel Kelly,
another one of our
beloved Gilead instructors.
He’s going to host this program,
this Inside Story.
Welcome to another edition
of The Inside Story.
At Isaiah 64:8,
Jehovah describes himself as “our Potter,”
and we are described as “the clay.”
It’s true we are imperfect, like clay,
but Jehovah can still mold us.
As long as we are willing
to be molded by him,
Jehovah can cause us to become
whatever is needed to fulfill his purpose.
Let’s see how he has done this
with five of the students
from the 158th class of Gilead.
As we hear their experiences,
please also note Jehovah’s qualities
and what he does as he leads them along
their spiritual journey.
First of all, we welcome
Mark and Melissa Gratrix
from the Britain branch.
Thank you very much for being with us
on The Inside Story today.
Thank you.
So we know you’re coming
from the Britain branch,
but are you both British?
I’m from near Manchester
in the north of England.
No, I’m from Detroit, Michigan,
in the States.
So being separated
by the Atlantic Ocean there,
how did the two of you meet?
I was a delegate
to an international convention
that was hosted near where Melissa is from.
That was in 1998 that we met.
But then it was a good few years,
maybe seven years,
before we eventually got married.
OK, so in those early days,
what kind of path
would you say you were on spiritually?
Well, I had loving parents,
and I had a good upbringing;
but spiritually speaking,
it was not the best path.
I had it in my mind since I was a little girl
to be a fashion designer.
So that’s what I pursued.
I went to college for four years.
I got my degree in fashion design.
And then after that,
I went into that field of work.
So as a result, I wasn’t doing well
because I didn’t develop the right qualities.
I was very materialistic.
I didn’t always make the best decisions
when it came to my association.
I didn’t always make the best decisions
as to where I hung out.
And I had no spiritual goals.
And you, Mark?
Yeah, unfortunately,
I wasn’t on a great path either.
I learned the truth from my mom.
When I was about 13, I got baptized.
But straightaway,
I started to live a double life.
And each year that passed,
it just got more and more involved,
even though I had great examples in my family
and I had a good group of friends
who’ve stayed faithful to Jehovah till today.
But, yeah, only Jehovah
was really aware of how
I was using my time,
whom I was with, and the fact
that I wasn’t the person
I was pretending to be on the outside.
Thank you both for sharing and being so open.
It’s not always easy
to talk about these kinds of things.
But what was the turning point for you?
Interestingly, my dad, although he wasn’t
one of Jehovah’s Witnesses,
set a great example in what it was like to be
a good father and a good husband.
So when we started to date,
I wanted to be as good a husband
as I could be.
So even though
it was a long-distance relationship,
straightaway we started to have, as a couple,
a study together each week over the phone.
And that was the first time I’d done
something spiritual,
really, for the right reasons.
And so, gradually, it felt like I was
starting my relationship with Jehovah afresh.
And as a result of that,
I started to realize how much
I’d been hurting Jehovah over the years.
Yeah, and, likewise,
by the time we had gotten married,
I had started pioneering,
but I started to feel a bad conscience
for some of the decisions
that I made in my past.
So we both agreed to speak to the elders.
And it was so good because they helped us
to get back on our feet spiritually.
It is interesting to see the effect
that deep Bible study
has on the conscience
and on the spirituality.
So, what happened next?
Well, then, we started to feel the way
that we should feel about serving Jehovah.
So we made ourselves available
for whatever we could.
We applied for Gilead
(back when we could apply as pioneers),
we applied for LDC, we applied for Bethel.
And we enjoyed making ourselves available,
but we didn’t hear anything back
from any of those applications.
OK.
So eventually some good friends of ours
put in our heads the idea of serving where
the need was great in Nicaragua.
So that’s what we did.
What was it like in Nicaragua?
I have a photo here.
And there you can see us
in the preaching work there.
It was wonderful!
It was so fruitful.
The people were very friendly,
and we had many Bible studies.
So we loved it.
It was a really good year for us.
And you can see there
that we’d mainly get around on our bicycles.
Yeah, I noticed that.
Or if we were on foot,
we couldn’t go past
any of the brothers’ and sisters’ houses
without them inviting us in for a meal.
So we came back having learned
so much from them.
Even though they’re of modest means,
they were so hospitable.
It just strikes me,
by looking at this picture,
to see the joy on your faces.
Both of you look so happy.
You can really see you’re getting joy
from serving where the need is great.
Thank you for that.
So after Nicaragua,
you came to Bethel in England at some point.
So where do you serve in Bethel?
What departments are you in?
So I work in the Legal Department,
and I help those in special full-time service
with their visa applications.
So it’s really nice because you get
to see Jehovah help that process along.
It can be a long process,
but Jehovah removes all the obstacles.
It’s good to hear.
And, Mark, what about you?
I work
with the Public Information Department (PID).
So a big part of that work
is to provide accurate information
about Jehovah’s Witnesses to people who work
in media or with the government
or with academia.
That sounds like a daunting task.
Yeah.
It really felt that way for me.
I was terrified when the brothers
gave me that assignment.
And I’ve got a very distinct memory
of one night when I couldn’t sleep
because of fear about that assignment.
And I went into the living room,
and I read Exodus chapters 3 and 4
because I was thinking that’s an example
of Moses getting a PID assignment.
He’s got to go and speak to Pharaoh,
who’s a high government official.
But every single time
Moses expressed some kind of inadequacy,
Jehovah reassured him that He would be what
he needed Him to be.
And that’s been our experience
along with the wonderful brothers
whom I have worked with in that department.
Every time we felt way out of our depth,
or out of our experience,
Jehovah has made us equal to it.
And it’s been so faith-strengthening to see.
And it’s faith-strengthening
to see how Jehovah is using you both.
I’m just thinking
about your spiritual journey
from where you started off
in those early days to where you are now.
Is there anything that you’ve learned
about Jehovah along the way?
Yeah.
I’ve learned that Jehovah
has been very patient with me,
because Jehovah knew
that I wanted an exciting life
and he knew that I loved learning,
and he allowed me to do things my way.
And although it gave me
a measure of happiness,
doing things Jehovah’s way means
that not only do I develop the qualities
that draw me closer to him
but also that I’ve had an exciting life.
Jehovah has allowed me to learn skills
that I would never have learned before
and have exciting assignments
that I would never have had
had I chosen it my way.
So I’m just so grateful that Jehovah
has allowed me to taste and see that,
you know,
it’s good (these things are good)
rather than abandoning me to myself.
Yeah.
Mark, what about you?
For me, it’s all about Jehovah’s mercy.
I think I can look back
and see that I held back
from getting the spiritual help
that I needed because I was scared.
I didn’t appreciate how Jehovah feels
about people in situations like mine.
But a good friend showed me
a verse that I’d love to share
(if it’s OK) that really helped me with that.
Please do.
It’s in Isaiah chapter 28.
And I love from verse 24 onward,
but verse 24 just gives us the point, really.
It says: “Does the plower keep
plowing all day before he sows seed?”
So it’s using the illustration of a farmer
and saying that a farmer
doesn’t just continually plow.
His focus is on the crop
that he’s going to get to eat
and enjoy at the end of that process.
So that was my experience with Jehovah too.
He wasn’t primarily concerned
with discipline or punishment.
He just wanted to treat me
in whatever way would make me happy
and clean and useful in his service.
And we’re both
so grateful
that we now get to experience
what serving Jehovah should feel like.
That scripture really comes to life
with your experience.
And just to further what Mark has said,
a scripture that we learned in class,
that we discussed in class, was Hebrews 9:14.
And it mentions about how Jehovah allows us
to ‘render him sacred service’ once we have
a ‘cleansed conscience.’
So we really experienced that in our case.
So speaking of sacred service,
that means we have to get back to work.
In other words, we’re not paralyzed
by our past mistakes.
And the two of you certainly are not.
We can see that Jehovah is really using you
and helping you along.
Thank you for sharing your experience.
Well, our next guest comes to us
from the East Africa branch.
Please welcome Wanjiku Waichigo.
So, Wanjiku, we know you’re
coming to us from Kenya.
We hear that the friends there
call you Sheko.
Is that right?
Yes, Sheko.
So please call me Sheko.
OK, Sheko.
So tell us about your background.
So my mom learned the truth
when we were little.
So I was raised in the truth.
My dad is not a Witness,
so his main focus for us was education.
I was intrigued with the legal profession.
Legal?
Yeah.
OK.
I wanted to fight for the underdogs.
I wanted to fight for justice.
And I knew, ‘When I grow up,
that’s what I want to be.’
Now, studying law sounds
very time-consuming, very demanding.
Did it affect your relationship with Jehovah?
Yes, it did.
And this is because when I was in school,
my focus was education,
to pass and to build my career.
And so that meant my spiritual life
took a backseat.
Yeah.
So, what was the turning point for you?
So when I completed school,
I did find a house that coincidentally
was right next to a Kingdom Hall.
And I remember one day I was leaving work,
and I’m walking home tired after a long day,
and I see a group
of Witnesses
walking to the Kingdom Hall.
Some are rushing.
And I knew: ‘This is me.
This is how I was raised.
This is what I should be doing.
This is where I should be going.’
And so the next meeting, I went to the hall.
I guess in this case following
the crowd was a good thing . . .
It was.
. . . because it took you
back to the Kingdom Hall.
Yes.
Now, once you were there, how did it feel
to be back in the Kingdom Hall
with the friends?
So the congregation that I went to
was a very warm and loving congregation.
They took me in,
and they loved me, and I realized I was home.
They saved my spiritual life.
So glad to hear that.
But how did you now
enter the full-time service?
What was your journey like with that?
So I had a one-year Bible reading schedule
that I wanted to follow,
so I took it up as a project.
And I used to get to work
very early in the morning,
and I had downloaded Watchtower Library.
So I would read the portion for the day,
and then once I finished that portion,
I would research those scriptures.
And I did that for the whole year
and the years that followed.
That sounds like some deep Bible study.
Yeah.
So that’s where it all started.
What else helped you along your journey?
So I used to support some pioneers
in the ministry,
and there was a particular friend
that I used to go out with.
She was pioneering,
and she always used to insist
that one day I’d start pioneering.
And at that time,
I was working a full-time schedule,
and there was no way
I would take up pioneering.
But she insisted.
She did.
She would not stop.
OK.
And so eventually
I did start pioneering.
I did, and I did even attend pioneer school.
OK.
So that is us there.
So we see you here
holding the pioneer school textbook.
Who is the friend with you?
This is the sister who would not stop,
the one who kept insisting.
So she was attending the school
for the second time,
and we were in class together.
It looks to me
like her encouragement paid off.
It did.
It was a good school.
It was a gift from Jehovah.
And it looks like you’re still good friends.
We are.
Good.
Yes.
So after that, you went on
to serve at Bethel part-time
and then full-time.
And what department do you work with?
I am with the Legal Department.
So now I’m thinking about your situation
because you’ve
had the experience
of working in the legal field
secularly for your career,
but you’ve also done it for Jehovah;
you’ve done it for his organization.
So how would you compare
these two experiences?
You can’t compare.
So working for the world was about the money,
was about climbing the corporate ladder.
But when you work with Jehovah,
you are fighting for the friends.
You love them even before you meet them.
And when you meet them,
you love them even more.
Your faith builds you, and you can’t compare
because it gives you contentment, joy.
It’s the best.
Well, thank you for sharing this unique
experience of how Jehovah is using you.
But also thank you
for the sacrifices that you’ve made.
And for you and Mark and Melissa
—all of you—
it’s been very encouraging to see
how Jehovah has molded you
along this journey with him.
Thank you very much
for sharing your experiences.
Well, our next guest comes to us
from the Dominican Republic.
Please welcome Brother Tito Abreu.
So, Tito, welcome.
Thank you.
Tell us about yourself.
Were you raised in the truth?
Well, my mom is one of Jehovah’s Witnesses,
but my dad is not,
even though my dad is very supportive of me
because he saw how
the truth changed our life.
And because my mom really loved Jehovah
and she loved to preach also,
she taught us,
and it was really easy for me
to set the goal to become a pioneer.
And later, I went to MTS in 2010.
You went to MTS?
Yes.
And then where did you get assigned later?
I received an assignment as a special pioneer
in the center of the island.
It was a really beautiful assignment.
I can even show you one picture.
Oh, wow!
So here you can see I’m with Brother José.
And it’s, like, in the middle of the jungle.
Right now, José is a special pioneer,
but at that moment,
he was an unbaptized publisher.
And you can see far behind us a little house.
And in places like this,
we were preaching looking for deaf people.
But in that house, you can find
the parents speaking Haitian Creole.
Some of the kids speak Spanish,
but one little one, he doesn’t speak.
You have to speak with him in sign language.
So to cover this house, you have
to preach in three different languages.
And do you know sign language?
Yes.
Yes, my sister is deaf,
so that’s why the whole family
had to learn sign language.
Wow!
So now I’m thinking about you arriving
in this assignment.
Where did you start?
Did you just go to individuals’ homes
and start looking for deaf people?
Well, with the help of the local brothers,
we were searching for the deaf.
And we started
with the three specific places.
We went to the police station,
to the military base,
and also to the mayor’s office.
You went straight to the top.
Yes.
How did that turn out?
It was really good because already
in that town Jehovah’s Witnesses
had a really good reputation
because of their good behavior.
But it was very important for them to see
how Jehovah’s Witnesses
wanted to help the deaf community also.
So that was a really good visit
because I even received
three return visits in that moment
because the mayor
had three deaf people working for her.
So I could teach all of them.
The mayor gave you
your first three Bible students there.
Wow!
Did they make progress?
Yes, especially one couple.
They were an unmarried couple,
but they learned the truth.
They wanted to do the right things
and obey Jehovah, so they got married.
They developed a really good relationship
with Jehovah.
And they even started helping
the deaf in the community
to learn about Jehovah too.
That’s encouraging to hear.
It’s obvious that the field in sign language
is really taking off.
We know that the field
in Spanish in the Dominican Republic
is really growing as well
and also is in other language fields.
Yes.
Now, there’s a video—let’s watch—
about one of these other language fields.
The island of Hispaniola
is home to two countries,
the Dominican Republic and Haiti.
Across both, Jehovah’s people
demonstrate their strong faith.
In the Dominican Republic,
the preaching work continues to expand,
including in the Haitian Creole field.
Many Haitians come to the country
seeking stability
because they’re fleeing many hardships
in their homeland.
And although the Haitians believe in God,
they also tell us that God
is not there for them, and that hurts.
But that’s where we come in.
We can understand them;
we can talk and listen to them.
And when we return to visit them,
we give them the hope they need.
We help them believe in God,
and we show them from the Bible that there
really is a God who cares about them.
When we arrived at people’s homes,
they always welcomed us with a smile.
They always invited us in.
And even though we preached
for two to three hours, we covered
very little territory because we spent
a lot of time at each house we visited.
In fact, they give us
a subject to talk about.
It’s super easy to start
natural conversations
with the simple questions:
How do you feel?
How is your family?
Just that opens the door
to a nice conversation.
As people start learning
what the Bible teaches,
they begin making changes little by little.
And that fills you with a kind of joy
and satisfaction
that’s hard to put into words.
Once when preaching from house to house,
we found a woman who was suffering
because she had lost her only baby.
She was amazed to learn that Jehovah God
was not responsible for her suffering.
A little later, she mentioned
that the only way she could repay Jehovah
for taking her out of spiritual darkness
was to serve him.
Now she is our sister,
and we love her very much.
Because her life has a purpose,
it’s beautiful to see how
she smiles more often.
It is such a joy to see someone come out
of the water after getting baptized,
knowing that Jehovah helped them get there.
Being part of their journey
and helping them change their life
is one of the best feelings there is.
Even though we were only about 30 publishers,
the average attendance was around 70 people.
And for the Memorial, it was normal
to have more than 300 each year.
That’s ten times the number of publishers.
I realize why Jehovah is so patient.
There’s still a lot of work to do.
Across the country,
the story is the same:
People are ready to hear the good news.
As Jesus said in John chapter 4,
the spiritual harvest is great,
and it is urgent;
but the workers are joyful.
We “rejoice together” as we have a share
in this global harvest.
It’s amazing to see just how Jehovah blesses
the growth in the field
and how he draws people to himself
through the ministry.
Now, tell us about your Bethel assignment.
What do you do at the branch?
Right now,
I’m working in the Health Care Department,
and this department brings support
to the special full-time servants,
including the missionaries,
the special pioneers,
and the circuit overseers
in the territory of the Dominican Republic.
But because there is
a really hard situation happening in Haiti,
we also bring support to the friends there.
From the Haiti branch—
Now, as you see
these special full-time servants
come from Haiti to the Dominican Republic
for health care,
what qualities do you notice about them?
Well, we know that they’re very stressful,
their assignments.
So we try to help them get relaxed;
they can enjoy a little bit.
And, of course, we want to provide
the health care that they need.
But it’s remarkable to see their attitude.
That reminds me, for example, of a couple.
Sadly, we had to translate to them
a diagnosis, a really hard one.
And after they understood what the situation
was and the treatment,
their first question was,
“Can we do this quickly?”
And even the doctor asked, “Why?”
And when they explained it,
it was amazing.
They said:
“Our friends,
our brothers and sisters in Haiti,
“need us,
and we want to support them.
“So if we can do this quickly,
we can just go back
and keep preaching with them.”
So that was beautiful
because even in a really hard situation,
their minds
were with their brothers and sisters.
Now, that’s an example
of real, unselfish love.
Thank you for sharing that.
We can see you’re really connected with Haiti
through your work in the branch,
but not only for that reason.
In fact, for the past five months
here in Gilead,
isn’t your roommate from Haiti?
Yes, he is.
Do you mind if we talk to him?
Please.
Well, let’s welcome our next guest,
Brother Francklin Aimé from the Haiti branch.
Francklin, we’re happy you’re here
on The Inside Story.
Thank you.
So tell us about yourself.
Were you raised in the truth?
Yes, I was raised in the truth
by a single parent, my mother.
I am the youngest of five siblings.
As I was growing up,
my mother’s faith and hard work
made a really deep impression on me.
Even though sometimes
she didn’t know what means
she was going to give us the next day,
she constantly relied on Jehovah.
And often I could see her
praying to Jehovah,
leaving everything in his hands.
And Jehovah always provided.
Her example moved me
to get to know Jehovah as a real Person
and to build my faith in him.
Well, a faithful example
is powerful training for sure.
What other training did you have?
I went to MTS in 2010.
2010?
Tito, is that the same time you went?
Yeah, it’s at the same time
on a different part of the island.
And in fact, we got baptized
on the same weekend also . . .
The same weekend?
. . . in 1997.
Really?
So it’s almost like you were
living a parallel life
on the other side of the island.
Yes.
But in January of 2010,
that was the massive earthquake
that took place.
It caused so much destruction
and loss of life.
We remember that.
How did that affect your school?
That earthquake
changed the schedule of the school.
In the morning, we were in class as usual,
but the afternoons were entirely devoted
to the disaster relief work.
And I have a picture that I can show you.
Oh, I see.
What are we looking at here?
So these are my classmates
on one of the afternoons.
They were unloading the truck
with relief supplies
to help the brothers and sisters in need.
That’s interesting.
So it’s, like, in the morning,
you’re here learning about Jesus’ example,
and in the afternoon,
you’re putting it into practice.
Yes.
Very nice.
So after MTS, where did you go?
I was assigned as a special pioneer
in a small town.
And I really enjoyed the assignment
because it was amazing
to see Jehovah blessing the work there
and to have the privilege of helping people
to get to know and serve Jehovah.
Well, we can see that Haitians really have
that spiritual need; they respond well.
But how has the civil unrest
affected the preaching work?
The civil unrest doesn’t slow down
the zeal of the brothers and sisters
in Haiti.
Even though the overall number of publishers
has decreased over the past few years
because some have fled the country,
there’s actually an increase
in the preaching activity.
For example, in the 2024 service year,
there was an increase of 18 percent
in the number of Bible studies
compared to 2021,
when the civil unrest reached a new level.
The number of auxiliary pioneers
was four times the previous amount,
and the number of baptisms doubled.
It really shows that Jehovah continued
to bless the work despite the challenges.
That’s amazing to see!
But you mentioned the civil unrest;
it’s only increasing in the past few years.
The situation can’t be easy.
How has it affected the friends?
Many brothers and sisters
had to flee their home multiple times,
some just with their go bags
or just the clothes they were wearing
at that time.
They flee to another area,
and then a couple of weeks or months later,
they have had to flee again.
But despite these difficult circumstances,
they keep a peaceful, joyful mind-set
that really impresses me.
For example, earlier this year,
300 brothers and sisters
in a town nearby the main city
had to flee to the next largest town.
And in this very same week,
the branch office made arrangements
so that two Branch Committee members
went there to encourage the friends
with service talks,
and they organized a special meeting.
And I have a picture that I can show you.
What are we looking at here?
So this is the special meeting
that they organized.
And we can see the brothers and sisters.
They were well-dressed,
and the Branch Committee members
were amazed to see
in that special meeting the Kingdom Hall
filled with these brothers and sisters
who had just fled their homes;
they were in good spirits
and ready to worship Jehovah.
I am impressed that these friends
are fleeing for their lives
yet still show up at the Kingdom Hall
for a meeting.
That’s a good example.
We can see they’re really drawing
their strength from Jehovah.
Now, it’s also good to see how Jehovah
is using the organization
and those brothers taking the lead.
We have a video.
Let’s watch it now.
It’s about the situation in Haiti,
and we can hear from
one of the circuit overseers who’s helping.
On the western side of Hispaniola
lies Haiti.
Here Jehovah’s people
face difficult circumstances.
Yet, they show courage and humility
and trust in Jehovah.
Their example of faith is truly inspiring.
We were preparing to attend
the first in-person circuit assembly
after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Some of the brothers lived in areas
where there was civil unrest.
That meant that it would be
difficult for them to leave their homes
and come to the Assembly Hall.
It required a lot of courage.
When we arrived at the Assembly Hall,
we saw that many of the brothers were there.
They were joyful, embracing one another.
The sisters hugged each other
and shared heartwarming experiences.
It had been a long time
since they had all been together.
It was a wonderful spiritual feast.
What was said during that assembly
was so encouraging.
We feel it strengthened us to face
the hardships that lay ahead.
Because of the unrest,
this assembly was the last circuit assembly
we attended in person at the Assembly Hall
for the next two years.
I am happy to see
that the brothers remain
close to and faithful to Jehovah.
The elders show a lot of humility
by quickly following the instructions
given to them by the organization.
When they receive direction,
they make great efforts
to immediately apply it,
especially concerning brothers
who experience difficulties due to violence.
When we look at the publishers,
we see how much love they have;
they’ve never lost that love.
They support each other.
We also see that even though their situations
are difficult,
their relationship with Jehovah
has grown stronger.
We see that they’ve gained
more confidence in Jehovah
and are more willing to apply the instruction
given by Jehovah’s organization.
These brothers have extraordinary endurance.
My wife and I learned
a great lesson from this.
We believe the best thing we can do
is allow Jehovah to guide our steps.
We understand Jehovah will never leave us;
he will never abandon us
no matter what situation we may be in.
That’s why we are convinced
that no matter how hard the situation gets,
we can always rely on Jehovah.
One island
and two beautiful examples of faithfulness
—the stories here
on Hispaniola remind us that Jehovah
is with his people and that we will endure
and thrive
no matter what challenges we face.
That was very touching.
We see that the friends in Haiti
are not just going through hard times,
but it’s more like Colossians 1:11 says,
they “endure fully with . . . joy.”
And that’s a sign of Jehovah’s holy spirit.
We can see him backing the friends
and giving them the strength they need.
So thank you both for your endurance,
for your faithful example,
and for the love you show
to the friends down there
in the Dominican Republic and in Haiti.
Through these experiences today,
we’ve heard more than just
five individual stories;
we’ve heard a story about Jehovah.
We’ve seen Jehovah use his power
to enable his servants to face trials
that they couldn’t overcome on their own.
We’ve also seen him draw individuals
to himself through the ministry.
And we’ve seen Jehovah act as a loving,
patient, merciful Potter
who molds individuals to become
what he wants them to become.
It is true
that we’re all like imperfect clay.
We all have our own set of limitations.
But as long as we’re willing to be molded,
Jehovah can cause us to become
whatever is needed to fulfill his purpose.
So the question is,
What will Jehovah cause you to become?
We look forward to seeing you again
on another edition of The Inside Story.
Well, we thank you very much,
Joel and Gilead cast,
for that delightful part.
We truly enjoyed it.
Continuing our fine program,
we’re going to get to enjoy now
the principal talk of our program.
And this is going to be given
by Brother Jody Jedele,
a member of the Governing Body.
And his theme is just three words,
“Keep Winning Favor”—Brother Jedele.
So as students and soon-to-be graduates,
I know your heart
just swells with appreciation
for all the things you’ve been given
during your Gilead experience.
I’m sure words fail to capture
how much you’ve appreciated
being immersed in Bible study
and getting to know and love Jehovah
even more deeply than you already did.
In fact, we’ve enjoyed hearing all
of your comments of how much you’ve loved it.
You’ve had the instruction and support
from the Theocratic Schools Department
and your individual instructors.
You’ve also enjoyed the services
from the Bethel departments.
And during this course, you’ve also had
countless brothers and sisters
assist you personally in some way.
Now, why did everybody do that?
Why did they support you?
Because they love you
and they wanted you to thrive
in your Gilead experience.
Yes, much has truly been given to you.
To what end?
So that you can stabilize
and strengthen others.
Satan doesn’t like the fact
that there are nine million and counting
who are enjoying a spiritual paradise
—thousands entering into it each week—
and we want even more
to come and enjoy that spiritual paradise.
So during your Gilead experience,
you’ve been stabilized and strengthened
so that you can now take this course
and what you’ve learned
and your relationship with Jehovah
and go out and do the same for others
—strengthen and stabilize.
How do you do that, though?
Well, you keep doing
what all of Jehovah’s servants try to do.
We try to imitate our Father, Jehovah,
in our daily assignments,
our daily activities.
It’s what you were doing
before you came to Gilead.
It’s what you will now do to a greater extent
as you depart Gilead.
So how can we have success in doing that?
We’re going to look at how we can do that
and some scenarios for us
to strengthen and stabilize others.
First, let’s turn to Proverbs chapter 13,
and we’ll read the A part of verse 15
—Proverbs 13:15:
“Keen insight wins favor.”
“Keen insight wins favor.”
Now, what does that mean?
Well,
let’s try to unpack this verse a little bit.
As Christians, of course we enjoy
having the favor of others,
but we’re especially looking
for Jehovah’s favor,
his approval, his recognition,
his blessing in what we do.
And Jehovah is happy to give his favor.
He actively looks for opportunities
to show favor to his students
(to his, well, to his students),
to his servants.
And you’ve seen him do that
in your lives before you came to Gilead.
You’re recognized as spiritual people
who enjoy Jehovah’s favor.
Now, as you depart Gilead,
we want you to keep showing insight
so that you keep winning favor.
So Scripturally speaking,
what is involved in showing insight?
Well, one reference work states
that the original language expression
for “keen insight”
“describes the capacity for good sense,
sound judgment, and wise opinions.”
Another stated that it’s
“the ability to see into a situation,”
“to look beyond the obvious.”
It relates
to “intelligent knowledge of the reason.”
And “it is the kind of knowledge
that enables a person
to act wisely and have success.”
Now, all of that makes sense.
Everyone would agree
that we should show good judgment.
We should look beyond the obvious.
So the concept of showing insight
doesn’t seem like rocket science.
So why is the reminder here
in the book of Proverbs?
Because in real life,
showing insight isn’t always easy.
We encounter different people
and different spiritual,
theocratic circumstances.
Add to that fact that we’re imperfect humans
with different opinions,
different backgrounds, different culture.
Add to it that in our assignments,
we work with other departments
that may not have the same priority
that we have.
And to top it all off,
you or the other person
perhaps didn’t sleep very well
the night before.
And guess what?
Showing insight can be tough.
Take the example of Moses.
Now, Moses was a faithful, spiritual man.
He had Jehovah’s favor in his life,
generally speaking.
But did he have Jehovah’s favor
on the way he handled the matter
of the Israelites needing water
at Meribah near Kadesh?
He was in a tough spot.
He was under pressure,
and when he struck the rock,
he got water.
Sadly, Moses didn’t show insight that day.
He didn’t give Jehovah glory.
He didn’t handle the people correctly.
He didn’t strengthen or stabilize.
That account also highlights
that while we can have
Jehovah’s favor or blessing,
generally speaking, in our lives,
there may be times that we don’t have it
when we handle a specific matter.
Now, Moses didn’t lose his assignment.
He remained the leader of the nation.
But he was disciplined,
and he lost a future assignment
because he didn’t show insight that day.
So we need to show insight,
especially when it’s difficult.
So, what’s the first step in showing insight?
Let’s turn to the book of Psalms,
the 32nd Psalm,
and we’ll look at verse 8—Psalm 32:8.
This is Jehovah speaking:
“I will give you insight
“and instruct you in the way you should go.
I will give you advice with my eye upon you.”
So we first recognize
that Jehovah is the Source of insight.
He instructs us.
He does so through his Word, the Bible;
his holy spirit;
the organization;
as well as our fellow worshippers.
Then, with that, when we’ve aligned
our opinions, our ideas,
with Jehovah’s way of handling things,
then we go about handling the matter.
We imitate his qualities and way of acting.
And you’ve been doing this.
You’ve already seen
Jehovah’s favor in your lives,
so keep winning his favor.
Keep showing insight.
Then you’ll be a strengthening aid
and a stabilizing force.
Now let’s look at a few scenarios
and see what qualities or actions
will help us show that keen insight
and keep winning Jehovah’s favor.
We’re going to help the brothers and sisters
in our congregation, right?
We want to be a stabilizing force for them.
So you brothers:
As an elder, you notice that a sister
is not attending the meetings regularly,
and you want to help, naturally.
So you and another brother
arrange a shepherding visit.
On that visit, you show how much
the friends miss her at the meetings,
you share scriptures on the importance
of attending the meetings,
and you pray.
Now, it was obviously good for you
to make the visit.
You had good information,
but did you show insight?
Well, it was close but not quite.
You had good intentions,
but why wasn’t it showing insight?
Because you didn’t take the time
to find out that her opposing husband
wouldn’t let her use the car
to go to meetings.
She simply needed a ride.
But she lived 20 minutes away
from the Kingdom Hall
and didn’t want to be a burden on others,
so she hesitated to ask.
Now, remember the definition of “insight”?
It requires that we obtain
“knowledge of the reason”
and then decide “to act.”
She needed less counsel
on the importance of the meetings
and more encouragement
to not view herself as a burden.
She needed to know
that it was OK to ask for the ride
and that the friends
would be happy to pick her up.
Now, we might have walked away
thinking we gave clear, Scriptural advice,
whereas the sister when we left
still needed a ride
—except now she’s discouraged.
Did we stabilize?
We needed to show insight.
Now, what would have helped us to do that,
to get the real reason behind the challenge?
Personal interest
and probably a bit more time listening.
We want to take the time to listen
and find out what the real situation is,
and then we will show insight.
How about sisters?
Is showing insight and stabilizing
the congregation just for the brothers?
Not at all.
Sisters play a tremendous role
in strengthening and stabilizing
the congregation.
Half or more of the publishers
are generally sisters.
That’s a pretty important group to stabilize.
And you, as sisters,
can sometimes do more than the brothers.
Let’s turn to the book of Titus
—Titus chapter 2.
We’ll begin in verse 3, the A portion:
“Likewise,
let the older women be reverent.”
And we’ll pause there.
All of you are reverent,
or spiritual, sisters
who respect Jehovah
and his organization.
And I do want to clarify
that I’m not calling any of you older.
That goes against every rule
of speaking to sisters about age.
But as you go
to your congregations and assignments,
you may find that there are sisters
who are younger than you.
Now, how can you help?
Let’s look at verse 4.
“So that they [the sisters]
may advise the younger women”
—do you see your role?
As spiritual women, you can help
the younger sisters in the congregation,
strengthen and stabilize them.
We’ll take an example:
It’s a situation where a younger sister
lived at home with her parents
but her parents were not in the truth.
Now, she was a fine sister,
but once in a while,
although her clothing was never alarming,
the clothing at times could have been
a bit more modest, or well-arranged.
Now, remember our definition.
Insight requires that we see
“beyond the obvious.”
Some sisters
showed personal interest and realized
she had limited funds,
and her parents,
who were not in the truth,
were not going to buy her a brand new
wardrobe for the meetings and the ministry.
So is counsel really what was needed?
Some sisters gathered some funds
and took her shopping.
Now, the takeaway here is not
that shopping is a sign of spiritual insight.
It just so happens that in this case it was.
But did we notice that in both examples
the initial thought may have been
that people needed counsel
on attending the meetings
and on dress and grooming.
But seeing into the matter,
getting to the reason,
allowed us to show insight
and have success in handling the matters.
And as a side note,
that sister was picked up for the meetings
and attended for decades,
and later her husband even supported her
and showed interest in the truth.
And regarding the younger sister,
her family came into the truth.
So, what is the takeaway?
Showing insight, showing personal interest,
taking the time
—Jehovah can show us favor
as we encourage the friends.
Let’s look at another area where sometimes
showing insight can be a challenge.
And it has to do with our own work ethic.
Sometimes we are so focused on our work
that we fail to see how
our work impacts others.
All of us,
individually and within our departments,
work hard to accomplish our assignment.
It’s part of our worship.
We take it seriously, and that’s good.
But do we sometimes need to back out
and see how our work
fits into the bigger picture
of the Lord’s work?
Think back to our definition of “insight.”
Showing insight means that we think
“through a complex arrangements of thoughts”
to obtain knowledge that enables us
to act wisely and have success.
Now, that might sound complicated
—“a complex arrangement of thoughts.”
But remember:
‘To those whom much is given,
much will be expected.’
So it’s not simply getting our work done
that means we’ve been successful.
Yes, we do need to try to get our work done.
But we also have to help the other person
or the other department
get their work done
in order to be successful.
That will strengthen and stabilize others.
So we think through the complex situation,
show insight,
and by working together or collaborating
with others, we’ll get the work done.
Now, what will help us to show that insight
and work with our brothers and sisters?
I’d like to invite you
to the book of Philippians chapter 2.
We’ll read verses 3 and 4
—Philippians 2:3, 4.
There it tells us: “Do nothing out of
contentiousness or out of egotism,
“but with humility
“consider others superior to you,
“as you look out
not only for your own interests,
but also for the interests of others.”
Now, this verse
is referring to spiritual interests.
Now, what’s going to help us, then, look out
for the spiritual interests of others?
Humility.
Take an interest in the work of others.
In fact, Jehovah here tells us
that we should consider their work
or their department’s work
as superior to ours,
more important than ours.
The good thing is that they’ll do the same.
Then, when we get our work done—
You think about this: If we get our work done
at the expense of another department,
will Jehovah show favor
on the way we handled it?
It’s all the Lord’s work.
So if we hinder another work area,
who are we really hindering?
Sobering.
Remember Moses at Meribah?
He got results, but Jehovah
didn’t favor the way he handled it.
So the takeaway is:
Sometimes we assume
that our work is more important,
more complicated, more pressing
and that the other work,
the other person’s work, is more simple.
They should just support us
in what we ask for.
But showing humility allows us
to cooperate and collaborate with others.
Find solutions together.
Our definition of “insight” also included
the thought of using good common sense.
And I know what we all say,
“Common sense is not so common.”
But as Jehovah’s servants, we try.
Common sense would tell us
that communication
will reduce the misunderstandings.
Think for a moment
that you need a fire extinguisher.
Now, the other person doesn’t know
if you need it
to replace an old one
that’s simply not working
or if there’s a fire going on at the moment.
So common sense might say
to tell them there’s a fire
so you’ll get it a lot faster.
Context matters.
Good communication
is part of showing insight.
Humbly recognizing others’ work as important
and viewing them as superior
will bring success.
And if we combine this lesson
with our first lesson
of taking time and showing personal interest,
we have the recipe for cooperation
and collaboration.
Rather than simply making the adjustments
and hoping the others will adapt,
we’ll plan the work together.
And that results in unity.
Unity is a stabilizing force.
Jehovah shows favor
to those who work together.
Remember Psalm 133:1:
“How good and how pleasant it is
. . . to dwell together in unity!”
One more area where we need stability
is adapting to change:
changes in where we live and where we serve,
changes in our assignments,
changes in how the work is accomplished,
changes in tools and technology.
And change can make us nervous and anxious.
That’s normal.
All of you right now are adapting
to some change.
So how can you be a stabilizing force
during times of change?
Well, for a moment,
we’ll talk here to the brothers.
At times, you may be involved
in making decisions
that will cause changes for someone else.
Don’t take that responsibility lightly.
You want Jehovah’s favor on those decisions.
Insight will help you stabilize the friends
as adjustments are made.
How so?
Well, I’d like to invite you
to Isaiah chapter 60—Isaiah chapter 60.
We’ll read verse 17:
“Instead of the copper I will bring in gold,
“and instead of the iron I will bring
in silver, instead of the wood, copper,
“and instead of the stones, iron;
“[now notice] and I will appoint peace
as your overseers
and righteousness as your task assigners.”
Now, we know what the verse means.
Jehovah here is saying
that he will effect change.
And don’t we see that today?
It seems like every week we’ve got a change.
So Jehovah is causing things to happen,
and it’s good.
Copper is a wonderful metal,
but gold is better.
So we like to see Jehovah doing these things.
But therein lies the change
that can sometimes cause us anxiety.
That’s OK; we’ll get through it.
You think about changes that may happen.
If a new press can print more literature
using fewer people,
it’s obvious
that there will be changes in assignments.
But how do we get through the adjustments?
Did you notice what it said about overseers?
He would assign ‘peace and righteousness
as the overseers and the task assigners.’
In other words, you brothers
can help people get through the changes.
Righteousness
—now, what do we know about righteousness
and the way Jehovah views his servants
and how they’re cared for?
Let’s turn to Hebrews 6:10
—Hebrews 6:10:
“For God is not unrighteous
“so as to forget your work
and the love you showed for his name
by ministering and continuing to minister
to the holy ones”
—interesting thought there.
It would be unrighteous on Jehovah’s part
to forget the hard work
that someone has done.
‘But we’re just changing the hard work
that they’ve been doing.’
We still never forget the people
when the adjustments are made.
Righteousness dictates
that when changes or refinements
are made, copper to gold,
we still remember the people we serve with
and all that they have done.
We show compassion
as we make those adjustments.
As overseers,
we can’t just put our blinders on
and focus only on the work.
To stabilize the friends,
we need to know them.
So as overseers, ask yourself questions:
‘Will you step out of your office
and talk to the brothers and sisters?
‘Will you ask them about their family,
their challenges, their opinions,
their suggestions?’
You’ll find that some may enjoy
a particular change, and others won’t.
Do you know which group the person is in
and how to help them with the change?
Now, this doesn’t mean
we don’t make the change.
Jehovah says there will be refinements,
but because Jehovah never forgets
the work and the love his servants show,
we never forget the work and love
that his servants show.
We help people through the adjustments.
Then we will have Jehovah’s favor.
Now, sisters too
can also help with those adjustments.
You may even be personally affected
by an adjustment,
but your positive attitude, your support,
will stabilize everyone around you.
And when you do learn of the adjustment
and you see what the brothers
are trying to accomplish,
offer suggestions on how we can implement
and cooperate with those adjustments.
Now, these are just a few areas where insight
will help us have Jehovah’s favor,
thereby allowing us
to be a stabilizing force.
Show personal interest,
and take time to listen.
Humbly view the work of others
as more important than ours.
This will create
the environment of cooperation
and working together in unity.
And support the brothers and sisters
during times of change.
Insight helps us have success
in our service to Jehovah,
and we want all of you
to have success in your assignments.
Jehovah is accomplishing great things
during these last days,
and we all have the privilege
of serving our wonderful God
in that amazing spiritual paradise.
We want everyone to remain in this paradise,
and we want to invite even more to join.
You dear students
of the 158th class of Gilead
have been given much training
during your Gilead experience.
Please embrace the wonderful opportunity
set before you
to help support and care
for the brothers and sisters.
We love you.
We have confidence in you
that you will continue to show insight
and that you will continue
to have Jehovah’s favor.
But now we get to a very encouraging,
exciting part of our program.
You’ve noticed we have the envelopes
here on our table.
And, of course,
these are no ordinary envelopes.
They contain the precious diplomas
for our dear students.
And as soon as they get that diploma,
we’re not going to call them
students anymore.
We’re going to call them graduates,
graduates of the School of Gilead.
And we’re going to have them
be able to come forth
and receive these—so first up, David, please.
We’ve got Brother Abreu,
who will return
to the Dominican Republic branch.
Next, we have Brother Aimé,
who will return to the Haiti branch.
And Brother Alatorre has been assigned
to the United States branch.
Brother and Sister Arencibia
will return to the United States branch.
And Brother Arulappa has been assigned
to the Sri Lanka branch.
Brother and Sister Barrett
will return to the Micronesia branch.
Brother Bundavica
will return to the Croatia branch.
Brother and Sister Carrillo
will return to the Peru branch.
Brother and Sister Connell
will return to the Congo (Kinshasa) branch.
Brother Dallmann
will return to the Central Europe branch.
And Brother François
has been assigned to the Mozambique branch.
Brother Gołąb
will return to the Poland branch.
Brother and Sister Gratrix
have been assigned to the Japan branch.
Brother and Sister Hadad
will return to the Paraguay branch.
Brother and Sister Iewago
will return to the Papua New Guinea branch.
Brother Katsantonis
will return to the Greece branch.
Brother and Sister Koch
will return to the Chile branch.
Brother Mattusch
will return to the Central Europe branch.
Brother and Sister Momo
will return to the Cameroon branch.
Brother Musona
will return to the Zimbabwe branch.
Brother Muthami
will return to the East Africa branch.
Brother Ndayisaba
will return to the Rwanda branch.
Brother Njewa
will return to the Malawi branch.
Brother Ortega
will return to the Spain branch.
Brother and Sister
Pavlov will return to the Bulgaria branch.
Brother and Sister
Peinado will return to the Venezuela branch.
Brother and Sister Pijalović
will return to the Croatia branch.
Brother and Sister Raymond will return
to the Trinidad and Tobago branch.
Sister Şiriner
will return to the Türkiye branch.
Brother Székely
will return to the Hungary branch.
Brother and Sister Uriarte
will return to the Myanmar branch.
Brother van der Veen has been assigned
to the Congo (Kinshasa) branch.
Sister Waichigo
will return to the East Africa branch.
Brother and Sister Youquoi
will return to the Liberia branch.
Well, that was pretty exciting.
I had the easy job.
I think about the last time
I got the privilege to be a chairman;
it was five years ago.
It was the 148th class,
and it was right before the pandemic.
And if you remember, I couldn’t shake hands.
According to the protocol,
we had to elbow bump.
But it was nice to be able to shake hands
with these dear ones
and congratulate them
for the milestone that they’ve reached.
But now
let’s take a look at the entire class.
Well, it’s pretty obvious everybody
is really proud of you
and proud of what you’ve accomplished,
and we know you’re going to do
wonderful work in the future.
But I think we have at this point
Brother Senad Pijalović.
I hope I got that right.
You can see why I had Brother Schafer
do the names.
But Senad Pijalović
will read our class letter.
“Dear Brothers of the Governing Body:
“With hearts full of appreciation and love,
“we thank you for this privilege
of attending Gilead.
“Your warm hospitality and loyal love
“have touched each of us personally.
“As we prepared to be taught by Jehovah,
our expectations were high.
“However, as stated at Ephesians 3:20:
“‘He has done more than superabundantly
“beyond anything we could have conceived.’
“We saw the personalities
of Jehovah and Jesus
“shine brightly from the pages of the Bible.
“Our hearts were profoundly touched
“as we saw more clearly than ever
their feelings for mankind.
“We can never doubt their love for us,
“and we are resolved to reflect this love
toward others.
“How awe-inspiring was this gift
of divine education!
“With the tender affection of a loving father
“and with the guiding light
of Jehovah’s Word,
“our instructors worked to equip each of us
“for our respective assignments.
“Our education was enriched beyond measure
“by the time you
brothers of the Governing Body
“kindly dedicated to us.
“Thank you for your personal attention
“and your diligence in carrying out
your weighty responsibilities.
“Additionally, we greatly benefited
“from the lectures and visits of helpers
and other guest instructors.
“Through this blend,
Jehovah provided a beautiful symphony
“composed to reach each of our hearts;
“these melodies will echo for a lifetime.
“Although not in the form
of classroom lectures,
“we have learned powerful lessons
from the love, generosity,
“and hospitality
of the United States Bethel family.
“We have seen unmistakably
Jehovah’s qualities
“reflected through such deeds.
“This has inspired us to do all we can
“to make Jehovah’s people feel welcomed
and loved, as we have felt.
“In the face of these immense blessings,
“we ask ourselves the question
posed at Psalm 116:12:
“‘With what will we repay Jehovah
for all the good he has done for us?’
“As the question suggests, we can never
come close to repaying Jehovah.
“However, it is our resolve
“to respond with the simple readiness
of Rebekah:
“We are ready to go.
“It is not easy to think of departing,
as we love each other as a family.
“Nonetheless, we are ready
to do Jehovah’s will,
“to apply the wealth of lessons
we have been taught,
“and to be true to the confidence
you have placed in us.
“With sincere gratitude and love,
your brothers and sisters,
158th class of Gilead.”
Well, that was a very nice letter,
and it well represented
the feelings of the class.
And you say you were happy
to be with us for five months;
we truly were happy to have you.
And it was a mutual “interchange
of encouragement” for sure.
But now, just for a moment,
I’d like to go back to that scripture,
Matthew 5:13,
where Jesus said:
“You are the salt of the earth.”
And we certainly say that to you.
And we talked
about the qualities that salt has
as a flavor enhancer.
We talked about how it’s a germicide;
it kills germs.
And we talked about how it’s a preservative.
But just one more quality
(let’s talk about) is the value.
It’s really valuable.
In fact, the Insight book says
that “salt has not always
been readily available to man.
“Wars and revolutions
have been fought for it.
“In ancient China
salt was second to gold in value.
“Wives and children have been
sold into slavery for . . . salt.
“Caesar’s soldiers
received money to buy salt,
“the sum being called a salarium,
from which comes the English word ‘salary.’”
Now, even though salt
was readily available in Jesus’ day,
he would have known the history,
so he would have known that value,
that historic value, of salt.
And in Jesus’ day, salt was available
from the salt-bearing hills near the Dead Sea
and by evaporating water from the Dead Sea.
They had, apparently, plenty of salt.
But, yet, Jesus
would have known this history,
and he also knew how valuable it was
(even though it was available).
He knew that salt
can end up doing many things.
It has a lot of value,
just like it does today.
And another point
that he well may have remembered
is that there are eight ounces (226 g),
about half a pound (0.23 kg), of salt
in an average human body.
And as “a master worker”
in the making of all things,
including humans, he would have known that
—right?—
that we have eight ounces of salt in our body
and that without that salt we would die.
In fact, even too little salt,
if it gets out of balance
and you get too little salt,
can cause nausea, confusion, muscle cramps,
seizures, brain swelling, coma,
and even death in severe cases.
So Jesus undoubtedly would have known that
as the “master worker”
beside Jehovah, making all things,
including humans.
See?
So, again, he was giving a compliment:
You’re valuable.
And we say that to you too: We love you.
You’re precious; you’re valuable.
We love so much of what you’ve done already,
and we know you’re going
to accomplish wonderful work in the future.
But we say to you in conclusion
the prayer in Numbers chapter 6:
“May Jehovah bless you and safeguard you.
“May Jehovah make his face shine toward you,
“and may he favor you.
“May Jehovah lift up his face toward you
and grant you peace.”
That’s our prayer to each one of you,
the 52 graduates of the 158th class.
We are confident the graduates
will be a blessing in their assignments.
In the near future,
more talks from the graduation
will be available on jw.org
and the JW Library® app.
Before we go,
let’s visit our brothers in Zimbabwe.
This landlocked country
has three distinct climates:
the mild central plateau,
the hot and dry Zambezi Valley,
and the cold, rainy Eastern Highlands.
The country is also diverse
in official languages.
It’s at 16.
Corn is grown throughout the country,
and Zimbabweans put it to good use.
They boil it, roast it,
and even ferment it to make a drink
called mahewu.
One staple dish is sadza.
White corn is pounded to flour
and then slow cooked
until it’s a thick porridge.
Sadza is traditionally eaten
by hand, and it pairs well
with a variety of dishes
like cow’s feet, steak,
and vegetables covered in peanut sauce.
The history of the good news in Zimbabwe
dates back to the early 1900’s.
Literature began to arrive
from migrant workers
traveling from Malawi and South Africa.
Soon, study groups formed,
and then one of the first publishers,
Nason Mukaronda, was baptized in 1924.
Shortly after, the government
turned against our message,
upset over interracial groups of worship.
By 1940, all literature was banned.
Despite many arrests and court cases,
our brothers persevered,
and six years later, the ban was lifted.
The Kingdom message continued to flourish
until the war broke out in the 1970’s.
Our brothers’ neutral position
landed many of them in prison.
This is the Bible
that was passed from brother
to brother as they served their sentences.
Thankfully, over the past few decades,
the congregations have had a period of peace.
Now 50,000 publishers
conduct over 103,000 Bible studies!
One of these zealous groups
is the Waterfalls Congregation
in the capital, Harare.
They meet at the first Kingdom Hall
built in the country.
This congregation conducts
about 200 Bible studies.
Our brothers and sisters
have a special message for everyone.
Translated from Shona, they said:
“How are you?
We love you all.”
And we send our love to all of you as well.
From the World Headquarters
of Jehovah’s Witnesses,
this is JW Broadcasting.

JW Broadcasting—December 2025: 158th Gilead Graduation