Bible Changem Laef Bilong Pipol

Main samting long laef bilong wanfala man hem nao olketa motorbike, for pleim sports and for tekem drugs. Why nao hem change and kamap man for preach? Wanem nao mekem man wea savve tumas hao for gambol for stop for duim datwan and start for waka hard for sapotim famili bilong hem? Wanem nao helpem wanfala gele wea born kam olsem wanfala Jehovah’s Witness bat wea no followim olketa Bible standard for changem moa laef bilong hem? Bae iumi lukim wanem nao story bilong olketa hia.

NEM: TERRENCE O’BRIEN

AGE: 57

KANTRI HEM KAM FROM: AUSTRALIA

HISTORY: IUSIM DRUGS, LAEKEM TUMAS MOTORBIKE

LAEF BILONG MI BIFOR: Mi smol kam long Brisbane wanfala taon wea busy tumas, wea hem kapitol bilong Queensland. Famili bilong mi hem Catholic, bat taem mi eit year, mifala stop for go long church and no storyim moa eni samting abaotem religion. Mifala muv go long Gold Coast taem mi ten year. Mifala stap klosap saedsea and taem mi teenager mi interest tumas for swim long sea and ski long wave.

Nomata olsem, taem mi smol mi no hapi. Dadi bilong mi lusim famili bilong mifala taem mi eit year. Mami bilong mi marit moa, and wei for drink and raoa hem normal samting long famili bilong mifala. Long wanfala naet, bihaen mami and step-dadi tufala faet and raoa, mi sidaon long bed and promis long miseleva hao sapos mi marit, mi bae no raoa witim waef bilong mi. Nomata famili bilong mi garem samfala problem olsem, step-dadi, mami and mifala sixfala pikinini fren gud tugeta.

Taem mi klosap twenti year, staka fren bilong mi start for duim olketa rabis samting. Olketa iusim marijuana, tobacco, and olketa nara difren drug, and olketa ova tumas long wei for drinkim alcohol. Mi joinim olketa tu. Mi barava laekem wei for raedem motorbike. Nomata mi accident samfala taem, mi gohed for laekem tumas olketa motorbike. Dastawe mi disaed for raedem motorbike bilong mi akrosim Australia.

 Nomata mi savve chus seleva eni samting mi laek for duim, mi feel sorre taem mi lukim staka pipol ting nating long olketa problem wea happen long world. Mi laekem tumas for savve tru samting abaotem God, religion, and olketa samting wea happen long world. Bat taem mi askem samfala kwestin long tufala Catholic priest, mi nating satisfae long ansa bilong tufala. Mi askem moa olketa sem kwestin long samfala bigman bilong Protestant Church bat mi no hapi tu long ansa bilong olketa. Then wanfala fren bilong mi arrange for mi meetim Eddie wea hem wanfala Jehovah’s Witness. Fofala taem nao mitufala Eddie story, and evritaem hem iusim Bible for ansarem olketa kwestin bilong mi. Firstaem mitufala story, mi savve mi lanem spesol samting. Nomata olsem, mi nating changem wei bilong mi.

BIBLE CHANGEM LAEF BILONG MI: Taem mi raedem motorbike bilong mi akrosim Australia, mi story moa witim nara Witness. Bat taem mi go bak long Queensland, mi no story moa witim eni Witness for sixfala month.

Then wanfala day taem mi finis waka, mi lukim tufala man wakabaot long street. Mi ting maet tufala Jehovah’s Witness bikos tufala werem gudfala kaleko and karem basket. Hem tru, tufala Jehovah’s Witness, so mi askem tufala for study witim mi. Long datfala taem mi start for attendim olketa meeting bilong olketa Witness, and long 1973 mi attendim tu bigfala convention wea kamap long Sydney. Bat taem famili bilong mi savve wanem mi duim, olketa barava feel nogud, main wan nao mami bilong mi. From datwan and olketa nara samting moa, hem mekem mi stop for duim eni samting witim Olketa Jehovah’s Witness. For wan full year, mi gohed for plei cricket, samting wea mi laekem tumas.

Gogo, mi start for luksavve taem wea mi studyim Bible witim Olketa Jehovah’s Witness nomoa mi barava hapi. So mi disaed for lukim olketa moa and start for go bak long olketa meeting. Mi stop nao for gogo witim olketa fren bilong mi wea savve iusim drug.

Samting wea mi lanem from Bible abaotem Job nao barava helpem mi for changem laef bilong mi. Bill kam evritaem and studyim Bible witim mi. Hem wanfala olo Witness wea kaen and savve tok stret. Mitufala storyim hao Satan tok spoelem Job and sei Job no worshipim God witim full heart. Then, Bill askem mi: Waswe, eniwan moa Satan hem tok spoelem tu? (Job 2:​3-5) Mi talem nem bilong evriwan long Bible wea mi savve long hem finis, and Bill hem sei “Ia, olketa tu ia.” Then hem luk stret long mi and sei “Satan hem talem sem samting abaotem iu tu!” Mi barava seke fogud. Bifor datfala study, mi savve wanem mi lanem hem tru samting. Bat from datfala study mi luksavve why nao hem important tumas for followim wanem mi lanem. Fofala month bihaen, mi baptaes olsem wanfala Jehovah’s Witness.

GUD SAMTING WEA MI KASEM: Sapos mi no changem laef bilong mi for followim Bible, mi no savve wanem nao maet kasem mi. Luk olsem, mi shud dae finis. Staka fren bilong mi dae finis from wei for tekem drug or alcohol. Olketa narawan tu garem staka problem long marit. Maet laef bilong mi olsem tu.

Distaem, mi hapi for waka long branch office bilong Olketa Jehovah’s Witness long Australia witim waef bilong mi Margaret. No eni narawan long famili bilong mi worshipim Jehovah. Nomata olsem, mitufala  Margaret studyim Bible witim samfala marit couple and olketa narawan tu. And mitufala hapi tumas taem olketa followim Bible and changem laef bilong olketa olsem mi tu. Olketa hia kamap gudfala fren bilong mitufala. Waef bilong mi Margaret hem born kam insaed Witness famili. Hem nao helpem mi for keepim datfala promis wea mi mekem klosap 40 year go finis. Mitufala marit for winim 25 year and stap gud tugeta and hapi. Mitufala no agree long evri samting, bat kam kasem distaem mitufala no enitaem raoa yet. Mitufala savve Bible nao main samting wea helpem mitufala for duim datwan.

NEM: MASAHIRO OKABAYASHI

AGE: 39

KANTRI HEM KAM FROM: JAPAN

HISTORY: MAN FOR GAMBOL

LAEF BILONG MI BIFOR: Mi big kam long Iwakura wea hem wanfala smol taon klosap long Nagoya. Mi rememberim hao dadi and mami bilong mi, tufala barava kaen. Bat bihaen mi just savve dadi bilong mi hem wanfala yakuza, wea minim hem man wea joinim gang for steal. Hem nao wanem hem duim for sapotim faevfala insaed famili bilong mi. Evriday hem drinkim tumas alcohol and taem mi 20 year hem dae from sik long liver.

Dadi bilong mi hem from Korea, so pipol long community les long famili bilong mifala. Datwan and olketa nara problem mekem mi no hapi taem mi teenage. Taem mi long hae skul, staka taem mi no savve go long skul and bihaen wanfala year mi stop for skul nao. From police savve finis long samfala nogud samting wea mi duim and bikos mi haf Korean tu hem lelebet hard for mi garem waka. Gogo mi faendem wanfala waka, bat mi garekil long knee bilong mi and mi no fit for duim physical waka.

Mi start for kasem selen taem mi plei pachinko, wea hem wanfala wei for gambol. Long datfala taem, mi stap witim wanfala gele wea laekem mi for garem gudfala waka mekem mitufala savve marit. Mi kasem staka selen taem mi gambol so mi no laek for changem wei bilong mi.

BIBLE CHANGEM LAEF BILONG MI: Wanfala day, wanfala Jehovah’s Witness kam long haos and leavim datfala buk Life​—⁠How Did It Get Here? By Evolution or by Creation? No eni taem bifor mi tingim datfala kwestin. Nomata olsem, bihaen mi readim datfala buk, mi laek for lanem moa samting abaotem Bible. Long bifor, mi laek savve wanem nao bae happen taem man hem dae. Then from mi kasem olketa barava klia ansa from Bible abaotem diswan and olketa narafala kwestin, hem olsem eye bilong mi just open nao.

Mi luksavve mi mas followim wanem mi lanem from Bible. So mi registerim marit bilong mitufala, mi stop for smoke, mi katem  hair bilong mi wea hem long tumas and wea mi dyem blond, and datwan changem lukluk bilong mi. Mi stop for gambol tu.

For mekem olketa change hia hem no isi. Wanfala samting wea hard tumas for mi lusim nao, hem smoke. Bat taem mi barava prea strong and depend long Jehovah God, mi winim datwan. Nara samting tu, firstfala waka wea mi kasem taem mi stop for gambol hem barava hard tumas. Selen wea mi kasem from datfala waka hem haf nomoa long wanem mi savve kasem from wei for gambol, and datfala waka hem barava hard and garem staka hevi. Wanfala Bible scripture wea helpem mi long datfala hard taem nao hem Philippians 4:​6, 7. Hem sei: “Iufala mas no wari long eni samting, bat prea long God evritaem and prea strong long hem. Thankiu long hem and askem hem for wanem iufala needim. Taem iufala duim datwan, peace wea God givim wea winim evri tingting bilong man bae protectim heart and tingting bilong iufala thru long Christ Jesus.” Staka taem, datfala samting wea Jehovah promisim hem barava helpem mi.

GUD SAMTING WEA MI KASEM: Taem mi start for studyim Bible witim olketa Jehovah’s Witness, waef hem nating hapi. Bat taem hem lukim mi mekem olketa bigfala change long laef, hem joinim study bilong mi and start for kam witim mi long olketa meeting bilong olketa Jehovah’s Witness. Distaem mitufala Jehovah’s Witness. Hem wanfala nambawan blessing for worshipim God tugeta!

Bifor mi studyim Bible mi tingse mi hapi. Bat distaem mi luksavve wanem nao trufala hapi. For live followim Bible hem no isi samting, bat mi barava sure hem nao best samting for duim.

NEM: ELIZABETH JANE SCHOFIELD

AGE: 35

KANTRI HEM KAM FROM: SCOTLAND, UK

HISTORY: MAIN SAMTING LONG LAEF HEM FOR HAPITAEM LONG WEEKEND

LAEF BILONG MI BIFOR: Mi big kam long Hardgate, wanfala smol taon klosap Glasgow, long Scotland. Mami bilong mi hem kamap wanfala Jehovah’s Witness, and taem mi seven year hem start for teachim mi abaotem Bible. Bat taem mi 17 year, mi interest tumas for go long olketa naetclub, for lisin long hevi metal music, and for drinkim alcohol witim olketa skul fren bilong mi. For tingim spiritual samting hem last samting long mind bilong mi. Main samting long laef bilong mi hem for hapitaem long weekend. Nomata olsem, taem mi 21 year, mi start for change nao.

Mi go for visitim samfala relative wea stap long North Ireland. Taem mi long there, mi lukim wanfala march bilong olketa Protestant  wea olketa kolem Orange Walk. Mi barava seke fogud taem mi lukim bigfala wei for heit showaot midolwan long olketa Protestant and Catholic. And datwan mekem mi for tingting moa. Mi start for tingim bak olketa samting wea mami bilong mi teachim mi from Bible. From datwan mi savve God wea showimaot love bae nating hapi long olketa wea no followim olketa mark bilong hem. Datfala taem nomoa mi wekap and savve mi busy tu for aftarem olketa samting wea miseleva laekem, and mi no followim olketa samting wea God laekem mi for duim. Mi disaed hao taem mi go bak long hom bilong mi long Scotland, mi mas tingting gud abaotem wanem Bible teachim.

BIBLE CHANGEM LAEF BILONG MI: Firstaem mi attendim moa wanfala meeting bilong Olketa Jehovah’s Witness long hom bilong mi, mi fraet and seksek lelebet. Nomata olsem, evriwan barava welkamim mi. Taem mi start for followim olketa samting wea mi lanem long Bible, wanfala member bilong kongregeson barava kaen and interest long mi. Hem barava helpem mi for kamap part bilong kongregeson moa. Olketa fren bilong mi bifor gohed for invaetem mi for go long naetclub, bat mi talem olketa hao distaem mi disaed strong for followim wanem Bible teachim. Gogo, olketa no askem mi moa.

Bifor kam, mi tingse Bible hem fulap witim olketa rul nomoa. Bat distaem mi no ting olsem. Mi start for luksavve pipol wea Bible storyim, olketa garem feeling and wik point olsem mi. Olketa tu mekem samfala mistek, bat nomata olsem Jehovah God forgivim olketa taem olketa barava sorre. Mi start for savve nomata mi no followim God taem mi young, hem willing for forgivim mi. Sapos mi trae hard for duim olketa samting wea hem laekem, hem willing for forgetim olketa mistek wea mi duim bifor.

Wei bilong mami bilong mi barava helpem mi. Nomata mi no gohed for worshipim God, mami nating duim olsem. From faithful wei bilong hem, mi just savve hao wei for trae hard for servem Jehovah hem nambawan samting. Taem mi smol mi savve go preaching witim mami bilong mi. Bat mi nating interest for duim datwan and mi tingse mi no fit for iusim staka taem for preach long pipol. Nomata olsem, distaem mi disaed for followim wanem Jesus promisim long Matthew 6:​31-​33 for lukim sapos hem tru. Hem sei: “No wari and sei, ‘Wanem nao bae mifala kaikaim?’ or, ‘Wanem nao bae mifala drinkim?’ or, ‘Wanem nao bae mifala werem?’ . . . Bat Dadi bilong iufala long heven savve iufala needim olketa samting hia. So evritaem kingdom and olketa samting wea God sei hem stret mas first samting long laef bilong iufala. Sapos olsem, God bae givim iufala olketa samting hia wea iufala needim.” No longtaem bihaen mi baptaes olsem wanfala Jehovah’s Witness, mi finis from full-taem waka, and duim part-taem waka nomoa. Datwan mekem mi fit for kamap wanfala full-taem minister.

GUD SAMTING WEA MI KASEM: Taem mi young mi nating feel satisfae, nomata main samting long laef bilong mi hem for hapitaem long weekend. Laef bilong mi no garem mining. From distaem mi worshipim Jehovah and trae hard for duim evri samting wea hem laekem, mi barava feel satisfae. Laef bilong mi garem mining nao. Distaem mi marit finis, and mitufala duim waka for visitim difren kongregeson bilong Olketa Jehovah’s Witness evri week for encouragem olketa. Mi ting long disfala waka olsem nambawan waka long laef bilong mi. Mi barava thankiu long Jehovah for disfala chance wea mi garem for worshipim hem moa!

[Blurb on page 27]

“Firstaem mitufala story, mi savve mi lanem spesol samting. Nomata olsem, mi nating changem wei bilong mi”

[Blurb on page 29]

“Samting wea hard tumas for miseleva lusim nao, hem smoke. Bat taem mi barava prea strong and depend long Jehovah God, mi winim datwan”

[Blurb on page 30]

“Bifor kam, mi tingse Bible hem fulap witim olketa rul nomoa. Bat distaem mi no ting olsem. Mi start for luksavve pipol wea Bible storyim, olketa garem feeling and wik point olsem mi”