APPLY YOURSELF TO THE FIELD MINISTRY: Week of July 24-30, 2023, First Conversation, Talk to the person on our website and give them a jw.org contact card, Lesson 16, Assignment Prepared.

APPLY YOURSELF TO THE FIELD MINISTRY: 24-30-July-2023, First conversation, Lesson 16, Assignment Prepared.

First Conversation (3 min.): Use the topic of ideas for conversation. Then talk to the person on our website and give them a jw.org contact card (th lec. 16).

Publisher: Good afternoon, my name is Alberto. A pleasure, I don't want to take up a lot of your time, just ask you a question of general interest, will we stop suffering one day? What do you think?

Helper: Well, look Alberto, my name is Ismael, and I think we will always have problems, so no, we will continue to suffer and we will die suffering, sorry for being so pessimistic.

Publisher: Don't worry, I'm sure many people would say that's not being a pessimist, but being a realist from everything we see today. So, in relation to all this pain, do you believe that suffering is a punishment from God?

Helper: I don't think it's due to God, I don't think he wants to see us suffer, but I do believe that... either he's not here anymore, or he abandoned us and even one day I think he doesn't even exist, although later I know inside me that he did exist one day...

Publisher: Wow, that is a good reasoning, I do believe in God and I know that he has not abandoned us... of course, I am a Jehovah's Witness, and I cannot ask you to have the same faith as me... but I can confirm that you are right and the current pain is not due to God... why do you think so?

Helper: Yes, I know they are Jehovah's Witnesses... and I thank you for your honesty... I think so Alberto, I suppose that it is because it is what our parents and grandparents have taught us, that God is good... in fact, we use the expression a lot, my God or help me God, so he can't want bad things for us...

Publisher: Very good Ishmael, excellent answers, and those expressions that are widely used today, we could talk about them another time if you wish, they are interesting... I want to show you from the Bible that the word of God proves you right... and suffering is not a punishment from God... James 1:13... do you want to read it?

Helper: Perfect Alberto, we write down those expressions... yes of course, I read it... it says... "No one should say during a test: "God is testing me." Because, with bad things, no one can test God nor does he test anyone.

Publisher: What is it that nobody says?

Helper: That God was testing them.

Publisher: Because with bad things, God does not test anyone. This text, apart from many others that teaches us that God is love, tells us that suffering does not come from God... but then, why do we suffer? Why don't you put an end to all this if you really aren't seeing?

Helper: These are very good questions, you are going to answer them too...

Publisher: Yes, whenever you want of course, but not today, next weekend in a little while like this if you want to see why we suffer? Seem to you?

Helper: Yes of course, I'll wait for you around this time, I'm usually at home.

Publisher two Great Ishmael, and since there is a lot of time between now and next Saturday, I would like you to visit this web page jw.org and do some research on what you most want or intrigue you... answer all the questions you may have and more, for free and through the Bible, there is nothing invented by people...

Assistant: It looks interesting, I'll take a look at it and we'll talk about it the next day…

Publisher: Speaking of expressions, do you know why we say Amen and what it means at the end of a sentence? Have you ever said it, do you know what it is?

Helper: To be honest... I said it because that's how they taught us...

Publisher: Well, in jw.org you have the meaning that the Bible explains... I leave you this contact card too, in case you have any questions during the week until we see each other, you can write or call me...