I believe that there are a lot of lessons that families can learn from how Bethel operates. We wake up early in the morning and start off our day on a spiritual note by considering a daily Bible text. We are expected to work hard and live a balanced but busy life. Bethel is not like a monastery, as some may think. We accomplish much because of our scheduled way of life. Many have said that the training they received here later helped them to accept responsibilities in their families and in the Christian congregation.

Young men and women who come to Bethel may be assigned to do cleaning, laundry, or work in the factory. The world may have us believe that such physical work is demeaning and beneath us. Yet, young ones at Bethel come to appreciate that such work assignments are necessary for our family to function properly and happily.

The world may also promote the thought that you need position and prestige to be truly happy. That is wrong. When we do what we are assigned to do, we are ‘doing what we ought to be doing,’ and we receive Jehovah’s blessing. (Luke 17:10) We can have real contentment and happiness only if we remember the purpose of our work—to do Jehovah’s will and advance Kingdom interests. If we keep that in mind, any assignment can be enjoyable and satisfying.

Lessons I Have Learned

I have learned that a good overseer is one who can draw valuable information from others. Most of the ideas that I have been privileged to put into operation as the Bethel overseer have come from others.

When I came to Bethel, many were older, as I am today. Most are now gone. Who replaces those who grow old and die? It is not always the ones with the most ability. It is those who are here, working faithfully at the job, making themselves available.

Another important matter to remember is the value of a good wife. The support of my dear wife, Fern, has been a great help to me in fulfilling my theocratic assignments. Husbands have the responsibility of making sure their wives enjoy their assignments. I try to have something planned that Fern and I like to do. It does not have to be expensive, just a change of scenery. It is up to a husband to do things to make his wife happy. His time with her is precious and goes by quickly, so he needs to make the most of it.

I am glad to be living in the last days that Jesus talked about. This is the most amazing time in all human history. We are able to watch and see with our eyes of faith how the Lord develops his organization in preparation for the advent of the promised new world. As I look back over my lifetime in Jehovah’s service, I can see that Jehovah is the one who is running this organization—not men. We are just his servants. As such, we must always look to him for direction. Once he lays out what we are to do, we should just jump in and do it together.

Give of yourself to the organization, and you are guaranteed to have a full, happy life. Whatever you are doing—whether it is pioneering, circuit work, serving with a congregation as a publisher, Bethel service, or missionary work—follow the direction outlined, and value your assignment. Try your best to enjoy every assignment and each day of work in Jehovah’s service. You will get tired, and you may get overworked or feel down at times. That is when you have to remember the purpose of dedicating your life to Jehovah. It is to do his will, not your own.

There has not been a day that I have come to work and not enjoyed what I did. Why? Because when we give of ourselves whole-souled to Jehovah, we have the satisfaction of knowing that ‘we have done what we ought to have done.’