The Local People React

The people of Donegal are friendly and hospitable, and this made them easy to talk to. A number of them asked questions, and it was a delight to open the Bible and point out its clear answers. It was also good to be able to leave Bible literature with inquirers so that they could increase their understanding when the visitors left.

One lady living in a remote farmhouse invited two Witnesses into her home. She quickly agreed that world conditions were worsening and explained that many people in the area might be hesitant to invite strangers into their homes because of an upsurge of crime in what had been a quiet and peaceful corner of Ireland. Many older people had been beaten and robbed by gangs of criminals roaming about in the area. So why did she invite the Witnesses into her house? Because they looked “so genuine.”

When this woman saw that Jesus’ prophecy about the last days was being fulfilled, her eyes lit up, and they filled with tears when she heard of the resurrection hope. (Matthew, chapter 24; Luke, chapter 21) Her husband had died 20 years earlier. She happily accepted a copy of the book You Can Live Forever in Paradise on Earth and asked that someone try to call on her again.

This kind of experience was repeated time and time again. One young man expressed many doubts about the existence of God. “If God exists at all,” he said, “why is there so much wickedness?” The visiting Witnesses showed that soon God would intervene in man’s affairs and solve many of the problems that were troubling the young man. He asked them to call again to meet his parents. When the Witnesses did so, they left a copy of the Live Forever book so that the family could find answers to more of their questions.

One young woman had suffered bereavement, for her four-year-old son had died some weeks earlier. She was very much encouraged by the information presented in the Live Forever book, especially by its explanation of the resurrection hope. Because of all the unhappiness caused by the death of her son, she had doubted whether there was a God at all. But when scriptures showing the condition and hope of the dead were read, her expression changed. Why? Because she realized that her son was at peace, sleeping in death with the possibility of a resurrection.​—Ecclesiastes 9:5, 10; John 5:28, 29.

To People of Every Sort

At one home, the visiting Witnesses showed the illustrations in the Live Forever book to an older woman. The lady commented that what she really needed was a Bible. So the Witnesses were pleased to supply her with a copy of the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures. Once she had a Bible, the lady was happy to have a copy of a Bible study publication too. She told her visitors that she had heard about the Witnesses’ presence in the area and had prayed that they might call on her and bring a Bible. Now she felt that her prayer had been answered.

A young man in his 30’s invited two Witnesses into his home. After a brief Scriptural discussion, he said: “You probably will not like it when you know who I am. I am a priest.” The Witnesses said they would be happy to talk with him, whereupon the priest asked many questions about their beliefs. When he inquired about the use of the name Jehovah, the visitors were glad to provide him with a copy of the brochure The Divine Name That Will Endure Forever. He also accepted a copy of the Live Forever book, a publication sure to help him answer his many questions.

Another man was driving along the road on his tractor when a Witness stopped him and asked if he had a few minutes to talk. He was eager to talk about the Bible, especially with regard to the “critical times” in which we live. (2 Timothy 3:1-5) His interest was very much enhanced when he was shown the illustrations in the Live Forever book. The man was delighted to hear that this publication could be used for family Bible discussions and said that he would immediately begin using it to instruct his six children.