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FindingJesus

byGeorgeZweifel

IwasborninMilwaukee,WisconsintoLutheranparents.Growingup,Ineverthoughtmuch
aboutreligion.MyparentsandmytwobrotherswenttochurchonEasterandChristmas,but
thoseweretheonlytwotimestheywentduringthewholeyear.Ididntlikeschoolandjustgot
by.Mymotherwasagoodmotherandagoodwoman.Ihatedmyhomelifebecausemy
fatherwasanalcoholic.Helostjobsduetohisalcoholism.Myfatherwouldgethispaycheck
onFridayandwewouldntseehimuntilSunday.Hewouldspendthemoneyondrinksandby
thetimehegothomeonSundayhalfofhispaycheckwasgone.Mymotherhadahardtime
makingendsmeetsoIjoinedtheArmytogetaway.
WhileIwasgone,Imissedmymotherandbrothersverymuch.IcrossedthePacificOceanfour
times,travelingover26,000miles,firsttoOkinawaandthentoKoreaandJapan.Ihadenlisted
forthreeyears,butPresidentTrumangaveusonemoreyeartoservebecauseoftheKorean
WarandIwasoverthereatthetime.
Iwaslookingforsomethinginmylife,WhoamI?andHowdoIfitinlife?Thenafterfour
yearsofbeinginthemilitary,Ireturnedhome.AguynamedTedthatIknewfromservingin
theArmyhadagirlfriendandhisgirlfriendhadagirlfriendnamedMarilyn.MarilynandIdated
afewtimesandthingsstartedtogetserious.Aftersixmonths,wegotmarriedandIknewshe
wastheoneforme.ShewasCatholicandIchangedtotheCatholicreligionsoourfamilywould
allbeofthesamefaith.
Iwasstillsearchingforsomethinginmylife.Wehadtwochildrenandlivedinahousing
projectforveterans.MarilynstartedtalkingtoaneighborwhowasaJehovahsWitness.She
startedtostudytheBiblewithMarilynatourhome.WhileIwasinanotherroomwhileMarilyn
wasstudyingtheBiblewithourneighbor,Iheardsomeofthethingsbeingsaidanditsounded
goodtome.Ataboutthistime,IplayedforGeneKrupawhoatthetimewasthenumberone
AmericandrummerandhesaidhethoughtthatIshouldpursueadrummingcareer.Iwentto
NewYorkCitytoauditionfortheTedMackAmateurHour.Ithenwenthomeandwaitedfor
acall.Whentheycalled,theysaidtheywantedmetobeontheTedMackAmateurHourin
fivedaysandtheywouldsendmeaplaneticket.IfeltIhadtomakeadecisionbetweena
drummingcareerandJehovahsWitnessesanddecidednottogotoNewYork.
SoonIwasstudyingtheBiblewithJehovahsWitnesses,too.Iwenttotheirchurchorasthey
calledit,theKingdomHall.IjoinedtheJehovahsWitnessesbandandneverregrettedmy
decisiontoforegoadrummingcareer.Later,Ibecameaministerialservant,gavetalksatthe

KingdomHall,andwentdoortodoor,preachingaboutJehovahandbeganBiblestudieswith
newlyinterestedpeople.
AfterbeingassociatedwithJehovahsWitnessesformanyyears,Istartedtoseethingsintheir
teachingthatdidntagreewiththeBible.TheeldersofthecongregationtoldMarilynthatIwas
spirituallysick,towatchme,andletthemknowwhatwasgoingon.Itoldhertoreadthe
wholescriptureandthenshestartedtoseeit,too.Whenwebothstartedaskingquestions
thatJehovahsWitnessescouldnotanswer,theelderssaidwesoundedlikeapostates.Above
allelse,teachingsoftheWatchtowerSocietyandtheirinterpretationofthescripturesarenot
tobequestioned.Theywantedustomeetwiththeircommitteewhichismadeupofelders
whowoulddecideifourconductwasinkeepingwithJehovahsWitnessesteachings.Because
werefusedtomeetwiththem,theymadeathreewayphonecalltousandafteradiscussion,
theydisfellowshippedus.
Afterbeingforcedoutofthecongregation,weandotherformerJehovahsWitnessesmetto
studytheBible.WewenttootherchurchesandIstillwaslookingforsomethinginmylifeas
farasGodwasconcerned.AfterseriouslystudyingdifferenttranslationsoftheBible,notjust
JehovahsWitnessesNewWorldTranslationandwithprayerandthehelpoftheHolySpirit,I
foundtherealtruth.Afterthat,IwenttoseveralchurchesuntilIfoundachurchthatwas
teachingtherealgospelofJesusChrist.Itsasmallcongregation,notlikelargecongregations
whereyoudontgettoknoweverybody.Ilovethepeople.Theyaresokindandloving.Most
ofall,IfoundJesuswholovesmeandiswithmeallofthetime.ThankstoGodforallthehelp
andtheHolySpirittoguideme.TheBiblehelpsmetounderstandhowGodwantsmetolive
mylifeandwhatitisthatIshoulddotoobeyhim.WhenIexaminedthescriptures,Isawthat
JesusandGodAlmightyarethesameandweshouldacceptJesusasourpersonalSavior.By
confessingalloursinstoHimwewillbeforgiven.Bydoingthis,wereceiveeverlastinglife
throughhisbloodshedonthecrossforus.TheHolySpiritisinusandhelpsustolivea
Christlikelifeeveryday.

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