did you ever miss the memorial?

Did any of you ever miss the memorial while you were in? I missed 2 of them. Once I had a very serious Staff infection in my leg and I could not wear any pants or shorts because it ran all the way up my thigh. The other time i missed was last year after my ex and i split up and i was not sure if i wanted to be a JW anymore.

Is your leg made out of wood?

Nope...I never missed a single memorial until after we stopped going to meetings.

got wood?lol   did i not spell staff right? i am a dumb ass sometimes.

You meant a staph (staphylococcus) infection.  Sorry...don't mind me... I'm just a smartass sometimes.

its ok man i am just wetawded sometimes (don't give me any sharp instruments i might stab myself).

What they do once a year I do once a month and not just only a few but all who believe in Christ do this very thing

    Hey freelife,  I never missed while I was in that mostly due to my parents.  I was sixteen and got the chikenpox in the early spring I was not contagious any more but still had the scabs on my face my parents made me go it was horrible.  The whole time I was standing in the back thinking of hiding my face but my parents had to be there forty five minutes before and stay atleast a half hour after.  The last one I went to we left after (this was month or two before df) myself and some other faders at the time went to Applebees and did our own "partakeing" of the emblems.  We were hammered by the time another group of jws got there, bad very bad. 

   Years before all that I remember standing in a group of elder servants as they watched a inactive couple bring their children in and sit down.  Their statements are some of the most haunting I carry.  After sever negative comments the senior brother looked at us and said "If your only going to one meeting a year why would you even bother, not like this one is going to make a difference".  We stood  there and arrogantly agreed casting a lowly look to the two as they arranged their children before prayer.  I feel so bad about that, the same brother after was shaking hands and all smiles to the two.  So every spring I think of that event and how they will smile and shake my hand and then say what they feel behind my back.  I have even driven by the hall on memorial watched them walk in, I don't know why some innerfear I guess.  The end result for me is no I'am not going in, I'll take my chances and stand on my actions when I die.  Atleast at one point in my life I will know the truth.  Hope thats not to dark of a answer :). phil  

 

Phil thats not a dark answer at all. I remember hearing different ones who would say close to the same thing. I didn't know what to think when someone would say that. I guess now that I am on the outside though I would have to be carried kicking and screaming back in there because of the attitudes that some JWS have to inactive ones. not that they would speak to me anyway being df'd and all.

  I think the way they handle the event is disgraceful.  It's supposed to be about actually eating and drinking not about passing plates of food around so you can count who partakes .  It's like the food is considered holier than the people .It could be considered a form of idolatry , The WTBTS believes that jesus hid his body when he was resurected from the jews so that they didn't use it in forms of idolatry so why now do they use the symbolic body in a way contrary to the teachings ?

That and one other meeting that month was the only thing I attended last year.  I don't plan to attend again.

The memorial last spring (2003) was my last meeting ever. I'd been missing a few meetings, and everybody was so cold to me that night. I felt really unwelcome. So I left as soon as it was over and went to my honey's house to watch tv and kiss. Next spring, I'll stay home and spend time with my loved ones; much better use of my time, anyway.

Yes I once missed it.  It was about 14 years ago and my son was in hospital, I left the hospital to make my way to the KH that was about 10 minutes walk from the hospital.  I had asked a nurse where it was but couldn't find it, so I then asked a cab driver where the KH was.  His directions sounded OK, but I walked over an hour in all directions and never found the hall.

As I was a good JW I desperately did not want to miss the memorial and was really praying for the whole time that I would find the hall.  The fact that I never made it depsite trying my hardest and praying for direction really shook my faith and was one of thre reasons I ended up leaving.  I realised that God did not answer prayers (or he was not there) even when what we were trying to do was serve him.

The last one I attended was in 1996. I haven't missed them at all ;-)

 

We missed our first one this year at the KH after 47 years..  We did observe the occasion with red wine and matzoh and partook at home.  We read each Gospel account out loud from 2 translations (not the NWT).  No singing though.  It was the first time I really felt I understood it was all about.--Blondie

(Disclaimer:  I recognize that others make other choices.  I'm in no position to judge and don't)

WELL LETS SEE  ,,,I    DID  MISS MY FIRST  MEMORIAL  LAST APRIL,,, BECAUSE  MY GOOD  (WORLDLY  FRIEND )  WAS  TAKING  HER  GOOD--LOOKING   NEPHEW  OUT FOR HIS  29TH  BIRTHDAY. ,,,,AND OF COURSE   I COULDN'T  RESIST   OR PASS THIS  UP,,, SO WE ALL WENT OUT AND HAD    A GREAT   TIME.......DID  I FEEL  GUILTY   ....( A LITTLE,,,,  )   BUT  I GOT  OVER  IT.....       AS WITH EVERY THING  ASSOCIATED  WITH  THE BORG.....ONE DAY AT   A TIME.... ONE  VICTORY,,,  BABY  STEPPIN,,,,,,  IT CAN  BE DONE......SHALOM  ALL ,,,,, I LOVE YOU ALL..... MY TRUE  FRIENDS.......

Yes.  I missed the Memorial this year for the very first time, as far as I can remember.  I hadn't really planned to go anyway, because I left the Witnesses for good a year ago last June, but my dad tearfully begged me to go, and I was wavering until I found out there had been a Kingdom Ministry part about getting inactive ones to go to Memorial and that made me pretty mad so I decided not to go.  Then, a few weeks before Memorial, my dad committed suicide, so any lingering doubts about not going were quickly dispelled.  I spent the evening at home, looking at a beautiful, huge, serene full moon hanging over my backyard, and I reflected quietly on Memorials I have attended in the past, the great talks my dad gave, what the Memorial always meant to me, and the many blessings in my life, including the blessing of freedom from the Witnesses.  It was a bittersweet evening with no regrets.

Nina

I did miss the Memorial from 1997-2000 but did attend from 2001-2003 again.  Does that answer your question?

It was good to see the brothers and sisters again.

Scoob

I never did, until I decided to leave.  Yes, I watched the plates and glasses go by about 25 times.

My husband missed one Memorial in the 25 years he was associated.  It may have been the one after he was disfellowshipped - I can't remember.  He was DF'd in '85 and reinstated a couple years later, so he attended one memorial in his DF'd state, poor zealot....

Oh, he's not a zealot now.  He's much better

GentlyFeral

Went for 30 years straight.Missed the last two years.

I have missed every  year for the past four years. I don't see the point in people making hoopla over attending the memorial when you don't even go to a regular meeting at the hall.