This is the transcript for the Video The Peras: Finding Comfort in Jehovah’s Organization. Please pardon any mistakes as i’m imperfect.
Larry – When someone loses a spouse, they are a widower. When someone loses their parents they are an orphan. But there is no word for when you lose your children.
In 1948 I was born in Rainford, Minnesota. We never had a Bible in our house. I asked my dad about God once and he said; “Well, God knows everything!” End of lesson.
My dad hardening of the arteries. In 1962, he died of a heart attack. I just turned 13 and my parents were so close that my mother who had colon cancer, she gave up the will to live, so in February the next year she died.
About 1972, Ah that’s when I met Pam.
Pam – I was born in Portland OR. I was one of those high-strung children. I still am. (laughs) I worried about a lot of things. I already had two children by the time I met Larry and I didn’t want them to inherit a world that was just filled with killing each other. I joined a lot of the movements. I marched in the peace marches with thousands and thousands of people. So I thought I’d go door to door for this particular candidate because he’s anti-war. All these things I was doing to put forth this effort to change things. It wasn’t working.
Larry – Pam and I had gotten married. When Nicky was born we was just ecstatic, very happy. He had this croup. And we took him to the hospital. And there was a doctor over there and he diagnosed it as a (Ataxia ?). And it’s a progressive disorder. There’s no cure for it. Pam was pregnant for the second time when we had Nathaniel Thomas. And he too had this condition of ataxia.
Pam – I cried! I cried and cried. I cried my eyes out during that time. (A witness stopped by) So the witnesses found me. And just kept calling and talking to me and being so kind to me. When we studied that Jesus talked about the little sparrow even is important to him. And how much more important a human is… so that meant a lot to me.
Larry – After Pam was baptized, I could see changes, that this was good for the family.
Pam– Once we were in the congregation, everybody loved them. And all the friends we wonderful.
Larry – She told me that I could study with any brother in the hall I want to. Just go ask them, So I did. That helped me to be a better father, and to be a better husband.
1986, October of that year, our oldest boy Nicky fell asleep in death. He was 13 when he died. Our youngest boy Nate was 16 when he died. Debbie she had melanoma and it had gone into her brain and had brain tumors. Well, she didn’t last but a couple months and she fell asleep in death. There we were, we had a complete empty nest. In about that time Ann got diagnosed with breast cancer.
Pam– The first chemotherapy they would do, just about killed me. It came really close, as it was hard to even breath sometimes.
Larry – Two bouts with breast cancer, she kept on pioneering.
Pam – When Larry got hurt, falling out through the ceiling. The whole left side of his face hit the corner of the metal wood stove and broke it all the way through. He had to be feed by tube through a little opening through his teeth.
Larry – 2 Cor 1:3-4 talks about the God of all comfort. It’s easy to be comfortable when everything is going well. When these kinds of things happen, to find true comfort, is within Jehovah’s organization.
You can go through something and you can still keep a theocratic routine. A theocratic routine is what helps us to endure. We knew that we’d like to end this system of things as pioneers.
Pam – Larry and I are out in service almost every single day.
Larry – We found out that Pioneering together and having Bible studies together is very powerful .
Pam – We helped on the regional building project together. It’s a wonderful spiritual time.
Larry – You don’t rely on yourself. You have to rely on Jehovah.
Pam – When Jehovah loves you, He takes care of you. Keeps you on your feet.
Larry – Everyday I remember my children. You don’t forget the people you love. And if you love Jehovah you won’t forget Him. God is love and that love is what helps us to be able to endure.
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