—A Message of Encouragement to Peter & Gary & All of Our CROs & NOs!—And All of You!DO 2741 11/91

1. (In a farewell meeting for Peter & Gary, who was visiting, Dad posed a very sobering question to them, "What if this was the last time you were going to see us? What would you want to tell us, what personal word would you say to each one here? What is it that you specifically appreciate the most about each person here?"

2. (Peter & Gary then individually addressed each person around the circle, telling them how much they loved & appreciated them, & what they most appreciated them for.

3. (Next, Dad asked all of the other Staff members, "What if you were never going to see Peter & Gary again? What if this was the last time to meet together with them‚ what would you say to them to show them what they personally mean to you?—What is it you most appreciate about them?" After a very touching time in which everyone took their turn to publicly express their love & appreciation to Peter & Gary, Dad expressed his in the following talk:)

4. I thought that was really sweet what all of you said. I'm sure it was just the Lord that gave me that idea & inspiration. I know you're all encouraged & inspired to hear how much you mean to each other. And I know that you boys are especially happy to hear how your loved ones here appreciate you & how much we're all going to be praying for you while you're at this Summit Meeting. Praise the Lord!

5. Well, Peter & Gary, you're probably wondering now what I'm going to say about you, & what you mean to me. I'm not only going to tell you what I feel is most important to give you as you go on your way to this Summit Meeting, but I also want to give a message that you can take to the dear folks you're going to be seeing there. So what do I most appreciate about you? Would you like to know? Oh, you know already! You both have been a great blessing to me.

Personal Words to Peter!

6. Of course, the longer you've been with me, naturally, the greater blessing you've been. Peter & I have worked together on the business & the administration for a good many years now. How many years has it been, Peter? (Peter: Almost 15.) Think of that! They really fly by, don't they? We just couldn't have gotten along without him!—Especially after Tim left, we just wouldn't have known what to do, but the Lord sent Peter along at just the right time‚ just in time to really help shoulder the load, which was too big just for Mom & me. So he's always been a tremendous blessing.

7. And Peter always has good ideas. Thank God he's not just a "Yes" man! He often has ideas, & has the courage & initiative to point out things that I need to know about, & sometimes the other side of the equation. It takes faith for me to say "no" to you, Son!—Because you have very good ideas! I've got to know I'm right! But thank the Lord, Peter's been willing & able to take an occasional "no," & he doesn't push it, but he just accepts it & trusts the Lord. I think he has learned over the years that in the long run I am usually right & things always work out. (Peter: Yes‚ absolutely!)

8. Well, that's not to my credit, that's the Lord's doing. Because when I'm asked a question or I have a decision to make‚ I wouldn't think of making it on my own! I wouldn't think of trying to pretend to know what's best or what's right unless I asked the Boss about it! And He never fails to give me the answers! Thank the Lord! Whether it's the simplest little carpentry project or problem.—Or whether it's a big business question.—And we do have a "big business," with great & weighty matters to make decisions on.

9. I couldn't possibly think of trying to run all of this by myself‚ even with your help! The Lord is the One Who makes the decisions!—And that's why we're still going the way we are! Because we've obeyed the Lord!—And done what He told us to do when we went to Him for the answers. Whether it's a big decision about worldwide affairs, or just a small decision about how to do a little mechanical job, the Lord usually shows us a picture of what to do. And if it's not a picture, He'll give us a message.—Which He has so often done!

10. I was reading a report today about a fellow in Hungary who's in the Family. He had read what I prayed about the present war going on in Yugoslavia. (See ML# 2697, GN 470.) And he was amazed at my understanding of the Yugoslavian problem, ha! Well, that wasn't my understanding, it was just the Lord! So praise the Lord!

11. So Peter has been a tremendous help to us, to me & to all of us. But I'm going to leave you hanging there for a minute before I tell you what I've appreciated the most about him!—Because I don't want to tip off Gary yet‚ because I'm going to tell him practically the same thing. In fact‚ I'm going to tell almost the same thing to all of our top leaders.

Personal Words to Gary!

12. Gary, of course, has been a tremendous ambassador.—A real ambassador for the Lord's Work‚ & for the King & the Queen! He has represented us well. Recently in Europe, he & Dawn have won hearts & been a tremendous blessing from all we've heard! It's been just wonderful to have them go around like they did recently, I never dreamed they were going to be such a blessing! And I never dreamed they were going to be such good representatives & good ambassadors! Well, I knew they'd be good, but not that good, ha, ha, ha!

13. So I appreciate you guys even more when you return or visit us after these different missions & I hear about the amazing job you've done!—Including all the different meetings & conventions that Peter has gone to, & Gary as well. It just thrills me when I hear what a good job you've done there! I know what a good job you do here! But when I hear reports back about what a sensation you are & what a blessing you are & how the folks on the Field appreciate you so much, I see how when you & our other top leaders go on missions like this you are real stars!—You really shine, & that thrills our hearts! That really thrills our hearts & makes us appreciate what good representatives & what good ambassadors you are.

14. It's been said that it's the job of the soldier to die for his country. Somebody has made the crack that it's the job of the ambassador to lie for his country! Ha! Well, you make such a good impression on people about us, sometimes I feel like the wife in the old joke where the preacher at the funeral was eulogising & praising her deceased husband with such glorious terms & descriptions that she finally ran over & looked into the casket & said, "Is that you‚ John?" Ha!

15. I know that everything good is the Lord, & just the Lord deserves all the credit because the Lord knows that Mama & I are nothing except for Him & what He has shown us & given us & how He has led us! All we've done is follow, that's all we've done, follow. And He's given us the tools‚ including you, to do the job, & that's what I'm thankful for!—But that's not what I'm the most thankful for tonight!

What Dad Is Most Thankful to Peter, Gary & Our Top Leaders For!

16. Do you still want to hear what I'm most thankful for? Well, honestly, I've greatly appreciated your representation, your ambassadorships, & I suppose I should really be the most thankful for the good impression you have made on our worldwide Work & our worldwide workers! And I am very thankful for what good representatives you have been, & what a blessing you've been out there to them! But maybe I'm most thankful for something else just because it's more personal. Hallelujah! Thank You Jesus! Praise You Lord! (Tongues)

17. The thing I'm most thankful for is what a blessing you've been to Mama, & what a help you've been to her! She's like a little girl suddenly dropped into the midst of the huge responsibility of trying to carry on our worldwide Work!—And you have lifted the burden off of her!—Especially since she's become virtually blind, your help has been invaluable!

18. This is a message not only for you‚ but this message is also for those you're going to see.—Our leaders & representatives who shoulder the great responsibility for our different Areas & Fields. God bless you all, every one of you! You've each taken care of work that we couldn't take care of on our own! We lean on you, & we couldn't have done without you. You have been such a blessing & help to Mama & to me & to all of us!

19. I can't thank you enough for what a blessing you've been to her, & what a help that's been to me. Because if you didn't do it, I'd have to try to do it, & then I'd probably get nothing else done. Those are big jobs you carry, big responsibilities‚ to be Mama's assistants, her viceroys, her ambassadors, her administrators, her undershepherds to help her with all the work she has to do. Morning, noon & night she's on the intercom, or she's talking to somebody, or she's dictating. She's asking you about this or that, or she is listening to your report tapes.

20. So if you want to know how you've helped me the most, & what I personally appreciate the most, it's not only that you've helped the whole World & been a blessing to them & helped us to be a blessing to them, but it's the blessing that you've been to Mama‚ & the help that you've been to her.—To hold up her hands & to be her eyes & to help her to do her job, because she couldn't have done without you! So I couldn't have done without you! And I couldn't have done what you've done! If you hadn't been there to give her a hand with running the whole World, there would be a lot less Letters getting out.

Mama's Great Responsibilities!

21. As it is, I can trust her with anything!—Because I know God has given her the necessary wisdom & the talent. They say that if you want to make a Leo woman really happy, make her a Queen. Well, I've found that that's true. I've entrusted Mama with tremendous responsibilities & tasks, particularly of governing the worldwide Work & its personnel & making decisions about worldwide issues, moves, our publications, etc. Of course, she never makes final major decisions without my stamp of approval. But that's about all it takes now.

22. She's usually already got it all figured out. She's gotten it from the Lord & from you & from our dear CROs & NOs‚ who also give her wise counsel, & the Lord has given her wisdom. She's always saying‚ "Oh, I just learned it all from you, Sweetheart." I say, "Come on! Ha! I know you've learned a lot from me, but there's a lot I haven't told you, & there's a lot that you've gotten from Peter & Gary, & from our dear CROs & NOs, & of course, from the Lord!" Often all I have to do is say, "OK, fine. It sounds like a good idea! Go ahead! Praise the Lord! Let's try it!"

By Helping Mama‚ You're Helping Dad & Our Worldwide Family!

23. So that's what each one of you means to me & what I most appreciate you for.—For the great help you've been to Mama. Because without her we couldn't have kept this Kingdom running!—This amazing worldwide Work with all these thousands of people! I couldn't have done it! And she couldn't have done it without you!

24. So it's your help to her that I have appreciated the most, which has also taken a big load off my back. You have seen to the workings of the World!—Of our worldwide Work & all its machinery & its personnel & its policies & its operation. You're what makes the wheels go round! Of course, the Lord does it all, but He uses each of you as His instruments & part of His machinery, His giant clockwork! It wouldn't be what it is today if it hadn't been for some of you big wheels & little wheels! Praise the Lord?

25. So that's what you've meant to me! Thank you for helping Mama by helping her administrate this big worldwide Work! Thank you each one for doing your specific jobs of shepherding & administration, that's a big responsibility! I'm so thankful that you've taken so much of that off my back so I could devote my time to the ministry of the Word! (Acts 6:4) In that sense, you're real deacons; you've been tending the tables while I have devoted myself to prayer & to ministering His Word through you & through all of the others who work in Pubs. God bless them!

26. So I just want to thank you for all you've done!—Not only for me, but for her!—And through her, for the World! It's been a big job! You are literally responsible for this worldwide Work, which neither she nor I could have done without you!

27. So praise the Lord, is that enough? Does that help you feel sufficiently to blame? (Everybody laughs.) Does that help you realise how important the Lord has made you & what essential components you are, vital members of this tremendous Body? We couldn't have done it without you! Maybe that would be a good title for this little talk, "We Couldn't Have Done It Without You!" PTL!

28. It reminds me of what the Scotsman said when he was praying before he went to his church, "Lord, I can nay gay lest You go with me." I'll not go unless You go with me!—And we couldn't have gone unless you had gone with us! Praise the Lord! The Lord needed each one of you for His Work! So we couldn't have done it without you!

29. (Dad then suggested that the Staff gather around Peter & Gary & lay hands on them, each one praying a short one or two sentence prayer, claiming many promises for the Lord to bless, anoint, prosper & protect them on their mission to the Summit Meeting.)

30. Praise the Lord! Thank You Jesus! God bless you! I love you! We'll be thinking of all of you during the meeting, & praying for you whenever the Lord reminds us of you! Amen‚ folks? (Family: Amen!) Thank You Lord!

31. Thanks a lot for all your help!—For all the help that you have been to me. But I especially appreciate the help you've been to Mama.—And to the whole World! Thank You Lord! God bless all of you leaders at this Meeting!

32. Just keep looking to the Lord, & He will guide you! He has all the answers. You don't have to know all the answers!—Because you have the Answer Man! Thank You Lord! Make sure to give my love to all of those you see! Tell them how much I love them! PTL!—In Jesus' name, amen!

Copyright (c) 1998 by The Family