Jehovah's Witness convention draws 7,178 faithful

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By HILARY KINDSCHUH / Lincoln Journal Star

Cold water was the first thing Ami Polite noticed. The 26-year-old Jehovah's Witness from Omaha next recalled seeing friends and family — now also a part of her spiritual family.

"You go underneath the water, and then you come back up and everything's just — new," Polite recalled of her baptism 11 years ago. "You get hugged and kissed a lot."

Polite was one of 7,178 people from Nebraska, Missouri, Iowa, Kansas and South Dakota here this weekend for the annual Jehovah's Witness District Convention, a Lincoln event for more than 20 years.

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Timothy, played by Tim Dinges, left, listens to Paul, played by Rob Villars, in a bible-based drama skit tailored for youths at the 2005 District Convention of Jehovah's Witnesses held at the Bob Devaney Sports Center Sunday. (Michael Paulsen)

Timothy, played by Tim Dinges, left, listens to Paul, played by Rob Villars, in a bible-based drama skit tailored for youths at the 2005 District Convention of Jehovah's Witnesses held at the Bob Devaney Sports Center Sunday. (Michael Paulsen)

At this year's convention, 52 people took the same cold plunge into their faith, said David Kurth, convention spokesman.

Children, teenagers and young adults in their twenties comprised a third of the newly baptized, he said.

Matt Garcia, 15, of Des Moines, Iowa, said young people who choose to be baptized as Jehovah's Witnesses make a lifelong dedication to living their faith.

"It's not something where you're a Jehovah's Witness half the day," he said. "You're a Jehovah's Witness 24/7."

Polite agreed.

"Whatever decisions I make regarding my work, my entertainment, social, dress — it revolves around my worship to Jehovah."

Rather than spending extra time with sports teams or school clubs, Garcia said, he enjoys practicing door-to-door ministry after school with family, friends and people of all ages.

The main goal of Jehovah's Witnesses who approach people in their ministry is to talk to people about the Bible, he said.

"The Bible kind of seems to be second place because everyone's lives are so busy," he said. "It's more like we're reminding people that it's there, and it has a lot of great information that can really help you out in life."

Kurth said that in comparison with the King James Bible, which uses older words and expressions, the Jehovah's Witness Bible is a modern translation.

"By having a modern translation, it appeals to people because it's the vernacular in which they speak," he said.

Garcia said he feels humbled when someone wants to hear about the Bible and Jehovah.

"It's more of a reminder to you why you're doing it," he said.

Of course, not everyone wants to hear what Witnesses have to say.

Polite said she never takes those experiences personally.

"We always keep in mind . . . that they're not rejecting us — it's their personal decision," she said.

On some days, she said, Witnesses "tired and hungry" knock on 10 to 20 doors and keep getting negative responses or no response.

"But then you get that one person that just has that little hunger for what the Bible has to say, and you forget that you're hungry. You forget that you were tired, you forget that you talked to 10 negative people.

"It's like an internal renewal."

Reach Hilary Kindschuh at 473-7225 or hkindschuh@journalstar.com.