 more than just a few hours of spiritual education each week at meetings. But consider this: At meetings conducted in the language they understand best, children may absorb instruction simply by being present, perhaps learning more than their parents realize. That may not be the case when children do not fully understand the language. (Read 1 Corinthians 14:9, 11.) And a child’s native language will not necessarily remain the language of his mind or even of his heart. In fact, some children can learn to give comments, presentations, and talks in their parents’ language without the words really coming from their heart.
12 Furthermore, a child’s heart is influenced by more than just language. That was the case with Joshua, quoted at the outset. As his sister, Esther, notes, “to young children, their parents’ language, culture, and religion come bundled together.” If children do not identify with their parents’ culture, they may resist learning their parents’ language—and their faith. What can immigrant parents do?
13, 14. (a) Why did one immigrant couple move their family to a local-language congregation? (b) How did the parents stay spiritually strong?
13 Christian parents put their children’s spiritual well-being ahead of personal preferences. (1 Cor. 10:24) Joshua and Esther’s father, Samuel, relates: “My wife and I observed our children to see in which language they thrived spiritually, and we prayed for wisdom. The answer was not what we personally found convenient. But when we saw that they were getting little benefit from the meetings in our language, we decided to move to the local-language congregation. Together, we regularly attended meetings and shared in the ministry. We also invited local friends to join us for meals and excursions. All of this helped our children to get to know the brothers and to get to know Jehovah, not only as their God but also as their Father and Friend. We considered this to be much more important than their mastering our language.”
14 Samuel adds: “To keep ourselves spiritually strong, my wife and I also attended meetings in our language. Life was very busy, and we were tired. But we thank Jehovah for blessing our efforts and sacrifices. Our three children are all serving Jehovah in the full-time ministry.”
WHAT YOUNG PEOPLE CAN DO
15. Why did a sister named Kristina feel that she could do better in a local-language congregation?
15 Adult children may come to realize that they could better serve Jehovah in a congregation that uses the language that they understand best. If so, their parents need not feel that their children are rejecting them. “I knew the basics of my parents’ language, but the language spoken at the meetings was over my head,” recalls Kristina. “When I was 12, I attended a convention in my school language. For the first time, I understood that what I was hearing was the truth! Another turning point came when I began to pray in my school language. I could speak to Jehovah from my heart!” (Acts 2:11, 41) When she reached adulthood, Kristina discussed the matter with her parents and decided to move to a local-language congregation. She recalls: “Learning about Jehovah in my school language moved me to action.” Before long, Kristina became a joyful regular pioneer.
16. Why is a sister named Nadia glad she stayed in the foreign-language congregation?
16 Young people, do you think that you would prefer being part of a local-language congregation? If so, ask yourself why. Would moving to such a congregation help you draw closer to Jehovah? (Jas. 4:8) Or might you want to move because you expect to have less supervision or less work? “When my siblings and I got into our teens, we wanted to switch to the local-language congregation,” says Nadia, who now serves at Bethel. But her parents knew that such a move would not be in their children’s best spiritual interest. “Now we’re grateful that our parents worked hard to teach us their language and kept us in the foreign-language congregation. It has enriched our lives and broadened our opportunities to help others get to know Jeho