It's the convention season again! Are you excited? I am!

2000 to 2015

When I was 10, I remembered a brother shared in his talk that convention programs make the best souvenir most especially when you jot notes on it. It was like a bright idea for me and since then, I have been collecting convention programs.

When I was a kid, I looked forward to conventions. I loved the long travels which was usually in a rented jeepney together with the other kids, the costume drama, the publication releases. It was only during the convention season I can get new dresses and shoes (other than the memorial season). I loved it that we get to attend meetings three days in a row.

Back then, we didn't have our own assembly hall so we hold our conventions either in the big field in Sta. Cruz, Laguna or the hall near the Boy Scouts in Los Baños. We'd usually just stay in the parked jeepney the whole session so I get to play with the kids from other congregations.

Now that I'm grown up, I still look forward to conventions. I even go on leave and not care about work just to be able to attend and complete all three says. A lot of changes has happened and all those got me more engaged and more excited. I still miss the costume drama though, one of my dreams is to be a part of it.

I never actually thought I'd complete collecting all those convention programs. I "stopped" collecting them in 2010, then just put the programs somewhere. It was until recently I realized they're complete!

Convention programs really are good souvenirs. They remind me a lot about that convention. It was in 2000 when I got my first bible, the NWT release in Tagalog. I got baptized in 2003. That photo I treasure was from 2008. The list could go on and on.

I am really excited for this year's convention. Two video dramas are to be shown. I love how the videos the Society makes are now at par with those we see commercially. I love how they make good use of technology to further engage attendees, young and old alike.

The first day of the convention is tomorrow! I really can't wait!!