English pass-along card at store. Wed, Nov 28, 2012

11/28/2012. 1317. I was at a store waiting on a service to be performed, and struck up a conversation with another customer. I found out she works at the same place where a former bishop of another ward works, so I asked her if she knew so-and-so.  Her office was near his, and she had worked with him on certain things.  Small world.  So I explained how I knew him, that I used to live in that ward when he was bishop.  I don't think she knew he was LDS, but she had a very high opinion of him. I suggested she surprise him by addressing him as "Bishop so-and-so" next time she ran into him.    I used the opportunity to give her a customized pass-along card that I had made...

I also gave her one of my personal calling cards.

Spanish at restaurant. Thu, Nov 11, 2010.

11/11/2010. Journal entry. I took the ward's two full-time missionaries to a local Mexican restaurant. During our meal we put a Spanish paperback Bible and a Spanish Book of Mormon on the table. Our waiter saw them and commented on them on his next trip to the table. One of the missionaries offered them to him. At first he was only going to take the Bible, but then he took the Book of Mormon too.

Afterwards, we went to a nearby gas station, and while I gassed up the car, I gave the elders a few dollars to go in and buy something, and look for an opportunity for a contact, possibly with a pass-along card. Then I went in and bought a newspaper, and saw the elder in front of me give a pass-along card to the cashier after he paid for his snacks. She seemed interested in it too.

Invite to church cards.

A church invitation card:



These are standard size business cards, 3.5" wide by 2" tall.

Pass-along card at rest stop. Thu, July 1, 2010.

07/01/10. 1244. I stopped at a rest stop along an Interstate highway for a bathroom break. Upon entering the building I saw a man who appeared to be from India, and felt impressed to speak with him. When I left the building, he was outside, and I struck up a conversation with him. He was from India, but the church doesn't have anything in his particular language, so I just gave him a custom pass-along card.

While we were chatting, his wife and kids came over. His wife mentioned what town they were going to to visit family, it was where she grew up. [Cue the theme from the Twilight Zone.] I literally gasped. It was the same town where I grew up. She said her family (maiden) name. An even bigger surprise: Her uncle was a close friend of my father (both of whom are now deceased.)

I then gave her one of my personal calling cards, and asked her to show it to her uncle's family. We both marveled over the "coincidence."

Pass-along card at laundromat. Tue, Mar 9, 2010.

03/09/2010. 1236. I was at a laundromat, not one of the ones I normally go to, but one within convenient driving range.

A man folding laundry next to me had a certain spiritual radiation, such that I assumed him to be a believer in God. I was considering striking up a conversation, and the Spirit seemed to strongly indicate that I should. So before I finished my folding, I struck up a conversation by asking him what church he went to. He said that he didn't go to church, but that the teenager with him (who I assumed was his daughter) did go. I wasn't prepared for that answer, so I didn't have a ready response. After a brief pause, I said "Well, you're welcome to come visit my church." He asked which one, and I said the name of the church, and the approximate address (cross streets).

I asked which one she went to, and he mentioned one not far from my ward's building.

That was about the extent of the conversation, but then before leaving, I felt inspired (strongly prompted of the Spirit) to offer him something. So I asked if I could give him a card with the church's phone number and web site on it. He said okay in a manner that let me know he was not put off at all by my offer. I gave him one of these.

Update: This is actually a new dynamic, or new approach for me. I think I was "taught from on high" in this. This new conversation starter: A) ask what church someone goes to, B) wait for a response, C) if they say they don't attend church, say that they are welcome to attend yours, D) wait for a response, E) if they ask what church you go to tell them, F) ask if you can give them something with the church's information on it.

The card I gave had the church's toll-free Book of Mormon number on it, and the church web site, but I didn't realize until later that it needed my ward's chapel address on it. I should have written the chapel address on it in case he wanted to just show up. After all, I did invite him.

English pass-along card at store. Mon, Mar 8, 2010.

03/08/2010. 1235. I was out running errands, and felt inspired to stop at an office-supply store. I picked up a couple items that were on sale that I could use, and continued to browse in the computers/electronics section, checking prices, and looking for any deals.

There was a lady shopping for another memory card for her digital camera, and I helped her a bit. I wanted to give her a web site where she could buy that type of memory online. I took out my wallet to write the URL on a personal calling-card, but I was out, and only had a customized business-card-sized Book of Mormon pass-along card, so I wrote the URL on the back of it.

When I gave it to her, I mentioned that there was some church stuff on the other side.

Ma'am, if you're reading this, I did not set up our encounter just to give you that card. I wasn't even thinking about it. I'm just naturally "Mr. Helpful". I'm what is known as a "compulsive helper". I had just run out of my personal cards in my wallet, and the other card was there. If you happen to be curious about the Book of Mormon, then I hope you call the number for a free copy. But if not, then it's just a piece of scrap paper with the web site that sells the memory.

Road Trip. Tue, Nov 24, 2009.

Road trip, on the way back from Florida.

11/24/2009. 1227. Punjabi and English Gospel Fundamentals. Bought chicken sandwich and two cans of soda. Had to drive a ways off interstate to find. Inspired stop.

11/24/2009. 1228. Another exit. Chinese declined at restaurant. But young man was interested in taking ESL class. Inspired stop.

11/24/2009. 1229. Same exit as before, just next door at the grocery store. Borrowed a phone book at the service desk. Another customer spoke with an accent. I struck up a conversation with him, and offered him a Swahili Book of Mormon, but he declined.

11/24/2009. Journal entry. Missed opportunity. I felt inspired to stop at a particular store, but didn't offer anything to the English-speaking cashier/owner.

11/24/2009. 1230. Vietnamese declined. I forget where this was, or what this one was about.

11/24/2009. 1231. An Indian couple at a gas station spoke Gujerati, gave them a pass-along card and suggested calling for Hindi. They spoke of a group of Telugu-owned stores in Atlanta.

11/24/2009. Journal entry. Missed op. Stopped at an Hispanic grocery store, and I didn't make any offers.

11/24/2009. Journal entry. Missed op. Saw a laundromat near the grocery store and thought of going there. I had only 2 days of laundry to do, and I talked myself out of it, wanting to get back home that night. But a guilty feeling later made me realize I should have gone there.

11/24/2009. Journal entry. Gas station. I thought it was inspired but nothing happened. (Several cats were on the property.)

11/25/2009. 1232. Just past midnight at a gas station near Cincinnati, I bought something and offered some DVDs to one or more ladies behind the counter, and she/they accepted them. I think I gave them a Mr. Krueger's Christmas DVD, and a Joy to the World DVD.

Road Trip. Mon, Nov 23, 2009.

Road trip, on way back from Florida.

11/23/2009. 1220. Around 12:15pm. Thai declined at restaurant.

11/23/2009. 1221. Around 3:05 pm. I was driving North on the Florida Turnpike, and was inspired to take Route 528, then I was prompted to take Exit 8. Then I felt inspired to go to a certain gas station at that exit. There was a taxi parked there and I struck up a conversation with the driver. He accepted Spanish, English, and Urdu copies of the Book of Mormon.

11/23/2009. 1222. Joy to the World DVD, at another gas station to another customer who was very grateful. I'm not sure if I remember this correctly.

11/23/2009. 1223. Gainsville FL, Chinese Simplified and English Bom, plus ?? DVD. I forgot the deatils here.

11/23/2009. 1224. English declined in Lake City, FL.

11/23/2009. 1225. In Georgia. The cashier at a gas station/convenience store accepted Hindi and English copies of the Book of Mormon.

11/23/2009. 1226. Pass-along card to night clerk at motel, in or near Macon.

Bengali at store. Pass-along card. Thu, Sep 3, 2009.

09/03/2009. 1185. While shopping at a department store I noticed a man who appeard to be from South Asia (ie, the Indian sub-continent). I stopped to ask him where he was from, and he said Bangladesh. He seemed busy, so I didn't want to make him wait while I went out to get a Book of Mormon from my car, so I offered him a customized business card size pass-along card that I had in my wallet. He politely accepted it. I explained that the Book of Mormon was available in a Bengali translation, and I said he could call the 800 number and get a free copy of one in Bengali and in English if he wanted. He was very polite, and it was a pleasant encounter.

I have to give the Lord credit for this. I was driving down the Interstate on my way home, and I felt a spiritual impression to shop for shirts at this store. And I was in need of a few new dress shirts. So not only did I get some nice shirts on sale at a ridiculously low price (I didn't even know the store was having a sale), I was able to make a contact to boot!