From the the church of Rattle-Day Snakes.

Anyone have the old door approach? It was around in the early 60s but I can’t quite remember it. I was “fired” from my job as seminary newspaper editor for publishing this door approach but I can’t find it now.

Is there nobody out there who remembers this door approach? I had a request today but I don’t have the script.

I think it started, “Good madam morning. We’re from the…”

Yes, “ Good morning madam, we’re from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, with which church are you most familiar?” (Then her response) “There are certainly a great many Churches in the world today. Why do you think this is?”(then her response)...then you go into the “if you knew” spiel(see previous post)...as I said, that was the original “door approach”, which gradually evolved into the Golden Question strategy. This was the California Mission, 1965.

I was in California in the mid sixties as a missIonary. Although the six discussions were universally learned by rote memorization, the “door approach” was a little more flexible, basically the “Golden Questions”.

We were also encouraged to use the long-winded “ If you knew the Savior had returned to the earth”......blah, blah..”and restored his Church with all its power”.....more blah blah..”would you be interested?” Nobody used this because it was so long people would mentally check out halfway thru. So, the short, easy Golden Questions became the default strategy. Anyone remember the little brass question mark lapel pins you were supposed to wear so people would ask you...”What’s that question mark mean?”...and you’d go into the “Golden Question “ spiel?

I was a missionary 61 to 63 in Chicago area. We did not have a memorized door approach, but were told to introduce ourselves as "ministers" of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. "May we come in and leave a short message?"

Pity the poor missionaries in Brazil for the door approach they were stuck with back in the 60s and most of the 70s...

"Hi, we're mormon missionaries. Any Negros live here?"

Yes. It was hell.

We were more subtle than that.

“We’d love to see some family photos of your grandparents.”

We were more subtle than that, too, but not by much.

Do you know that our Heavenly Father has no use for money.

That's right. He doesn't, but his poor church on Earth is very needy.

We are coming by today to ask for a small donation because the mormon church is so poor unlike the great abominable church.

Can you provide us with your bank account numbers and donate some land that is tax deductible?

I didn’t make myself clear enough. I’m looking for the parody version of the door approach. I remember well enough the version I memorized, “Senior Gomez, Somos misioneras de la Iglesia de Jesu. . .

En mil ochocientos veinte, Jose Smith fue un joven blah blah. . “

I will probably have nightmares tonight.

There was a funny parody that circulated, but I can’t find it and don’t remember it past the beginning.

Church of Cheese & Rice of Rattle Day Snakes?

Where and when . . .?

I vaguely remember what was basically a Mad Magazine version of the door approach, but I was still too tbm at that point in life, and was no doubt scandalized by the light mindedness.

I do think I can still quote parts of Vaughn Meader’s First Family album. And Alan Sherman. And Tom Lehrer. Ah, the good old days.