I was canvassing in Penneshaw in a part where there was a lot of holiday houses, and my instructions were to grab whatever I could. I felt impressed to go to a certain house on the left first.

The fence was stuck so I called out. I wasn't sure if anybody heard me so I called out again, and finally someone came. His name was David. I showed him Wholesome Homemade. I don't think he was really into Wholesome Homemade, but he was into gardening and stuff.

I showed The Great Controversy and all the books, then asked which ones would interest him the most.

"Yeah I like the reading one - The Great Controversy. I'm a pensioner though, and things have been tight," he responded.

So I referred him to the website in the back of the cookbook for the books, and to show who we were.

He asked, "What church are you affiliated with? It says mission; obviously a Christian background?"

I told him we were Seventh-day Adventists.

"Seventh-day Adventist!? My mum was a SDA from Port Lincoln," David exclaimed. "My aunty used to go to church too. She lived in Moonta."

I told him we'd just canvassed those places. He remembered everything from when he used to go church with his mum and auntie. He was really excited about the conversation and really missed the experience, I guess.

In the end, I left him with a small copy of The Great Controversy and he was really happy about that.

I asked if I could survey him. He was into cooking demos and correspondence Bible studies.

"You must be so happy now. You got to meet an SDA," David remarked. "I don't really like the churches that are here. Uniting Church only meets once a month - not so good."

I tried to tell him that the SDA group here meets together weekly, but I'm not sure if he really heard me. The experience was really good. David was so keen. 

"God bless," he said. "I'm going to be praying for everyone on the team."

- Grace

I went down to fill up at the BP, ready to give a GLOW tract to the attendant.

"So, just travelling around for the week?" Christine asked.

"No, we're actually here with a group of young people just doing some mission work," I replied. "You'll probably meet one of the young people with some great books."

"Well, I'll give you 2c off your fuel," she said. "I guess every bit counts."

"This is one we like handing out," I said, giving her the GLOW tract.

I asked Christine about her spiritual background.

"Kindness is my religion," she explained. "You seem like a really lovely person."

"Well, so do you," I answered. We shook hands.

- Andy

On my last door before lunch I canvassed Wholesome Homemade and The Great Controversy to this lady. She was probably about 80 years old. The lady seemed to have plenty of time on her hands, but then said that she couldn't stand outside for long because she had a chicken cooking. She invited me inside.

We sat at the table and chatted about a lot of stuff really. I talked to her in depth about all the books - including Lessons of Love (but not Storytime). I told her about Music Camp and showed the DVDs. She said that she couldn't afford everything and only had $20.

The lady said that she was an Anglican, so I told her about the Reformation and she was really surprised about all of it. She didn't really like the Catholic church. I told her to read her Bible more and she said that she would definitely read her Bible again.

I also told her that Ellen White's books have Bible writings, and that they'll help with her Bible readings. She was interested in Health and Peace. In the end, she donated $20 for Wholesome Homemade and Health and Peace.

Before I left, she said, "You've greatly encouraged me to read my Bible more. I'll definitely read my Bible."

I surveyed the lady and she signed up for cooking demonstrations.

- Matthew

I met a guy named Trevor at Foodlands (in the car park) and canvassed Wholesome Homemade, but he wasn't interested. I canvassed him The Great Controversy and he was really interested in that one!

Trevor didn't have money on him at the time so I said I would leave it with him because I had donations from before. He said he would definitely read the book. About half an hour later, Trevor came and found me again and gave a donation.

"I didn't want to rob you. It was going to bother my conscience," he said. "You're a Seventh-day Adventist right?"

"How did you know?" I asked.

"Ellen G. White, the author of the book which you gave," he responded.

Trevor told me that he had read Ministry of Healing already and was quite happy with The Great Controversy.

---

In Kingscote I canvassed Wholesome Homemade to a guy from Fiji, whose name was Carlos. He was interested in the cookbook - because he liked cooking I guess!

I canvassed The Great Controversy as well and asked if he had a religious background. Carlos said that he was a Christadelphian, and that we had similar beliefs. He told me that Seventh-day Adventists are really prominent in Fiji.

Carlos decided that he wanted the cookbook, but he didn't have cash - only card. I called up for the card reader. He seemed interested in talking more, so I chatted with him for a bit while waiting for Andy.

Andy:

I came along to do the card payment and Mike was canvassing Carlos on The Great Controversy. He was happy to meet both of us.

"Was it just the cookbook?" I asked him. "How much did you want to help out with?"

I asked him again if it was really just the cookbook, and not the Great Controversy as well. Carlos wasn't too sure, so I told him about the cookbook special. If he helped out with just $5 more, he could have Wholesome Homemade and The Great Controversy.

"Oh yeah, I would love to get that!" he exclaimed.

Carlos was interested in prophecy and said that the book would be good to have. We surveyed him and he was interested in prophecy seminars.

- Michael

On this afternoon's first drop off in Penneshaw, Tim had given Grace and I both sides of the road to work. About 20 minutes into territory I looked at my phone and noticed a message from Tim, telling me to canvass the information centre right near our drop-off point.

The info centre was a bit of a detour by now; a couple of hundred metres back. I decided to give it a shot. When I walked in the doors at 3 minutes to 5, Petra asked how she could help me.

I explained what I was doing and she picked out The Great Controversy.

"My son would be interested in this. Hang on there, I'll get $20," she said.

Her son was 30 years old and a Freemason - interested in other religions. I offered Petra another reading book for her donation so she took Peace Above the Storm too (for her son).

---

I was making my way through the last blocks in Kingscote this afternoon. Inside a little takeaway shop, I met Teresa.

Wholesome Homemade didn't catch her interest so I moved into the spiritual books. She'd said something that made me canvass The Great Controversy first.

"I've read that book!" she exclaimed.

This was exciting. Not many people say that. I asked Teresa for her thoughts on the The Great Controversy. She told me how the book had been very interesting, and an enjoyable read. Teresa's Adventist friend had given her the special Signs Publishing edition (featuring a bomb inside planet Earth).

When I showed Health and Peace, she noticed Ellen White's author byline on the front cover. I told her that all the reading books were written by the same lady. White seemed to be her new favourite author! I've never seen anyone inspect a book's publication details page so carefully...

After Teresa was satisfied that the books were indeed written by Ellen White, I tried closing her on the whole set.

She walked outside to check her car for money - not a cent.

Back inside, she picked up the phone and rang her boss. I started praying.

"Hey, there's a guy here with something I really like. But I have no money," Teresa explained. "Can I borrow $20 from the till?"

When she said thanks and hung up - I knew my prayers were answered!

Teresa gave me $20, then carefully picked out Peace Above the Storm and Lessons of Love.

- Jylan

I saw a couple coming to their car and called out to them, "Have you seen the project that we're working on in the community?"

They said no, but were interested, so both of them sat in the car while I canvassed. I handed the wife Wholesome Homemade, and passed her husband The Great Controversy. We were talking for an hour.

The man told his wife to let me have a go at talking a few times. While the wife was talking, her husband would comment in between. We spoke about all sorts of things.

"You're believing a lie and promoting a lie," the husband told me.

It was quite an interesting discussion. In the end, he asked his wife which books she wanted. She liked Wholesome Homemade.

"How much?" he asked me. I told them about the cookbook special, so he told his wife to pick a reading book. She chose Health and Peace.

I pulled out my small copy of The Great Controversy and asked him if he would read it.

He said yes, but only if I also promised to read a particular website which talked about God not existing.

- Julie

While canvassing in the carpark, this really old, rusty van pulled in. She was the only person there so I quickly went over and canvassed the cookbook. The lady was kind of like a hippie person.

I told her the cookbook was plant based. She was really into health, and mentioned having depression a while back.

"Health and Peace talks about depression," I told her.

I explained who I was with and about our youth camps; she said that it was a great idea. The lady donated $50 for Wholesome Homemade and Health and Peace.

- Silas

This morning I was in Bowden Beach, the last drop off before lunch. This guy was working on a fence up the back. Hoping he'd see me, I tried waving and calling out, thinking he might've been ignoring me. I went up to the door and knocked to see if anyone else was home. Nobody was. Hardly anyone was home around this area so I went back to get his attention.

Finally, Barry saw me.

I introduced myself and the books.

"Pass me one of those steel posts," he said. "Then we can go on the verandah and talk about what you're doing."

We went to the house and I showed him The Great Controversy. Barry was a really good talker. He went inside to show me his current reading: A book about Christian history very much along the same lines as The Great Controversy.

"Sounds like you have a spiritual background from some of the things we've talked about," I said.

I showed Health and Peace and Peace Above the Storm to Barry while we talked about everything and anything in between. He'd had an experience with Jesus before - and with Buddha. He was into Eastern religions.

"There's no other name under heaven, except Jesus, by which we can be saved," I told him.

"If you want to believe in Jesus that's totally up to you," he said.

Barry was happy with the books but only wanted to get one. Looking through them again was a long process as he tried to figure out which ones he wanted!

"The Great Controversy one looks good. I can compare it with the one I'm reading," he said. "Peace - I don't need Peace."

"I'll help with $50. Is that alright?" he asked.

I offered him Lessons of Love as well.

Barry ended up taking a three book message set: The Great Controversy, Lessons of Love, and Health and Peace. Also a Revelation DVD.

- Shanna

I was canvassing Kingscote and knocked on a door right next to the police station. There were lots of kids' toys outside.

Robin came to the door. I showed him Wholesome Homemade and he was kinda interested. I showed Health and Peace as well. While I was telling him about the book, he interrupted.

"You're not SDA are you?"

Robin was Adventist and had lived on KI for a year - not knowing about any other Adventists on the island.

I showed him the kids' books we had.

"Yeah, I'll take the lot," he said, after seeing everything I had (including Foods that Heal). "How do I pay for these?"

Robin had read The Great Controversy quite a while ago but hadn't read most of the other books.

One of each book is known as a bakery - a total of about 7 books.

---

This morning I canvassed a Christian lady. Elderly, and I thought she was going to say that she didn't have money.

Instead, this lady wanted Peace Above the Storm and Health and Peace. She brought back $50 from inside. I showed Lessons of Love too and she took all three.

- Kasey

In Kingscote I canvassed John at his door. He was interested in Wholesome Homemade for his wife. I showed The Great Controversy, and while he flicked through the book I asked about his spiritual background.

"I'm Lutheran," John said. "I see some chapters about Luther."

I started talking to him about The Great Controversy and the history side of it. Also, Bible prophecy.

"I'm old," he said. "Good when you're young but when you're old, you're not really that interested."

"Can you come back later?" John asked. "My wife's not home and I think she'd be interested in the cookbook."

John told me that The Great Controversy wasn't for him - he wasn't interested. Then, I think he asked me about what we were doing.

I don't know why, but I mentioned that reading The Great Controversy was one reason I got into canvassing. I started talking even more, and told him how the chapter on Huss and Jerome had really spoken to me, and made me decide to work for God. He basically heard about the whole chapter!

John was just listening while I talked. I don't normally get into long conversations on the doors so this was a really good experience!

After I'd finished telling him about the chapter, he asked "Was it $25 for the cookbook and The Great Controversy?"

He gave me the money and took both books.

- Kayla

I met 6 people today and that was a blessing. Hardly anyone was home. I'd canvassed some people walking down the road who weren't too interested. Just as I finished with them, a man walked out of his house to see who this guy in his driveway was.

Gary and his wife were visiting from Adelaide for a couple of days. I showed the books. He said he was a Christian but didn't seem too interested. I tried to make friends with Gary; he was a little unsure. We talked about his experiences as a Christian. Really good stuff. He was a man of prayer.

Yesterday while down at the beach he'd met a German family. The son had whooping cough, so Gary asked if he could pray for him. The family really appreciated his prayer.

Prayer - especially for healing - was kind of a ministry of his.

We chatted and agreed on a lot of things. Finally, I shared more about what we were doing. Gary loved it!

He prayed for me; I prayed for him. We found a spot in the shade.

"I really appreciate where you're coming from," I said. "You have an experience with this. I've got this little book, The Great Controversy, and would love to get your opinion on it. See if you think there's anything we can improve."

Gary willingly took the book.

"You've just totally made my day!" he exclaimed at the end. He was so happy.

---

I'd just met up with Jylan. Two people came out and I showed Wholesome Homemade and Peace Above the Storm, assuming they were Christian. When I asked if they had a religious background - they said no! That was alright though. A little later on I found out that they were biologists.

We talked for a while. The whole time, Ingrid, the lady, was much less happy that I was there than her partner, Bruce. He was much more open. We talked about evolution, finches - all that stuff. They were happy to chat. Bruce was more open and listening to what I said. I let both Bruce and Ingrid speak too.

It was a really good conversation; not at all an argument. We talked about salvation, Jesus - all that good stuff.

"Why not believe in a God?" I asked. "What do you have to lose? I don't believe science and religion have to be apart. Why not hand in hand?"

They shared a few really good reasons for not believing in God: Purgatory, hell, and why God wanted to condemn us. Ingrid was laughing about how silly it was.

"If that's what you knew about God I can't really blame you for not believing," I replied.

We had a long chat. I challenged them at the end.

"God wants us to be sincere. He wants us to search after him with all our hearts," I said.

Bruce gladly took a small copy of The Great Controversy.

"What if I left my email address in the back?" I asked.

Ingrid was straight up. "No. Nah."

Bruce, though, was an obvious yes. He didn't say anything. I asked for a pen then just went ahead and wrote my email address. I'm really praying for Bruce.

"Don't think you're going to convert me on the spot," he said.

"Hey, not at all. It's a big thing to come from where you are to believing in a God," I said. "But, it's a start. I encourage you to keep an open mind."

Right at the end Ingrid said she liked the small GC because of the small print. That was a positive thing to say for her!

- Tim (at Vivonne Bay)