"Anything less than active, earnest service for the Master gives the lie to our profession of faith." 6T p. 417

At the end of last weekend, after family camp, the Armidale team permanently joined the team in the Central Coast. 22 young canvassers were out on the doors last week in the surrounding areas of The Entrance, faithfully sharing life-saving books with those they met.

We have been focusing on our responsibility as God's workers in our worships. Reading from the Testimonies we've been finding powerful statements by Ellen White on the importance of active, earnest service. The week was a prayerful one, where we continued to pray for Great Controversies to enter homes like the leaves of Autumn. God answered this prayer, and we saw almost the same amount of Great Controversies going out in five days than the last four weeks! 

Splitting into three teams for church, some heading to the church plant at The Entrance, others Dora Creek, and Ourimbah, every team had a chance to share testimonies of what God has done throughout the week. 

Be encouraged by the stories of God working through the lives of the people in the community!

Testimonies

I came to a really run-down house with dogs barking at me from outside. A lady came out who liked the lifestyle of Buddha but believes in God.

I canvassed her Wholesome Homemade and she took it from me, holding it in her arms. I show her the Peace Above the Storm, and she takes that from me. I canvass her The Great Controversy and she took that one in her arms as well. She was holding all three!

I remembered the Health and Peace in my bag, so I took that one out as well. While she had all the other books in her hands, she grabbed that one too!

She went inside to get me a donation and came back with $70.

“Will this be enough?” she said. She wanted all four books!

It was so good; It made my day. It was my first day out by myself canvassing.

- Josh

A guy came out. He seemed interested in The Great Controversy, then I felt impressed to show him the Health and Peace. I mentioned it had chapters on addictions and depression.

“Depression,” he said, “I’ve got that.”

I shared how I’d been through that myself.

“Because of this book and Peace Above the Storm, I’m here today all the way from Victoria to be a blessing to you.”

He seemed quite touched by that. He went and got me a donation, and I told him I’d love to leave him with the Health and Peace.

“I can’t take this,” he said, “Give it to another person.”

“No, I’m here to help you,” I say, giving him the book. 

As I was leaving, I realised I had forgotten to survey him. So, I ran back up the stairs and showed him the survey. He was interested in stop smoking program, depression recovery program and personal Bible studies. He told me his relatives are Adventist.

“I’m not practising but I’m open to having studies” He told me.

Praise God, it was my first survey with Bible studies!

- Serah

I was on my last block with Scott and we had finished our last house for the day, when we saw a man walking his dog and watching us from across the street. So, I just yelled out hi to him. He said hi back and seemed friendly, so I just asked him if he heard about our youth projects.

“No, I haven’t!” He said, walking over to us from across the street “What are you doing?”

I started showing him the cookbook, telling him about Eastward and what we do. He asked if it was religious, so we told him we were Adventist and I asked if he had a spiritual background himself. He told us he was a Christian. I canvassed him the The Great Controversy next and asked if he liked reading.

“I love reading! It’s the best,” he told us and mentioned he’s been interested in the body and health.

I got out the Health and Peace and showed it to him, telling him that all the health principles are taken from the Bible.

“I was just talking to my friend, and he was saying there should be a book that talks about healthy living, but that it should all come directly from the Bible”

We had a good chat. He seemed pretty interested in everything we were doing; he was especially interested in Health and Peace. As we were talking Jylan pulled up behind us for pick up.

Before we left, we were able to leave him with Health and Peace, the small Great Controversy and a Path to Peace.

It was an awesome divine appointment where we got to see God set everything up for us.

- Kayla and Scott

I met a lady who invited me inside. She told me about her eye disorder which has left her blind in one eye and is expecting to be legally blind quite soon.

She told me about how she was trying to read her Bible and study as much as possible before she lost her eyesight. I showed her the message books and she seemed interested.

As we were talking, her husband came home and wandered over to listen to what I was saying. The lady got up to go get me a donation and came back with a big bag of change asking if it was enough. Visually it did, I wasn’t too worried because I had been getting quite a few large donations previously. I began telling her about my own personal testimony of how each book has changed my life and brought me closer to God.

She decided to get Health and Peace, Lessons of Love and Peace Above the Storm. I asked her how she was coping with everything, the day she would become legally blind. She shared with me all her worries. I asked her husband if he would promise to read the books to his wife when she can no longer read them. Then we prayed for each other.

I left that home feeling blessed. I could hear her telling her husband I was doing a great work. It just reinforces that this work impacts people’s life.

- Steven 

It was my first time canvassing with Eastward. Andy and I were canvassing together. Not many people were receptive. We were on this specific street where others had already canvassed, but we kept persevering. We met this guy, a recent graduate from high school, he was very open minded.

We pulled out The Great Controversy and told him what it was all about.

“This book has really changed my life and given me a purpose. It’s a life changing book. The reason why we do what we do,” I testified to him.

We canvassed him the other books as well. He went inside his house and got as much money as he could. He came out and he got The Great Controversy.

He told us he wanted to start coming to church and do Bible studies!

- Geoffrey 

I met a man who I chatted with for a while before canvassing. I showed him my books, but he didn’t have any money. So, I just put my books away and started talking to him. We talked about his background and where he’s at with life. We talked for ages. I gave him a Path to Peace and started walking down the steps. I had the impression to survey him, so, I called out to him to get his attention before he closed his door.

“I want to do one last thing while I’m here with you” I told him.

I showed him the survey and asked which programs he was interested in.

“I really want to do Bible studies,” he said. “When can I do my first Bible study?”

"Oh man, I don't even know," I thought to myself.

So, we got his contact details. He’s just ripe and ready, he wants a church to go to!

- Bailey

Eastward Mission publishes weekly canvassing experiences on both Facebook and Instagram, often just a day after they happen! We hope the book stats come alive in these stories.