Pioneer Pace!

by The JellyBaby 17 Replies latest jw experiences

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  AK - Jeff

  The time-wasting techinique I noticed most was driving from one end of the congregation's territor to the other making return visits. No one consolidated their calls by region.

  Right on Blondie - but you forgot the need to stuff 6 people in the mini van and the ones in the back with no calls get to count 3 hours without ever getting out!

  So if u do the math - 1,000,000,000 hour divided by 6 divided by actual 15 miutes of witnessing per morning = 138,000,000 actual hours in service.

  Maybe the Mormons actually have it right - at least they go to some houses every day.

  Just my Opinion

  Jeff
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  simplesally

  We called it the Pioneer Shuffle as well. I have to say, when you spend 90 hours, now 70, you have to shuffle, you have to find a way to enjoy your surroundings. Actually, it was quite peaceful being able to take walks and enjoy the flowers and pretty homes. It was also a way that when I talked to elderly to come out with me, that didn't intimidate them.......they always were able to keep pace.
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  seeitallclearlynow

  Ruth Buzzie's character Gladys Ormphby In Rowan And Martin's Laugh in was the inspiration.

  I had no idea that's where it came from! I love it.

  And I agree, simplesally, it made it more pleasant. I enjoyed being out on pretty days for the same reasons. "Smelled all the flowers!"
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  steve2

  Hey, I don't often see the JWs out witnessing these days - activity seems to have slowed right down here in New Zealand. Maybe it's because, as well as in the door-to-door ministry, they do they pioneer shuffle everywhere they go - hence they now don't quite get to where they planned to go.

  Anyway, when I have seen then, the wander the street in untidy dribs and drabs, sauntering along at a snail's pace. Don't they realise how unmotivated and lethargic they look? I swear that the Mormons move ten times faster - and that's even towards houses that are palpably without attractive females (ouch - I couldn't help that). steve2
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  Simon

  he he he

  Around here it was called the "pioneer shuffle". They could be out for 'hours' (*adjusted figure) and only walk 100 yards and do 2 doors !
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  TheOldHippie

  I hope it is by mistake you have forgotten the classic way to spend a day in the rural district: First, at 9 AM, at the parking lot, you start the day by quickly asking a half-dumb fragile old lady passing by if she wants the magazines; then you drive for an hour and a half to a very rural district where you either have to walk for half an hour between each house or drive slowly on every forest/lumber road you find to see if there are any signs of life or electricity wires indicating there at one epoch in world history was a house there; you might spend an hour or two trying to find a subscriber, whom you eventually find out did move to town half a year ago; and as afternoon approaches, you drive an hour and a half back to town and jump out at the parking lot at 5 or 6 PM and asks another half-dumb fragile old lady passing by if she wants the magazines.

  I remember once, that we walked for an hour and a half to an isolated house only to find the owner shouting at us to get out of his property. So we walked for the next hour and a half to get back to the meeting place - only to find the others had in fact forgotten all about us, since we were away for so long, and had driven back to town. We started to walk, this was before the days of the mobile phones. When we had walked for two more hours (this is no joke), at 7 PM, we saw headlights ahead, and the other ones came. When they had come back to town, they suddenly realized the two of us were not there, and made it back for us. So 5 guys and a day of 11 hours each, totalling 55 hours spent and having talked to a handfull of people for all in all say two hours ..... Great organized!
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  steve2

  "So 5 guys and a day of 11 hours each, totalling 55 hours spent and having talked to a handfull of people for all in all say two hours ..... Great organized!"

  That's got to be a record! Can anyone else better that as a true-life example of purposeful avoidance of door-knocking by "active" JWS? steve2
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  franklin J

  Alan F

  ....yes, I was one of those Long Island pioneers in the late 60s and 70s along with your cousins....thanks for the memories....

  We all did have that slow casual pace ( well, we were going to live forever, what was the rush?). But what really identified those of us privledged to be "full time pioneers" was the late model 4 door sedan; double knit polyester suits ( double breasted, if you dared) and those naugahyde book bags...and the constant whine for more gas money.

  ....who could afford to pioneer with gas prices what they are now?

  Frank