Practicing Anna's presentation builds confidence

Here is a report from a group of friends who hail from 2 C clusters in the Northwest region. Their participation a refresher course to practice giving Anna’s presentation has had some wonderful and intriguing results.

On Saturday, June 21, 2008, 19 enthusiastic people gathered in Billings, MT from two C clusters, MT 01 and WY 02, to participate in a Book 6 "Refresher". We dedicated our efforts to Betty Penner, a fearless teacher of the Faith in Montana who had advanced to the Abhá Kingdom earlier in the week. Prior to Saturday, The MT 01 cluster members were invited to participate in this first collective teaching activity based on Book 6. Those friends who were unable to attend the training session were asked to support the effort with prayers. They were also requested to provide support to the activity by either having someone present to them, or provide food for the lunch. Many community members were interested, offered their support and want to participate in the next session. Before the weekend, participants were asked to set up a time on Sunday morning to make the presentation with an individual they thought would be willing to listen to it.

Saturday morning was spent learning about the presentation from Book 6, guidance on direct teaching and hearing stories from two individuals who had participated in intensive programs of growth in Washington. The afternoon was spent practicing the presentation with partners. Sunday morning 6 of the friends made presentations to 7 individuals. There was a wide variety of people who heard the presentations including a newer believer in the community, friends of the Bahá'ís, the husband of a believer, a person who has been attending a Book 1 study circle, and a Bahá'í. One of the presentations resulted in a joyous declaration. At the end of the presentation, the teacher asked this man what he thought about becoming a Bahá’í. He replied that he had been thinking about it. Then the presenter said, "Why not today?"—whereupon the man declared. During conversation after his declaration, the presenter asked him what made him want to declare. The man's reply was, “The story of the Báb, and the way the Bahá'ís had always treated me with respect and kindness." The presenter also shared that during the week preceding the teaching effort, he had prayed for this individual and visualized him signing a declaration card.

On Sunday afternoon, the friends gathered to reflect on their experience. All of the friends reported that the experience was positive and increased their enthusiasm to teach. Some of the friends had wondered if the flip books would decrease their spontaneity in teaching or make them less receptive to the needs of the person they were teaching. Some stated that although they had been comfortable teaching the Faith before, the flip book and the outline of the presentation kept them focused on presenting the Faith in a systematic way. Many now want to develop their own personal flip books. Several of the participants have already planned more ways to use the presentation. The friends also found that the collective and focused community effort for a teaching activity was invigorating. They are looking forward to another collective teaching event.

D

Two new resources for teachers

On the Resources section of this site (below, right margin) are links to two new sets of materials to assist with teaching activities. The first is a set of Web videos developed by the Canadian Bahá’í community’s Department of External Affairs, titled “Transforming Neighborhoods”. Its purpose is to answer the question often asked by the general public: “What do Bahá’ís do?”. The site shows short, simple video interviews with Bahá’ís and members of the wider society engaged in the core activities and explores how these activities lead to a neighborhood’s transformation. The videos are made easy to share and you can also submit your own videos on the website.

The second is a link to a wide array of teaching materials located on the cluster Web site of Scottsdale (AZ 09).

Core group sets *C cluster on fire

No matter what stage a cluster is at, teaching and implementing the elements of the plan moves it forward. Experience throughout the world has shown that even if their numbers are small, a committed core group of believers can successfully carry out a collective teaching campaign and advance their cluster. This comes through loud and clear in this report from Muskegon, MI (*C), where the friends have just completed a direct teaching effort.

Dear Friends,

Alláh'u'Abhá!

It was the absolute thrill of my summer to go teaching with you this past Saturday. Among the blessings that added to the success of this initial campaign are:

18 Bahá’ís participated in the training, including five from other clusters.

Participation by 6 Local Spiritual Assembly members (representing 2 Local Assemblies).

Participation by an Auxiliary Board member and two assistants.

Participation by one youth.

Participation by one member of the regional training institute.

Two believers who prayed at home during the start of the teaching campaign.

The hospitality of B who opened her home and generously provided food for all participants.

15 teachers went into the field of direct teaching. 4 teams of 3 went door to door. One team of 3 did taught in a local park. 18 people answered their doors. One of them declared his faith in Bahá’u’lláh. 7 of the 18 responses were positive. That's an astounding 38% positive response rate. Follow up visits with the 7 people began within two days of the teaching and is continuing. We identified 5 children whose parents want them to attend Bahá’í children's classes. At least 10 Bahá’ís committed themselves to teaching and follow-up consolidation for the next 6 months. Most if not all of the friends who participated are very excited about continuing to teach.

As a result of this experience we have a core of trained and dedicated teachers who are fired up about teaching. We have identified a receptive area. We have expanded our community of interest by 7 adults and 5 children. We have increased the number of homes being visited in our cluster. We have set the stage for neighborhood children's classes.

Blessings and Peace to you all.

D

Confirmations from Direct Teaching

When the friends rise up to enter the field of action in a spirit of unity and teamwork, their efforts bring about tangible results that can reinforce their confidence. Take a look at Dallas County Southwest, TX (B) where the friends are beginning to engage in direct teaching.

Dear Friends,

Felicitations! The first direct teaching project in an apartment complex today resulted in 3 declarations. Members from Regional Bahá’í Council, area teaching committee and the assistant to the Auxiliary Board supported the 5 teaching teams. Friends ranging from 8 years old to 80 years old came out to teach.

There were 66 doors visited.

33 were not home or unavailable

Anna’s presentation was given at 9 different homes

3 people declared.

12 requested revisits.

The next teaching activity is tomorrow June 22 at 1:30 pm. Please come!

Wrong house, right result

This story from the Central region is a good reminder that, if you’re going to visit a seeker, make sure you go to the right house! That is, unless Bahá’u’lláh has other plans . . . In any case, I want my bagel.

A, a seeker, decided he would like to be put in touch with a local believer. So I called upon B, a Bahá’í in the area, and soon they were corresponding by email. A invited B to come for a bagel brunch at his apartment, and they would meet in person to talk about the Faith.

When B arrived, he went to what he thought was the correct apartment and was met at the door by a man, C, who immediately invited him in and asked him to sit down. Assuming C was actually A, B sat down and they began to talk about the Faith. This very pleasant exchange continued for almost an hour and B left, assuring C that he would return, and perhaps vaguely wondering what had happened to the bagels.

Meanwhile, A and his family and the bagels were waiting. Concerned that something must have happened to B, A emailed him asking what had happened and was he all right. When B read the email, he was confused and wrote back referencing the conversation he just had. A was equally confused by the response.

At this point, A called me asking if B was okay and explained the story. I told him I would find out and get back to him. I called B and soon learned that he thought they had met as planned. Eventually we figured out what had happened. B called A and they straightened it out, arranging another meeting. What’s more, A already knew C, so he asked him why he didn’t say anything. So now B has two people in that apartment complex to visit!

Shortly after, I got a note from A saying, “My intro to the Bahá’í Faith is now truly something I’ll never forget, in the warmest most lovely and humorous way. I’ve been laughing all evening.”

E

Local Spiritual Assembly members actively support consolidation

Inspiring news from San Diego, CA (A), which is currently in a consolidation phase of the eighth cycle of its intensive program of growth. The entire membership of one of the Local Spiritual Assemblies in that cluster came to participate in the consolidation work, thereby providing encouragement to all the friends. The systematic and continuous consolidation activities are, among other things, resulting in further declarations. The momentum seems unstoppable! Some photos of the Assembly members, teachers and new believers in the neighborhood have been posted to the slide show section of this site.

Beloved Friends and cherished fellow spiritual descendants of the Dawnbreakers,

There has been so much incredible news during this consolidation phase that we've hardly had time to write it down to share!

Last Saturday all 9 members of the Local Spiritual Assembly came to one neighborhood to meet our beautiful new Bahá’ís and to go and visit others members of the community that we had not yet had a chance to meet. It was a day that was nothing short of paradise.

Truly friends, this exemplary action by all 9 members of our Local Spiritual Assembly in San Diego brings our cluster untold blessings and brought such joy to the heart of our National Spiritual Assembly who expressed the following: "Truly, yours is an example worthy to be held up for emulation by your sister Assemblies around the country, and we applaud you for your dedicated efforts." Attached is a picture of our Assembly members and teachers from Saturday.

This historic action and historic day was further blessed by 6 more new Bahá’ís who enrolled that day. Plus, we started two more Ruhi 1 study circles. Since then there have been teachers carrying out home visits for consolidation in this neighborhood every day of the week. This is truly an extraordinary victory, historic and unprecedented! Just two days ago there were 4 more new believers as a result of the consolidation visits.

There are now 69 new believers during this 8th cycle of our intensive program of growth. 57 enrolled during the expansion phase, and 12 enrolled during the consolidation phase.

With abounding joy and love,

The Area Teaching Committee

Southern Nevada IPG, days 14 to 16

Further news from Southern Nevada (A), which has brought the expansion phase of the second cycle of its intensive program of growth to a glorious conclusion. Active and joyful teachers, new enrolments, multiplication of core activities, and a continuous vision for consolidation—these all add up to exciting news indeed.

Dearest Friends,

We have come to an end of our second intensive program of growth. Seven teaching teams, composed of 23 Bahá’ís, persevered in their mission to teach and consolidate yearning souls. In the past 16 days we have had a total of 41 new Bahá’ís, including 23 adults, 2 youth, 2 junior youth, and 14 children!

Here is a story from one of our teaching teams:

“We had several home visits to do and follow-ups from previous visits. Before we visited one home, we read the notes from the last teaching team that had visited this seeker. The notes mentioned that the seeker had a very busy work schedule. We knocked on the door and introduced ourselves. The seeker invited us in and was very nice, and we started Anna’s presentation. I pushed all doubting thoughts out of my mind, put my trust in God, and did the presentation. When we finished, there was a pause, and silence. I asked him, ‘Do you believe that Bahá’u’lláh is the Manifestation of God for this day?’ He replied that he did. Before we left, our newest Bahá’í brother, who told us he never had any time, said he was going to make time to join a study circle and attend the prayer gatherings.”

Many other victories were won in the equally important arena of consolidation. Countless study circles and devotional meetings were started with the new believers throughout the past 16 days. The children’s classes also added new students with many more looking to join in the coming weeks.

None of this could have been done without the endless love and tireless service of the teachers and the dear friends who provided support to those in the field. On behalf of our cluster, we send a special thank you to our beloved Auxiliary Board members. Their beautiful example, which only begins with sacrificing time and effort to help us, is a constant reminder of the blessings Bahá’u’lláh continually showers on the Southern Nevada cluster!

Now, we officially enter the consolidation phase of the second intensive program of growth tomorrow, June 9. The consolidation phase will last approximately ten weeks. Our goal for this phase will be to nurture the new Bahá’ís into confirmed and steadfast believers who, in their turn, will arise to serve. For some, this process will be gradual. For others, it will be immediate. Ours is the task to provide them with the four core activities, all with love, patience and perseverance. You are warmly invited and encouraged to step forward to help, regardless of your abilities and time constraints. All can help!

With gratitude,

Your area teaching committee