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Show Mormon Culture Week Missionary Project Successful on Cal State Campus BY KEN CLEMENTS Church News Correspondent Cheryl Worsley participates in a Family Home Evening demonstration. LOS ANGELES, CALIF. O ne of the most ambitious and un- usual missionary projects ever undertaken in this area was conducted 9 on the campus of California Oct. State College at Los Angeles, which has a more than 26,000 enrollment. Mormon Culture Week was sponsored jointly by the California East Mission, the Los Angeles East Stake and the LDS Institute of Religion at Cal State LA. With the permission of college authorities, displays were set up at key points throughout the campus. Ground rules stipulated that no proselyting be conducted. The project was presented under the direction of Gerald E. Melchim, president of the California East Mission, and Pres. William E. Perkes of the Los Angeles East Stake. Displays depicted Book of Mormon doctrine, Mormon pioneer heritage, and activities of the Relief Society. Primary, and the Aaronic and Melehizedek Priest16-1- hood MIAs. The display areas were manned by e riiissionaries. and part-tim- e They reported up to 150 inquiries from the students per hour. We met all questions with openness and sincerity, summarized Gary Castillo, representative for the Institute of Religion. Many misconceptions were cleared away during the week," he said. For example, we had many opportunities to clarify Book of Mormon precepts in the eyes cf persons of Mexican ancestry." One young man said that he had a Bible and a Book of Mormon at home. Im going to read the Book of Mormon now, he declared. Supplementing the displays was a series of evening activities which helped to humanize the program through personal testimony. On Tuesday evening. Oct. 16, Navy Lt. Cmdr. David J. Rollins told how he retained his faith during his six years as a prisoner of war in North Vietnam. My captors tried to tell me my wife both full-tim- had divorced me, drawled the handsome naval officer. But I knew better, he said. We have been married for time and all eternity. On the following evening, Annetta Gibson, Relief Society president of the a . Los moderated Stake, Ar.geles Mormon Womens Night forum. Participating were Claudia Black, Californias Young Mother of the Year; Thelma Whitaker, mother of young actor Johnny Whitaker; Sandi Griffiths of the Lawrence Welk television show, and Mildred Pettit, composer of the music of 1 Am a Child of God. On Thursday, two local families pre- sented authentic demonstrations of how they conduct Family Home Evening. The enthusiasm of the Winston Christensen and the Steve Worsley families spilled over into the audience. Many in attendance supplied coaching during the family games, and they joined in the singing on stage. If people would live by these principles and doctrines, there wouldnt be wars, and the world would be a much better place in which to live," was a typical comment received by Elder L. Anderson of Nowlon, Wis. Friday evening was devoted to a combination film and live talent program entitled, Mormons in Mexico." This was received with great interest by targe of the school's groups , Mexiean-American- Mormon Culture Week" closed later that evening with a concert by the Los Angeles Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra. However, all The introduction such a dramatic size of Cal State confrontations. disagreed with our. views," said Elder Dale L. Hynes of Kelowna, B.C. However, I was able to take a good number of them on tours of the displays. I think the project was well wortn the time. Elder Rick Nofsinger of Denver, Colo, recalled an incident in which a student offered heated disagreement to Mormon views. The student was called aside by two friends who explained our logic, and the man ended up aceept- Many Elder James Schumacher points out interesting exhibit highlights to a group of students. 10 - CHURCH WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 27, 1973 was not smooth sailing. of Mormon principles in manner at a college the L.A. was bound to bring people Two non-memb- listen intently ers as display is explained. ing our ideas of migration and civilization, Elder Nofsinger said. I felt the week was highly successful ofin wiping out peoples' prejudices, fered Elder Mark T. Warner of Orem, Utah. I feel that many of the students now have a seed planted inside them and, when other missionaries knock on their doors, they will be welcomed, was the comment of Elder Neil Whitaker of Bountiful, Utah. |