Evening visits

Press, 5 August 1985, Page 12

Evening visits

Sir,—Various activities occur in Christchurch at night, but we do not think proseltising should be one of them. Recently, one of our family was visited by two male members of the Mormon Church. Because the knock on the door was at 7.30 p.m., well after dark, we queried this practice. Our relative had to ask these persons twice to identify themselves. Comments from responsible church members were rather unsatisfactory. A woman told us “the missionaries may be out till 9 p.m. and they’re not paid, you know.” Elder Spackman asserted firmly “You don’t have to answer your door, madam — did they do any harm, and go away when asked?” We feel this response begs the question of whether people, particularly solo parents or the elderly and infirm, might not well feel alarmed and disturbed by such visits, and we would appreciate comment from the president of the Christchurch Stake. — Yours, etc., ALEXIS WERIE, RACHEL WERIE. July 26, 1985.

[This letter was referred to Mr Grant L. Spackman, president of the New Zealand Christchurch Mission of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. He replied that the church had no comment to make for publication, but gave information that will be passed on to the correspondents.]