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PASTOR GENERAL'S REPORT, MAY 3, 1985
UPDATE FROM MAIL PROCESSING
WATS Calls Received in Members' Homes Is Possible New Breakthrough
We are currently conducting a pilot program in which some calls in response
to "The WORLD TOMORROW" program are answered in private homes. WATS calls
coming into the Pasadena Mail Processing Center can now be automatically
diverted to a church member's residence by programming his home phone
number into our recently acquired "automatic call distributor."
There are a number of potential benefits in having church members answer
calls in their homes:
• Almost all calls could be handled by live operators, even with accel-
erated growth in telephone response.
• It provides many additional operators at practically no cost.
• More calls could be taken during periods of unusually high-response.
• "In-home operators" could provide an emergency backup system in case a
number of operators were ill or absent.
• It gives many additional members an opportunity to serve the Church in
a direct way.
• It is much more convenient and less expensive for volunteers to serve
in this way than drive long distances to Pasadena or Big Sandy.
Presently, operators participating in this pilot program are Mail Process
ing employees or volunteers who have been specially trained and serve on a
regular basis. The same strict procedures followed in our WATS department
are maintained for home calls.
As response to "The WORLD TOMORROW" program continues to climb, we foresee
the possibility of setting up "in-home operator" systems in other cities
across the United States. We'll keep you informed if the program proves to
be successful and meets expected standards.
Abortion Article Evokes Heavy Response
As expected, the article on abortion in the May PLAIN TRUTH brought in a
flood of letters. Many readers were shocked and deeply moved at how wide
spread the practice of abortion has become. While a few expressed contrary
beliefs, the majority were very supportive and definitely agreed with the
article. Following are some of the letters we received:
I congratulate you on the May 1985 abortion article. Your de
scription of what commonly happens to a fetus in an abortion was
the most gruesome, horrible thing I have heard described. But as
unsettling as this is, people need to know. I would not even
mutilate an animal like this, let alone a human. No creature de
serves this sort of death•••• Every time I read about abortion, I
find the situation much more appalling and gruesome than I had
ever previously imagined. And incidentally, I am a "feminist."
L.M. (Beverly Hills, CA}