This morning thirteen of us traveled in four vehicles for the two-hour drive to Utah State University. Among us were four additional volunteers who came to help us: two from Boise, Idaho and two from Lyman, Wyoming. Utah State University, with 20,000 students, is a beautiful campus and at an elevation of over 7,000 feet. The students here seem very wholesome. Approximately 70% of the people we spoke with accepted our offer here. We were on campus for four hours and handed out 329 Bibles––102 in the first forty-five minutes.

While two crew members were parking their cars, four pedestrians asked for Bibles. As two other crew members were parking the two vans, at least four students asked, “How can I get my Bible?”

A brother in the Lord from Salt Lake City who is a professor here had arranged authorization for two tables inside the Student Union. This provided an excellent location for propagating the Word. All the students go to the Student Union where many activities take place. Our two tables were placed strategically, one at each end of the corridor, so students coming through passed by a table at least twice.

A girl came back to one of our tables and said that she saw two men reading a Bible. She was excited to discover what we were giving away was a Bible.

One recipient said, “This a great companion.” Another responded, “This is awesome.” Yet another said, “This is really exciting” and upon reading John 3:16 and footnote 2, he was very moved. He said, “I am so excited I think I will read the Bible now.”

After students received their New Testament Recovery Version, it would often be tucked in with their other books and not clearly in view. As they would pass the other Bibles for America tables, some volunteers, unaware they already had received a Bible, would offer them a brochure. Mostly these recipients responded to the additional offers with big smiles, saying, “I’ve got mine” and didn’t seem bothered at all.

A college professor came by and was excited to get a New Testament. A little later, two other professors received Bibles. These two went to another building on campus where they told the first professor to go get one fast. The first professor came back and told us about this. At least seven or eight professors and faculty or staff members got a Bible.

We videotaped four interviews with some young women. In these interviews, we remarked that it was the five-month anniversary since 9/11/01 and asked them how they felt about it. The responses were very touching. One girl thought she would begin to weep. She went into a lot of detail about where she was when she started to see the newscast. She had her new Bible in her arms as she was speaking. All of them appreciated having the Bible and felt like God’s Word is more necessary now. One said that she felt they are more sober and open to Lord.

Two or three girls were at the table and one exclaimed, “0h, this will be great for our Bible study. We can take it to the Bible study.”

We met a dear Christian, originally from State College, PA, whose parents are non-practicing Buddhists. She hardly left our table all day and was signing up people. When someone she knew came by the table, we handed a Bible to her, and she in turn presented it to them. She even walked around passing brochures out for us. Bibles for America has a representative on campus now. She advised us to come back tomorrow, as there would be more students. A verse she enjoyed was 1 John 2:15-17 with the footnote. She took brochures for her Bible study, gave us her name, and asked for prayer.

There was a man who really liked the Recovery Version. He is a teacher here on the campus. He took a stack of brochures to give to his fellow worshippers at the Presbyterian Church.

Rejoicing in the Lord,
The "Salt Lake City Tour" Crew