Are the trolley dollies* getting any results? Or, is it just another waste of life?

by fulltimestudent 37 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  fulltimestudent

  Steve2 initiated a discussion on how our former loving brothers and sisters are behaving, while engaging in the 'trolley work.' (Link: http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/topic/93590001/within-one-minute-jw-trolley-directs-me-jw-org  )

  My own observations are the same as the posters report on Steve2's thread. They stand or sit around and are clearly bored. I watched some yesterday at my local shopping centre. There were 2 Chinese sisters (I live in a Chinese suburb in Sydney) and one brother sitting on a low wall. The two sisters were having quite a conversation, and the brother was flicking up and down his phone.  They didn't even think about the location of their trolley which, considering the flow of pedestrians was facing the wrong way. In the 15 minutes I observed them, no one spoke to them, or even looked at the trolley display.

  I've also seen them on one of the approaches to Sydney uni. Again they just sit down (these ones brought their own chairs) looking bored. 

  My friend watches a couple of guys** who live in the same apartment block as he does. They seem to be using their garage area as a store/collection point for the trolleys. He's watched different people, who have been given a key to the garage, pull up and get one or two trolleys and then drive off. Later, the trolleys are  returned to the garage.

  Another friend reports about 7 or 8 always clustered in a tourist area in the Sydney CBD. 

  BUT, the big question is: Are they getting any results?  Have those who still attend meetings noticed new ones at the meetings? Are there reports of Bible studies being started with people who have contacted Jw.com.? 

  Or, is all just another YAAAAWWWWWNIIINNG WASTE OF TIME !!!!

  * In OZ, the term 'trolley dollies' is a flippant reference to passenger aircraft, cabin crew and derives from their pushing the food and beverage trolley's up and down the aircraft aisles. To make it a bit more flippant, they are imagined as asking the question, "coffee, tea or me."  

  I suppose we could imagine our contemporary former brothers and sisters, asking something similar. How about, "Would you like a tract or a Watchtower, or me?" (smile)
• 

  cappytan

  My mother started a study about 2 months ago with someone she met while wheeling one of these trolleys around. 

  She's still studying with her. 

  But that's the only good experience I've ever heard beyond, "We placed so many magazines today!"

  
  
• 

  Simon

  I've seen them in downtown Calgary and while I was waiting for a train to arrive there wasn't one person that took anything, spoke to them or really even slowed down to read the sign. They just stood there with their arms out like statues. It was almost street-theatre.

  It gives them something else to occupy their own time which is really the main aim of it. But less difficult to do that walking round streets so maybe they can get more people to waste their time doing it.
• 

  konceptual99

  BUT, the big question is: Are they getting any results?  Have those who still attend meetings noticed new ones at the meetings? Are there reports of Bible studies being started with people who have contacted Jw.com.? 

  Of course there are reports of success with the trolleys and metropolitan witnessing.  There are regularly positive reports from the platform or as an anecdote from someone in the congregation about someone who took some literature or how Bethel have had requests for Bible Studies coming in from people who have seen a cart.

  Strange thing is I have never met anyone who either has a first hand Bible Study or even directly knows someone who is having a Bible Study with someone contacted on the carts.
• 

  sir82

  I'm beginning to think that "trolley work" is merely a new perk for the favored ones to get their time in more easily.

  Just like if you are high enough on the Watchtower food chain, you get to work in "administration" or some such tommyrot during an assembly or convention, and don't have to listen to the soul-draining pablum warbling out thru the speakers.

  I.e., if you prove yourself loyal enough to the organization, you get to take things a bit easier.

  Kind of like in 1984 - the higher-up party members got real booze instead of "victory gin".
  
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  antes8080

  I got two experiences 

  one of those s slips came in to visit someone they talk to in the carts, the guy was actually suprise someone show up at his door and after that he never was found.

  two, some sis gave me a RV from the carts dint do it but she kept asking so i whent and the guy was a total nut job, never whent back.

  they do place lots of mags and am sure there going make up some out of these world experiences.

  it is holly spirit directed. 
• 

  freemindfade

  I heard of some dubs that I knew who's cart was attacked and actually knocked over by the neighborhood drunk, he was later incarcerated for also attacking two muslim women in the same area. I see this as a lightening rod for ridicule, and also a source of provocation from the growing number of apostates and ex jws. 
• 

  StarTrekAngel

  If you ask me this was never meant to have any results you may be thinking of or at least, just marginal results. It is more a matter of efficiency. 

  - Makes it easy for older pioneers to get their hours in. Resulting on stronger year end reports. Keeps the R&F believing the preaching work is certainly accelerating (as the bible "predicts")

  - Makes it easier for those with marginal hours (auxiliary pioneers) to actually become regular pioneers. Results same as above.

  - But most importantly... if you read some of the statistics considered on this site and others, the number of preaching hours required to make a new convert are on the rise. The number of hours required to reach a house is still the same. Each JW still walks the same territories, same distances, etc. Therefore, if you want to reduce the number of hours that it takes to bring a new convert, you can only try to reduce the number of hours it takes to reach a person. Exposure in public places accomplishes that, thus increasing preaching efficiency. Besides, they used to go around looking for interested people, now the interested ones come to them. 

  In a nutshell, I do not know if it is working or not, but certainly, the purpose behind it seems clear to me.
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  eyeuse2badub

  my  only question is "if the trolley work is so friggin' effective, why did jehober take so long to get it going?"

  It makes witnessing 'easier'? It's always easy to do nothing except to sit on your butt and chat with your friend. 

  just saying!

  eyeuse2badub
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  Crazyguy

  I agree with Startrekangel, they no the results will be pathetic but its designed to keep ones busy. I also think this is why the Borg has changed so much with regard to how they handle their real-estate empire and why they moved out of New York city. The growth is over, funds are not being collected in any major amount so now their implementing plan B.