A pastor concluded that his church was getting into very serious
>>>>financial
>>>>troubles While checking the church storeroom, he discovered several
>>>>cartons
>>>>of new bibles that had never been opened and distributed.
>>>>
>>>>So at his Sunday sermon, he asked for three volunteers from the
>>>>congregation who would be willing to sell the bibles door-to-door for
>>>>$10
>>>>each to raise the desperately needed money for the church.
>>>>
>>>>Jack, Paul and Louie all raised their hands to volunteer for the task.
>>>>
>>>>The minister knew that Jack and Paul earned their living as salesmen and
>>>>were likely capable of selling some bibles. But he had serious doubts
>>>>about Louie who was a local farmer, who had always kept to himself
>>>>because
>>>>he was embarrassed by his speech impediment. Poor Louis stuttered
>>>>badly.
>>>>But, NOT WANTING TO discourage Louis, the minister decided to let him
>>>>try
>>>>anyway.
>>>>
>>>>He sent the three of them away with the back seat of their cars stacked
>>>>with bibles. He asked them to meet with him and report the results of
>>>>their door-to-door selling efforts the following Sunday.
>>>>
>>>>Anxious to find out how successful they were, the minister immediately
>>>>asked Jack, "Well, Jack, how did you make out selling our bibles last
>>>>week?"
>>>>
>>>>Proudly handing the reverend an envelope, Jack replied, "Using my sales
>>>>prowess, I was able to sell
>>>>20 bibles, and here's the $200 I collected on behalf of the church."
>>>>
>>>>"Fine job, Jack!" The minister said, vigorously shaking his hand. "You
>>>>are
>>>>indeed a fine salesman and the Church is indebted to you."
>>>>
>>>>Turning to Paul, "And Paul, how many bibles did you sell for the Church
>>>>last week?"
>>>>
>>>>Paul, smiling and sticking out his chest, confidently replied, "I am a
>>>>professional salesman.
>>>>I sold 28 bibles on behalf of the church, and here's $280 I collected."
>>>>
>>>>The minister responded, "That's absolutely splendid, Paul. You are
>>>>truly a
>>>>professional salesman and the church is indebted to you."
>>>>
>>>>Apprehensively, the minister turned to Louie and said, "And Louie, did
>>>>you
>>>>manage to sell any bibles last week?" Louie silently offered the
>>>>minister a
>>>>large envelope.
>>>>
>>>>The minister opened it and counted the contents.
>>>>"What is this?" the minister exclaimed. "Louie, there's $3200 in here!
>>>>Are you suggesting that you sold 320 bibles for the church, door to
>>>>door,
>>>>in just one week?"
>>>>
>>>>Louie just nodded. That's impossible!" both Jack and Paul said in
>>>>unison.
>>>>"We are professional salesmen, yet you claim to have sold 10 times as
>>>>many
>>>>bibles as we could."
>>>>
>>>>"Yes, this does seem unlikely," the minister!
>>>>agreed. "I think you'd better explain how you managed to accomplish
>>>>this,
>>>>Louie."
>>>>
>>>>Louie shrugged. "I-I-I re-re-really do-do-don't kn-kn-know f-f-f-for
>>>>sh-sh-sh-sure," he stammered.
>>>>
>>>>Impatiently, Paul interrupted. "For crying out loud, Louie, just tell
>>>>us
>>>>what you said to them when they answered the door!"
>>>>
>>>>"A-a-a-all I-I-I s-s-said wa-wa-was," Louis replied,
>>>> "W-w-w-w-would y-y-y-you l-l-l-l-l-like t-t-to b-b-b-buy th-th-th-this
>>>>b-b-b-b-bible
>>>> F-f-for t-t-ten b-b-b-bucks ---o-o-o-or--- wo-wo-would yo-you
>>>> j-j-j-just
>>>>l-like
>>>> m-m-me t-t-to st-st-stand h-h-here and r-r-r-r-r-read it t-to
>>>> y-y-you??"
>>>>financial
>>>>troubles While checking the church storeroom, he discovered several
>>>>cartons
>>>>of new bibles that had never been opened and distributed.
>>>>
>>>>So at his Sunday sermon, he asked for three volunteers from the
>>>>congregation who would be willing to sell the bibles door-to-door for
>>>>$10
>>>>each to raise the desperately needed money for the church.
>>>>
>>>>Jack, Paul and Louie all raised their hands to volunteer for the task.
>>>>
>>>>The minister knew that Jack and Paul earned their living as salesmen and
>>>>were likely capable of selling some bibles. But he had serious doubts
>>>>about Louie who was a local farmer, who had always kept to himself
>>>>because
>>>>he was embarrassed by his speech impediment. Poor Louis stuttered
>>>>badly.
>>>>But, NOT WANTING TO discourage Louis, the minister decided to let him
>>>>try
>>>>anyway.
>>>>
>>>>He sent the three of them away with the back seat of their cars stacked
>>>>with bibles. He asked them to meet with him and report the results of
>>>>their door-to-door selling efforts the following Sunday.
>>>>
>>>>Anxious to find out how successful they were, the minister immediately
>>>>asked Jack, "Well, Jack, how did you make out selling our bibles last
>>>>week?"
>>>>
>>>>Proudly handing the reverend an envelope, Jack replied, "Using my sales
>>>>prowess, I was able to sell
>>>>20 bibles, and here's the $200 I collected on behalf of the church."
>>>>
>>>>"Fine job, Jack!" The minister said, vigorously shaking his hand. "You
>>>>are
>>>>indeed a fine salesman and the Church is indebted to you."
>>>>
>>>>Turning to Paul, "And Paul, how many bibles did you sell for the Church
>>>>last week?"
>>>>
>>>>Paul, smiling and sticking out his chest, confidently replied, "I am a
>>>>professional salesman.
>>>>I sold 28 bibles on behalf of the church, and here's $280 I collected."
>>>>
>>>>The minister responded, "That's absolutely splendid, Paul. You are
>>>>truly a
>>>>professional salesman and the church is indebted to you."
>>>>
>>>>Apprehensively, the minister turned to Louie and said, "And Louie, did
>>>>you
>>>>manage to sell any bibles last week?" Louie silently offered the
>>>>minister a
>>>>large envelope.
>>>>
>>>>The minister opened it and counted the contents.
>>>>"What is this?" the minister exclaimed. "Louie, there's $3200 in here!
>>>>Are you suggesting that you sold 320 bibles for the church, door to
>>>>door,
>>>>in just one week?"
>>>>
>>>>Louie just nodded. That's impossible!" both Jack and Paul said in
>>>>unison.
>>>>"We are professional salesmen, yet you claim to have sold 10 times as
>>>>many
>>>>bibles as we could."
>>>>
>>>>"Yes, this does seem unlikely," the minister!
>>>>agreed. "I think you'd better explain how you managed to accomplish
>>>>this,
>>>>Louie."
>>>>
>>>>Louie shrugged. "I-I-I re-re-really do-do-don't kn-kn-know f-f-f-for
>>>>sh-sh-sh-sure," he stammered.
>>>>
>>>>Impatiently, Paul interrupted. "For crying out loud, Louie, just tell
>>>>us
>>>>what you said to them when they answered the door!"
>>>>
>>>>"A-a-a-all I-I-I s-s-said wa-wa-was," Louis replied,
>>>> "W-w-w-w-would y-y-y-you l-l-l-l-l-like t-t-to b-b-b-buy th-th-th-this
>>>>b-b-b-b-bible
>>>> F-f-for t-t-ten b-b-b-bucks ---o-o-o-or--- wo-wo-would yo-you
>>>> j-j-j-just
>>>>l-like
>>>> m-m-me t-t-to st-st-stand h-h-here and r-r-r-r-r-read it t-to
>>>> y-y-you??"