From inquirer to leader
Many years ago, I was in front of the San Diego temple when a devotee asked me if I could speak to a guest who only understood Spanish. The guest had received a book from someone in Mexico and had some questions he wanted answered. By looking in the back of the book he found the address to the San Diego temple, which was closer to him than the temples in Mexico, so he decided to visit. To enter the US, go to the temple, and then return to his home in Mexico all took time, so he had to hurry to get back to his home before it got late. I had only a short time to answer his questions. Three years later, he came back to visit the San Diego temple, all shaved up and with three other devotees he had made in Mexico. From reading the books, he knew that association with devotees is very important, so instead of going long distances to visit devotees he thought, “I’ll make them myself,” and he did. He started a temple there and held a Ratha-yatra.
Maitreya Dasa
