The Golden Telephone

A man in Topeka , Kansas decided to write a book about 
churches around the country. He started by flying to San Francisco and started working east from there. 


Going to a very large church, he began taking 
photographs and making notes. He spotted a golden telephone on the vestibule wall and was intrigued with 
a sign, which read "Calls: $10,000 a minute." 

Seeking out the pastor he asked about the phone and the sign. 
The pastor answered that this golden phone is, in fact, a direct line to heaven and if he pays the price 
he can talk directly to God. The man thanked the pastor and continued on his way. 

As he continued to visit churches in Seattle, Dallas, St. Louis, Chicago, Milwaukee,and around the United States, he found more 
phones, with the same sign, and the same answer from each pastor. 

Finally, he arrived in Utah , upon entering a church in Salt Lake City, Utah, behold - he saw the usual golden telephone. But THIS time, the sign read "Calls: 35 cents." 

Fascinated, he asked to talk to the bishop, "Bishop, I have been in cities all across the country and in each church I have found 
this golden telephone and have been told it is a direct line to Heaven and that I could talk to God, 
but in the other churches the cost was $10,000 a 
minute. Your sign reads only 35 cents a call. Why?" 


The bishop, smiling benignly, replied, "Son, you're in
Utah now......It's a local call!"