This story is typical of DCP’s reminiscences about his mission, and I have to admit that, as the B.H. Roberts Chair, I’m embarrassed that I never inquired into the question of Dr. Peterson’s successful conversions. And it turns out that I—or somebody—should have:
Whoa! I’d say this was stunning, except it’s not. I mean, if a smarmy, arrogant, prematurely balding young American showed up on your doorstep with a Book of Mormon in his hand, how would you react? But it’s also a remarkable admission, and it really speaks volumes. How many people, total, did the Mopologists convert on their missions? How many did Gee baptize? What about Midgley? It seems to me that this is a vital question, and the answer may explain a lot about why the Mopologists have leaned so aggressively into other metrics: e.g., how many PhDs are Mormons? How many weeks in a row has Interpreter posted a blog entry? And so on.DCP wrote:I baptized nobody in Switzerland -- though that's a bit too simple. I couldn't tell you whether any of those in whose conversions I participated are still active.
But this is not the same a baptizing someone into the Church. This truly is one of the most shocking admissions I’ve ever seen from Dr. Peterson.