Baba was also making plans to visit America in 1956. On 20 December, he cabled Elizabeth Patterson in Myrtle Beach: "I definitely intend to come to the West middle of next year. Inform everyone in America."

On the 30th, Baba sent another telegram to Elizabeth as follows:

Baba wants you to know and to let everyone know as usual that he will be coming to the West next summer. No women will accompany him this time. He will bring three men, and it will be a special but short visit. On his way over, Baba intends to stop in England for two days. (He will not visit Europe.) He will stop four days in New York, four days in Myrtle Beach and seven days in California, spending roughly three days in northern California [at Ivy Duce's] and three days in southern California [at Ruth White's]. This is the gist of the plan. Details later.

Don Stevens was informed that Baba wished him to be with him during the entire American trip. Don proposed the idea of having Baba meet with university students in religious study classes. Baba replied (thorough Mani): "I do not mind who or how many people come to see me, but I am coming mainly to give my sahavas to my near and dear ones whose love draws me once more to the land of America."

On 26 December, Baba asked for the copies of God Speaks that had been received, and distributed some of them to the mandali — the signed copies to Mehera, Mani and Eruch, an unsigned copy to Rano, and one copy to be shared among the other men and women mandali. Baba, however, asked them not to read it before 8 January. Five thousand copies of the book had been printed for the first edition.

On the 26th, Nilu left for Bombay for a one-month visit. Jalbhai, Beheram and Adi Jr. saw Baba on the morning of the 30th, and Majety Ramamohan Rao, Chinta Sarvarao and Dr. Kanakadandi saw Baba on 1 January.

Mehera's birthday, 25 December 1955, Satara

On Tuesday, 3 January 1956, Baba, accompanied by Eruch, Kumar and Ramjoo, left Satara for Meherazad. Waman Padale, the young man who was working in Adi's office in Ahmednagar, had been sent from Ahmednagar with Adi's Chevrolet. He and Baba sat in the front and the other three at the back. Waman had been ordered by Baba not to smoke, but while attending Ahmednagar College, one of his friends had pressured him to try it. During the drive, knowing Waman had broken his order, Baba brought up the subject and scolded him (through Ramjoo's booming voice) for almost six miles. Tears streamed down Waman's cheeks as he was driving.

Baba then asked Ramjoo for a cigarette. Ramjoo handed Baba one of his Charminars (an Indian brand). Baba lit it himself and kept it in his mouth, taking a few puffs and then handing it to Waman. "Finish it," he gestured.