--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Zina Crocheron Walker collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 7 number: 2 published: 1903-12 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'Zina Crocheron Walker, "Life Lessons. A Poem", *Improvement Era* 7, no. 2 (December 1903): 109–110.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera0702unse transcription: Transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of each issue (the item for each issue is named in the issue's own source); unnumbered advertising leaves are omitted, printed page numbers are kept as page markers. identifier: improvementera0702unse start_page: 109 end_page: 110 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1903-12) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera0702unse publication_year: 1903 note: The Internet Archive item metadata carries a blanket "© Copyright by Intellectual Reserve, Inc." notice. The library owner judged it inapplicable because this issue was published in 1903, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # Life Lessons. A Poem — PRESIDENT LYMAN'S TRAVELS AND MINISTRY. 109 loading the hay. Clad in raiment of many colors, they give a strange and interesting touch to the landscape. From Warsaw to Rotterdam it is about thirty-four hours ride, Berlin being about half way between. We saw the rich land of Germany from the eastern to the western boundaries. The bounti- ful crops were striking in contrast with those we had seen in Rus- sia. In Holland, among the Elders and Saints, the special features of President Lyman's journey ended. In time, Russia will be visited by the Elders of Israel. The prospect of success is by no means a hopeless one. Though we learned of difficulties we had not known before, we also gained a favorable impression of the people. A kindly-tempered, obliging, courteous folk the Russians are, with deep-seated, though often perverted, religious tendencies. Besides Judah, we were convinced there is much of the blood of Israel among at least the northern inhabitants of the empire, and we felt that many will yet be gath- ered, through the grace and power of the Lord, to enjoy the bless- ings of the everlasting covenant. LIFE LESSONS. [For the Improvement Era.] We cannot follow the kind advice Our friends would gladly give, We have to work each problem out Each day of life we live. The wearing chain of poverty, The care that riches bring, And all the wear and tear of life, The tears, the sighs, the sting. Each has a lesson here to learn, This hard, life-lesson drear For tho' there's sunshine with the rain, A smile for every tear, 110 IMPROVEMENT ERA. We cannot grasp its meaning well, We cannot hear the song Which all the time is being sung To help each life along. Some see no white or silver clouds In God's blue, shining sky; Nor hear the music in the winds As they go singing by. There's music in the waterfall, And paintings in the grass, Canst see and feel his presence pure In everything we pass? God help us not to murmur when Our path in life is drear; But help us carry part the load While we shall travel here. But help us keep our promises When once we've started out, To scatter all the tempter's wiles, And rid our minds of doubt. Yes, let us hope with better cheer, Let faith in life abide, And we shall be repaid at last, And gain the better side. Zina Crocheron Walker.