--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 7 number: 3 published: 1904-01 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations, "Our Work," *Improvement Era* 7, no. 3 (January 1904): 229–230.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera0703unse 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: improvementera0703unse start_page: 229 end_page: 230 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1904-01) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera0703unse publication_year: 1904 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 1904, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # Our Work OUR WORK. A LITTLE SERMON TO QUESTIONERS. In a general way, it is safe to say that many members of our asso- ciations have not the enthusiasm to dig for themselves. We mean by this, that most of them who come upon a difficult problem, merely jot it down and determine to ask someone a question, instead of digging into the subject to find the answers for themselves. It is easier to ask a question than to answer it. They take the easiest way. Now, easy ways do not make independent, aggressive, and well-informed men, any more in religious and educational affairs than in actual travel. It is the man who acts for himself, who works his own way, who sees for himself, and who asks questions of others only when he has traversed every avenue to the information, who becomes a power among his fellows. There is too great an inclination among our young men to be merely receptive, and not aggressive; to receive, but not to give out; to have things done for them, but not to do. You try and be one who dares and does. Lead out, and investigate for yourself; by all means have questions, but try and answer them yourself; dig, investigate, lead out. There is great pleasure in the result, and in this way your mental growth will astonish you. Don't be merely a vessel to receive; be als9 a spring to give forth living waters. REPORTS OF LOCAL MISSIONARIES. A very important part of mutual improvement work is the appoint- ment of missionaries, and seeing that they perform their labors to the best interests of the cause. At this season of the year, every association should have the full number in the field. Every officer should be dili- gently searching out delinquents, and striving to obtain access to the hearts and feelings of the indifferent. It should be remembered that 230 IMPROVEMEm ERA. all the officers are missionaries, and are in duty bound to exert themselves in the field just as much as the two or four special local mis- sionaries called for each association. Monthly missionary report blanks are prepared and distributed by the missionary committee. These should bo promptly returned, properly filled, to the stake superintendent, who should forward them monthly to General Secretary Thomas Hull. The labors of each missionary should be reported separately, opposite his name, and space is also provided for the officers of the association to re- port their labors. Following are the points to be reported upon: Number of families of Church members visited; number of families of non-members visited; families of Church members revisited; families of non-members re- visited; number of gospel conversations held; number of prayers with families; number of cottage meetings held; number of missionary coun- cil meetings attended; number of Y. M. M. I. A. meetings attended; number of Church young men labored with; number of non-"Mormon" young men labored with; number of young men converted; number of new members added to the Y. M. M. I. A.; to the Sunday schools; number of baptisms; number of days spent in missionary work; number evenings spent; do the local authorities support you fully? The eagerness and faithfulness with which this work is done and reported will, in a great measure, decide your success as a leader of the mutual improvement cause, and as officers aod associations. HISTORY O? THE PROPHET JOSEPH. This History of the Prophet Joseph Smith, by his mother, Lucy Smith, which was printed as a serial in the Era, Vol. 5., has been issued in book form, and is on sale at the Deseret News Book Store, and at the Era office. Orders sent to Thomas Hull, 214 Templeton Building, Salt Lake City, will receive prompt attention. There is only a limited edition, and as the work is very popular orders should be sent in at once. It has four portraits: Joseph the Prophet; Lucy, his mother; Mrs. Coray, the aman- uensis, and President Joseph F. Smith, who writes an introduction. The price is $1.00 in cloth binding, and the book contains 296 pages of print.