--- 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: 8 number: 8 published: 1905-06 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—Annual M. I. A. Conference," *Improvement Era* 8, no. 8 (June 1905): 633–634.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera0808unse 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: improvementera0808unse start_page: 633 end_page: 634 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1905-06) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera0808unse publication_year: 1905 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 1905, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # Our Work—Annual M. I. A. Conference " OUR WORK. THE ANNUAL M. I. A. CONFERENCE. Let ?11 the officers of the M. I. A., as well as the members, make it a point to attend the annual confererce in Salt Lake City, on June 9, 10 and 11. A good time is assured. On the evening of Friday the Emma Lucy Gates' concert will be held, in the Tabernacle, and Saturday evening a grand reception and dance in honor of the visiting officers, in the Granite Stake house. The officers' meetings begin on Friday, 10 a. m. Among the subjects to be presented will be the following: "Substitute for Formal Missionary Work: (1) General Individual Work; Personal Attention by Officers to Members — Arousing of Universal Patriotism," "Obstacles in the Way of Mutual Improvement: (a) In our Country Wards; (b) In our City Wards." "Indispensability of Regular Ward and Stake Officers' Meetings, and a Pvegular Order of Business." "The Fall Conventions." On Saturday, beginning at 10 a. m., there will be "Ten, twoMinute Talks on Manual Difficulties," with a response by a member of . the General Board. Come prepared to take part not only in this but in all the subjects, for general discussion will follow each to[)ic. "The Excuse Hunter —Kill Him Off," will follow, and then will be treated "M. I. A. Machinery," and "The Spirit Giveth Life." On Sunday, June 11, there will be three conjoint meetings, the first a conjoint officers' meeting, at 10 a. m., in the Assemby Hall, with tha following program. —Greetings; 2— (Papers, 15 Minutes), "How May Our Associa1 tions Create a Popular Sentiment for Right Things?" Mathonihah — Thomas; Discussion, 10 minutes; 3 — Music; 4 "The Member with a Purpose," Mary E. Connelly; Paper and Discussion; 5 — "Management of Preliminary Programs," Sasie Heath; "Management of Conjoint Meetings," B. F. Grant; Verbal instructions, 15 minutes each; 6 —Ten Minutes Devoted to One-Minute Talks on, "Results of Last Year's Resolution on 'Reverence for Sacred things.' Resolved: That we will exert every effort to persuade the members of our associations to join in developing in the hearts of the young people a sentiment of reverence for sacred places and sacred things; and to unite with us in refraining from talk, laughter, and all unseemlyconduct in our worshiping assemblages; and in keeping all our places of worship clean, well ventilated and attractive. Open to all officers. 2 P. M. — TABERNACLE. 1 — Opening Exercises; 2 — Addresses of Welcome, Presiding Officers; 3 —Presentation of — — and Reports; 4 Music; 5 Tested by the Officers Lives of its Members, how far is the M. I. A. Work Vindicated? (time, — 30 minutes) Junius F. Wells; 6 Music; 7 Home Influence,— the Source of Spiritual and Moral Living, (time 30 minutes) Ruth May — Fox; 8 Address, Primary Associations, (10 minutes) Minnie L. Snow; 9 — Closing Exercises. 7:30 P. M. — 1 — Address, Primary Associations, (10 minOpening Exercises; 2 utes) Ida B. Smith; 3 — Music; 4 — "Effort May Modify Environment.'^ — Susa Young Gates; 5 — Music; 6 "Let Us Worship God," (30 minutes) Nephi L. Morris, 7 — Closing Exercises. HOW TO SECURE PROMPT AND REGULAR ATTENDANCE. Individual punctuality is the greatest essential. Before the season's work starts, go out and visit, in connection with your counselors and those you can depend upon, every member of your association. Visit members in their homes, and tell them you expect to begin the season's work on such and such a night, and that you are going to begin exactly on time. Emphasize this and then be very careful to begin on time, too. Be at the door before the time for commencing, and, together with your counselors, shake the hand of every man who enters the hall, and thank him for being on time; and all who come in late, be on the outside, and greet them there; and in a good-natured way, ask them to come a b'ttle earlier next time, if possible, providing you can do this without offending them. Of course you must use tact. This plan has been tried and found successful. Don't talk about punctuality all the time yourselves, as officers, but get somebody else to talk upon the subject, too, and get somebody who is inclined to be late. Stimulate the disposition to be on time, and always be on time yourselves. Do not leave it for your counselors or some one else to begin the meeting. This hand-shake before the meeting begins is one of the best things imaginable to create a fraternal feeling among the members.— George Albert Smith.