--- 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: 11 number: 3 published: 1908-01 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations, "Messages from the Missions," *Improvement Era* 11, no. 3 (January 1908): 221–224.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1103unse 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: improvementera1103unse start_page: 221 end_page: 224 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1908-01) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1103unse publication_year: 1908 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 1908, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # Messages from the Missions MESSAGES FROM THE MISSIONS. Elder E 0. Olsen, writing December 12, 1907, from Milwaukee, Wis., says: "Our Mutual is flourishing; everyone concerned is very much interested in the subjects outlined in the Manual, and great good is being accomplished A number of those who are connected with the association are not members of the Church, but they are enthusiastic in the work." Prom Skandmaviens Stjerne, of Nov. 1, 1907, organ of the Scandinavian mission, we learn that Elder Soren Rasmussen has been chosen president of that mission to succeed Elder J. M. Christensen who has held the position some two years and a half. Elder Rasmussen's greeting and Elder Christensen's farewell appear in that number of the mission organ. Elder G. E. Gaboon, of St. Louis, Missouri, writes under date of November 22. "We have a Mutual association organized at this place, and are taking up the same course of study as the other associations of the Ghurch, "Spiritual Growth." We also have a Sunday School, with theological and intermediate 222 IMPROVEMENT ERA. departments doing well and attended by faithful, energetic workers. Our Sunday services are quite well attended, and the work of the Lord is growing gradually in this place." Elder L. B. Redd writes from Toluca, Mex., Nov. 16, 1907: 'The work of the Lord is progressing here in Mexico, therefore I feel that the number of elders, at present, are too few, (eight in number) , to successfully work the vast field that has been opened up. There have been 49 baptisms in this mission since Jan. 1, 1906, and several others have applied for baptism. We are distributing a number of Books of Mormon among the Lamanites. I send you a kodak picture of the great tunnel and drainage canal, draining Mexico City. The tunnel is three miles long. The canal was commenced by Hernan Cortes and finished by Porfirio Diaz. It Photo by L. B. Redd. MOUTH OF GREAT TUNNEL AND DRAINAGE CANAL, MEXICO CITY. ELDERS M. B. NAEGLE AND N. C. TENNEY, ON THE BANK EDITOR'S TABLE. 223 took some three hundred years to finish it, owing to the many wars. The earth was carried out in baskets. The canal is 100x60 feet, cost many millions of dollars, and thousands of human lives. It is over forty miles long." Elder George C. Matthews writes from Mepple, Holland, November 9, 1907, saying: "On November 3, a special meeting was hold here, the first ever held in this place by the Latter-day Saints. The large hall, "Het Wapen van Mepple," was inadequate to accommadate the people who came out to hear, and many were turned- away. President John K. Meibos, of the Groningen conference, of which this place is a branch, presided. Elder B. Tiemersma spoke on the first principles of the gospel. Elder William J. De Bry, assistant editor of De Ster, answered an article in a local paper written by the minister of the Dutch Reformed church. President Meibos bore strong testimony to the divinity of the gospel and the latter-day work. Elder Charles H. Spencer presided at the organ. ' At the close of the meeting we sold nearly two hundred books, and received the addresses of a mmber of investigators. Elder Leonard C. Healy is my companion, and we are beginning already to see the fruits of our labors. We hope to be able to find a larger hall and hold another meeting in the near future. Our branch consists of only two Saints, bat we expect to baptize two more this month. The work has only been opened here for the past four months. We meet a good deal of opposition, which is the means of arousing the curiosity of the people, so that they investigate our message. The weather is ideal and the elders are all enjoying the best of health." President Ralph A. Badger, of the South African mission, writes from Woodstock, Cape Colony, October 29, 1907: "The South African mission is not an old mission, although there were elders here in the 'SOs and '60s; but they were compelled to leave because of persecution, and it was not until July 25, 1903, that the elders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints arrived in South Africa. Since then we have had a rapid growth. With the little beginning of four elders in 1903, as a working force, and a membership of one faithful brother, who had lived through the interregnum, the mission has now grown to eleven missionaries who are working zealously for the advancement of the cause of the Lord, and a baptized following recorded upon our books of about sixty members. Here at headquarters we have a splendid little branch. Our hall meetings are well attended; in fact, of late our attendance has been greater than our seating capacity. Last Sunday we had an attendance of 61. And we rejoice exceedingly to see that they are interested in the gospel and are studying the same with earnestness. Besides our regular services Sunday and Wednesday evening, we have our regular fast meeting on the first Sunday of the month, and a splendid little Sunday school every Sunday morning. As at home, our Sunday school starts at 10 o'clock, while it is a little early for people to get their children off Sunday mornings, we are having in attendance from 35 to 45. The missionaries througnout South Africa all report good progress, and are themselves in the best of health and spirits. I have before me letters from two missionaries, one laboring six hundred and the other about nine hundred miles from here. One says: 'the sick have 224 IM PRO VEMENT ERA. been, and are now being, healed, and the Lord is blessing us abundantly.' The other says: 'We have more investigators than we can conveniently call on.' So you see the blessings of the Lord are being poured out upon South Africa, and many are being brought to a knowledge of the truth. Nine- tenths of the people with whom we come in contact know nothing of 'Mormonism.' Our work is, therefore, to a large extent introductory, and is a little slow, but the Lord is greatly blessing the missionaries in this part of his vineyard, and they are thankful for the privilege of laboring in this part of the world." The following is a characteristic selection from a letter by Elder Wm. S. Musser who is at present laboring in the German mission. The letter is addressed to his parents, in Salt Lake City, under date of Berlin, Oct. 19, 1907: ' 'My health continues good and my spirits are bright and full of sunshine. A friend asked me this morning how it was I was always so happy, and I told her I could not be otherwise. My friends all love me, the world is full of sunshine, God has blest me with health, strength and joy. Who would not be happy? Today the weather is wonderful! How good our Heavenly Father is to us! What a beautiful time we have on earth in which to live. Talk about there not being a God, why I see him every day, and partake of his untold blessings every hour. How wise and good and loving he is! All nature is his revelation to me, and I have but to look around me, and my whole soul sings for joy and in praise for the many wonderful beauties with which God has blest his children. How few of us are truly thankful, but God continues to bless all alike, and some day we will all see just where we stand. This morning, with the papers, my monthly feast of good things came, this is the Improvement Era, which all the missionaries receive free. The Era is always full of good things and I have learned to love it, for the gospel is more true to me through reading its pages . The truths of the gospel are always so beautifully and so clearly expressed in the wonderful poems and inspirations which lead one to thinking of the joys and pleasures of a higher life, — the life with God alone. It makes a fellow always feel mighty happy to be a 'Mormon' Boy. Do you remember how I used to sing 'I am a 'Mormon' Boy?' When I think of what Father in Heaven has given me, how good and grand are his ways. my whole soul thrills with joy and thanksgiving; but when, again, I remember what a little know-nothing I am, how weak and how apt to forget the Father and his ways, my heart grows sad, and my soul is filled with sorrow. He forgives us, 0 how often, and leads us on to brighter worlds, to newer domains, where love is everywhere. I have just finished reading part of the Manual, and am struck with the beauty of the sentiment which is found on the title leaf: 'Create in me a clean heart, 0 God; and renew a right spirit within me, cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy Holy Spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.' It is a prayer of David, after he had so wronged the Lord, and had humbled himself in a spirit of sincere, deep repentance. What a wonderful prayer! Isn't it? * * * * I had a card from Brother Elias, he is feeling fine, and is enjoying his missionary labors."