--- 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: 12 number: 4 published: 1909-02 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations, "Mutual Work: Ward Officers’ Missionary Work; The Era the Organ of the Priesthood Quorums and the Y. M. M. I. A.; The Y. M. M. I. A. for State-wide Prohibition," *Improvement Era* 12, no. 4 (February 1909): 322–323.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1204unse 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: improvementera1204unse start_page: 322 end_page: 323 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1909-02) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1204unse publication_year: 1909 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 1909, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # Mutual Work: Ward Officers’ Missionary Work; The Era the Organ of the Priesthood Quorums and the Y. M. M. I. A.; The Y. M. M. I. A. for State-wide Prohibition MUTUAL WORK. WARD OFFICERS' MISSIONARY WORK. Elder James C. Hansen spoke as follows on this important topic at the Bear River convention: Missionary work in the ward must begin with the ward president; he must not think that he is out of it because he has appointed some one to do the work; but hi must work with the young men and strive with all his strength to make them believe that Mutual Improvement is the main thing in the ward. It is talking about things in the right way that makes them popular. A business man must advertise his business, if it shall pay. But, like the merchant, we must have the goods advertised, and when we get the boys into the organization strive to interest them. The merchant would be foolish to try to sell to a common laborer a silk hat. We must furnish the members of our association what they require, must not frighten them, but make the lessons- so that they can understand them. When we get a new member, presidents and officers should go out of their way to be sociable with him. It goes a good ways, if you can make the new members feel at home. A man may labor ever so diligently as a missionary to induce boys to come to the meeting, but finding nothing to interest them there, they will not attend again. It should be the object of those responsible to secure and interest suitable leaders in the various departments of the work, — such as regular class work, recreation, amusement, special exercises in meetings, etc. The teachers are very important; a man's learning does not always signify what kind of a teacher he is. He must have the talent for teaching, as well as the necessary requirements. First of all, he must love the work, and he must love the boys. He must at all times bear in mind that the object of Mutual Improvement work is to make Latterday Saints: hence, he must keep the spirit of the Lord with him, and work under its direction. Be careful in the selection of teachers, and if vou find you have made a mistake, don't fear to say so, and even request the teacher to resign. It would be a great mistake to sacrifice the boys to save the feelings of a teacher. It is our duty to socially intermingle with the prospective members and form an acquaintance with them, so that our influence may be felt for their uplifting and betterment. This is the keynote to good missionary work, to socially intermingle with them. Do not fear soiling your coat sleeve by putting your arm around the boy. Everything may be accomplished by love, and nothing without it. I believe the first thing to do is to make a boy your friend; if you cannot do this, you may just as well abandon missionary work before you spend more time; but if you can really and truly make him your friend, the battle is half won. If you can gain his respect and confidence and make him believe you are really interested in him, you stand a good show of winning. If he has weaknesses, help him to overcome them, not by constantly telling him about them, but by showing hin. a better way. If he falls, help him up; if he falls again, help him up again; let your love be Christ-like, and be willing to help and forgive seventy and seven times if necessary. If he loves play, play with him; and be also interested in his work. Go with him to his amusements, be a boy again with him, but show him there is happiness in being good. If he spends his time in the saloon or in other evil ways, MUTUAL WORK. 323 try to show him how to have a better time, in better places, and teach him by precept and example that true happiness does not come through evil channels. Spend a little money and much time, if necessary; don't think you are doing too much. Remember the missionaries who spend years, and hundreds of dollars, and often do not baptize one soul. Remember the real aim and object is to interest indifferent and careless boys in our work, with a view to their becoming active members of the association. If they can sing, have them come and sing. If they can play some musical instrument, have them come and play. Show them that you need them, and that you miss them when they are absent. It is often a great uplift to boys to feel that they are some good in the world. Officers should always keep in view the fact that the Mutual Improvement work is for the salvation of the souls of men, and that when we accept an office we are accepting a mission, in which we should expect to work as diligently as we would if we were going to a foreign land. Arouse no antagonism by overpersistence; nor by too early requiring labor at the hands of new members. As interest is shown by them, offer your assistance with the lessons, if necessary, and always show them that you have an interest in their welfare. THE'ERA THE ORGAN OF THE PRIEST HOOD QUORUMS AND THE Y. M. M. I A. Now that the quorums of the priesthood are engaged in the formal study of theology, and meet weekly with this commendable object in view, there arises a need for a means of communication between the general officers who have the study and the direction of the quorums in hand, and the members and teachers of the quorums. This need, it has been decided by the Presidency of the Church, the Presiding Bishopric, the committee on course of study for the Priesthood, and the General Board Y. M. M. I. A., will be supplied by the Improvement Era which from this date on becomes the organ of the Priesthood quorums and the Y.M.M.I.A. A department in the magazine will be devoted to the interests of the quorums, in which methods of teaching, answers to questions, and other instructions and information will be given. Presidents of stakes, bishops and quorum officers and members are invited to take notice of this arrangement. All correspondence for this department should be sent to the editor of the Era, Salt Lake City, Utah. All subscriptions to the Era and all orders for Priesthood Courses of Study and M. I. A. Manuals should be sent to Alpha J. Higgs, No. 214 Templeton Building, Salt Lake City. THE Y. M. M. I. A. FOR STATE-WIDE PROHIBITION. At a meeting of the General Board, held January 13, the following resolution was unanimously passed : Resolved, that we, the General Board of the Young Men's Mutual Improvement Association, declare ourselves to be unqualifiedly in favor of state- wide Prohibition and that we each of us pledge ourselves to use our influence to secure the passage of a prohibition law. And further Resolved, that we request all Mutual Improvement Associations to use all the proper influence at their command for the accomplishment of this end.