--- 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: 8 published: 1909-06 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," *Improvement Era* 12, no. 8 (June 1909): 680.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1208unse 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: improvementera1208unse start_page: 680 end_page: 680 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1909-06) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1208unse 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 — 680 1MPROVEMEN1 ERA. twenty- four meetings and one social gathering. We have completed the Junior Manual for 1908-1909 and are taking up the Manual for 1901-1902, "Principles of the Gospel." I think this will be of great benefit to the Saints and elders in learning more fully the fundamental principles of the gospel. Our average at- tendance is twenty-five, and we expect to hold meetings all summer. We hope to see a great improvement in the Saints by the time we complete the Manual we are studying at present." SOCIAL. The Mutual Improvement Association of the Halifax branch (Leeds confer- ence) gave a very enjoyable concert on the 3rd inst. There were about one hun- dred and twenty people present, many of whom are not members of the Church. The program delighted the entire assembly, and the concert was pronounced the best ever held in connection with the branch. The proceeds will be used for the purchase of books, etc. Millennial Star. 'THE LAND OF THE PROPHET'S NATIVITY." Elder Junius F. Wells, well known among the young people as the pioneer worker in the Mutual Improvement Association, and the originator and promoter of the Joseph Smith Memorial Monument, in Vermont, has entertained over 15,000 people in Utah in the various stakes of Zion, with his lecture on "The Land of the Prophet's Nativity." The lecture given with steroptican views artis- tically presented by C E. Johnson, is one of the most delightful and faith-promot- ing it has ever been the lot of the writer to hear. Elder Wells gives a thrilling account of the building of the Joseph Smith Memorial Monument, under the very adverse circumstances encountered in this remarkable enterprise; and with the splendid views of the country he repeats a fascinating history of the land of the Prophet's birth, as well as sketches of his ancestors, and personal bits of incident and biography that captivate and instruct the hearers while they bring them nearer to the Prophet and make him dearer to their hearts. It is safe to say that no lecture, given in recent times to the young people, has produced more delight and been more edifying and instructive than this one by Elder Wells. It was first delivered in February, in Whitney Hall, Salt Lake, to about 1,100 people; then on the 7th of March, inOgden; on the 11th, at Provo; Brigham City on the 12th;Logan on the 14th; Mt. Pleasant on the 16th; Manti on the 17th Richfield on the 18th; and ; Forest Dale on the 28th. It was repeated again at Payson on the 9th of May, to a large congregation, and inquiries have come from Mexico and Arizona and many of the unvisited stakes of Zion to have it delivered, but Elder Wells has found it impossible to comply with their requests for the present.