--- 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: 9 published: 1909-07 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* 12, no. 9 (July 1909): 747–748.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1209unse 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: improvementera1209unse start_page: 747 end_page: 748 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1909-07) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1209unse 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. --- # Messages from the Missions EDITOR'S TABLE. 747 this pleasure craze, and go about the legitimate business of true Latter-day Saints, which is to desire and strive to be of some use in the world? Shall we not instead do something to increase the gen- uine joy and welfare and virtue of mankind as well as our own by helping to bear the burdens under which the toilers are groaning, by rendering loving, devoted and unselfish service to our fellow men? Joseph F. Smith. MESSAGES FROM THE MISSIONS. The headquarters of the Japanese mission has been moved to No. 81 Yakuojimae Machi, Ushigome Ku, Tokyo. The move was made on May day, and the weather was delightful. The Era is promised some good pictures of the new offices, together with a brief statement of the condition of the mission, in the near future. The officers and teachers of the Nineteenth ward Sunday school recently passed resolutions of esteem for Elder Daniel J. Lang, the faithful superin- tendent of the school, for whom they held a farewell reunion prior to his de- parture on a mission. He was given a hearty vote of thanks and presented with a signet ring and a copy of the resolutions of esteem. The best wishes of the officers and school were expressed in his behalf that he may have success while on gospel to the republics of Switzerland and his second mission to preach the France. Elder William A . Morton, who has held the position of associate editor of the Millennial Star since August 30, 1906, sailed for Utah on the 27th of May, 1909, and arrived in Salt Lake City in due time. Elder Morton has labored effi- ciently and devotedly as preacher and writer, aDd has accomplished a great work in especially in the Sabbath schools. the mission field where he has been laboring, special commendation as a President Penrose, of the European Mission, gives him valiant defender of the great cause of the Latter- day Kingdom, and as an expo- welcomeWehim home, and wish him a prosper- nent and defender of the faith. ous and useful career in Zion. Vancouver, B. C, as re- The work of the elders who have been laboring in may be judged by the words of the ported to the Era by Elder James H. Page, city, The Vancouver Prov- most prominent (but prejudiced) newspaper of the "How many missionaries have they [the 'Mormons'] in ince The words are, there a house at which their pamphlets this city'' How manydozen, rather? Is says Elder Page, "I am ' have not been left?' ' " As president of the conference, ' in the paper is incorrect, but the fact sorry that the number of elders intimated have been left at every house that would accept them, and is that our pamphlets many books, and some of the people are accepting the gospel." A photo of the elders laboring in British Columbia and B^llingham, Wash., is here given: Elders of Vancouver, B. C. Back row: James H. Page, E. J. Eliason, Lawrence C. White. Middle row: William Brady, Geo. R. Karen. Front: Wilford E. Parry. One of the important items in the annual reports of General Secretary Alpha J. Higgs of the Y. M. M. I. A., is a statement of twenty-six Mutual Improvement Associations outside of the organized stakes of the Church. These consisted of California 2, Eastern States 5, Independence 4, Leuwarden, Holland 1, Sweden 6, Samoa 2, Southern States 4, Turkey 2. The report from Hawaii did not arrive. In the mission reports received there are 536 permanent members enrolled, 415 active members, with 206 belonging to the Church between 14 and 45 who are not enrolled. The average attendance including visitors is 457. The total number of meetings held was 620, with 299 manual lessons completed; 4,430 home preparations are reported, and two libraries of 150 bound volumes. The South African Mission reports no Mutual Improvement Associations yet organized. Elder B. F. Cummings, who for two and a half years has edited the splendid U. S. mission magazine, Liahona the Elder's Journal, Independence, Mo., has been released to return home, and his farewell is found in the issue of June 19, which closes the sixth volume.