Mutual Work: M. I. A. Annual Conventions

MUTUAL WORK. M. I. A. ANNUAL CONVENTIONS. To Stake and Ward Officers Y. M. M. I. A.: The following appointments have been made for the M. I. A. conventions, 1909. In case any changes are desired in the dates given, the stake superinten- dents should immediately consult with their stake presidencies and arrange for a new date, and notify the General Boards of Y. M. and Y. L. M. I. A.: Snowfiake,— August 13. — Fremont, August 22. Beaver, Malad, San Luis, Hyrum, Box Elder, Woodruff, — August 29. St. Joseph, — September 3. Bear River, Taylor, Cassia, Teton, Liberty, Jordan, Weber, Parowan, North Davis, San Juan, Yellowstone, Rigby, — September 5. Alberta, Ensign, Star Valley, South Sanpete, Wasatch, Wayne, Uintah, Granite, South Davis, Toeole, Bannock, Emery, North Weber, Pioneer, —September 12. George, Juarez, St. — September 13. Big Horn, Oneida, Blackfoot, Summit, Millard, Salt Lake, Alpine, Panguitch, — Juab, Ogden, Nebo, Bingham September 19. North Sanpete, Union, Benson, Morgan, Utah, Kanab, Bear Lake, Cache, Sevier, Maricopa, — September 26. Stake superintendents will please give special and immediate attention to the following items:

1. Confer with the stake presidency — secure their co-operation and arrange

for the conventions. 2. See that your ward and stake organizations are all complete and your class teachers selected before the convention. 3. See that all officers and class teachers are notified, by letter or by per- sonal visit if necessary to secure their attendance. Leave no one with an excuse for absence. Make a special effort to get a large representation of officers from — each association it should be 100 per cent. 4. Secure suitable hall or halls for«the convention, where both the Young Men's and Young Ladies' Officers may be accommodated, without interfering with Sunday Schools or the ward meetings. Consult with the Young Ladies' officers in regard to this. Confer with the officers of the Young Ladies and arrange for entertaining officers who come from a distance; and, if practicable, provide for light joint luncheon between sessions. 5. It has been provided for by arrangement between the two Boards that all Sunday school teachers who are Mutual Improvement officers or class teachers shall be excused from Sunday School classes to attend the morning session of the convention. 6. Extend a formal, cordial, special invitation to the stake presidency, high counselors, and bishops and their counselors, and all the stake officers of the auxiliary organizations, to attend the convention meetings. 7. See to it that competent persons are selected to treat the subjects at the convention and assign the topics to them in advance, and call attention to the necessity of preparing the subject according to the outlines. 8. Forward copies of this circular to every ward president without delay and request him to acknowledge receipt of them and see to their proper distribu- tion. 9. Hold at least one'preliminary meeting ofithe'stake'superintendency, aids,

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and convention speakers, discuss the convention subjects thoroughly, and perfect all arrangements for the convention, in ample time before the date.

10.Confer directly with the bishop of the ward where convention is to be held, and secure the use of the ward meetinghouse for a public evening meeting, which should be well advertised. Have special music by the choir, and arrange for one musical number by the young women and one by the young men. The visiting Board members may occupy the time. 11. Stake secretaries are requested and required to furnish a report of the convention to the general secretary.

In making these arrangements, care should be taken not to interfere with the sessions of the Sunday schools or regular ward afternoon meetings. Some settlement should be selected where the meetings can be held in a building other than thatin which the Sunday school and ward afternoon meetings are held.

Young men should, as far as possible, aid the Young Ladie3 to get to the con- ventions. Thoroughly advertise your convention throughout your stake; give frequent notice in all ward meetings, Sunday schools and other gatherings, and have a notice published in your local newspaper, in addition to individual notice, personal or by letter, ta every Y. M. M. I. A. officer, including the class teacher. For the work of the Young Men's associations, two meetings will be held, one at 10 a. m. and one at 2 p. m. In the evening, at the most convenient hour, a joint meeting will be held to which the public should be invited. A program need not be prepared for the evening meeting. In case no visitors from the General Board are present, the stake officers should be prepared to occupy the time in presenting to the public the advantages and outlines of M. I. A. work for the season, and otherwise proceed with the convention work. The meetings will be conducted by the Stake M. I. A. officers, and the Young lien's program will consist of the following:

PROGRAM. 10 a- m. I. Joint opening exercises. II. Separation. III. Roll Call. IV. Report of stake superintendent as to the work for this convention. a. Distribution of literature. b. Notice to officers. c. Holding preliminary meetings. d. Conferring with Young Ladies. e. Invitation to stake and ward officers. f. Results. — V. The Address of the General Superintendency and its Import. This address is found in the Improvement Era for August, and in this circular, and its various divisions and declarations should be carefully outlined, classified, studied and considered, and a person appointed to introduce and discuss the subjects. A general discussion by all the officers should follow. VI. Business and miscellaneous matters. Adjournment for luncheon. 2 p. m. Usual opening exercises. 1. The senior manual. The senior manual this year will treat upon the

922 Improvement era. development or making of manhood, physical, mental and ethical. Three speak- ers should be appointed — one for each of the subdivisions as follows a. Physical manhood. b. Mental manhood. c. Moral and social manhood. These topics should be treated by the speakers in their own way with a view to awakening an interest in the subjects, and in the manual for this year, and showing the importance of study along these lines. II. The junior manual. Lessons in Church History. This will embrace the History of the Church in the biography of Brigham Young, covering the per- iod from the martyrdom of the Prophet Joseph to the settlement of Utah. A num- ber of biographies will be considered also, such as the lives of John Taylor, Wil- ford Woodruff, Jedediah M. Grant, Daniel H. Wells, HeberC. Kimball, George A. Smith, and a number of others who were instrumental in the founding of Utah. The person appointed to treat the subject in convention might also deal generally upon the influence of biography, and take for his text the poet Long- fellow's beautiful lines: ' 'Lives of great men all remind us, We can make our lives sublime, And departing, leave behind us Footprints on the sands of time.''

III. The Era. In treating the Era let it be remembered that: a. It is the officialorgan of the Priesthood Quorums. b. M. M. I. A. It is the official organ of the Y. c. It is a missionary magazine. Two thousand copies are sent ree to mis- sionaries. d. The canvas should be entirely in the hands of the presidents of the Y, M. M. I. A., or persons whom they may appoint, with the advice and consent of the bishop. The Era may be used to advantage by giving select readings from its pages in the preliminary programs or before congregations. e. The field of canvas is enlarged, because of its now being the organ of the Priesthood Quorums. f. A rebate of twenty five cents on each subscription is given to the ward association under the usual arrangements. g The slogan for 1909-10 is 15,000 subscribers. The magazine will be enlarged. IV. The Fund. a. Importance. b. Advantages to the members. c. Use. V. Miscellaneous business and remarks. A joint evening meeting should be held at the most convenient hour to which the public should be invited. It should be devoted to remarks by the visiting officers or the Stake superintendency, witli musical selections by the young ladies and the young men. The subject of "Reading" and the "Address" of the super- intendency will be considered by the visiting officers of the Young Men or Stake Superintendency. These conventions are of paramount importance, and it is hoped that the superintendents will see that their officers are present. It is not enough to just have one representative, make it a point to have all the officers there, one hun- dred per cent, if possible. The success of the convention depends largely upon your efforts, dear brother, and upon the efforts and spirit of your associates. Keep in touch with the general office and make all the arrangements necessary for successful meetings. We pray that the Lord may bless your labors and that you may have a successful convention.