--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Malin, Annie collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 14 number: 5 published: 1911-03 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'Annie Malin, "To My Missionary Boy," *Improvement Era* 14, no. 5 (March 1911): 444.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1405unse 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: improvementera1405unse start_page: 444 end_page: 444 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1911-03) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1405unse publication_year: 1911 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 1911, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # To My Missionary Boy The weight of the ages is upon him. He is the sum total of all those who have gone before. Bound up in his soul are capa- bilities and possibilities too great to be estimated. If he proves true to the trust God placed upon him when he came into the earth — if he fills the measure of his creation — perhaps those who follow after him shall chant his name in anthems of praise, and rear monuments in his remembrance. We know that he is worth educating. He is worth tears and prayers and love and labor and sacrifice. He is worth saving. We cannot put a money value on the boyhood of such men as Washington and Lincoln. Joseph Smith was a boy prophet, and even the Master was first the Christ-child. Perhaps a good boy is not worth any more love and labor than a wayward one. Sometimes the wayward boy has more of the metal in him that counts for worth than the good boy possesses. But whether the boy be good or wayward, he is for- ever worth the cost. You can get the full value out of a boy, only by interpreting his heart and living up to the fulness of that interpretation. But where is the wisdom that shall interpret a child's heart? The story of the great race Child is one of the keys by which we may enter the secret chamber. In what order did primitive man develop his powers and virtues? He was once a cave-dweller, and hunted wild beasts. When he led a pastoral life he was a wanderer. At first he fought his battles alone, but when he learned the power of co-operation he joined with his fellows in warfare. The boy is at one time a cave-dweller, a little savage. At another time he is a wanderer, an adventurer. Later he joins with his fellows and becomes one of a gang, and is led by the gang spirit, whether for good or evil. And so, each stage of his development is governed by an inborn race-instinct, or an inherited impulse. To man is left the work of directing these instincts and impulses. Every normal child desires to be constantly active. This activity should never be crushed, but should be encouraged and directed. To this end> games and plays and occupations have been worked out for his good. Every child should be taught how to work and how to play. He