Messages from the Missions

Messages from the Missions Elder Preston D. West, writing from Adelaide, South Australia, February 29, reports that in the South Australian Conference, for the year ending March 1, 1912, the elders had held 350 meetings, 103 Sunday Schools, spent 1,658 hours tracting, visited 9,204 homes, re- visited 5,030 families, distributed 38,916 tracts and 2,191 books, spent 1,142

EDITOR'S TABLE 743 hours in 2,423 gospel conversations, and 3,620 hours with members, and 5,246 hours in study. He continues: "Since June last we have been holding singing practice every week, which has proved very helpful in singing the songs of Zion. We have also held Priesthood meetings for the local brethren, which are proving successful and of great worth. We have made several country trips with good success, both in the distribution of literature and in making friends. The native Saints are doing much to bring their relatives and friends to the light of truth. We find the men folk very indifferent about religion, and though the city of Adelaide is called the City of Churches, yet it is not \ 1 1 f 1 > .f J* *> i X % 1 h " Ir 1 « ^ ■&£ i a city of God-fearing people. We have only little opposition, however. The elders are, left to right, standing: Alfred Brooksby, Fredonia, Arizona; Matthew Holt, South Jordan; John Fullmer, Abraham; William B. Moore, Ogden; Preston D. West, Morgan, Utah. Frcfnt row, sitting, Wesley E. Tingey, Centerville; James F. Palmer, South. Jordan, conference president; and C. Leroy Haskell, Payson, Utah. Elder Haskell left for home February 29, having labored 26 months in tie mission. President Roscoe W. Eardley, writing from Rotterdam, Holland, January 25, speaks of a conference just concluded, at which from eight to nine hundred people were present during the Sunday morning and afternoon, and about twelve hundred at the evening meeting— a splendid-sized audience for Europe; and best of all, they represented a good class of people, who paid the utmost attention. In the portrait of#the mission and conference presidents and secretary of the mission, and the assistant editor of the "Ster," it will be noticed that all are young. Conference Presidents are: Rotterdam, Ray Van Wagener, Provo, 21; Amsterdam, Lawrence H. Taylor, Salt Lake, 21; Arnhem, Joseph B. Knight, Salt Lake, 23; Groningen, Joseph Reed, Forest Dale, 22; Liege, David E. Ostler, Salt Lake, 21. "It is not a question here as to

744 IMPROVEMENT ERA whether it is advisable to put young men into these important positions, because all are young men, without a single exception — but as fine a group as you will find anywhere in the world. Just before President Thatcher left he sent elders to the province of Sealand, and we are now trying to introduce the gospel there, by following up his good lead. Among our many interesting and profitable experiences, we have succeded in making many friends and interested investigators. The boys down there are real workers, and I venture to say that they will not take any amount of money for the experiences they are having every day. I am glad to be back again with the industrious, hospitable people of Holland, which country has not lost its interest or charm to me. I am glad to be associated with such a noble group of young missionaries in the teaching of the gospel. Not a single day but something interesting occurs, either amusing or serious. I had the pleasure of calling a young man on a mission, who is the son of a brother to whom I carried the gospel on my first mission. On my return I found that this man and his family were among the very truest Latter-day Saints in the mission, and had been so for ten years. The young man, who is now in the Liege conference, was then only a boy of about ten years, but now a young man nearly twenty-one years, well grounded in the faith, energetic, zealous, and in possession of a strong testimony of the gospel. The family might have come to Utah years ago, as far as finances are concerned, but the father owns a business here which it would be unwise to break up. This experi-

EDITOR'S TABLE 745 ence naturally filled me with a great deal of joy." Elders left lo right, standing: Oscar T. Parker, Joseph Reed, Joseph B. Knight, David E. Ostler; sitting: L. Hamilton Taylor, O. Earl Thomas, Roscoe W. Eardley (mission president), Bererena Tiemersma, Ray Van Wagoner. Elder Lawrence C. Monson, writing from Haugesund, Norway, February 15, encloses photograph of the elders laboring in that district which includes Elders J. E. Larsen, of Taber, Canada, and Lawrence C. Monson of Salt Lake City. Some agitation against the "Mormons" has grown out of the presentation of the moving picture drama, "A Victim of the 'Mormons'." The elders took advantage of it, and on each night'of performance, distributed tracts and advertising matter of a meeting that they desired to hold on January 29, to answer the libels in the play. "Our hall was packed, there being over a hundred strangers present, besides the Saints, many being turned away because of lack of accommodations. For one and a half hours Elder Monson held the attention of the audience, showing that there is no foundation for the reports set forth in the play. He closed by explaining for what purpose the elders had come into this country; namely, to preach the restored gospel of love and righteousness. The audience appeared to be well satisfied, and left with a new idea of 'Mormonism,' and many were heard to exclaim, 'The "Mormons" cannot be as bad a people as represented, after all.' Many of the leading citizens were present, and expressed themselves as fully satisfied with our answer, and the result is that we have made.a number of new friends. The outlook is bright for the future." Elder Fred C. Mickelsen, president of the Trondhjem Conference, Norway, writes that the elders do not relish the unfair treatment which a' number of people there are continually according them, lie mentions particularly Pastor Jorgensen, who is attacking the Latterday Saints through the press: "He stamps us as most degrading creatures white-slave agents, and terms our mission a terrible menace to the public. He has expressed himself in much bitterness, and has tried to spread that bitterness among the people; and he hopes that Norway and Denmark will follow Sweden's lead in appropriating public funds to exterminate the elders. Coming from a soul-saver and priest,

746 IMPROVEMENT ERA we naturally wonder why this outpouring of wrath! His accusations have not a semblance of truth or justice. It would seem more fitting for him to come to us and show us the error of our way, instead of filling the public mind with his poisonous fabrications. Jesus said: 'Satan goeth about like a roaring lion,' and we can certainly testify that he is well represented in Trondhjem. We have tried to reply through the press, but have failed, the papers being seemingly afraid to give us justice; hence we bend our backs to the inevitable, knowing the gospel tried and true cannot be overcome by persecution, but will ultimately triumph. We have seen the power of God manifested here in the healing of a little girl, born blind in one eye. She was made whole through fasting and prayer, and the administration of the elders. The mother, who is not a member of the Church, has much faith, and desires to embrace the gospel, but has opposition from her husband. We are continually disturbed in our meetings by hoodlums under the leadership of an old shoemaker, who is in turn a tool of the priests. We are kindly received by some, and very roughly handled by others, in our effort to preach the gospel; but although at times it seems dark and dreary, yet we feel that the Lord is near to help us and we are making steady progress. In the sixteen months I have spent in Denmark and Norway, I have learned that he who would be wise must daily earn his wisdom. I have learned to. love the gospel for its many beauties, which one does not appreciate until confronted with the world. I have learned to love the boys, our elders from home, over whom it has been my lot to preside. I am satisfied that the world could be searched in vain for an equal number of young men willing to sacrifice the comforts of home and association of dear ones, to go out into' the cold world to meet persecution and, in many instances, bodily injury. I thank God for the light of the gospel and the many blessings it has given me and mine. May the good work roll on until it fills the' earth. We appreciate the Era very much. It is a welcome visitor and enjoyed by all the missionaries. My wife is laboring with me, and is at present the only lady missionary in Norway." Elder W. S. MacKay, president of the Independence conference of the Central States Mission, writes that the work in Kansas City has been very successful. The elders tract the homes and business houses during the day, and hold cottage and street meetings every evening. They feel that in this work the Master is blessing them, and that their efforts are being crowned with success. The elders and lady missionaries are, top row, left to right: L. Swainston, V. F. Spencer, Burley,

EDITOR'S TABLE 747 Idaho; J. O. Sorensen, Georgetown, Idaho; Henry Miller, Thaync. Wyo. ; R. P. Murray, Wellsyille, Utah; second row; Nettie Mecham, Morgan; W. S. MacKay, conference president, Taylorsville, Utah; Cora Hawley, Seattle, Washington: John F. Allred, Ogden; front row: J. W.' Smith, Grantsville; Elmer Jackson, Randolph; Jesse Walton, Miller, Utah. The Scandinavian Mission has purchased the Temperance building at Bergen, Norway, as a meeting place for the Saints. The building is of stone, two stories high, and is located in Kong Oscarsgade. The property cost fifty thousand kroner, twenty thousand of which was paid in cash and the other thirty thousand being secured on time payments. On the 22nd of April, Elders Andrew Jenson and Martin Christopherson, the retiring and the new president of the Scandinavian Mission, visited the branch and the former dedicated it for the service of the Church. This gives the Scandinavian Mission their own home in Christiania and Bergen, Norway; and Aalborg, Aarhus and Copenhagen, Denmark. Elder Fred L. Bangerter, writing from Montgomery, Alabama, says that the people in that district are becoming more friendly, and are studying the gospel as the Latter-day Saints teach it. The four elders laboring in Montgomery during February held sixteen street and eleven cottage meetings, besides disposing of a goodly number of books and tracts. The elders are Ed- -ar E. Burke, Springerville, Arizona; Frederick L. Bangerter, Granger;

748 IMPROVEMENT ERA Guy V. Lamoreaux, Hubbard, Arizona; Leonard Hatch, Hatch, Idaho. Elder Wilmer Jensen, writing from Richmond, Kentucky, March 1, states that in the cities of East Kentucky conference, during the past six weeks they sold twenty Books of Mormon, 213 little books and distributed 2,000 tracts. At Danville, Elder P. L. Carver found a family who invited them to their home to hold meetings, and who became very interested in Church literature and work. A lady purchased "A Voice of Warning" at Nicholasville, and later a complete set of Church books. The elders met several ministers who treated them very kindly. One of them invited them to lunch with him, and they spent a very agreeable evening. The people have treated them with the hospitality for which Kentucky is noted. The elders feel keenly that the Lord is blessing them, in preaching the gospel. The elders are: P. L. Carver, Preston, Idaho; Wilmer Jensen, Huntsville, Utah. Elder P. H. Service, writing from Carlisle, England, New Castle conference, states that the work is rapidly progressing in Northern England, under the able leadership of Joseph W. Clark and a corps of elders laboring under him. They are doing all they can to refute the slanders spread of late about the "Mormons," which the magazines and papers have been very willing to print. The reaction has come, there being no proof of the truth of these anti-"Mormon" misrepresentations. Mr. V. S. Peet has offered a reward of £200 for proof of the truthfulness of some of these stories; but as there is no one seems to want the reward, the people are not quite so hostile as at first. Some, however, occasionally persist in slandering the Saints. It is hard for us to say, "Forgive them, they know not what they do," when one is almost convinced that they do know what they are doing. Had they cared to find out the truth in relation to the evil reports circulated in this country, they could easily have obtained it from the numerous refutations published during the last seventy years. Every slander has been thoroughly exploded in public print. Carlisle was recently visited by these character-smashers and it looked very dark for the "Mormons" in this city, until we received help from the city fathers, when P. H. Service, Salt Lake. W. K. Lindsay, La Grande, Ore.

EDITOR'S TABLE 749 several of the large mobs were dispersed by the majesty of the law. We have about fifty members in our branch. Our hall holds about one hundred fifty people, and is generally filled on Sunday evenings. ( >ur Sunday School, Mutual, and Relief Society are in healthy condition. Elder C. N. Liljenquist, Norfolk, Nebraska, says that Company A, consisting of four elders, namely, front: George W. Rhodes, Salt Lake City; M. W. Hansen, Mink Creek, Idaho; back row: C. N. Liljenquist, Salt Lake City; William A. McFarland, West Weber, Utah, have made many friends among the business men at Rhodes, Nebraska, have been very successful in different places in teaching the gospel, and have been invited to many homes. One day, while out tracting, they found a lady's gold watch, and by advertising in a newspaper, found the owner, who gave them $5. The act of honesty on their part made a good impression on the people, and made them many warm friends. Elder Frank Russell, San Diego, Califorina: "Meetings are well attended here, both by Saints and investigators. Our Sunday School is a success. Having no Mutual Improvement Association, we hold a singing class and a Book of Mormon class conjointly at our home. These are well attended by the young people ami their friends, and are doing much good. In trrttir.i,' v. :e«J more encouraged than ever. The elders are being invited back to many places and homes, and make many friends, and good headway in allaying prejudice and distributing literature. We have baptized nine new members recently." Names of the elders, standing, left to right, C. V. Cummings, Salt Lake City; D. Henry Manning, Garland; front: T. D. Mendenhall, Springville,' Frank Russell, Nephi, Utah.