Priesthood Quorums’ Table

Priesthood Quorums' Table Pertinent paragraphs from the stake presidents' reports for the year 1912, to the Presiding Bishop's Office: Alberta Stake: "We have adopted the plan of visiting the wards and holding meetings with the Priesthood in the wards on Saturday evening, remaining over night and all day Sunday. The result is good. Especially is this the case in getting the ward teachers wakened up. When they do their duty our main worries are at an end. We urge the teaching of the payment of tithing during the fore part of the year instead of the latter part. This plan will see fewer non-tithe payers." Blackfoot Stake : "In some wards greater encouragement is given to the practice of the father dividing the tithing among the members of the family. This naturally increases the number of actual tithepayers in such wards." California Mission : "San Pedro Ward is nearly disorganized through emigration. St. David Ward has recently been re-organized and there is considerable influx of good families from Mexico." Davis Stake: "We have visited the wards in the stake holding special meetings with the bishoprics and local Priesthood trying to arouse increased interest in ward teacher's work." Deseret Stake : "The establishment of this new stake has made us much more compact than heretofore, and as a result the stake officers are doing more efficient work. Our population is increasing steadily." Fremont Stake: "There is an improvement in the spiritual condition of the stake. Special missionaries have been laboring in all of the wards holding cottage meetings and visiting both non-members and members with excellent results. The Priesthood has not accomplished as much as we should have liked, but we have taken up a special labor with all the quorums and can observe improvement." Granite Stake: "The Young Men's and Young Ladies' Mutual Improvement Associations have been doing a new work which resulted in bringing into our associations many young people whom we have not been able to reach before. We had a hundred special missionaries laboring among the Saints and non-members, which has resulted in many conversions, made many friends, and removed prejudice. Sixty sisters did special missionary work and much good among careless girls." Maricopa Stake: "Our Indian Misison is doing good work, and the results and prospects justify the expenditure. Three new chapels are being built — Mesa 1st and 2nd wards, and Pine. We have a live home missionary body who hold preparation and improvement sessions.- A special missionary work is being done among non-members by visiting from door to door, tracting, holding cottage meetings, etc." ....Millard Stake: "Since the division of this stake, August 11, 1912, commendable improvement has been made."

PRIESTHOOD QUORUMS' TABLE 831 Moapa Stake: "Bunkerville is very much troubled by the floods from the Virgin river. Mesquite also is subject to worry from the river and has suffered heavy losses." North Weber: "Two meeting houses have been dedicated one at McGill, Nevada, and one at Taylor, Weber county. Our population increased 410 mainly through the creation of Metropolis ward, Nev. We believe the united spirit and the excellent work done in the past year, are due to the greater activity in ward teaching, and also to activities in the Priesthood and auxiliary organizations. There has been a steady increase in attendance at sacrament meetings, also at Priesthood meetings, and the new Priesthood movement gives evidence of a greater increase along these lines." St. Joseph: "We had fully four per cent increase in attendance at sacrament meetings due to increased activity among the acting teachers. Priesthood quorum meetings are better attended." Sevier: "During December a corps of special missionaries, thirtytwo in number, labored in the wards of the stake under the direction of the bishoprics and visited every family residing in the stake. Much good came of these visits. In many wards increased attendance is shown at all ward meetings." Snowflake Stake: "Our stake contributed over $7,000 to the new academy, kept thirteen missionaries in the field, and paid larger fast offerings than ever before. We have organized the teachers' districts after the suggestions of the Presiding Bishopric, and conditions have improved generally. The High Council have work assigned them in laboring with the Priesthood quorums and auxiliary organizations. Members are also appointed from that body to labor with the ward teachers — one for each ward." Tooele Stake : "Soon after the beginning of the year the Seventies of the 31st and 43rd quorums were appointed to perform home missionary work in the stake. Since the 4th of April, 1912, when the first visit was made, this work has been performed with great satisfaction." Uintah Stake: "We have a great deal of cheap land in this stake, and need more good people. We look forward to rapid development during the next few years. We have emphasized the work of the warld t p 3. c n c r s Ogden Stake: "Of the 919 members of the Priesthood in the stake 896 are enrolled, and 633, or 63%, are actively engaged in the weekly meetings. More than $8,000 have been paid on the meeting houses in the Sixth, Seventh and Eighth and Pleasant View wards." Liberty Stake: "All the auxiliary organizations are in good condition. One hundred per cent of the families were visited by the ward teachers during the months of November and December. The ward Priesthood meetings were held at 9 a. m. on Sunday for the last three months of the year. Considering it was a new thing, the innovation was a reasonable success."

832 IMPROVEMENT ERA Heme Missionary Work. — In Clearfield, Davis County, the authorities of the Church are doing a good missionary work among the nonmembers as well as the members of the Church. The ward was organized in November, 1907. On canvassing the ward the bishop found that twenty-four adults were non-members of the Church. In forming their teachers' districts and giving each pair of teachers from six to eight families, the bishopric counted also the non-members of the Church just the same as if they had been members of the Church, and instructed the teachers to visit them, only they were not to include them in their Church reports. This is why some of the districts in the ward have only listed four families to every two teachers. These non-members were invited to attend the meetings and the organizations of the Latter-day Saints. The teachers also visited in case of death or sickness, showing that they were interested in their welfare. Two deaths occurred among the non-members, and the members demonstrated by their sympathy and help at the funerals that they were much interested. This was greatly appreciated. When the new meetinghouse was built, not a single non-member solicited, but donated for its erection, and willingly at that. Out of the twenty-four non-members, adults, eighteen have been baptized, and one more has applied for baptism. These converts are among our best tithe-payers, and one young man is now on a mission in New Zealand. The Relief Society followed up the same method that the teachers pursued. The districts for their teachers are formed from the ward teachers districts. They have two teachers or more to each district, including nonmembers of the Church just the same as members, and the results are good. The Deacons follow up in their district by twos gathering the fast offerings. Each pair of Deacons is given a receipt book and they give to each individual a receipt, for collections. They have explained to their non-members the principle of fast offering and some of them are glad to contribute and assist in paying the running expenses of the meetinghouse. A family recently moved into the ward and are much interested in the meetings and doctrines of the gospel. Thus the authorities are endeavoring to accomplish a good missionary work at home, which is quite as essential as missionary work abroad. President George Osmond, of the Star Valley Stake of Zion, born in London, England, May 23, 1836, died at Montpelier, Idaho, March 25, 1913. He joined the Church in 1850, was called upon a mission immediately, and in 1854 emigrated to New Orleans, and later came to Utah. He lived in Davis and Box Elder counties, and in 1864 went to Bear Lake valley, serving as bishop of Bloomington ward, and later as counselor in the presidency of the Bear Lake Stake. He filled two missions to Great Britain, and in 1892 was called to Star Valley to preside in that stake. In civil life he was justice of the peace, probate judge, and state senator of Wyoming during 1898-99, and 19001901.