Messages from the Missions

Messages from the Missions

Elder Denmark Jensen, a resident of Brigham City since April 1,

Lake City, April 8, for Scandinavia to fill his sixth mis-

1909, left Salt

890 IMPROVEMENT ERA

sion, but his first across the water. His parents, Mads C. Jensen and

Maren Hansen, embraced the gospel in 1852, emigrated, and began

their journey over the plains July 24, 1853. Their son, Denmark Jen-

sen, was born in Nebraska, on the banks of the Elkhorn. He filled his

first mission in Minnesota, leaving April 18, 1881. In 1885-6, he filled

a two-year mission to the Indians, as counselor to Bishop E. D.

Zundell, of Washakie, Utah. After a special home mission in Oneida

stake, for a year, he was called on a mission to Oregon, in 1896. In

the spring of 1911, he labored in Box Elder stake as a special home

missionary, and in December, 1912, went on a six months' mission to

the Northern States, where he presided over the Michigan Conference.

He acted as a high councilor of the Oneida stake and when the Ban-

nock stake was organized, July 24, 1898, he was chosen first counselor

to President Lewis S. Pond. He was a member of the sixth and sev-

enth sessions of the Idaho Legislature, in 1900-1902, and was a state

senator from Oneida county, in 1904. On the 14th of August, 1904, he

was ordained bishop of Mink Creek Ward, Idaho.

Don Carlos Rush-

ton, who has been ap-

pointed to preside over

the Australian Mis-

sion, is a son of Edwin

Rushton and Sarah

Robinson. He was

born March 8, 1864, in

Salt Lake City, and in

early life began activ-

ity in Church work. In

1893, he filled a mis-

sion to the Southern

States laboring in the

middle Tennessee con-

ferencefor two and a

half years. On return-

ing home he was ap-

pointed superintendent

of the Fifth ward Sun-

day school, Salt Lake

City, which position he

held until the ward was

divided, when he was

chosen counselor

first

to bishop of the

the

ELDER AND MRS. DON CARLOS RUSHTON new ward. In the year

1907 he went on a mis-

sion to Great Britain where he labored in the London Conference

for

two and a half years, presiding over the conference for one year.

On being released he returned home in charge of a company of Saints.

Since his return he has labored as home missionary in the Pioneer

stake, and on the stake Sunday school board; as counselor

to the

superintendent of Religion Class, and counselor to the High priests'

quorum, also as stake genealogical agent. He leaves for Australia July

14, accompanied by his wife. The best wishes of their many friends

go with them.

Elder Lloyd O. Ivie, Kofu, Japan, March 13: "The Japanese

Mission is divided into four conferences of which Kofu is one. Until

last January four elders labored here. We are now only two. The

Yamanashi Valley, in which Kofu is situated, often reminds us of our

home among the mountains. Last January a Mutual was organized

with a membership of twenty-five. Native Saints and investigators are

in charge. Since it was organized, about ten new members have joined.

Half the time is spent in studying Church history. The remainder,

is devoted to various current topics. We have two Sunday schools,

two preaching meetings and four study classes and we do considerable

tracting and visiting. Our force is too small to do justice to the work

before us. The enclosed picture was taken at Tashin Grove where

the elders had gone on an outing to Mitake, a beautiful canyon stream,

about eight miles north of Kofu. Incidentally, they filled their pockets

with tracts and distributed them among the villagers along the way.

Those in the picture are left to right: Lloyd, O. Ivie, Brother

Suketomo Nonogaki, Ether Spackman and Amasy W. Clark."

Elder Jed M. Terry, of Jackson Mississippi, writes March 28. "The

elders of the Mississippi Conference are enthusiastic in their labors

and the cause is stead-

ily growing. Prejudice

is giving way to the

truth which is gradually

finding a place in the

hearts of the people.

The picture accompany-

ing represents the pres-

ent force in the state of

Mississippi with the ex-

ception of Elder John

R. Brown of Preston,

Idaho, who took the

picture. Elders front to

back: Conard E. Chate-

lain, North Ogden;

William. Heber Jones,

Eureka; Irvin L. What-

cott, Kanosh; Albertus

Dalton, Moab, Utah: Charles W. Ellis, Mancos, Colo.; Otis E. Rogers,

Mesa, Arizona; Calvin Memmott, Scipio; Henry M. Jones, Enoch;

'Jacob T. Truman, Enterprise, Utah; Wallace Ellsworth, Showlow.

—

892 IMPROVEMENT ERA

Arizona; Wilford B. Haws, Provo, Utah; Carlos S. Higgins, Dempsey,

Idaho; Jed M. Terry, Conference President, Enterprise; Harvey L.

Buttars, Clarkston, Utah."

In my mission travels, I fancy I view those whom I have met,

and find a great variety of people,—poor, rich, august,happy, miser-

opportunities, some letting them pass without

able, some waiting for

recognition, others sleeping and dreaming and others taking advantage

and making opportunities as they pass. I

would say to our boys at home, take advantage

of your golden opportunities, and prepare for

life's battle; cherish the preaching and the

teachings you hear; store in your memories

the precepts of God's truths, so that when you

are called to the front your armor may be

bright, your sword sharp, your mind clear,

your aim high and your heart true. Do not

squander time. Eternity itself cannot restore

the lost moment struck from the minute. Util-

every moment.

ize Lost wealth may be re-

gained by industry and economy; lost knowl-

edge, by study; lost health, by temperance and

medicine; but lost time is gone forever. Time

wasters are everywhere; do not you be one.

The cry of the people, when we present them

SIDNEY T. TAYLOR a tract is, "no time." That should not affect

us nor permit us to fall, too, in the same ambition-destroying rut.

Utilize those five and ten minutes, and accomplish something, be

it ever so little. The accumulation of these accomplishments make

us great. Those fragments of time might mean success. Harriet

Beecher Stowe wrote "Uncle Tom's Cabin," during her spare mo-

ments, and many men have done wonderful things by snatching five

and ten minutes waiting for dinner. No time! Why, a boy in one hour

can read 18 pages thoughtfully. This kept up daily would mean seven

thousand pages a year, or eighteen volumes, and the result in ten

years would mean from ignorance to knowledge. Surely, if great

minds could not afford to lose those spare moments, we cannot, for

he that despiseth small things will fail, little by little. Others cry,

"no chance!" But let us have faith, the soul of heroism and the

motive of all effort. Others declare, "I am busy!" But the busiest

young man, if equipped with will, may succeed. Weak men wait for

opportunities, strong men make them. Lack of opportunity is ever

the excuse of a weak and vacillating mind. Persecution in this our

work never hinders, for it is the very essence that gives us spirit,

and brings us near to our God. As a church we have grown by

persecution, guided by the spring of truth; but opposition aids no

person, unless he is determined to strive against it in the truth. I

would say, prepare yourselves now for the cause of truth. Leave not

your preparation until you are in the mission field, for if you do you

will regret it. Arm vourselves now with the weapons of truth, and

keep them bright. Transmute your time into knowledge and your

knowledge into practical wisdom for daily use. Knowledge is power

only when it can be made available for practical purposes. "No man

will be saved in ignorance," says the Prophet Joseph. In a factory

for making cloth, a single thread broken ruins the whole webb. It

is traced back to the girl who made the blunder, and the loss is de-

ducted from her wages, but who shall pay for the broken thread and

lost time in life's great webb! Sidney T. Taylor, Leipzig, Germany.