Mutual Work

Mutual Work Stake Work Opportunities in the M. I. A. 1. The Mutual Improvement Association teaches the principles of the gospel in their practical application. It aims first of all to instill faith in God and a testimony of the truth of his great latter-day work. 2. It directs the social life of the young people of the Church by providing wholesome amusement and recreation. 3. It provides opportunity for development in musical and literary lines, story-telling, public speaking, boys' and girls' choruses, drama, contest work, and social activities. 4. It presents each year a course of carefully selected books for home reading. 5. It publishes two magazines, the Improvement Era, and the Young Woman's Journal. 6. It presents special lines of work — the Boy Scout and the Bee Hive Girl movements. 7. It aims to direct young men in choosing their life's work. 8. It uplifts and dignifies the home, and teaches the Latter-day Saint woman to appreciate her position as home-maker. The courses of study for the present year are: Y. M. M. I. A. Senior classes — "Conditions of Success." Junior classes — "Lessons on Success." Y. L. M. I. A. Senior classes — "The Latter-day Saint Home." Junior classes — "Stepping Stones to Faith." Live Topics for Officers At the Bishop's Building, October 4, 1915, at 4:15 p. m., a general meeting of the officers of the Y. M. M. I. A. was held. There were thirteen members of the General Board present, and thirty-nine stakes were represented by sixty-eight representatives. The following short program was carried out, after singing and prayer: "Correspondence," by Dr. George H. Brimhall; "Monthly Reports of Stakes to the General Board," B. S. Hinckley; "Publicity," Edward H. Anderson; "Department Work in Stake and Ward Officers' Meet- ings," Oscar A. Kirkham; "The Great Essential in M. I. A. Work," President Heber J. Grant. Here are some points given in the talk on Correspondence. Dr. Brimhall treated his subject in four divisions — the sociological, the psychological, the economical and the theological aspects. Under the sociological division, Dr. Brimhall quoted one of the most perfect gentlemen in our midst, of high rank in the Church, and one of our apostles who said: "A gentleman answers his letters." It is as much out of place not to answer a letter as it is not to answer a verbal com- munication. Imagine if you can someone calling to you, and he

MUTUAL WORK 91 knows you hear but you simply disdain to reply, what will happen. You may not disdain, but you simply go off talking, and attending to your business, and treat him with careless contempt. It is uncivil and cruel to keep a correspondent on the anxious seat. The psychological aspect: The neglected letter makes one ashamed to meet the writer. Indifference to the just claims of the absent culti- vates moral cowardice. It is often said: "I know that my letter can be turned down more easily than I can." Well, it shouldn't be, if your cause is just; and so we cultivate a sort of moral cowardice by the unjust treatment of the absent. Attention to the claims of the absent cultivates kindness, and his respect, as well as the respect of others. You let a boy neglect answering the letters to his mother, and he will not love her with the tenderness that he will if he writes to her, keeps up a warm correspondence with her. Indifference . towards an object has a tendency to breed contempt for the object. The economic side: Carelessness in correspondence cuts down a man's courage. Carefulness in correspondence creates and keeps up confidence. A neglected letter costs more time in thinking about it, and energy in worrying about it, than it would take to write ten prompt answers I think this true with any courteous man: he cant help but worry about a letter that he has neglected to answer. The theological aspect: Do as you would be done by Do by others as you would have others do by you. "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyseelf." There is a good deal of sacnlegiousness in our neglect of correspondence. Here are five safety suggestions: (1) Have a place for answered, and also one for unanswered, ^T^'Haveheadings in the order of your business meetings —ward stake, etc., called unanswered correspondence. Let the secretary call iOT%) Let all correspondence of an official nature receive collective consideration That is to say, let the president read the letters of the «E%**^r^^A"£ -s OS "of the SSeS?eoffi ^ "navLg'it Srefde a fd m|de a matter of conside ratio,, S^tS^lSt t J^5K £?££ n^it^ miter of COUn(4J- Let all correspondence be proof-read befor. : mailing Never sleep for cooling ^>" % "^ that print has a better memory ^^^Xr^:™tZLAo write what one might "0t £? £ XSSZSfa the general secretary the -pennten^nt of the stake or the ward presidents you are that J JP^^ of hut it would be considered an affront the way contemptu- these men are sometimes reared, ft u c rele ^ .^ ^^Sar?to^thcC^ets a^hTthird one is dishonesty. B S. Hinckley stated that there would ^M^^^ g

92 IMPROVEMENT ERA Following are questions for October, which should be answered no later than November 1. Other questions will follow each month: 1. State how you have divided your work and its responsibilities among the stake officers. 2. Report the number of stake officers and the subjects con- sidered at the last stake officers' meeting. 3. What is your plan for securing an enrollment of 12% in the wards of your stake? 4. How many of your wards have a receipt for 100% Fund? _ 5.^ What plan was most successful in your stake in securing sub- scriptions for the Era? Elder Edward H. Anderson treated Publicity, showing the need of advertising our activities. He named as mediums, newspapers, bulletins in halls, leaflets, public gatherings, attractive announcements in Sunday School and ward meetings, and special M. T. A. papers. He advised proper courtesy to stake and ward authorities so that they might become public advocates of our activities. He suggested that the various topics for special consideration each month be advertised, and suggested for the opening meeting the following notice: FREE FOR THE ASKING How to succeed! There is a theme for you. The Y. M. M. I. A. of ward, is ready to tell you how; the association will give you fifteen lessons on "Conditions of Success" during the winter course. The privilege is open to every earnest worker. Warm, well-lighted rooms, comfortable surroundings, and competent class teachers will delight you while you learn — and all is free. Problems and interesting discussions will be assigned giving you opportunity to learn how to express your thoughts in public. Senior classes for all over seventeen, and junior classes for young men between fourteen and seventeen, sub-junior classes for boys from twelve to thirteen. For the latter there will be stories, and lessons in scout work. For the junior classes lessons on success are in story form. All members are entitled to take part in the special work and contests, debating, singing, drama, story-telling, and social activities. Come and join us. President will tell you how. Oscar A. Kirkham treated Department Work in Stake and Ward Officers' Meetings. Department meetings should be held whenever possible. The work may be classed under four headings as follows: CI) The ward presidencies and their counselors, ward secretaries and treasurers. This department to be supervised by the stake super- intendency, stake secretary and treasurer. (2) The Senior class leaders and the vocation counselors, with the stake class-study man and the vocation supervisor in charge of this department. (3) The Junior class leaders and the Scout^ masters, with the stake junior-class man and the stake scout commissioner in charge. (4) The musical directors and those who have charge of the im- portant work of preliminary programs, with the stake musical director and stake board member in charge of the programs, to supervise this department. "You tan get more efficient work this way and fit your ward officers for their work more certainly than by touching a lot pf scat- tering generalities. Discuss definite problems. To make a success you must have a definite time for opening and closing. Have one big theme for each month, and have your stake officers prepared to work

MUTUAL WORK 93 out the ways and means, and suggest to ward officers how to handle the problems. Remember you are measured, not on how carefully you assigned the work, but on what really is accomplished in the duties you are asked to perform. Plunge in, don't stick your toe in like a backward bather, or you'll get cold feet. Get in and work and you'll feel fine." Elder Heber J. Grant stated that the one great object of the or- ganization of the Mutuals was to make Latter-day Saints, and that the great essential in M. I. A. work was the spirit of the gospel. All the activities are a mere means to an end, which end is the making of Latter-day Saints. We must have a love of the work in our hearts as we cannot give to others what we do not possess. In order to inspire we must be inspired. A Model Opening From the "Bit and Spur," volume 3, number 1, a bulletin which is the organ of the 31st ward M. I. A., Salt Lake City, we gather that this ward has followed strictly the plan of the General Board for the opening of their association. During the week beginning Sunday, October 10, they had three big events marking the opening of the season's M. I. A. activities, outlined in brief as follows: Joint evening, Sunday, October 10, with special musical program: Selection, "Night Song," by the ward choir; vocal duet, "The Savior Liveth," Mrs. Enid Orlob and Mrs. Bessie Newman; soprano solo, "Come Unto Me," Miss Mildred Knight; violin solo, "Swan Song," Bert Garner; "God is Our Refuge," by the ward choir. During the evening an address was delivered by Elder Oscar A. Kirkham, M. I. A. Field Secretary, in which the outlines for events two and three were given. The house was crowded. On Tuesday, October 12, the association had its opening session. There were present all the class leaders for both the young men and the ladies, and the first lesson .was properly given in each particular class. A sentiment at the close of the program read: "The members are loyal; the mutual is royal; in the Thirty-first ward on Tuesday. Join the M. I. A. and be connected with a success." Event number three was a grand opening ball given at the amuse- ment hall on Friday, October 15, beginning promptly at 8:30 p. m. Slogan, "Be there, on time, everybody. It's the first— let's make it the best of the season. The affair which everybody attends. It sets the pace. The time — when you feel the exhilaration of youth and the 'joy of living' in the 31st ward. The place where you meetyour friends and enojy the association of the girls and boys worth while. What you get: Credit for the M. I. A. Fund, a membership button of the 31st ward M. I. A., and the 'time' of your life. The amusement hall will be renovated, retinted and specially decorated for the occasion. Admission, 25 cents." More than enough for the annual fund of the association was raised at this opening ball, and the prospect for a successful season is excellent, in all departments.