Priesthood Quorums' Table

Priesthood Quorums' Table

Suggestive Outlines for the Deacons

by p. joseph jensen

Lesson 1

Experiences of Early Leaders and Members

Problem: How can we prepare our minds to receive the teach-ings of the servants of the Lord?

We like to believe and do things in our own way. Sometimesour beliefs and ways bring disorder and confusion. To enable us toavoid conflict, in the Church, the Lord has given us his inspired ser-vants to guide us. While all are taught this, in our Church, in manycases we have to compel ourselves to give heed to what they tell uswe should do.

To illustrate, let us see how the Lord prepared the mind ofJoseph Smith, Sr., to receive the testimonies and teachings of hisservant and prophet, Joseph Smith, Jr. Study the lesson.

How many dream-visions did Joseph Smith, Sr., have? Do youthink they helped him to believe in revelation? Why? Do you thinkthey helped him to love the gospel of Jesus Christ? Why? In whatways did Joseph's father give his approval? What is the purpose ofthe Lord in having us confirmed? In what experiences have youbeen prompted by the Holy Ghost? If we should act in accordancewith these promptings, what would be our actions? Answer theproblem of the lesson.

Lesson 2

Problem: What should we eat and drink and what should werefrain from eating and drinking to help ourselves to become strongand wise?

Eating and drinking unwholesome and poisonous things,sometimes become habits that are hard to break. How unwise wewould think a teamster who would give his horses something that wasnot food for them, and expect them to do heavy work? Or for afireman to feed a fire engine asbestos, and expect to get heat? Hence itis reasonable to think that a person cannot do that which requiresphysical strength, if he eats and drinks matter that is not food.

Let us see what Hyrum Smith, the Patriarch, said was the pur-pose of the Lord in giving us the Word of Wisdom.

Study the lesson, and Doc. & Cov. Sec. 89.

Answer the problem of the lesson.

Lesson 3

Problem: How may each one of us obtain promises from theLord that will help us to be hopeful.

All must meet discouragements in life. Realizing this, we shouldfortify ourselves with the surest promises for hope. How may we ob-tain these promises?

Study the lesson.

What was the authority Hyrum Smith received? How did he re-ceive it? Illustrate what is meant by sealing on earth and in heaven.Tell how his blessings came true. Who of you have had your

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patriarchal blessings? How may those who have not received them,get them? Ask your parents to let you have a partiarchal blessing.Study it and cherish in your hearts the promises of the Lord to you.Answer the problem of the lesson.

Courses of Study, 1916

The following notice was sent to stake presidents early in De-cember, by the General Committee.

Dear Brethren : The General Committee on Courses of Studyfor the Priesthood have selected as the text book for the year 1916for the High Priests, Seventies, Elders and Priests, "Jesus the Christ,"by Dr. James E. Talmage. This is a book of 800 pages, but it willbe treated in one year, an outline being provided. A review of thework appeared in the Improvement Era for October, 1915.

The Committee has in course of preparation an outline for thebook "Jesus the Christ" for which a charge will be made of 5c, andit will be issued to the bishop of each ward about the 15th of Janu-ary, on a basis of 30 per cent of the H'jgh Priests, Seventies, Eldersand Priests of the ward.

The text book for the Teachers will be "Acts of the Apostles,"which will be ready for distribution early in January. The price ofthe book will be made known to you later, through the columns of theImprovement Era. The text book for the Deacons will be a book ofabout 125 pages entitled "Experiences in the Lives of Early ChurchLeaders and Members," and will also be ready early in January.Both wil lbe issued to the bishop of each ward on the basis of 20 percent of Teachers and Deacons of that ward.

The Teachers and Deacons outlines, and the outlines for the book"Jesus the Christ," will be sent to each bishop direct without orders;but the text book, "Jesus the Christ," should be ordered from theDeseret Sunday School Union Book Store or the Deseret News BookStore; price $1.50; postpaid.

These statements are made in answer to a number of communica-tions making inquiries in relation to the text books for 1916. Allcommunications concerning the Teachers and Deacons' outlines, andthe outline for the book "Jesus the Christ," should be addressed tothe Imprevement Era, No. 22 Bishop's Building, Salt Lake City.Please give this communication publicity in your stake of Zion, andgreatly oblige

Your brethren in the Gospel,The General Committee on Courses of Study for the Priesthood,

Rudger Clawson, Chairman.David A. Smith, Secretary,

Helping Returned Missionaries

A number of stakes of Zion have organized a committee of highcouncilmen, under the direction of the presidency of the stake, to lookafter the organization of similar committees under the direction ofthe bishoprics in the wards, to look after returned missionaries. Thishas been found to be very necessary, in order to keep the missionariesin the harness after their return home, as far as pertains to religiousduties, and also to aid them as far as possible in obtaining employmentcongenial to their circumstances and advancement. After a personhas been away for two or three years in the mission field, it is difficultwithout a little aid from the brethren at home to get a start again.

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In doing so, many missionaries, who are generally without funds, bendtheir whole energies towards material things, and thus lose some in-terest in Church work and affairs. The purpose of these committeesis to enlist their sympathies in ward and stake work, and at the sametime aid them in obtaining employment so that this work can becontinued by them. It is a splendid arrangement, and should receiveencouragement throughout the whole Church. Much good we believecould be accomplished in this way, and great strength be added to thewards and stakes if these splendid workers, returned from the missionfield, could be continually kept in the harness in the service of theLord. The work of the bishop as well as the presidency of the stakev/ould be largely accelerated by them, and at the same time they them-selves would continue to reap the benefit both spiritually and tem-porally.

An organization of this kind has been established in the Libertystake of Zion where all the missionaries who have ever been absentupon a mission and who have returned are listed and looked after, andtheir conditions and labors are looked into, aid being rendered whereverfound necessary. It appears that in the Liberty stake there are 374returned missionaries, and that out of this number only 85 are notperforming any duties in the Church. There is a committee in eachward, supervised by the chairman of the stake committee, PresidentFrank J. Hewlett, late of the South African mission. We think theidea is an excellent one for other stakes to adopt, in fact we understandthat it has been recommended by the authorities that these efforts begenerally put forth in aid of the returned missionaries.

Ward Teaching

The following bulletin of ward teaching for October, 1915, is re-ceived and was compiled by the Presiding Bishop's Office, November19. It shows the percentage of families visited during October ineach stake:

Alberta 50

Alpine 62

Bannock 40

Bear Lake 94

Bear River 60

Beaver 32

Benson 39

Big Horn 41

Bingham 13

Blackfoot 23

Boise **

Box Elder 100

Cache 61

Carbon 29.4

Cassia 63

Cottonwood 42

Curlew 70

Deseret 47

Duchesne *

Emery 63

Ensign 83

Fremont 62

Granite 57

Hyrum 41

♦Not reported.

Jordan 45

Juab 59

Juarez *

Kanab 12

Liberty 95

Malad 36

Maricopa 84

Millard 47

Moapa *

Morgan 53

Nebo 49

North Davis 100

North Sanpete ... 84North Weber .... 69

Ogden 100

Oneida 100

Panguitch *

Parowan 6

Pioneer 72

Pocatello *

Portneuf 28

Raft River 32

Rigby *

St. George 53

♦♦Incomplete.

St. Johns *

St. Joseph 27

Salt Lake 80

San Juan 14

San Luis 56

Sevier 6

Shelley 34

Snownake 76

South Davis .... 98South Sanpete . . 59

Star Valley 32

Summit 44

Taylor *

Teton *

Tooele 50

Uintah *

Union 38

Utah 50

Wasatch ♦

Wayne 14

Weber 98

Woodruff 41

Yellowstone .... 29Young 84