Notes

642 IMPROVEMENT ERA

for the noble men and women who conquered the West and by their sacrifices provided for the temporal comfort we enjoy today. The ups and downs of the life of this typical pioneer frontiersman with a few of the thrilling incidents of his strenuous career are vividly portrayed. Solomon F. Kimball his companion brother is the author. Other sketches of interest to pioneers are given, also two patriarchal blessings given by Hyrum Smith to President Heber C. Kimball and his wife Vilate, in Nauvoo in 1842. The book is fondly inscribed to the memory of David P. Kimball by his sons.

Messages from the Missions

Sunday School and Mutual Workers President James N. Lambert, of the New Zealand Mission, writes, February 7: "This is a portrait of Brother and Sister Charles Billman's family of the Thames branch in the New Zealand mission, nine in number, all of whom are Latter-day Saints and are striving to live in conformity with the

gospel. Previous to Brother Billman's marriage he went to Utah and resided there a few years. Returning from Utah to New Zealand, he married and a fine family is the result. An active part is being taken by them in the Sunday School and Mutual affairs, and those who are old enough are constant readers of the Era"

Handicapped by Lack of Missionaries Elder W. O. Andrus writes from New Haven, Conn., and encloses this photo of the missionaries laboring in the New Haven conference of the Eastern States Mission. Standing, left to right: Jos. T. Moore, C. B. Stewart, R. L. Fisher, F. J. Gilbert, H. C. Baker, C. E. McCombs. Sitting:

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W. O. Andrus, incoming Conference President; Millie Tueller, Dora Coffman, Laverde Evans, L. W. Jefferv, retiring Conference President. Front: L. T. Alvord. He says further: "We feel that the work of the Lord is forging on in some parts of this conference, but we are seriously handicapped by lack of missionaries owing to the war. People are somewhat indifferent to religion but there are some who are seeking for the truth. We have baptized a number, and there are others who have expressed their desire to be baptized as soon as the weather becomes warmer. At a recent priesthood meeting, the elders all came together and bore their testimony to the gospel and

gave encouraging reports of the work which they are performing under the direction and inspiartion of the Spirit of the Lord. They return to their fields of labor with a determination to promulgate the gospel truths and to make the summer months fruitful in results."

Winter Work

"We are so proud of the excellent work our missionory boys are doing that Iam sending you a little synopsis of the good work which they have continued in the country during the severe winter. Northern Indiana, Raymond W. Peck, president, and sixteen missionaries; Southern Indiana, Fred A. Rees, president, with nineteen missionaries; Michigan, Wilford C. Wood, president, with twenty-three missionaries; Southern Illinois, Win. S. Stringham, president, with sixteen missionaries; East Iowa, Baltzar W. Peterson, president, with ten missionaries, continued country work during the greater part of the winter. In Jackson, Michigan, on Saturday, February 23, four people were baptized. The ice was broken for this purpose. Those baptized were Francis T. Smith and his wife Cecelia Smith, Edward T. Smith and his wife Amelia Ann Smith. Elder William Erickson of Smithfield, Utah, officiated." Mrs. G. E. Ellsworth.

644 IMPROVEMENT ERA

Many Homes Opened to Missionaries Elder Thomas K. Gunnell, Dallas, Texas, writes: "We are enjoying our work here and the Lord is blessing our efforts with success. Many homes are being opened every day to us, where we are permitted to hold conversations on the gospel. The Era is a very welcome and indeed instructive visitor to us. Elders left to right: Alma Anderson, Myrl Burrup, Downey,

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Idaho; Joseph L. Shumway, Taylor, Arizona; Thomas K. Gunnell, Soda Spings, Idaho; Clive Killpack, Ferron, Utah."

Annual Report of the British Mission From the Millennial Star of February 14, we gather the following facts from the statistical report of the British Mission for the year ending December 25, 1917. There are thirteen conferences with altogether fifty missionaries, which includes one lady missionary, one apostle, four high priests, twenty-two seventies, and twenty-two elders. Of the local priesthood there are one high priest, two hundred and thirty-four elders, two hundred thirtythree priests, one hundred and twenty-one teachers, two hundred and ninetytwo deacons and six thousand one hundred and sixty-three members. There are one thousand one hundred forty-five children under eight years of age, making a total of souls in the mission, eight thousand one hundred eightynine. During the year three hundred nineteen were baptized and eighty-one died. The local priesthood and lady missionaries of all the conferences distributed a large number of tracts and answered a hundred and fourteen thousand sixty-two calls, while trading. Altogether, one million sixty-six thousand four hundred ninety-three tracts were distributed, and nine thousand nine hundred and nine meetings were held. President George F. Richards of the Council of the Twelve, who presides over the British and European Mission, is to be congratulated, with his associates and the elders who are laboring in the missions of Europe, for the splendid showing made, notwithstanding the adverse conditions necessarily brought about owing to the great war. May the blessings of the Lord continue to rest upon them in their noble work. May the gospel message of the Master, the principles of freedom, and the cause of the Allies in this terrible war, be victorious that truth and liberty may abound in all the nations.