--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Young Men's Mutual Improvement Associations collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 23 number: 2 published: 1919-12 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: "Young Men's Mutual Improvement Associations, \"A Mission as a Factor in Education,\" *Improvement Era* 23, no. 2 (December 1919): 169–171." source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera2302unse transcription: Transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of each issue (the item for each issue is named in the issue's own source); unnumbered advertising leaves are omitted, printed page numbers are kept as page markers. identifier: improvementera2302unse start_page: 169 end_page: 171 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1919-12) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera2302unse publication_year: 1919 note: The Internet Archive item metadata carries a blanket "© Copyright by Intellectual Reserve, Inc." notice. The library owner judged it inapplicable because this issue was published in 1919, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # A Mission as a Factor in Education A Mission as a Factor in Education A Study for the Advanced Junior Y. M. M. I. A. Class, 1919-1920 LESSON VII.— SHOULD A YOUNG MAN PERMIT HIS POOR MOTHER TO KEEP HIM ON A MISSION? A widowed mother has an only son. She is poor, and has to work hard to support herself and her boy. She sends him to school, and after he completes the high school, he is called on a mission. He has no other means of support on a mission than what his mother can send him. She tells him to accept the call. He does so. The mother remains at home alone and has to take in washing to supply her own small needs and the needs of her missionary son. "Sacrifice brings forth the blessings of heaven." Questions and Problems Do you think the mother who is doing this for her son and the Church is happy? Happiness is created, not so much by conditions about — — us where we live and what we do, etc., as the condition of the mind. Where is this woman's thoughts as she bends over the wash tub? What does she likely see in her mind's eye? Would it be right to deprive a mother of the blessings and the joy she receives by her sacrifices in thus working for her ton? Some well-to-do person, or the ward, or even the Church would be more financially able to support the missionary, but why would the mother rather do it herself? What about the missionary son? What blessings come to him by accepting his mother's sacrifices? Under the influence of the Spirit of God which he enjoys on his mission, what would be his thoughts and feelings regarding his mother? Appreciating what she is doing for him, how would he spend his time, his talent, and his money? What influence would this have on the young man's character? How should he doubly repay his mother for what she is doing? In the Book of Mormon we read of 2,000 young men who had been taught by their mothers to have implicit faith in the Lord. (Read about them in Alma 53, verses 10-23; also 56:44-48.) Note especially what they said about their mothers in verse 48. What did their mothers know? How had they obtained this knowledge? What was accomplished through the mothers' faith and the sons' activity? In what way does it always pay to follow a good mother's advice? LESSON VIII.-WHAT ARE SOME OF THE REQUISITES FOR A SUC- CESSFUL MISSIONARY? ^ Faith, humility and personal integrity may well be considered as some of the requisites of a successful missionary. It is, of course, assumed that a candidate for a mission has a testimony of the gospel and has familiarized himself with its principles. 170 IMPROVEMENT ERA Faith: A misionary should have implicit faith in God and believe in the divine appointment of Joseph Smith the Prophet. The faith taught by the Latter-day Saints means action, life, progress. A mere profession of faith is of little avail. "Faith without works is dead." What is the foundation of faith in God? Discuss the statement "No man can preach the gospel without the Spirit of God." How may the Spirit of God be obtained? How can faith be acquired? Give examples. How can a testimony of the divinity of Joseph Smith's mission be ac- quired? Humility does not consist of bashfulness or self-distrust, but rather of meekness, and rating oneself low, gladly giving God all honor for success. Why should a missionary be humble? What effect would pride and arrogance have on strangers, and investigators? On the missionary him- self? How may humility be acquired? How retained? What do the scriptures say about humility? What is meant by the statement: "Pride goeth before a fall." Personal Integrity: Integrity is defined as moral soundness; freedom from corrupting influences, strictness in the fulfilment of obligations, honesty and uprightness. How may it be evidenced? How assured and maintained? Give examples of personal integrity. Why does the calling of a missionary require him to be morally sound and to have the purest of motives? What has one's manner of living to do with his teachings, so long as those teachings are correct? Why? Illustrate. Honesty in speech and conduct compel attention and inspire confidence. Why? Illustrate. LESSON IX.— THE QUESTION OF MONEY Who would be apt to do the most good and get the best experiences out of a mission, one with plenty of money or one with very little? In our judgment one who pursues most diligently the object of the mission would do the most good and get the best experience out of it, and we think the object of a mission would be most diligently pursued by the elder who love,s God, who loves his fellowmen, and who has a burning testimony of the truthfulness of the gospel in his heart. We think that all three of the foregoing are more likely to be possessed by one who has just enough money to meet his necessary requirements, than by one who has plenty of money. What do you think? Give reasons for your answer. What should an elder's necessary requirements include? What is the very best way in your judgment to obtain these requirements? Method in Savior's Time The Savior required his apostles and the seventy, in his time, to "Carry neither purse nor scrip." (Matt. 10:9, 10); (Luke 10:4.) Why do you think that method was adopted by the Savior? Why do we follow that method as far as possible today? Discuss Bacon's saying, "Adversity best begetteth virtue, but prosperity best begetteth vice." What application can you make to the title of this lesson, of the principle involved in the interview between Christ and the rich young ruler? (Luke 18:21-30.) One with plenty of money could see all the fine shows, take excursions to the worth-seeing points, live in the finest hotels and meet the elite of the world. What would you say as to the value of such experiences? What effect would these diversions and experiences likely have on an elder's diligent pursuit of the object of his mission? "