---
title: Improvement Era
description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930.
authors:
  - Pratt, Grace Zenor
collections:
  - periodicals
tags:
  - magazine
  - improvement-era
periodical: Improvement Era
volume: 23
number: 5
published: 1920-03
publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations
publisher_place: Salt Lake City
language: en
type: magazine
reference: 'Pratt, Grace Zenor, "Have You Passed Through the Valley?," *Improvement Era* 23, no. 5 (March 1920): 461.'
source:
  url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera2305unse
  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: improvementera2305unse
start_page: 461
end_page: 461
rights:
  status: public-domain
  basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1920-03)
  source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera2305unse
  publication_year: 1920
  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 1920, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright.
---

# Have You Passed Through the Valley?

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—     —

                            MUTUAL WORK                                461

    Class Work: Pocatello, Woodruff, Salt Lake, North Sanpete, Maricopa,
Raft River, Kanab, Jordan, Yellowstone, Uintah, Union, Cottonwood.
    Special Activities: Pocatello, Salt Lake, North Sanpete, Taylor, Maricopa, Raft River, Kanab, Jordan, Yellowstone, Uintah, Union, Ogden.
    Scout Work: Salt Lake, Maricopa, Cottonwood, Deseret, Ogden.
    Social Work: Pocatello, Woodruff, Salt Lake, Raft River, Kanab, Yellowstone, Uintah, Ogden.
    Era: Pocatello, Woodruff, Maricopa, Raft River, Kanab, Jordan, Yellowstone.
    Fund: Salt Lake, Maricopa, Raft River, Kanab.
    Vocations and Industries: Salt Lake, Maricopa, Yellowstone, Deseret.
    Monthly Stake and Ward Officers' Meetings: Pocatello, Woodruff,
North Davis, Salt Lake, North Sanpete, St. Joseph, Maricopa, Kanab, Jordan,
Yellowstone, Uintah, Cottonwood, Ogden.
     Ward Officers' Meetings: Pocatello, Salt Lake, North Sanpete, Maricopa, Raft River, Kanab, Jordan, Yellowstone, Uintah, Union, Ogden.

         Have You Passed Through the Valley?

         Have you passed through the valley of deep despair
         You, with your smile and fair, sweet face?
         Have you faced the caverns that bear no light,
         Have you glimpsed the pain of an endless night?
         And your soul, has it fought its battle there?
              Have you passed through the valley?

         Have you passed through the valley of broken faith?
         You, who are trusting, you who are loved!
         Ah, many have trusted and been deceived,
         Many have loved and been bereaved;
         Idols have fallen, souls laid bare
             Passed with me through the valley.

         Have you with your sunshine, lingered there?
         God grant no sorrow may come to thee
         For the sunshine dims in a darkened place,
         Even flowers that smile forget their grace,
          Ah, souls are tried for their infinite worth,
              As they pass through the valley.

         Have you passed through the valley of discontent?
         Have you suffered and left your sorrow there?
         You would know the glory of sun-kissed height,
         The peace in the knowledge that God is right;
         Ah, there is sweetness in faith renewed,
             When one has passed through the valley.
                                                  Grance Zenor Pratt