--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Hanson, Orelia May collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 24 number: 9 published: 1921-07 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'Hanson, Orelia May, "Today Is Mine," *Improvement Era* 24, no. 9 (July 1921): 787.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera2409unse 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: improvementera2409unse start_page: 787 end_page: 787 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1921-07) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera2409unse publication_year: 1921 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 1921, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # Today Is Mine "ONE ANDREW JENSON" 787 English, and always interesting; in his writings he had one — notable end in view that his data must be given correctly. This latter is the great asset of the real historian. History may not be rhetoric; rhetoric alone is not history. But Andrew Jenson's data and publications are history; they are as near accurate in statement of time, place and event, as human care and inquiry can make them. No man has done more if any — — has done so much in the cause of abundant and correct data for the Church records. He has traveled around the world, prac- tically to every branch of the Church, in his duties as an Assist- ant Church Historian, and the same characteristic has attended all his efforts. It is not within the ability of man to measure, now, the full value of his contribution to this and the coming generations in the Church; but his example of aiming at ac- curacy in statements of history is one of the best that the youth of Zion can follow. It makes them feel safe, and gives to others confidence in their integrity, and purpose, and truthfulness; and Andrew Jenson's books are reliable works of reference in Church and individual history. That is the lesson of this writing—his accuracy, and cer- tainty. It was called forth by a recent incident. A young man, an energetic M. I. A. worker, had been assigned a subject to look up. He came to the writer, said he had searched and in- quired everywhere that he knew of for the necessary informa- tion, without success, and could I help him? I thought so. In my library was a book, the cover loose by frequent handling and poor binding. On its back was the inscription, Historical Record, Vols. 5, 6, 7, 8. The desired article was turned to, and on reading it the young man exclaimed, as others had done be- fore respecting other articles, "That is just what I want, and as I want it." He looked at the volume, now over thirty years old, and asked, "Who wrote this book?" Memory flashed back over the intervening years to the scene in the old Deseret News print- ing office, as I made reply: "One Andrew Jenson!" Today is Mine You have asked to know life's sequel then, dear friend, You would tear the veil apart, and find the end. In this surge of endless strife, In this plan that we call life, I have found that smiles, with heartaches often blend. In my search for understanding, many weary years I've spent, I have suffered bitter anguish never knowing what it meant. Now I've ceased to question Fate, And for tomorrow do not wait, For I know today is mine, and am content. River City, Utah Orelia May Hanson Bear