--- 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: 24 number: 10 published: 1921-08 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations, "Messages from the Missions," *Improvement Era* 24, no. 10 (August 1921): 941–945.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera24010unse 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: improvementera24010unse start_page: 941 end_page: 945 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1921-08) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera24010unse 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. --- # Messages from the Missions Messages from the MissionsGridley Semi-Annual Conference The fourth semi-annual conference of the Gridley conference, con- vened May 6 to 8 with nine meetings, including a priesthood meeting, two Relief Society meetings and six general sessions. A social was held on Monday evening, May 9, at Liberty Hall. The total attendance of the con- ference was 2,500. President Jos. W. McMurrin, Mission Secretary William G. Brown, Louise Jones, outgoing president of the mission Relief Societies, Margaret K. Miller, incoming president, and President W. W. Richards and many of the missionaries from the San Francisco conference were in at- tendance. A number of the laboring elders were speakers. The meetings were well attended and the greatest hospitality was extended to all visitors. A feature of the conference was the Mother's Day program held on Sunday morning, May 8. The elders presented each of the mothers with a white carnation, and the talks and music were all devoted to motherhood. A spirit of harmony prevailed throughout the conference and the instructions were timely and elevating. — Elder Ove C. Inkley. Two Organized Branches in Arkansas , i Elder Almon D. Owens, writing from the Arkansas conference re- ports : "There are two organized branches of the Church in this conference, where Sunday school and services are held each Sunday, and during the week cottage meetings and classes of study are held. The Barney branch is presided over by President Antie L. Long. They have their own church in which to hold their services. The Little Rock branch is presided over by President W.irren F. Wilhite. They hold meetings in the Moose Hall. The members, though few in numbers, have a church fund started. The spirit of prejudice is being overcome, and we feel that much good is being accomplished among the people of this state. The elders of the Arkansas Conference appreciate very much the Era and its instructive articles and doctrinal explanations, also its interesting stories." — Almon D. Otvens. 942 IMPROVEMENT ERA m*m A 1 f . 3lj PW ff w 1 H 1 9 • Mm t B . ■ ■B * M . > i FT W ■T" ■*•*■>'' v^ 1 r Elders top row: Willard E. Page, Leland E. Wood, Calvin Keller, Rich- ard R. Lyman, of the Council of the Twelve, Duane H. Ence, John W. Roe, Chester R. Brough; middle row: Charles H. Richards, Ivan E. Harris, George M. Park, Samuel O. Bennion, mission president; Joseph E. Hanks, J. Edwin Miller, Leo Elder; front row: Merrill R. Willis, Orville W. Ward, Almon D. Owens, conference president; and Harry M. Christensen. Progress in Holland Elder Abraham Dalebout, writing from Rotterdam, Holland, encloses this photograph of the elders of that conference, including the mission presi- dent, his wife, and the mission secretary, and the following elders: First row: S. N. Wetter, G. Van der Waard, conference president Abraham Dale- bout, Mission President J. P. Lillywhite, Sister Lillywhite, Arie Kruys, William Levi Phillips. Second row: O. Brainich, J. Vreeken, R. E. Card- well, Mission Secretary R. E. Weight, J. Koning. Third row: H. Boekweg, A. Sligting and W. R. Monson. "The work in this conference is progress- EDITORS' TABLE 943 ing wonderfully at this time. During the first five months of this year, with an average of eight missionaries, 14,466 tracts, 4,999 gospel pamphlets and 353 books have been distributed and 44 people were led down into the waters of baptism. Local elders presided in nearly all of the branches during the war. They worked faithfully and kept a good spirit existing in the mission. The branches are now all fully organized, with missionaries in charge of the work. A most excellent spirit exists at the present time, all are working hard and the Lord is crowning their efforts with success. At Rotterdam we have a well organized Mutual with an active enrollment of over fifty, and much good is coming from the work of that organization. The Improvement Era is a source of joy and enlightenment to the elders in this land." The Tonga Band i Elders S. I. May, conference president and bandmaster, writes from Neiafu Vava'u, calling attention to the Tongan band which was organized in March, 1917. The study of music was immediately commenced, and by October, 1917, some money had been raised, by the Saints and the band members for instruments which were then ordered, and by June, 1918 the order of goods was landed from R. S. Williams & Sons, located in Calgary, Canada, and work began at once. The band was called to Tonga for the Central conference in November of that year, but was prevented from play- ing there on account of influenza, a number of members of the band being victims. "For the last two years we have had very good success, and at present have one of the best bands, if not the best in all of the Tongan group. We are striving to be the best in the South Pacific, if possible. The band offers a splendid avenue for presenting the fruits of 'Mormonism' be- 944 IMPROVEMENT ERA fore the people in a different way. The work is growing in the Tongan Islands and we anticipate a greater growth. There is a feeling of unrest and dissatisfaction among the contending sects of Christendom. We extend heartiest greetings to the readers of the Era throughout the world and hope you are all enjoying the blessings of the Lord as we are, who are trying to do our part in far off Tonga to redeem the inhabitants of the earth from the spirit of Babylon that has enveloped them so long." Nine Baptisms Performed and Sunday School Organized Elder F. Pratt Hawkes, Joplin, Missouri, under date of June 21, in a letter to the Era, says; "We have realized better results in this vicinity in the last three months than any other period of the same length in a long time. The labors of the missionaries in the past are aiding us in reaping good results. During the past three months there has been a Sunday School established and nine baptisms performed. We have many interested in- vestigators of the gospel, and have at present nine applications for bap- tism. We express our appreciation of the benefits received from the Im- provement Era in our missionary labors." fev \ f ti£f '|Kf'>^I vjt . W\ W-** ■** b' -*. ■ *■ ^ mmx?i 'M «•*- m^^^^^^^m\ """"■" ~'':-'*y- :, f B0& ** M ■ ,«J ''Jam % W \ 1 ' ■ 1 ft ■ iui^ Af AM h r. ML A 1 i *** ~ ^>.>*B ! l i% ^^pR' -^^B LiiiLr. i> y Missionaries laboring in Joplin are, (left to right) Louis H. Peterson, Ridgedale, Idaho; Myra Miller, American Fork, Utah; Herman Blan,- Wal- lace, Kansas. (Sitting) Grace Larsen, Roosevelt, Utah; F. Pratt Hawks, Preston, Idaho. Many Friends in Sunday School Elder LeGrande Smith, writing from Dallas, Texas, June 25, says: "We have disposed of sixty Books of Mormon during the last month. Each night from two to three meetings have been held and we are favored with several listeners. Our Sunday school, organized a year ago, is in thriving EDITORS' TABLE 945 condition, and we are making many friends through it. We have three organized branches in this conference and twenty traveling elders who are enthusiastic in their labors in presenting the gospel to the people. We at- tribute our success to the Lord and acknowledge his hand in what we have been able to accomplish." Elders left to right: Leonard W. Gibson, Ogden, Utah; W. LeGrande Law, Delta, Utah; Clarence Cottom, St. George, Utah. Front: Wilford Capson Salt Lake City; LeGrande F. Smith, conference president, Draper, Utah; George Byron Done, Salt Lake City.