--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Quirney, Joseph, Jr. collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 26 number: 5 published: 1923-03 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'Jr. Quirney, Joseph, "My Guide", *Improvement Era* 26, no. 5 (March 1923): 432–436.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera2605unse 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: improvementera2605unse start_page: 432 end_page: 436 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1923-03) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera2605unse publication_year: 1923 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 1923, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # My Guide My Guide By Joseph Quirmey, Jr. I believe in God, in myself, and in my fellowman. / believe man to be the highest type of God's creations, capable of understanding the relationship between himself and Deity. / believe it to be my duty, as a child of God, to know his way and walk in it, and to be conscious always of the obliga- tion resting upon me for his goodness in permitting me to live and enjoy life. / believe that "only when my mind is guided and directed by a spiritual conception of life is it capable of its highest and noblest work," and that my soul is greater than my mind, in that it controls my mind. / believe that spiritual power received from God is the greatest power in the Universe, and that through the exercise of the power I have within myself to develop spirituality comes my greatest joy. / belieie that money is a powerful agency and should be used for the material development of the country, to be used judiciously for the benefit of mankind, but that man's success in life should not be measured by the unit of dollars and cent3, but rather should be placed upon the measuring table of use- fulness irrespective of his ability to make money. In other words, money should be a secondary consideration in measuring man's power and success. / believe with all my soul that work is the very fundamental upon which to build my life; indeed I look upon it as a great gift from God, to be guarded as a sacred thing and made the most of; that a disregard for work is only "a means to an end" and that end is failure; hence, "Blessed is he who has found his work, let him ask for no greater blessing." / believe I have the ability to assume the responsibilities placed upon me, and I should, and must, measure up to these responsibilities before I can enjoy the fullest confidence of my fellow men. / believe I have the power to solve my own difficulties with- out inflicting upon my fellowman the burdens I should carry myself. / believe that I should give voluntarily a portion of my time MY GUIDE 433 to the public, and that I should take a personal pride, both religiously and in civic matters, in maintaining a high standard of morality; and that my reward for this; service should be an opportunity to do my bit toward making my home town a wholesome place in which to dwell. / beli&ve that I should defer judgment, in passing upon the weaknesses of my fellowmen, until I have exercised the stabiliz- ing force of charity. / believe that my friends are the finest people in all the land, because I love them; live and associate with them. In order to make myself worthy of their friendship I should devote at least one hour each day to their consideration, that in so doing I shall act always as a trustworthy custodian of their good name. ' I believe that love should be the controlling power in my home; that my home should be impregnated with all that is good and fine; that an influence should radiate from it that is in- spiring; that it should be an institution whose name carries weight, and that it should be filled with God's holy Love. Logan, Utah. As I'd Be and Do I'd like to be valiant and good all day, Showing forth love in all I do and say; Let mercy be seen in the things I do; To God, himself, and all others be true. I want to arise with a pleasant smile And scatter cheer the whole live long while, Lending my help to those now in trouble; The joys of the poor in meekness double. Be glad of heaven's great blessings to me, All those I enjoy, and all things I see. Give praise to God and worship no other, Showing my thanks by serving my brother. Joyfully be with the life I'm to live, Cheering others with the hope I can give; Keeping the good deeds of the right han,d low, For fear that in time the left hand might know. Walking in robes of true righteousness, Striving God's children evermore to bless, Knowing within me that my soul is clean And pure as my robes are outwardly seen. Milo F. Kirkham Jose Rodriguez— Mexican By George Blair Glade They had just finished their missionary stew and were consoling their wearied jaws with candied apricots when the boy scout band of troop number fourteen swept past on its first street parade practice. Brushing aside the sun-stained cur- tains, which usually dim the rooms where missionaries generally live. George Jackson and Harold Bozarth looked out at the aspiring musicians. The lanky, long-stepping drum major had set a rapid pace, and trying to maintain it the smaller members trotted hur- riedly behind, the instruments loosened from their lips, the music falling in the dampened street. The musical brow of Harold Bozarth clouded, as the dis- cord from blaring bugle and squeaking reed grew more intense. "Can you see Jose?" Elder Jackson asked. "See him?" the other counter questioned; "why, he's the whole band!" And it was true. Marching with the air of an accomplished musician, his bronze skin shining under the arc light, his pic- colo giving forth the only recognizable melody of the popular tune they were playing, came Jose Rodriguez — Mexicano. The young men were silent until the boys, in snake-like fashion, turned the corner. "The only dark skin among them," reflected Elder Bozarth. "Perhaps it isn't strange they tried to oust him. Little they realize that under that dark skin flows the blood of Israel." It had rained, intermittently, all day and started afresh as the missionaries prepared for their evening duties. But un- deterred they went to fill their appointment. The family recent- ly baptized welcomed them cordially. The awfulness of the storm without added a solemnity to song, story and conver- sation. Thunder crashes shook the house and vivid lightning made the darkened room as light as day. As the storm shifted to the north the elders returned to their rooms little know- ing that a cloud burst was falling in Olmos Basin, above the city. Elder Bozarth's prayer was unusually fervent that night, or at least it seemed so to his companion. Both had been touched by the majestic anger of the heavens and their expression of JOSE RODRIGUEZ— MEXICAN 435 appreciation and petition for further protection was earnest and sincere. As the boys were going to bed their attention was arrested by an old familiar tune coming from across the rher. It wtas not new because for months they had heard it. Sometimes, it irritated them to the depths of despondency. And again, it seemed like a benediction to their day's labor. It was the melody, " Nearer, my God, to thee," and came from a cheap phonograph in the Rodriguez home. Parting the dingy cur- tains the young elders looked out, over the swollen waters, into the door of the Mexican hovel. Around a pot of charcoal, endeavoring to shield them- selves from the damp, chilly air, sat Mother Rodriguez and her two little girls. Jose was not home yet, for a party after practice had detained him. At the mother's bidding, the oldest girl wound the ma- chine and played the record again. Softly humming a con- cordant phrase the elders listened intently. Acommpanied only by the dull lapping of the heavy waters below, the creaking phonograph did its best with the music. The nervous tempera- ment of Elder Bozarth was touched to the quick. "Great Stephens!" he exploded; "that's a melancholy lay! Come, let's go to bed." News of the impending deluge reached the city an hour later and those who were awake did their best to arouse others. Not until the landlord had entered the missionaries' room and shaken them thoroughly did they awake. So peaceful had been their sleep and so trustful their attitude that they little real- ized the immediate danger. Dressing quickly they left their rooms carrying the women of the house to safety. The angry waters increased in depth, rolling with the majestic power of a flood. So busy were the missionaries helping others to safety that their ordinary powers of observation were somewhat preoccu- pied. But had things been normal they would have noticed a black-haired lad racing wildly toward Soladad street. His hair stood on end, his legs were wet with the slimy flood waters, and clutched in his hand was a tiny piccolo. The flood washed itself away as floods always do, leaving in its wttke the havoc which only mad waters can leave. So for- tunate had been the missionaries' escape that not until morning did they realize the heavy toll death had^ taken. Mangled, here and there, in great piles of debris were lifeless forms. The elders found their room sadly wrecked, their books and clothing ruined. An oily slime covered everything. But 436 IMPROVEMENT ERA they were thankful — \ery thankful. The petition of the night before had not been unanswered. Across the river the Mexican huts had been washed away by the dozen and the Rodriguez home was among the missing. To the elders' dismay they also learned that the little family was unaccounted for. It was not known whether Jose reached home before the crest of the flood or not. He was last seen run- ning that way. With pathetic interest the elders watched the laborers searching for the bodies. Soon, lodged in a great mass of deb- ris directly below where their home had stood, the bodies of Mother Rodriguez and her oldest girl were found. And, if last, at a greater depth, caught under a huge timber, the sol- diers found the sturdy little Lamanite who still held in his arms, as with jealous care, the body of his little sister. An officer, whose, trim serge suit was untouched by the oil and filth, helped lift the bodies to the bank. The gray- haired veteran, who had witnessed many deeds of bravery dur- ing his service, raised his cap and bowed reverently over the little hero. For pinned upon the cheap shirt which shrouded the thin body of Jose Rodriguez — Mexicano, shining in all its gaudy but brilliant splendor, was the honor badge of a first class scout. (An incident of the flood in San Antonio, Texas, Sept. 8-9, 1922.) Home-Group Religion Classes Two years ago the Religion Class Board of Boise stake was facing what at first seemed a serious problem. The question of getting Religion Class work before the children of a widely scattered population and with no school houses available and L. D. S. meetinghouses few and far be- tween must be next to impossible. Members of the board made this problem a matter of study and prayer, and the inspiration which came was like this: Where as many as five children can be gotten together they may meet as a home,»»group with one of their mothers as teacher and there hold a successful class every Wed- nesday afternoon as soon aa convenient after school. Many home-group classes were started with from five to a dozen children. The plan proved decidedly successful. Neighbors living within a radius of a mile took turns giving their homes as meeting places. Prac- tically all the mothers were glad to assist as teachers. Small groups have grown into numbers of thirty or more; this includes the children of many non-members of the Church. Thus the missionary spirit finds rare oppor- tunity. The home-group makes attendance easy, solves the "closed school house" problem, increases individual participation, solves the teacher problem and promotes the missionary spirit and blessing of the Religion Classes. If the above suggestions prove helpful to any Religion Class workers, let them give thanks to Our Father from whom the inspiration came. The Religion Classes are a divine institution. Inkonu, Idaho Heber D. Clark