--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Unknown collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 28 number: 7 published: 1925-05 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: "Unknown, “What They Say,” *Improvement Era 28, no. 7 (May 1925)*: 686–688." source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera2807unse 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: improvementera2807unse start_page: 686 end_page: 688 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1925-05) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera2807unse publication_year: 1925 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 1925, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # What They Say WHAT THEY SAY A Collection of Sentiments on the Value of the Y. M. M. I. A. About twenty-six hundred poll cards were sent out in March to the General Church officials, the Patriarchs, Presidents of Stakes, High Coun- cilors, and Bishops, and certain other officials, including members of the General Board Y. M. M. I. A. These cards, signed by the General ■Superintendency, contain the following: 18 75 — JUBILEE— 192 5 February, 192 5 Dear Brother: The Young Men's Mutual Improvement Association will cele> brate their fiftieth anniversary in a general M. I. A. Jubilee conference, June 6 to 10, 1925. Committees are appointed and at work for the auspicious occasion. In commemoration of the Jubilee, it is decided to poll the officers of the Church to ascertain the information asked for on the attached card. Please fill out the blank on the card and return at your earliest convenience; so that a complete record may be compiled. We trust that you will find pleasure in advertising the Jubilee, encouraging the officers and members of our Associations to attend; and we shall be pleased, should you also honor us with your presence at the Jubilee. Sincerely your brethren, George Albert Smith, Richard R. Lyman, Melvin J. Ballard, GENERAL SUPERINTENDENCY Y. M. M. I. A. The cards called for the following response: , 1925 General Superintendency Y. M. M. I. A. Salt Lake City, Utah. Dear Brethren: Answering your request for a poll of Church officials who have been connected with the Y. M. M. I. A., I am pleased to inform you as follows: Name Present Church Office Ward Stake Address I joined the Y. M. M. I. A. in the Ward, of the Stake, in the year My connection as officer and member of the Y. M. M. I. A. has covered about years. I have to say in appreciation of the value that the association has been to me, that Sincerely yours, Up to the 10th of April about one-half of the responses expected have been received. It is hoped that every one will come in before the June conference. The testimonies upon the cards that have already come are very remarkable. It will not be practicable to publish all of them. A few chosen at random from the hundreds examined will indicate their quality. The figures after the respective signatures indicate the number of years covered by WHAT THEY SAY 687 membership; h. p. indicates high priest; h. c. high councilor. These expres- sions follow the phrase: "I have to say in appreciation of the value the Association has been to me that": It has been valuable beyond expression. — President Heber J. Grant, 50. I hope the Association will ever continue its wonderful work. — Reed Smoot, 49. It has been a beacon light and guide to my conduct in life. — A. William Lund. 25. It has practically made me, in an ecclesiastical sense. — Arthur F. Miles, St. George. I am at least 15% more efficient than I would have been. — James L. Dunford, Bear Lake. I received development and spiritual growth in it. — Jas. P. Cameron, h. c, Panguitch, 2 5. Teaching Y. M. M. I. A. boys gave me my first real love of teaching. — Adam S. Bennion, 12. It has shown me the worth of religiots training in the days of our youth. — Levi Edgar Young, 3 0. It has been like a living spring to me with fresh water at every season. — Emit W. Weld, h. c, 21. It has offered a field of real service, the influence of which nas been most bene- ficial.— David A. Smith, 3 6. Faith-promoting, and gave me an experience in good leadership. — George J. Cannon, stake presidency, 30. No other organization has so much influence over the young man in his "teens." — Bishop Carl Robison, Star Valley. No labor that I have appreciated more. It has helped to make me what I am — David P. Thomas, h. c. Cassia, 30. I have majored in M. I. A. and it has been a constant source of inspiration and joy to me. — Nicholas G. Morgan, 26. It has been one of the greatest aids in arousing and retaining my interest in Church work. — Richard R. Lyman, 18. The M. I. A. furnished the incentive to be of public service in the Church. — Moroni Lazenby, patriarch, No. Sevier. It has been one of the best educational factors entering into my life. — Milton H. Knudson, president Snow College, 34. Its influence has always made for decent and upright living and should be encouraged. — William Spry, ex-Governor. It gave me an opportunity for expression, in many ways, which has given me much joy and satisfaction. — - Edward H. Anderson, 49. It has been a great help to me throughout life. 1 have held every office in the ward M. I. A. — Edwin F. Parry, h. c. Salt Lake, 50. I owe a large part of my development and activity in the Church to the service which I have rendered in M. I. A. work. — LeRoi C. Snow. The work has been a continual joy and inspiration to me. I served as local president Y. M. M. I. A. in 1880. — Benjamin Goddard, 46. It has greatly helped in my development and to make me of more efficient service to the Church and my fellow men. — Moroni Snow, 48. It has helped to teach me the gospel; kept me active in the Church; and broadened my understanding of the meaning of life. — John A. Widtsoe, 26. One of the most important factors for good during the years of my young manhood. — F. S. Harris, president Brigham Young University, IQ. 688 IMPROVEMENT ERA My first and lasting testimony of the divinity of "Mormonism" was first obtained in the Y. M. M. I. A. — Edmund Spencer, h. c. Logan, 20. Pleasant associations, higher ideals, greater faith, improved self-expression, great opportunity to serve in a magnificant cause. — Frank L. West, Cache. It has been one of the best things that ever came into my life. I cannot even estimate the great value it has been to me. — Preston D. Richards, 29. As a boy it prepared me for my later Church work, and as a man gave me an opportunity to share in the education of young people. — Lyman R. Martineau, 50. It has been an inspiration in correct living. I quit so that my wife could teach in the Mutual while I stayed home with the babies. — Alfred Gladwell, Mt. Ogden. In doctrine and in help, as to planning programs, as to training, as a presiding officer, its value has been beyond my power to estimate. — James Gunn McKay, 30. It has been of much benefit to me morally, socially, intellectually and spiritually, and a factor for good in rearing my family, — J. W. Brown, patriarch, St. Johns. It has been a constant inspiration, exciting my deepest interest and devotion. I regard activity in it as the most important labor of my life. — Junius F. Wells, 50. I have had the opportunity for a world of preparation, covering almost every branch of knowledge. I thank my Maker for the M. I. A. — T. L. Austin, h. c. Bear Lake. I regard the M. I. A. work as an education in itself, and at the same time it offers an opportunity to use one's knowledge of the gospel in service. — Thomas A. Beat, 3 7. It gave me an ambition to be helpful to boys and to have an influence with them like the M- I. A. men had with me. — John H. Taylor, president Northern States Mission, 3 8. Nothing in my life, I am now in my 74th year, has given me more genuine joy or been more profitable to me than my connection with the M. I. A. cause. — Joseph A. West, 15. It has perhaps been the greatest single agency, so far as auxiliary organizations are concerned, in strengthening me religiously. — Edgar M. Jenson, president Dixie College, 23. In addition to religious training first awakened desire to know something about literature. I was a member of the first organization formed on the Phillipine Islands — Charles R. Mabey, Ex-Governor. It was in this organization I made my first attempt to speak before the public, and from it I have derived more good in obtaining gospel information than from any organization. — Joseph W. McMurrin, 48. M. I. A. was one of the prime factors in stimulating me in Church activities. I was called as an M. I. A. missionary in 1890, served on the General Board for years and in ward and stake offices. — Nephi L. Morris, stake president, 19. I consider the Y. M. M. I. A. has the most consecutive program I have ever read for making the genuine Christian citizen. It provides spiritual, mental, physical, social and all instruction necessary to make the modern man. — Ernest P. Horsley, 3 8. It has greatly helped me in preparation for citizenship of our country and for service in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Sanits. I was a member of the first organization in Paris, Bear Lake stake, organized by Junius F. Wells about the year 18 78. — Joseph R. Shepherd, 10. In the M. I. A. I have gained experience which has fitted me not only for Church work, but for civil positions. It has given me an understanding of the principles of the gospel and strengthened my testimony of the truth and has been the keynote of my life's activities. I owe M. I. A. a debt I can never repay. — Thomas Hull. 50. {Other testimonies will follow in future numbers of the fro.)