Mutual Work

MUTUAL WOR5L One-Act Play Contest In response to the One-Act Play Contest, we have received 45 short plays. Out of this number 24 come from Utah, 6 from Idaho, 4 from Arizona, 2 from Oregon, 2 from California, 2 from Canada, 1 from Holland, 1 from New Mexico, 1 from Washington, 1 from England, and 1 hav- ing no address. These plays will be passed upon by a competent committee and later the win- ning one will be made known. We ap- preciate highly the response that we have received to this important literary event, which we hope will result in the selection of a good one-act play, to be used with advantage in the recreation organizations of the West. What to do in November Stress the regular manual lessons, and see that the classes are provided with teachers enthusiastic in their duties. At the Union meeting this month, and in four periods during the month in the wards, the four-year plan in recreation should be taken up and discussed on the following points: First year: Meaning of recreation in the religious program of the Church. Second year: Study of local problems in the light of these objectives. Third year: Projects initiated by local committee to solve pressing problems as re- vealed by the survey. As this is a year for the working out of the third year plan, committees should check on projects that are under way. Fourth year: Fundamental projects se- lected from among those of local com- mittees which have proved most successful and which may be undertaken generally by ill the communities throughout the Church. Study the official Recreation Guide, also Recreation Bulletin No. 7, pp. 27-36, this year. Budget System in San Francisco General Superintendent George Albert Smith has received the following appre- ciation of The Recreation Guide, and giv- ing an encouraging statement of what they are doing in San Francisco stake: "We appreciate your letter of October 1, 1927, and are happy to know that you are mindful of us. The Recreation Guide has opened a field of action to us, rather than reaction. In fact, had it not been for the Guide we would by this time be smoth- ered in confusion. It is our law. And it certainly is a credit to those who have worked out such a comprehensive program for leisure time entertainment. The bud- get system has been launched here. Tickets are now being distributed by able captains, representatives of all wards in the San Fran- cisco district. Five dollars will carry a whole family on a social voyage from Oc- tober to July. The enclosed schedule will point out the many ports they may enter." A scheduled program follows for recrea- tional events, listing the wards and the dates on which they are to be held. — John G. Larson, Harold R. Jenson, Helen Heath, Olive Wilcox, San Francisco Recreation Committee. Obtaining a Fuller Knowledge At the joint meeting of the M. I. A. officers, on Sunday morning. October 9, in the Assembly Hall, Salt Lake City, a very inspiring program was rendered before the large congregation: the theme was The Book of Mormon. Many officers through-

MUTUAL WORK 85 out the Church give encouraging testi- monies of the progress of reading the rec- ord. Among these is this one from Clifford E. Young, Superintendent of the Alpine stake of Y. M. M. I. A.: Samuel Butler once said: "It is not what a man has written or put on canvass that counts; not what he has done; but what he has made men feel what he has felt and aimed at." And Stanley Hall; "Whether other people really teach us anything is a question, but they do sometimes give us impulses that make us find ourselves." Some years ago in the old Twelfth ward meetinghouse, in Salt Lake City, there used to meet each Sunday morning a group of boys and girls. They were part of the Sunday school of that ward and ranged in ages from 12 to 14, as I now recall. The teacher was a woman of refinement and culture, possessed of a fine faith. The subject was the Book of Mormon. At this time we do not recall any special lesson, but somehow those boys and girls were made to feel that the Book of Mor- mon is true, and there were developed in their young lives a confidence and faith. Subse- quently, the boys of that group became mem- bers of the Mutual Improvement Association of that ward. The course of study was the Book of Mormon as outlined in a series of excellent manuals prepared by Elder B. H. Roberts, and here again those young lives were touched with that same spirit and con- fidence that had come to them through that fine teacher in the Sunday school. It was not so much the facts they learned, but what they felt that counted. Faith and an incentive to seek knowledge came to them, and they began to feel some of the impulses that had first prompted Joseph Smith, and as years passed, some of those boys were to reflect those im- pulses in the mission field. So, at this time, we. in our stake, are in accord with the suggestion that special em- phasis be placed on the Book of Mormon this season, that we shall lend our efforts to ob- taining a Fuller Knowledge, and encourage others to do likewise; for, obtaining a Fuller Knowledge is individual. It requires indi- vidual study and research, but like every other individual labor, encouragement may come from without. We regard last year's slogan as a foundation of this year's. Last year we undertook to en- courage more extensive reading of the Book of Mormon, and it is gratifying to note the number of boys and girls who responded. This year we are amplifying this work by incorporating in the plans of our preliminary programs a series of exercises calculated to stimulate interest in the reading and study of the Book of Mormon. The book is full of dramatic incidents that lend themselves to dramatization and pageantry. Its stories are full of interest, and when properly told add dignity and spirit to the exercises. Some of these we are incorporating in our programs. Then, too, for the older groups, the book's message, its philosophy, its interpretation of the divine message of Jesus, etc., offer a field of un- limited resources, keeping in mind as we must that the book itself is its greatest witness; that it is the inspired work of a boy less than twen- ty-four years of age; that, to quote from a member of the general board, "The Book of Mormon makes God and immortality subjects of faith; it makes public and private righteous- ness matters of practice; it identifies God with principles of morality. * * It teaches a deeper consciousness between the Almighty and the individual soul, and attempts to unfold the divine purpose in the rise, fall and progress of nations." All this that we obtain a fuller knowledge — a greater appreciation, and while the task is not an easy one, yet it is one worthy of our very best efforts, and we approach it with con- fidence that God will, "by the power of the Holy Ghost, manifest these things unto us." Standards Committee Dissolved At a joint meeting of the General Boards, held on September 7, 192 7, it was decided to dissolve the Standards committee, thus reducing the number of committees from eight to seven, and assign the work here- tofore done by the Standards committee to the committee on Recreation and to the executive officers of the M. I. A. Here- after, therefore, the reading course will be handled by the committee on Recreation; and the Slogan and programs for Fast Sun- day evening meetings, and other items listed in the Handbook, to the executive officers of the M. I. A. The members of the general, the stake, and the ward Stan- dards committees throughout the Church may be assigned to other committeer as occasion shall require. The change was made to simplify the program, and to avoid conflicts in assignments, since the duties of the Recreation committee and the Standards committee were often in conflict.

86 IMPROVEMENT ERA Reading the Book of Mormon The Upton ward of Summit stake, the second ward of Hyrum stake, and the Twentieth ward of the Ogden stake, win- ners in the Book of Mormon reading con- test last year, have ordered their selection of books from the reading course list, and the books have been forwarded to them. We trust that during this year a great many of the young people will read the Book of Mormon. Thousands of young men and women read parts of the book, last year; some, the whole. At the special official meeting held at the Assembly Hall on Sun- day morning, October 9, it was emphasized that the officers of all the wards and stakes should follow the example of the General Boards. Let the officers meet together in their stakes and wards, and decide to read the Book of Mormon before the end of the year; or, at least, before the end of the Mutual year, June 1, 1928, and report the reading to their respective wards and stakes and to the General Board. The of- ficers should look well to the credit that is to be given upon the efficiency report. We hope that every stake in Zion will show ten each month in the reading of the Book of Mormon, this year. The Recrea- tion committees should get busy in looking after the subject. Finished the Reading of the Book of Mormon This is a picture of Hortense Abia Booth, 8 years of age, who has complied with the wishes of the M. I. A. organiza- tion and has read the Book of Mormon through this year, finishing on the 21st day of September. Congratulations, Miss Hortense! "She is seen holding the Book of Mormon just as she had completed it," writes Mrs. Daisy E. A. Booth, Lovell, Wyo., to whom the Era is indebted for the picture and information. Every member of the Young Men's and Young Ladies' M. I. A. should say to him- self of herself, "What that young girl, 8 years of age, can do, I can do before the end of the year." No person is too busy to read the Book of Mormon through, at least during the Mutual year. A few pages a day will be very enjoyable work. Every member should at least read 25 pages each month so as to get credit for the organiza- tion on the efficiency report. There ought to be no association in the Church that should report less than ten per cent of its membership as having complied with that requirement.