Messages from the Missions

Messages from the Missions "Come home with your heads up. Keep yourselves clean, from the crown of your heads to the soles of your fee;.; be pure in heart. — otherwise you will return bowed down in spirit and with a fallen countenance, and will feel as though you never could rise again." — Brigham Young. President Heber J. Grant in West Virginia The missionaries and members of the West Virginia South district was highly honored with a three days' visit from Pres- ident Heber J. Grant and Henry H. Rolapp, mission president, who arrived Saturday morning, May 1 9. in Charleston. Sat- urday afternoon a Priesthood meeting was conducted by President Rolapp, who im- parted some excellent counsel and advice to the missionaries. Each missionary gave a brief report of work done and bore testi- mony to the restored Gospel. President livered an inspirational discourse on the theme of "An Uneducated but Converted Ministry." The other sessions of con- ference were held Sunday morning and afternoon in the L. D. S. chapel at Charles- ton, both services being well attended. Sunday evening President Grant delivered his concluding talk to a large congregation in the L. D. S. chapel at Huntington, West Virginia. The Church members of West Virginia considered themselves highly blessed be- *■ m " 5- «.- *, rf r *\ *V *■ f 5 sSf I f ■ w; \0 Missionaries of West Virginia South District Front row, left to right: Mark K. Allen, mission secretary; President Heber J. Grant. Mission President Henry H. Rolapp; Sterling Magleby, district president of West Virginia South district; Middle row: Leonard D. Bellamy, presiding elder; Blanche Cole, Cora Gardner. Merle Kimball, Phyllis Palmer, O. C. Dunsford, field representative. Third row: Harold Lester. Dean K. Christensen. John D. Anderson, D. Elmer Stoker (Southern States) ; Hamilton S. Carlston. Clarence L. Romrell and James Ball. Grant also attended the meeting and gave some very timely advice on the law of obedience. The first session of conference was held Saturday night, and President Grant de- cause of President Grant's visit, it being the first time a president of the Church has ever visited this part of the Lord's vine- yard. Conference was continued with anothet

MESSAGES FROM THE MISSIONS 961 session in Huntington Monday evening; several of the missionaries spoke in this session, followed by President Henry H. Rolapp, who delivered a splendid sermon to the Saints on "How to Preach the Gospel by Living It." The concluding session of conference was held in the L. D. S. chapel at Vcrdunville. The missionaries who were given opportunities to speak in the conference sessions were, Sister Phyllis Palmer, Blanche Cole, Merle Kimball, Cora Gardner and Elders Dean K. Christensen, O C. Dunsford and Leonard D. Bellamy, all of whom are leaving West Virginia in the near future, either being honorably re- leased or transferred to some other district. District President Sterling Magleby con- ducted all meetings. Each was an inspira tion and power for good, and the confer- ence as a whole was a splendid reflection ol the encouraging work done in this district. The missionaries all express their appreci- ation of the Improvement Era. It is invaluable as an aid and companion in put- ting the message of the restored Gospel before the people. — Leonard D. Bellamy. presiding elder of the West Virigina district. Encouraging Word from North Dakota District President Myron A. Jackson, writing from Grand Forks, North Dakota, has the following to say: "Missionaries of the North Dakota district send greetings to their fellow-workers throughout the world and friends and relatives at home. The Lord has blessed us exceedingly in the work in this part of his vineyard and we are striving diligently to merit the blessings which he has showered upon us. Two of the elders have been laboring recently among the scattered members in the west- ern part of North Dakota and the Lamanite members of the Church in the eastern part of Montana. They arc very much en- couraged with the results there. Five were baptized in the month of June and an- other baptismal service is planned for the near future. Both these brethren agree thai nowhere is the Spirit of the Lord made II i f. t ifjl ' ! 1, % % Missionaries of North Dakota District Front row, left to right: Mellie Ogden, Mission President John G. Allred. David O. McKay, of the Council of the Twelve; Myron A. Jackson, district president: Lavctta Fugal. Back row: First name omitted, Alton C. Bright, Bert L. Murphy. Lamont B. Gundersen. Grant O. Cobbley.

962 IMPROVEMENT ERA more manifest than it is among these Lamanites1. Elders Alton C. Bright and Grant O. Cobbley are opening up the work in Crookston, Minnesota, and feel very much encouraged with the prospects there. Elders Myron A. Jackson and Lamont B. Gunderson, assisted by Sisters Nellie Ogden and Lavetta Fugal, have been labor- ing in Grand Forks. They are conducting two Primary Associations there and are assisting with the Sunday School and Re- lief Society organizations, which are pre- sided over by local members. This mission was recently favored by a visit from Elder David O. McKay. The results of his work among missionaries, members and investigators will be very far reaching." A Religion Worth Having Mission Secretary Elwood G. Derrick writes us from Portland, Oregon, under date of July 12 as follows: "A recent colonization project by the members of our Church has its center at Bynum, Montana. A branch under the direction of the North- western States mission, has been established, with John E. Lee as president. An ex- ample of typical 'Mormon' community spirit was displayed in an event which took place in the community this spring, and which we feel is worthy of place in the Era. "Among those who are striving to wrest from the ground a livelihood in this com- munity is a widow with a large family of small children. With a large tract of land to farm and with no one on whom she could rely to assist in the work, the tas'.: Top: Relief Society Members of Bynum. Montana, who served lunch to the laborers in the widow's field. Bottom: Men and boys of Bynum, Montana, who tilled and sowed the widow's hundred- acre field

MESSAGES FROM THE MISSIONS 963 of preparing the soil and planting the year's crop must have seemed a well nigh insur- mountable obstacle to the family's future well-being. One can readily imagine how grateful this oppressed little woman must have felt when the entire community gath- ered to do for her what she could not do for herself. "The men brought their farming imple- ments on an appointed day and the women gathered to hold their Relief Society mee;- ing. Thirty-eight men brought with them fourteen tractors, seven four-horse team>, plows, harrows, discs, seeders and set to work in the hundred-acre field belonging to the widow. One of the accompanying pictures gives an idea of the inspiring sight which these practical and kindly followers of Christ furnished. The Relief Society members, pictured also, contributed to the work and served lunch to the men who were laboring in the field. Thirty-eight men and forty-one women, seventy-nine in all. contributed to the day's work. That night as the little mother looked eastward over her fields, instead of one hundred acres of barren land that she had seen in the morning, she beheld a well cultivated field; and with tears of grati- tude in her eyes she uttered a prayer thjt God would send a rain that her crop might grow and yield a sufficient harvest that her children might be clothed and fed during the coming winter." That is the spirit of cooperation and un- selfish service that develops communities and the people at Bynum deserve to be con- gratulated for possessing it. Canadian Missionaries Optimistic In a report dated July 9, District Pres- ident 'Maurice A. Jones writes encourag- ingly of the work and prospects in the Montreal district. The elders have been given the opportunity of holding street meetings on the busiest corner of the city and many people have stopped to listen to the message of the restoration of the Gos- pel. Hundreds of tracts have been distrib- uted and many Books of Mormon sold. Invitations to visit people in their homes have been numerous and altogether the elders feel very much encouraged in their work. Missionaries or the Montreal District. Canada Sitting, left to right: Tbelma Hansen. Trcmonton. Utah; Maurice A. Jones, district president. Provo, Utah; Vcrda Hansen, transferred to Vermont district, Malad. Idaho. Standing: Dwayne Cornish, Franklin. Idaho: Irvin D. Zundel. Le Grand, Oregon: Albert H. Peterson. Barnwell. Alberta.

964 IMPROVEMENT ERA Nuremberg Scene of Interesting Conference District President Hamlet C. Pulley sends us the following report of a conference held in the ancient city of Nuremberg, Ba- varia, Germany: "June 3 was the date of the first visit of the newly appointed president of the Swiss-German mission since his return to the field where he has previously spent so many months. Other visitors were: Elder Phillip Tadje, father of our mission president, Elder Thomas Biesinger, whose fourth foreign mission is now drawing to a close and who is con- siderably more than four score years of age, and Elder George Albert Smith, Jr., su perintendent of the auxiliary organizations of the Swiss-German mission. These breth- our missionaries were banished and not a few were cast into prison. Now all that is changed. During the past two or three years work has been commenced in a num- ber of new fields where now we have promising branches', and it is expected that this work will be continued as opportunity offers." The city of Nuremberg, which still re- tains its ancient walls and moat, as well as the great castle erected by Conrad II and Frederick Barbarossa, and other historic edifices, is one of the most interesting in Europe. It is rich in tradition. Albrecht Durer and Melanchthon being only two of the well-known characters whose home It Missionaries and Auxiliary Officers of the Nuremberg District, Germany ren, together with the traveling missionaries of this conference, came together and had a most enjoyable and profitable time. The prospects at the present are excellent and we expect to see many people come into the Church in the near future. "We are particularly appreciative of the freedom which we now enjoy. In former years Bavaria was extremely strict in all matters pertaining to religion and many of was. Wagner has made it famous in his opera, "The Meistersingers of Nurem- berg." In one of its old buildings are located many cruel devices, including the "Iron Virgin" for torturing and doing away with the first Protestants. Present- day tourists are also charmed with the de- lightful toys and dolls for which the city's craftsmen are famed.

MESSAGES FROM THE MISSIONS 965 Report of the Hull The Hull district held its spring confer- ence in the "Thrift Halls." Grimsby. Lin- colnshire. England, on March 4. 1928. A goodly number of members, friends and investigators gathered from the four com- ponent branches of the district, to attend and enjoy the spirited meetings. President John A. Widtsoe and Sister Leah D. Widt- soe were in attendance from the mission headquarters. The Book of Mormon was the theme in the morning session, and was ably rendered by Sunday School mem- bers, in song, prose, and poetry. President and Sister Widtsoe, the traveling ciders and local members from the various branches participated in the three sessions of the conference. The nine traveling mission- aries of the district have, during the winter months, concentrated their time and en- District Conference ergy toward the building up of the branches. Missionary endeavors have consumed 13,621 hours of time; 1,243 hours have been spent in tracting, and 41,- 329 tracts, 497 pamphlets, and 30 Books of Mormon have been distributed since last September, twelve candidates were baptized into the Church — 10 of whom were bap- tized during the month of February, and 4 of this number were baptized in the waters of the North Sea. The interesting, instructive articles found in the Improvement Era have served as a stimuli for greater activity in our district. We take great pleasure in express- ing our appreciation of it, and wish to convey our sincerest regards to its readers. — Veronus M. Jensen, district president. ^g$ Missionaries of the Hull District. England Front row. left to right: Vaughn P. Sheffield, Kaysville: Veronus M. Jensen, district president. Brigbam City; John A. Widtsoe. mission president, Salt Lake City; Leah D. Widtsoe. president of mission Relief Societies and M. I. A. organizations: Rulon D. Barnes, district clerk. Kaysville; De Lamar Holt, Salt Lake City. Back row: Roy Allen, Provo; Frank C. S. Derrick. Salt Lake City; Elbert C. Kirkham. Salt Lake City; Ellis J. Yardley. Beaver: Wesley B. Ward. Almo, Idaho. Winter Work in Australia District President Clyde Oler, writing Sunday, just at the beginning of winter, from Adelaide. Ausralia. reports an inter- Our readers will understand that Australia esting conference which was held on Easter has her winter at the time we are having

966 IMPROVEMENT ERA summer. Mission President Charles H. Hyde and his wife were in attendance, as were also a large number of investigators who were greatly impressed by the testi- monies which were borne and the instruc- tions given. The brethren are meeting with excellent success in distributing the Book of Mormon, and declare, with all others, that this book is the best testimony of the divinity of "Mormonism" that can be given to the world. Missionaries of the Adelaide District, Australia Sitting, left to right: Chas. H. Hyde, mission president. Salt Lake City; Clyde Oler, district president. Shelley, Idaho; Caroline S. Hyde, president mission Relief Societies. Stand- ing: Stewart M. Rolling. Lyman, Wyoming; H. Bartlcy Heiner. Burntfork. Wyoming; E. Ray Parson. Smithfield, Utah; L. Earl Manwaring. Provo, Utah. "An individual who holds a share in the Priesthood, and continues faithful to his calling, who delights himself continually in doing the things God requires at his hands, and continues through life in the performance of every duty will secure to himself, not only the privilege of receiving, but the knowledge how to receive the things of God, that he may know the mind of God continually; and he will be enabled to discern between right and wrong, between the things of God and the things that are not of God. And the Priesthood — the Spirit that is within him — will continue to increase until it becomes like a fountain of living water; until it is like the tree of life; until it is one continued source of intelligence and instruction to that individual."- — Brigham Young.