Messages from the Missions

Messages from the Missions The Netherlands Mission By President John P. Lillywhite 'Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature." So spake the Master in parting with his chosen disciples in Galilee long years ago. With wondering awe they stood gazing at his glorified body, which still bore the nail prints in hands and feet, proof of his suffer- ing on the cross. With what a thrill of joy they must have listened to his magnetic message, "Peace be unto you!" Their troubled spirits were refreshed as by the dew of heaven. Sweet peace filled their souls as they listened to his words of counsel and comfort never more to be forgot- ten by them. "And when he had spok- en these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud re- ceived him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went up. behold two men stood by them in white raiment: Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gaz- ing up into heaven? This same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven." This promise of the angels has been PRESIDENT JOHN P. LILLYWHITE fulfilled, for, as Jesus appeared to his Galilean disciples, so has he again ap- peared to men on earth in these last days, and has given them authority, repeating his message of old, "Go ye into all the world and preach the gos- pel to every crea- ture." It has been my good fortune to labor as a mission- ary for more than eight years in Hol- land, the little land reclaimed from the sea by means of dykes and dunes and inhabited by upwards of seven million people. The Gospel has been preached here for the last sixty- five years and has found a rich har- vest of honest souls. This is not surprising when one considers the history of the noble men and women who laid the foundation of this nation and struggled to pre- serve it as the home of truth and religious freedom. The Dutch people as a nation have ever cherished a deep and abiding love for truth, and have fought valiantly for the cause of right. During the years of the Reforma- tion, when nations were struggling to

MESSAGES FROM THE MISSIONS 141 throw off the yoke of the mother church, it is interesting to know that the provinces now comprising Holland were among the first to fight for the cause, and many valiant men and women gave their lives in defense of religious liberty. In fact, the Dutch nation suffered one of the most cruel and prolonged wars recorded in the history of nations. For eighty years they fought and suffered, that freedom to worship God according to the dictates of their own conscience might be enjoyed by all who come within their bor- ders. After a fear- ful struggle, in which the best blood of the na- tion was sacrificed, the Dutch were re- warded. They ob- tained religious freedom, and this has been cherished as one of the char- acteristics of the Dutch government until the present time. It has assured us of privileges in bringing the Gos- pel tidings to the Exterior of Netherlands Mission citizens of this Chapel, Amsterdam. Holland small nation which have been enjoyed in but few other countries. The first ambassador of the restored Gospel to visit Holland was Orson Hyde, who stopped here for about ten days on his journey to Palestine in 1841. Though he did not preach the Gospel to any great extent, he left some literature containing our message. No other voice, bearing the glad tid- ings, was heard in the land until the fifth day of August, 1860, when Elders A. W. van der Woude (a former native) and P. W. Schet- tler (German by birth) arrived in Holland, and the first actual mis- sionary work was then undertaken. These men commenced preaching among former friends and relatives, but their arrival had been preceded by newspaper misrepresentation. Not- withstanding this, the records show that six souls were baptized before the year was ended, and the first branch of the Church in the Netherlands was organized with fourteen members in May, 1861. Elder Schettler under- took to translate the Book of Mor- mon, chapters of which were read to the gathered Saints as the work pro- ceeded. The signs promised to those who believe were also enjoyed and the oldest record available shows that in September, 1 861, an old sister who had been suf- fering much and long was instantly healed under the hands of European M'jssion President George Q. Cannon. At this time, El- der Schettler was transferred to Ger- many and Switzer- land, which gave a temporary set-back to the work in the Netherlands. But while visiting here, President Cannon found much of the blood of Israel among this people and foresaw the time in which the rule of priestcraft and false doctrine would be broken down and many honest in heart would accept the plan of sal- vation. Not until November, 1864, was the Netherlands mission properly organ- ized, it hitherto having been a part of the Swiss-German-Italian mission. At first only two or three elders labored here; gradually, however, this num- ber increased until eighty missionaries

142 IMPROVEMENT ERA were engaged, usually directed by el- ders from Zion, though at times the work was guided by worthy local men, appointed by the Church authorities. With the increase of missionaries an encouraging increase of converts has been enjoyed and the results vindicated the judgment of President Cannon, for while many converts have made their abodes in Zion and have labor- ed for the re- demption of their dead, there has been a grad- ual increase of membership in this mission. The places of emigrating members are steadily filled. Those who have gone to Zion have, in the main, made good citizens. Belgium was, for a long pe- riod, part of the Netherlands mission al- though more time and effort was spent in the Netherlands where the har- vest of souls seemed to be greater. Since 1924, Belgium has been a part of the French mission. The size of the Netherlands mission offers many advantages, enabling the mission president to have closer con- tact with the missionaries, visiting them frequently in their fields; and as a result a spirit of unity is easily main- tained. Every elder has the privilege of making the acquaintance of nearly all other elders in the mission. It also enables the mission president to visit branches regularly and become per- sonally acquainted with most of the members. One might think that, because this Gospel has now been preached in this little land for over sixty years, the majority of the honest in heart had been gathered out, but the ga- thering is still going on. The Dutch people, always readers of the Bible, are naturally relig- ious. The Bible is taught in many of the schools. Many different relig- ious denomina- tions are to be found among the seven mil- lion people which, to a cer- tain extent, has made the faith of many waver and their love for the Church grow cold. In- fidelity can be found here to an alarming degree among the ris- ing generation. It may be mentioned that amid the calami- ties which swept Europe from 1914 until 1918, Holland was preserved in a remarkable manner. But while the effects of the late war were not felt in physical losses, they may be seen daily in moral and spiritual losses. Still in our search for the earnest seeker after truth, we are able to find those who have faith in God and are willing to keep his commandments. Our missionaries are faithful and energetic and are seeking out those who Exterior of Netherlands Mission Home. Rotterdam. Holland

MESSAGES FROM THE MISSIONS 143 love the Lord, keeping in mind that the "worth of souls is great in the sight of God" and taking consolation in his words when he said, "And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father!" Our missionaries are tasting of that joy. Holland is a small country with an area about one-seventh the size of Utah, yet it has a population of near- ly seven million. It has several beau- tiful, large cities, including Amster- dam, Rotterdam, The Hague, Utrecht and many others of less importance. The Church maintains active branches with large memberships in each of these cities. In Rotterdam we have an attendance of more than 300 people in sacramental meeting every Sunday. It is especially inspiring to observe the services held on the first Sunday of each month, when the Saints eagerly rise and testify to the goodness of the Lord and to the divinity of this great latter-day work. In such meetings we frequently hear from forty to sixty fer- vent testimonies. Permission has now been obtained from officials of the larger cities to hold open-air meetings. This privi- lege has previously been denied us, and we think it marks the beginning of an era of more religious toleration and less opposition to "Mormonism." The missionaries are loyally supported in this work by the local brethren hold- ing the Priesthood who are very ef- fective in calling their fellow-country- men to repentance and teaching them the principles of the Gospel. There is a wonderful spirit of cooperation pre- vailing throughout the mission and the Saints joyfully assist the missionaries whenever possible. They feed them, wash their clothes, give them shelter and support them in their work, for they acknowledge them as servants of the Lord. The missionaries, on the other hand, endeavor to reward them for their kindness with blessings and such 'other service as they are able to render. During the year 1927, a great num- ber of people were reached through street meetings and by tracting from door to door. Some 450,000 tracts were distributed and 189 persons were baptized, which is certainly a source of gratification to us. Holland is a country of many canals, streams and lakes; and to the visitor it is very interesting to see these waterways crowded with boats, both large and small, carrying their cargoes from place to place. On the sea and along the lake shores numerous fish- ing boats are to be seen — the fisher- men making and repairing their nets, or casting for a catch. Viewing such a picture, the student of the Bible fre- quently turns his thoughts back to the days when the Master walked along the shores of Galilee, and commanded certain fishermen to follow him. For many years the Gospel has been preached to the people of the larger cities of Holland. Frequent attempts, with some degree of success, have been made to carry the Gospel message to the people dwelling in the outlying villages. But more successfully to ac- complish this the mission was in need of some plan whereby the missionaries would be enabled to make extended visits to these regions without too much expense. After thoroughly studying the situation, the mission president decided that the most eco- nomical way to reach these people was by water. So a small motor boat was purchased, which furnishes ample liv- ing accommodations for four mission- aries. These missionaries sail out through the net-work of canals, dis- tributing tracts, pamphlets and books, visiting investigators and doing effi- cient missionary work among the scat- tered population of Holland's country districts. By this means they have been successful in finding many seekers after truth. Our humble prayer is that the mis- sionaries may be permitted to remain

144 IMPROVEMENT ERA in Holland until every one of our Father's children residing in this land shall have heard the cry of repentance and shall have a thorough knowledge of what the Lord has wrought in these Rotterdam, Holland last days. Our constant appeal to the Lord is that he may inspire us with a deep love in our search for the honest in heart, that we may be successful in bringing many souls unto him. The Danish Mission By President Joseph L. Petersen The Danish mission is the second oldest of this Church in Europe, hav- ing been founded in the year 1850 by Erastus Snow, Peter O. Hansen and George P. Dykes. Upon the arrival of these brethren i n Copenhagen, their first act was to kneel in humble prayer and thank their Heavenly Father for the safe journey. They asked him to bless the people that they also might be responsive to the truth and pledged their lives if neces- sary to bring the Gospel message be- fore the inhabit- ants of the land. How well this prayer has been an- swered is under- stood when we find that fifty thousand members of our Church are of Danish descent, about twenty-sev- en thousand of this number hav- ing been baptized in this mission . The first baptisms in Denmark in this dispensation were performed Au- gust 12, 1850, when Apostle Erastus Snow led fifteen honest souls into the water, all members of the Baptist church. The first children were blessed Au- President Joseph L. Petersen gust 18, and on September 15 of the same year the first branch was organ- ized in Copenhagen with a member- ship of fifty. October 1, 1851, the first issue of the Scandinavian Star, the mission paper, made its appear- ance and this splendid little or- gan has continued without interrup- tion to date. At the beginning of the year 1927, the mission had a membership of 1 750, divided into three districts with thirteen branches. All the districts own their chapels or meeting places. Copenhagen, the largest, with a membership of 768, has a small hall, seating 75, adjoining the mis- sion offices, while on the top floor of the mission home a hall is located seating about 450. Unfortunately this building is located in a back yard or court in a district that has not the best reputation. In addition to the mission home an apart- ment house also is owned by the Church; this, however, faces the street. With the approval of President James E. Talmage, and the kindness of the First Presidency, a beautiful site

MESSAGES FROM THE MISSIONS 145 for a new mission home and chapel was purchased and ere long we shall be able to erect a building in a district where we need not hesitate to invite our friends, nor where "the light will be hid under a bushel." The Aarhus district is largest in area but second in number of mem- bers, having a membership of 556. They have a commodious hall and district headquarters also located in a ness displayed by some of our mem- bers are truly marvelous. Although many are compelled to travel for miles in order to attend meetings, they are rarely absent. The year 1927 was a fruitful one, due to the diligence and untiring ef- forts of the missionaries. All past records in the distribution of tracts and pamphlets were shattered, Al- though only an average of twenty- Mission Home. Copenhagen, Denmark court, while three large apartment buildings that are owned by the Church face the street. The revenues from these help to maintain the branches in the district. Aalborg district, the birthplace of the late President Anthon H. Lund and assistant Church Historian An- drew Jenson, with a membership of 425, owns a very fine chapel, the best in the mission. In all districts the Relief Societies, Sunday Schools and Mutuals are per- forming splendid service in spreading the restored Gospel, as well as develop- ing and promoting faith among their members. The diligence and earnest- four elders were laboring in the mis- sion, 168,710 tracts, 8,885 pamphlets and 553 books were distributed, 11,- 230 Gospel conversations held and eighty-four baptized. More hours than ever before were spent in tracting. some elders reaching the splendid rec- ord of 212 hours in a single month. So many remarkable cases of heal- ing have been reported throughout the mission that our testimonies are great- ly strengthened. We rejoice that the same gifts and blessings which existed in the primitive Church are with us today. Three cases that have taken place recently in our three districts are

146 IMPROVEMENT ERA worthy of mention. In Aarhus a young lady joined the Church in January, 1926. At the age of twelve she had become a victim of the dreaded white plague, tuberculosis, which re- sulted in her being frequently sent to a sanitorium for treatment. Here she was kept from three to eleven months at a time until she grew to woman- hood. Her health gradually became worse, although she was receiving the best of care at the hospitals. Just before entering the sanitorium the last time, she became a member of our Church and, while making prepara- tions to enter, she decided to go to the district headquarters and have the elders administer to her. After her return home, she retired and slept until the next afternoon. Upon arising she felt well, but having made application for admittance to the hospital and upon the insistence of relatives she was compelled to go. The usual examina- tions and X-ray pictures were taken before she was assigned her room. Some days later the head physician came in and made the following state- ment: "You have been sorely afflicted with tuberculosis this summer, but you were free from it and perfectly healthy when you entered here. Your lungs are clear and healthy, but I am puzzled when I look at the pictures taken previously and compare them with the photographs taken now by my assistants. These last ones show that there is absolutely no sign of your ever having been afflicted." This good sister is now enjoying the best of health, performing her daily work and praising God for having restored her health. At Aalborg at the close of an out- ing which had been held, some of the missionaries were invited to the home of a family of investigators for supper. While all were seated at the table en- joying the repast one of the brethren became seriously ill and fell over un- conscious. Placed on a lounge, he be- came perfectly rigid and appeared as if life had become extinct. The host urged that a doctor be called, but the president of the district, who was pres- ent, sent one of the elders to the office for a bottle of consecrated oil and upon his return they administered to their stricken companion, with the result that he was immediately healed. This made a profound impression upon the family. One member has since joined the Church and the others will follow in a short time. During the early spring near Copen- hagen one of our leading brethren, living just outside the city limits, had been ill for some time caused by the extraction of a tooth. All the efforts of the doctors had been in vain and his condition gradually grew worse. One afternoon I felt impressed to call upon him and invited the district president to accompany me. I took a bottle of oil along, thinking that he might re- quest us to administer to him. Upon our arrival we found this good brother in intense pain, his head swollen to abnormal size, eyes pro- truding from their sockets, mouth closed so tightly that he could par- take of no nourishment. His wife was at his side placing hot bandages on his head and moistening his lips with water from a teaspoon. He pre- sented a sight that can never be for- gotten. It was his desire that we exer- cise our faith in his behalf and that he be administered to. This we did and shortly afterwards left for home. Upon reaching the mission home I informed Sister Petersen of his condition and stated that she must go out the next day and see him, for if a change did not soon take place he would pass away. The next morning we went out to- gether; his wife met us at the door and to our amazement she stated that he had gone to work. She related that shortly after our departure the night before, he arose from his bed, pulled the bandages from his head and said that he was now well. She had remonstrated, thinking he was deliri- ous, but soon discovered that the swell-

MESSAGES FROM THE MISSIONS 147 ing had disappeared and that he was perfectly well. These are only a few isolated cases which have presented themselves to us in our missionary activities. Truly, "God moves in a mysterious way his wonders to perform." There seems to be a disposition among the young men of Danish de- scent in the stakes of Zion to prefer some other mission to the land of their fathers. How mistaken they are in this! No finer, no more honest and sincere people can be found in any other part of the world. When it comes to religious fervor, culture, re- finement and other virtues, the people of this little nation stand as the peers of all others. Our mission has been blessed with some wonderful characters in the past, men filled with a burning testimony of the divine mission of the Prophet Jo- seph Smith. The missionary of the future should possess the same spirit as well as being imbued with a knowl- edge concerning the Gospel of Jesus Copenhagen, Denmark Christ. He should be thoughtful, prayerful, humble and ever willing to listen to that still small voice which emanates from our Heavenly Father. Missionary life is no vacation, as every phase of it is filled with serious- ness. In my opinion it is a grave re- proach upon the Church to send into the missionary field a man that has been wild and careless, and who has no conception of what the Church stands for. Men of this kind work a hardship on their mission president and associates. Men who have made good in their home wards are the ones that make the best missionary timber. Regular attendance at Priesthood, sac- ramental and other meetings are pre- liminary requisites and act as a prep- aratory school for all. The future prospects of this mission are bright, but success depends upon the efforts put forth by missionaries and members of the Church. "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." A Mother's Tribute to Our Missionaries [We had the opportunity of reading the following letter, and at our earnest request were given permission to publish it. — Editors.] September 18, 1928. Sterling Apartment 601, 350 Congress Ave., New Haven, Conn. Dear Mrs. Ashcraft: No doubt you will be glad to hear a few words of praise concerning your son's work here in New Haven. The writer is not a "Mormon" (so-called) - — thus her tribute is unbiased — a friendly message from a mother of old New England to a mother in Utah. Some months ago, I paused at the public park in this city to hear the open-air remarks of two young men representing the Church of Latter- day Saints. I was attracted to this particular service rather than to the others; first, out of curiosity, be- cause my grandmother was a Young, of old New England stock, and I have frequently been questioned as to any possible ancestral connection I might have with Brigham Young. Secondly, I have been a deep student of phil- osophy for many years, a turn of mind which has made me extremely inter- ested in comparative religions, and "Mormonism" was a new field for ex- ploration. Thirdly, the personality of the two young men warranted atten- tion. They were not the type of East- ern soap-box orators (either hoboes or sophisticated theologians) , but rather clean-cut young men whose simplicity and earnestness went straight to the mother-heart. Behind the utterances I felt the presence of a good mother; by the fruits one could

148 IMPROVEMENT ERA easily picture the home-life of each of these boys. Perhaps you cannot realize the sor- didness of the surroundings in which these young missionaries found them- selves without understanding some- thing of this city. New Haven is a city of extremes — the cultured and the un- couth— the intellectual and the illiter- ate— the rich and poor — with none be- tween. Naturally, the better classes are seldom found on foot in public squares; thus are evangelistic efforts confined to the lowly. With 65% of New Haven's population of Italian ex- traction, and other foreign elements, much of which is undesirable, also well represented, these young men are confronted with an almost impossible task — to talk in terms of sound reason to those who have little brain to reason with. Besides the majority of the foreign element — Continental Eu- ropean or otherwise — there were the Catholics, entirely prejudiced against such teachings, believing that Catholi- cism alone is worth while, none other worthy of attention. Add to this the Saturday-night drunkards and corner loafers, and you have some idea of the missionary field into which your son has been sent. Well, after one service, I attended others. Attracted to these boys by the spirit of parenthood, my husband and I have felt drawn to them, as if to protect them as best wc could, even as one of our own. Such disturbances, such insults as drunken loafers often shout during the course of a service — all such seem to pass un- noticed by these young missionaries, because they feel the responsibility of their mission. And such concentra- tion on their work is strengthening their characters; fearless indeed are they now, even as Daniel of old. Now in closing, may I tell you of one ex- perience which will deeply interest you, a service held out of doors some two weeks ago when your son was alone. Before the service, we shook his hand ("my husband and I) and how his hand trembled, as he thought of speak- ing alone to that uncertain audience, which might behave or not, accord- ing to its whim. The young mission- ary did not falter, however; head un- covered, he began, facing the sordid group fearlessly. As he proceeded with his message the "drunks" quieted down, giving him respectful attention. And when the prayer came from his lips, all hats but one came off, in rever- ent attention. After the service, a husky Canadian veteran approached the speaker, and whispered in his ear, "You are all right, Buddy, I am with you, whatever your game. If it is war you want, I'm with you, Buddy: you can depend on me." And this veteran, whose mind was so beclouded with cheap booze proudly displayed a medal for distinguished war service. Truly, your son will never again be timid after such an experience, for he now understands the mystery of spiritual power as he utilized it on this occasion to quiet a restless, irreverent group. No mission field could be more difficult, none more productive of good so far as the missionary is concerned. Here in the East, where the scum of Europe herds in our seaboard cities, one needs courage to face the unex- pected situation which may arise at a moment's notice; when some bum feels called upon to break up an open-air service with frequent, irreverent in- terruptions. Surely motherhood is the same the world over. These children are all ours to protect, to comfort and to cheer if need be when far from home. Thank God for this blessed fraternity of moth- erhood which unites us all and which brings love and protection to our flesh and blood wherever they may be. "By their fruits ye shall know them." Thus, in conclusion, I send greeting to a worthy mother, whose son honors her by his nobility of char- acter in service to his less fortunate fellow-men. Believe me, Most cordially yours, Maude Moore Luke.

MESSAGES FROM THE MISSIONS 149 The Tahitian Mission By President Alma G. Burton "He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad." (Matt. 12:30.) This solemn statement of our Savior teaches us how to judge our standing before the Lord. We are with him. will be witnesses unto the world of him, or else we are against him. Be- cause we are with him we are servants to him and to his children who are seeking eternal life and will help gather them into God's garner. This is the firm determination of every elder labor- ing in the Tahitian mission. The people of this group of islands were favored by being the first of the Pacific islanders to hear the glorious message of the restoration of the Gospel which the "Mormon" elders had for them. The Society Islands, bet- ter known as the Tahitian mission, was opened under the direction of El- ders Addison Pratt, Noah Rogers and Benjamin Grouard, in the year 1844. The first mission- aries landed on the island of Tubuai, after a six months' voyage on the sea. They knew noth- ing of the native language, had no friends on the island but trusted en- tirely to divine guidance. The native people took kindly to the Gospel and accepted readily the Book of Mormon. Many converts were baptized. The elders were banished from the islands soon after by the French government and were not permitted to return for a number of years. In the year 1892, the Tahitian mission was again opened by Elder James Brown. In setting apart Elder Addison Pratt, for this work in the islands. Pres- ident Brigham Young pronounced i remarkable bless- ing upon his head: "Do not be hasty and passionate, but acknowledge good- ness in all where you ye, one this man: will give * * find it. Harken they will say, to another, to and they carry you and you presents * you shall have power over the ship's course, and shall return again to this land and rejoice with your family, if you are faithful." By righteous liv- ing this blessing has become a heritage to all elders of this mission. In their journeys, they feel their dependence up- on the Lord to guide them in their efforts, the sublimity of his therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have com- manded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world." (Matt. 28:19-20.) President Alma G. Burton and appreciate words: "Go ye,

150 IMPROVEMENT ERA Many days are spent on the sea in traveling from district to district, and from branch to branch within the dis- tricts. Our mission includes the en- tire Society Islands group, which lie between 7 and 27 degrees south lati- tude and 140 to 163 degrees west longitude. This field has a popula- tion of only 28,000 but they are so scattered that only occasional visits can be made to the various branches. Be- cause of the extensive sea travel under them power even "over the ship's course." The past year has been one of the most interesting and successful years we have had in the mission. The ef- fective labors of the elders have resulted in a fifty-four per cent increase in tithes paid over the former year, also a very material increase in Gospel conversa- tions, meetings held, tracts distributed and in baptisms. We made it a prac- tice last year to put forth every effort BAPTISMAL SERVICE IN THE TAHITIAN MISSION varied conditions which is required of the elders of this mission, the won- derful blessing of such a heritage as that pronounced by President Brigham Young upon the head of Elder Pratt may be readily seen and appreciated. Our missionaries have many new and perplexing experiences which are peculiar to island life and work. They must meet these problems fairly and squarely and must have a testimony of the truth that will stand under all conditions, and like the early Saints and missionaries have the humility, faith and moral courage that will give to interest the young people in the Gospel and to show them how their lives would be bettered thereby. Three Young Ladies' and three Young Men's Mutual Improvement Associations have been successfully organized. These organizations are officered by the native boys and girls. Their studies are taken from the New Testament and from the Priesthood books. Be- side the regular Gospel studies they are taking up instrumental work and each organization has from two to six guitar and ukulele groups. The lower Tuamotu district has, under the direc-

MESSAGES FROM THE MISSIONS 151 tion of the Young Men's Association, a twenty-piece brass band. In the branches where the young people's or- ganizations are complete, each Sunday evening is turned over to them and they furnish the complete Sunday night program, including Gospel talks and musical numbers. We have found them anxious and more than willing to take part on these programs. The coming year bids fair to sur- pass the past in all lines of activity. We have found favor in homes never before opened to us and words of en- couragement and kindness in many cases now replace those of abuse and slander. The hearts of the people are being prepared and they are investi- gating the truth. Very often we have calls from prominent travelers. Many of them have formed the habit of looking up the "Mormon" missionaries. They often introduce themselves or carry with them letters of introduction from mission presidents and elders they have met in other fields. Their first words are: "We know you are our friends, we have met your boys in other parts of the world and have always found them to be honest, courteous and trust- worthy." Tahitian missionaries are endeavor- ing to follow the admonition of the Apostle Paul: "Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and hav- ing done all, to stand. Stand there- fore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace." (Ephesians 6 : 1 1- 1 5.) In conclusion a word to the young men of the Church: If you want true joy and happiness, you will find it in unselfish service to God and to your fellow-men. Prepare your minds to stand before the world as witnesses that Jesus is the Christ, that God lives, stand firm in your testimony and the way will be opened for you to achieve that which the Lord expects you to do, and you will realize in a finer and a deeper sense the meaning of the lines of Hamlin Garland: Do you fear the force of the wind, The slash of the rain? Go face them and fight them, Be savage again. Go hungry and cold like a wolf, Go wade like a crane; The palms of your hand will thicken, The skin of your cheek will tan, You'll grow ragged and weary and swarthy, But you'll walk like a man. Orovini, Papeete, Tahiti There are two kinds of discontent in this world: the discontent that works, and the discontent that wrings its hands. The first gets what it wants, and the second loses what it has. There's no cure for the first but success; and there's no cure at all for the second. — Gordon Graham.