Canadian Mission Report

It is a pleasure to meet you again in conference and partake of the fine spirit that is here. The friendly mountains surrounding these valleys are a welcome sight to those who have been away for a few months. ¶

It has been in the mountains that God's people have always grown to strength. I rather think it was the sight of these towering peaks that caused Orson Pratt to select, as his subject the first Sabbath in the valley, Isaiah 2:2: ¶

And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills ; and all nations shall flow unto it. ¶

At least, those of us who have once partaken of the spirit of these mountains always welcome the opportunity to return. ¶

It is a pleasure to bring you greetings from the missionaries and saints in the Canadian Mission. Especially to those parents to whom I may not get to speak personally, I am happy to say that all the missionaries are well. I have just completed a tour of the mission and found the missionaries happy indeed in the great work they are doing. ¶

The fraternal spirit among the missionaries is wonderful. The love the Gospel gives them for God's children seems to be intensified for their fellow workers until their attitude toward each other is wonderful, and the effect on their lives so wholesome that they are envied by the people of the world. ¶

A bishop of the Church of the Christian Brotherhood told me that he had never met finer men than our Elders with whom he was acquainted. ¶

The missionaries are a hard working group, meeting many obstacles as well as many happy situations. I know of no work that calls for greater versatility, better judgment and more sustained effort than to be a successful missionary, neither do I know any work that better prepares one for a happy, successful life. ¶

Last June we were greatly blessed by a visit from Elder Charles A. Callis. We toured the mission by automobile covering 3,500 miles. The farther we drove and the more meetings we held the better Brother Callis seemed to like it. He inspired us all with his energy and zeal for the work, his appreciation for the beautiful and historic spots so numerous in the Canadian Mission, and above all with his knowledge and testimony of the Gospel. ¶

Sister Beesley of the Mutual General Board came to Toronto and held a Mutual convention. Her visit was a delight to the large crowd that gathered from many parts. It is the first time, as far as I know, that a General Board member has visited the Canadian Mission. The people are still talking of Sister Beesley's splendid discussions and fine spirit. I am sure that the fruits of this visit will be seen in Mutual work throughout the year. ¶

The auxiliary associations of the Church, especially the Relief Society, M. I A., and Primary, are so different from anything found in the churches of the world and so admirably fill a felt need that they are popular with the people. M Men and Vanguard, Gleaner and Beehive classes are usually largely non-members of the Church and occasionally the entire class is non-members. ¶

A mother in the City of Ottumwa came to the lady missionaries and asked them to try to interest her daughter in M. I A, for she said it had had such a wholesome effect on the girl's older sister. ¶

It has been but a short time since we established missionaries in the city of Orillia and although we have but very few members, the missionaries there established a Primary, and after the Primary work had been going for about three weeks mothers came to these young men and said: "We thank you for the fine wholesome influence which this work is having upon our children in their home life." ¶

The genealogical work, also, is very attractive to the people. It appeals to everyone who hears it. A newspaper reporter came to our home a week or two ago to get a report of a conference we were holding in Toronto. We told her something of the genealogical work of the Church and then she said : ¶

"That is the most interesting thing I have ever heard in all my life." ¶

Thus the Gospel of Jesus Christ is filling a felt need in the world today. ¶

Dr. George H. Betts, a noted psychologist, said that every thinking man is asking himself these questions : ¶

1. Is there a God? Who? What kind? Whence? ¶

2. Whence came and whither goeth man? ¶

3. What has God to do with the running of our lives and the universe? ¶

The answer of the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ to all these questions is so definite and clear that all may understand. ¶

The same author says that religion should do the following three things for the individual : ¶

1. Religion serves the individual by adding to his serenity of mind, giving him hope, sense of security, and happiness. ¶

2. Religion defines a way of life, outlines a system of ethics, provides certain norms for conduct, sets up ideals. ¶

3. Religion motivates certain lines of conduct, supplies the drive for the pursuit of ideals, gives fortitude to withstand hardships. ¶

From this point of view it seems that religion was never so needed as in the present condition of the world. ¶

But for religion to set up ideals and define life's goals and motivate conduct and supply the drive for carrying out the ideals it must be a reli gion from which one gets a personal testimony of God and his relation to God in this life and in the future. ¶

So many people fail to find these fine things in religion because their religion has been a thing apart from their daily life and they have never received that touch of divine inspiration that gives newness of life. ¶

The Gospel of Jesus Christ calls one to action, and through accomplishment we find the joy that passeth understanding. ¶

From a clipping from a recent paper we get the following interesting item from Joseph Fort Newton: ¶

NO PARKING ¶

Einstein tells us that nowhere in the universe is there such a thing as a hitching-post. No doubt he is right ; but why should he put the truth in the language of horse and buggy days ? ¶

To bring his idea up to date he should have said that no matter how far we go in the universe, we see the same sign which faces us on our city streets — "No Parking on Either Side at Any Time." ¶

There it is, staring us in the face, whether we like it or not. If we try to pull up to the curb and stop, a blunt voice tells us brusquely to "Move on" even when we do not want to go on. ¶

Otherwise we get in the way, hold up the traffic, and halt the human procession. Life is activity, growth, movement. It will not stand hitched. If we stop we are left behind, outdated, outmoded. ¶

Life is effort, struggle, the putting forth of energy. It is by going that we arrive, by doing that we learn. We live on a slippery slope. If we do not go forward, we slip back and lose our footing. ¶

It is so on all the roads of the world. In any walk of life, if a man stops thinking, stops studying and parks his mind, he loses the truth. He ceases to be a leader and becomes just a relic. ¶

"The truth goes marching on," sings a thrilling hymn. "Time makes ancient good uncouth," a great poet tells us. Unless we keep step with the truth, keep our minds alert and active, we lose it. ¶

There is always truth ahead, more truth, new truth, new light to break forth, new roads to travel, new goals to win, The Gospel of life is "The Gospel of going on and still to be," rejoicing. ¶

Even at the end of life there is the same sign, "No parking." Death is only another beginning — the greatest of all adventures ; and heaven is the place where lost things are found ! ¶

Thus from this man of the world we get a graphic picture of the principle of eternal progression so distinctly a doctrine of the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. ¶

Because of these outstanding things that the Gospel has for the world, that are so distinctly a part of the doctrine of our Gospel, we are happy in our work in the Canadian Mission. The missionaries are a loyal, faithful group. Together we are striving to carry out the work as outlined by the authorities of the Church. We feel keenly our responsibility and the trust placed in us and are thoughtfully and prayerfully endeavoring to discharge this responsibility to the benefit of the people among whom we are working and we are receiving a joy and happiness that gives our testimonies of the divinity of Jesus Christ and of the divine mission of Joseph Smith increased strength day by day. ¶

I humbly pray that God will bless and strengthen this great work, and so guide and bless each of us that we can carry well our part of the great responsibility that our Heavenly Father has intrusted to us. ¶