Finger Play

By Bertha A. Kleinman

Here are ten little helpers
And playfellows too,
They are tiny and small
Yet they know what to do.
They can each say “Good-morning”
And “How-do-you-do?”
They can clap for the baby
And play peek-a-boo.
They can play they are birds –
Flying ever so high,
Or bright snowy flakes
Dancing out of the sky.
They can play they are raindrops
That come down in showers,
They can play they are fairies
That wake up the flowers.
They can play they are kittens
Just learning to creep,
And make a warm bed
And go fast to sleep;
And when it is night
And they’re tired of play,
Our ten little helpers
Can help us to pray –
Dear Father, we thank Thee
For two little hands,
And ask Thee to bless them
Till each understands
That children can only be happy all day
When two little hands have
learned how to obey.

(1923)

Joseph Fielding Smith was invited to participate in an M-Man/Gleaner Conference in Denton, Texas, scheduled for July 14-16, 1972, by recording a personal message to be played during the gathering. He dictated the text for his message on Friday, June 30, with the intent to record it on Monday, July 3. Because he died on Sunday, July 2, the draft of his message became his final testimony.

My dear young friends:

I am very pleased and honored to greet all of you who are assembled at the South Central Area M-Man and Gleaner Conference in Denton, Texas. I give to each of you and your devoted leaders my love and support as you seek to draw close to our Heavenly Father and to learn of his ways. I wish it were possible for me to greet each and every one of you personally.

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Uncertain Possession

By Beatrice R. Parsons

Previous chapter

Chapter 8

The week following Margaret’s sudden death was a bushy busy one for Dr. Wire. An outbreak of measles in the valley kept Matt, Uncle John, and Hallie continually on the go. Lorna was glad that Matt was too busy to dwell on Margaret’s passing. His hurt and pain had been deep, but it was slowly drifting away. Now that Uncle John could take up the reins of his practice, with Hallie’s assistance, Matt was beginning to talk of going back to Utah.

Lorna was growing more and more certain of her pregnancy. She wanted to share the wonder of her knowledge with her husband, but the time never seemed to come. Matt was out of the house most of his waking hours, and when he came home, he usually dropped to sleep over his late dinner.

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This is my translation of the “extra” discussion we taught to prospective members of African ancestry in the Brazil Porto Alegre Mission 1976-1978. It was referred to as the “Eighth Discussion” or “Discussion K,” the Baptismal Challenge, the short Discussion H, not being counted in the numbering system. It was not an official church missionary discussion. And I certainly understood it that way at the time. It was shared around the mission in an informal way — never having any direct instruction from our Mission President to teach it. I seem to recall the copy I had was on a mimeographed sheet.

The principal false doctrines included are the interpretations from Abraham 1 and 3:22-23, and Moses 7:22 about Cain, a priesthood curse, blackness, etc. These scriptures are subject to many interpretations and do not compel the conclusions of this “extra” discussion or a priesthood ban by revelation. The other, and maybe even more troubling false doctrine, is a rather broad extrapolation from Abraham 3:22-23 that we are all born in this life according to what we deserved in the pre-existence. I don’t think the scripture leads to that interpretation at all. The idea does appear in Mormon folklore, but is not official doctrine of the LDS Church. I remember a World Religion class taught by Spencer J. Palmer at BYU in about 1980 where that idea was shot down pretty clearly.

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The King of the Kodak Brigade

By H.R. Merrill, Oneida Academy, Preston, Idaho

I am the King of the Kodak Brigade;
My army is ten million strong;
We carry no guns, nor pistols, nor swords,
When we go a-marching along;
We go with a smile, for the earth is our own –
And is pleasant as true hearts can make it;
And if some bright spot seems worthy to us,
There’ll be none to oppose when we take it.

Most of the soldiers have kodaks all set –
A corps in each land can be found;
They’re dashing young men, and fair, winsome maids,
You’ll meet them the big world around.
Their munitions of war they carry on spools,
And the brand is N.C. altogether,
For those films are sure – they never miss fire,
In rainy or in sunshiny weather.

Glories of youth with their tinsel and gold
Evanish with oncoming years,
And the dreams that we dream just dreams may remain
In spite of our labor and tears.
I’ll lead out my army, some ten million strong,
And we’ll catch the old world as she passes,
And scenes we behold with the clearness of youth,
Someday we’ll review with our glasses.

While we are young we’ll imprison the earth,
Its flowers, its grasses, and dews;
We’ll get the old home and the garden and well,
And the orchard with its many hues;
We’ll keep the old folk as we love them today,
Ere their youth and their roses can fade,
Then we’ll laugh at old Time, we’ll battle him quite,
We are Scouts of the Kodak Brigade!

(1915)

In 1851 Thomas Bullock created a federal census mortality schedule for Utah County using forms hand-drawn in Utah Territory. The mortality schedule was supposed to document the people who died in the year before the census. Thomas Bullock wrote four names on the schedule with information provided by families passing through Utah County at the time: Mormon Pratt, John Tanner, James Flake, and Mary Finley. Although the form says they died in Utah County, at least three of them died elsewhere.

The four entries written on this paper in Bullock’s small, deliberate handwriting represent people whose lives include stories of polygamy, the first Mormon mission to Chile, great sacrifices, slavery in Utah Territory, the settlement of San Bernardino, and a mystery. (more…)

Uncertain Possession

By Beatrice R. Parsons

Previous chapter

Chapter 7

Synopsis: Lorna Ashton, an orphan, who has no home of her own and has lived with a cousin, marries Dr. Matthew Wire and goes to live in Westfield, Nevada. She is afraid that Matthew’s relatives and friends, and even his patients, will continue to mean so much to him that he will never be wholly hers. However, she gradually finds a place for herself in the community and in the affections of Uncle John, Nurse Hallie, and Carole, a little neighbor girl. She becomes acquainted with Jim Nason, an eccentric man, who has been asked to help financially in building a much-needed hospital for Sky Valley. Two small china kittens which Lorna has treasured since childhood have become to her a symbol of possession, and she finally gives them to Carole, and feels that she is becoming more willing to share herself and her husband with others. When Lorna finally meets Margaret Benson, an invalid, and a dear friend of Matthew’s, she regrets her attitude of indifference and makes an effort to be friendly and helpful.

During the following month, Lorna and Margaret became fast friends. It was easy for Lorna to know just how Matt had grown so fond of Margaret. She was a fine person, intelligent, thoughtful, kind. She never complained, though there was a quiet, waiting look in her beautiful eyes that told Lorna that she knew how very ill she was. Lorna was glad that Hallie had showed her the truth about Matt and Margaret.

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If you had been a resident of Prague in 1930, you might have met a Mormon elder on the street who handed you this leaflet, inviting you to a public presentation on “100 Years of Mormonism.” Would you have come?

(The phrase Církve Ježiše Krista sv. p. dnů is the name of the Church. One of the two short phrases in the bottom right corner no doubt is the Czech equivalent of “no collection taken.” Otherwise, you’re on your own.)
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6 May 1900

After the regular afternoon meeting held at the Amphion Hall in Brooklyn the ladies of the church and congregation met with President Howard Garrett and Elder W.J. Snow to organize a “Ladies Relief Society.”

Meeting opened with prayer by Elder Snow.

President Garrett then proposed the following names for office.

President — Mrs. E. Milligan
1st Counselor – Miss S. McKenna
2nd counsellor – Mrs C. Laine
Secretary – Miss B. Shaffer
Treasurer – Miss B. Shaffer

Every lady accepted position assigned her promising to do her best for the advancement of the society. They were supported by all present.

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(Previous installment)

Tues. Aug. 24.

Wrote letters nearly all day. The boys got up at daybreak and had the washing done and out on the line before I got up.

Wed. Aug 25.

Had another surprise this morning. The boys had all of their ironing and part of mine done, and breakfast already on the table before I came down stairs. An old blind Josephite man and his wife brought us three small banana trees in from Faa to plant in our yard.

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