To 1969, Improvement Era was being published by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Salt Lake City.

The articles mainly concern the work of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in the Pacific Islands. The church was largely active in the period in French Polynesia, including Tahiti, Tuamotu Islands and Tubuai, as well as being active in the Hawaiian Islands, Samoa and Tonga. For other publications by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints see also PMB 112 for Juvenile Instructor; and PMB 113 for Contributor.

The Manuscript Mission Histories are, in fact, mainly collections of chronologically arranged newspaper clippings, with some typescript entries, concerning the work of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in the Pacific Islands. The histories cover the following territories and periods: French Polynesia (1849-1959), Hawaii (1850-1959), Samoa (1871-1959), Tonga (1891-1959).

Items on Pacific Islands from reports of annual and semi-annual conferences associated with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Church was active in French Polynesia, including Tahiti, Tuamotu Islands, and Tubuai, as well as Hawaiian Islands, Samoa and Tonga in the period covered.

Captain Fowler went to the Pacific in 1868 as captain of the London Missionary Society vessel JOHN WILLIAMS III. He was dismissed in 1871 because of his treatment of Pacific Islanders. The logbook begins on 12 November 1868 when Captain Fowler left London. It continues to 25 February 1869 when the JOHN WILLIAMS III passed Jervis Bay, NSW. It resumes on 30 March 1869 when the JOHN WILLIAMS III left Sydney for a cruise to the Pacific Islands, which extended to Tahiti, back to the New Hebrides (Vanuatu) and then to Raiatea before returning to Sydney on 31 December 1869. The cruise took in Raiatea, Tahaa, Huahine, Tahiti, Mangaia, Rarotonga, Aitutaki, Niue, Pago Pago, Apia, Aneityum, Mare, Lifu, Uvea, Tubuai and Savai'i. The logbook resumes again on 4 April 1870 when the JOHN WILLIAMS III was at Huahine. Subsequent calls were made at Raiatea, Tahiti, Mangaia, Rarotonga, Aitutaki, Manihiki, Rakahanga, Pukapuka, Mitiaro, Mauke, Atiu, Tutuila, Niue, the Tokelau, Ellice (Tuvalu) and Gilbert Islands (Kiribati), the southern New Hebrides and the Loyalty Islands. The JOHN WILLIAMS III returned to Sydney on 20 December 1870. Captain Fowler returned to England in 1871 in the ship BUCKLEY CASTLE.