Church’s International Language Magazines Now Available to All Members

Beginning in January 1987, the Church’s international magazines will be upgraded and will begin publication on a regular monthly basis. Also beginning in January, the magazines can be ordered by members anywhere in the world.

For the past two years, these magazines have been published eight times a year, including the conference issues. Some editions were published in black and white only. Now all of the regular magazines in the international group will feature color illustrations. “In addition, material intended especially for youth will be more clearly identified,” noted managing editor Larry Hiller.

As part of the change, the Church has adopted a unified pricing policy. Members anywhere in the world can subscribe to any of the international magazines for nine dollars a year. This means that readers in the United States, Canada, Great Britain, or any other English-speaking country can obtain Chinese, Finnish, Dutch, or any other available language edition to maintain their foreign language skills. International magazines editions can also be ordered as gifts and sent to any country.

The Church’s international magazines are currently published in eighteen different languages. These include Chinese (Shentao che Sheng, “Voice of the Saints”), Danish (Stjernen, “Star”), Dutch (de Ster, “The Star”), Finnish (Valkeus, “The Light”), French (l’Etoile, “The Star”), German (Der Stern, “The Star”), Italian (la Stella, “The Star”), Japanese (Seito No Michi, “The Path of the Saints”), Korean (Songdo Wi Bot, “The Friend of the Saints”), Norwegian (Lys over Norge, “Light over Norway”), Philippines (Tambuli, a Tagalog name for a horn used to signal village gatherings), Portuguese (A Liahona), Samoan (O le Liahona), Spanish (Liahona), Swedish (Norstjarnen, “North Star”) and Tongan (Tuhulu, “The Torch”). The Tahitian (Te Tiarama, “The Star”) and Thai (Rom Zion, “Shadow of Zion”) editions are introductory magazines of reduced size.

While most of the material published in the International Magazines is reprinted from the Church’s English-language publications, some of the articles are locally generated. “There are eight pages of news in each issue,” Brother Hiller said. “Much of this news comes directly from the language area involved. We’re also trying to develop local authors and photographers.

“More than ever before,” he added, “we are seeking magazine articles from all over the world. Readers have always been welcome to submit manuscripts for consideration, but now we will be much more able to publish articles from all the areas we serve.”

The international magazines provide a line of communication from the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve to the Church membership not served by the English magazines of the Church. Like the English publications, the international magazines are intended to strengthen the faith of members; to promulgate the truths of the restored gospel; to keep members informed of current and vital Church policies, programs and events; and to entertain and enrich the lives of Church members.

Clockwise from left, Liahona (Spanish), Der Stern (German), L’Etoile (French), Seito No Michi (Japanese), and, Tambuli (Philippines) are a sampling of the Church’s eighteen different international magazines.