Feedback

“Prayer”

As a missionary in the Scotland Edinburgh Mission I would like to thank the New Era for the March issue and for the excellent article “Prayer” by President Spencer W. Kimball. It was really inspiring. I would also like to thank my parents for always holding family prayer each day. As a missionary I have realized how important prayer is. God really does answer prayers.

Elder Randall C. Ashworth
Scotland Edinburgh Mission

Raindrops

The New Era has once again touched my heart. The story “Wiping up Raindrops” really has a special meaning to me. Several years ago I lost my grandmother on Christmas morning, a few years after having lost my grandfather. It was really a sad experience, but I realize that they are together in a much better place. The story brought back many beautiful memories of my grandparents.

Elder Russel Dean Tidlund
California Sacramento Mission

The quest and the rut

President Kimball’s article on prayer in the March 1978 New Era was most inspiring. It was just what I needed. Having fallen into the same rut as many other people, I too prayed once a day and when called upon. Yet something was missing. It was too easy to get in the habit of using “vain repetitions,” and prayer didn’t have real meaning.

As I read that article, I made a personal goal to make my prayers more meaningful. This goes along very well with our “Quest for Exaltation” in seminary.

A New Era reader
Preston, Idaho

Pineapples?

As we stop in for dinner every day, the first place everyone sprints for is down to the foyer to see if any mail has come. Today the anticipated letter from home wasn’t there, but in its place was a big envelope from Salt Lake City, Utah. Inside it was the March New Era. What a great way to celebrate President Kimball’s birthday! The article about prayer was especially pertinent, not only for our investigators but also for us missionaries! Not very many of the members can read English, but they all got excited over the pictures, especially those of President Kimball. From the land of karate, pineapples, and blue-green coral seas, thanks for a great magazine.

Elder Mike Heninger
Japan Fukuoka Mission

Everyone everywhere

I just finished reading the April New Era and especially enjoyed “Wiping up Raindrops.” The author, Louise Hurd, did such a beautiful job that it made me cry. It meant a lot to me in ways I can’t explain. “The Crucial Catalyst—Love” also was special and so true. You see, I live in a Mormon community, and what few nonmembers there are feel compelled to either join the Church or become bitter toward it. It would help so much if everyone everywhere followed the advice of that article.

Lori Martineau
Taylor, Arizona

I can’t wait

I’m a new member (almost a year), and the New Era has helped me so much. I really love the fiction. I can’t wait to read it each month. My favorite story was “When White Shirts Turn Gray” in the December issue. It brought tears to my eyes. The New Era is great for my testimony.

Terry Cameron
Muneth, Michigan

Secret weapon for girls

I enjoyed the article “Ward Basketball’s Secret Weapon” by Richard Romney in the February New Era. Does Brother Romney (and do you) know that many wards have girls’ basketball teams? Nothing in the article would indicate such an awareness; yet as one of the coaches of a ward girls’ team, I have found the article interesting and helpful in spite of the assumption that ward basketball is only for “the young men in the ward.” Keep up your good works. But please remember that many women, young and old, are interested in more than dresses, jewelry, and housework.

Louise Wynn
Lakewood, Colorado

We are aware. See “Mechelle Hill: A Beauty with a Basketball” in the January issue. Editor.

The Arizona years

I was grateful for the article in the March New Era on President Kimball’s life. The Church magazines are truly inspiring, and they help solve many of the problems that our investigators have. The many nonmembers I’ve given the New Era to have always enjoyed it.

Elder Stephen Sims
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

This wonderful family

Thank you for your article about Daniel Choc, first Cachiquel missionary (April New Era). Those of us who knew and loved him were impressed by his spirituality as soon as we met him. His mother, who was killed during the earthquake in 1976, was also a very spiritual and progressive woman. We feel that Daniel and his mother were called home to teach their Lamanite ancestors. They both had the spirit and knowledge to do so. Daniel’s younger brother Gregorio was also very humble and spiritual as was his dad Pablo. It was our privilege, as missionaries in the Guatemala-El Salvador mission, to know and work with this wonderful family.

Brother and Sister Leland A. Watts
West Jordan, Utah

Using my talents

“Mechelle Hill: A Beauty with a Basketball” in the January New Era is an outstanding story. I admire people like her who use their talents as much as they can. My favorite story was in the September 1976 issue, “Making Tracks While the Sun Shines,” about Miss Wheelchair Utah. This story made me realize how lucky I really am and how I am not using my talents like I should be.

Lori Davis
Queen Creek, Arizona

The ace bandage

Being out of commission for a week with a sprained ankle, I’ve had the opportunity of doing a lot of reading. I’ve come to appreciate the articles and uplifting stories in the New Era. Aside from being a great missionary tool, it helps to keep elders with sprained ankles smiling.

Elder Paul Wolfley
Texas Houston Mission

Professor New Era

We are two missionaries in the Hong Kong Mission assigned to a small town just 15 miles from the China border. We enjoy reading each issue of the New Era, and we have found it useful in our proselyting work. Two nights a week we teach an English class to nonmember students in an effort to interest them in the gospel. We often use the Church magazines, especially the New Era, in our class presentations. Not only has it helped improve their English, but it has also led to many discussions concerning the Church. Thanks for a job well done.

Elders Keely Bridenstine and Richard Miller
Hong Kong Mission

Sweat? no sweat!

I want to add my congratulations to the many others you receive for a beautiful, timely, and journalistically excellent publication. I read it faithfully, although we ostensibly subscribe for our two teenagers. How I wish it had been around when I was growing up!

I must register a strong difference of opinion with the letter titled “Feminity vs. Sweat” from Mrs. Stan Shofer, published in your May 1978 Feedback department. Mrs. Shofer feels that the feature article on Mechelle Hill, champion basketball player, in the January issue somehow fails to set the desired image of “femininity” for Mormon girls—this despite the fact that Mechelle is shown teaching Sunday School, cooking, and discussing art as well as playing ball. What is Mrs. Shofer’s definition of being feminine? Surely, with five children of her own she must know that bearing and rearing children causes considerable perspiration! And I don’t think that my pioneer foremothers managed to cross the plains and establish Zion without some sweat either, and I doubt that it compromised their femininity. So please, New Era, let’s have more role models like Mechelle. Basketball isn’t particularly “our thing,” so let’s also hear about some female stars in journalism (my thing), science (my daughter’s thing), etc.

Mary Ellen Romney MacArthur
Pasadena, California

Someone cares

The article “Someone’s Mother” in the February New Era was a touching story and showed a true love for other human beings. Many times I have wondered who will help my mother when I grow older and move away. Now I know that someone cares.

Deby Worthen
Salt Lake City, Utah

The Leap into space

One doesn’t find many copies of the New Era in a Spanish-speaking mission; but the few that do fall into our hands are eagerly devoured for the universal examples of gospel principles so abundantly expounded within their pages. May we thank Annette Parkinson for sharing her insight through “Trust, a Key to Testimony” in the February New Era? For most new converts, baptism also represents a “leap into space.” It is this initial trust in our Heavenly Father that eventually works to cement together the foundation necessary for a growing testimony. These faithful new members are an example not only to nonmember families and friends but to “born-and-raised-Mormon” missionaries like us.

Elders Randy A. Pettit and J. Richard Loosle
El Salvador San Salvador Mission