Feedback

A bright spot

We parents pray for the reinforcement of our teachings, and the Lord gives us the New Era! As the mother of teenagers, I can appreciate this breath of fresh air. I’m especially prompted today to respond to Elder Thomas S. Monson’s “Decisions Determine Destiny,” and “The Award” by Jack Weyland, both from the November 1979 issue. Elder Monson has written a classic message in his usual articulate manner. I think his opening sentence should be inscribed in gold and mounted above every hearth in every home around the world. And as for Brother Weyland, I’ve decided that he must associate with teenagers daily because he seems to know them so well. He does not gloss over his characters or story lines, but develops vital youngsters facing the issues that kids really have to deal with, and he has them respond in very real and positive ways.

Thanks, Elder Monson and Brother Weyland, for helping to provide our youth with wisdom. And thank you, New Era, for a bright spot in a sometimes scary world.

Michaelene Grassli
Ogden, Utah

A gift of sunshine

I would like to thank you very much for the article “A Gift of Sunshine” by Richard M. Romney in the October New Era. That article had a few old friends of mine in it. I met them when we lived in Frankfurt for two years. While there I got to know a very special girl, one Brother Romney quoted in his article. Her name is Rosemarie Koning. The article brought back many happy memories of the neat people I met in the Frankfurt wards. I haven’t heard from Rosemarie since we moved back to the States, but I think about her often.

I love the New Era. It’s something very special.

Lynda Schenk
Salt Lake City, Utah

And the third shall be first

I wanted to let Sister Joyce A. Brackpool know how much her song “Jesus Lay Sleeping” in the August New Era touched my heart. It received third place in the song-writing contest. As far as I was concerned, it should have been first.

Rose Perley
Temple City, California

Squirrels hoard

Please! In Elder Monson’s Message in the November New Era the troops of the mongols were a horde not a hoard as you have it spelled on page four. Squirrels hoard.

Joanna Jukas
Redwood Valley, California

This good habit

We have just finished reading the October issue of the New Era. As missionaries in the Temple View Visitor’s Centre in New Zealand, we have read every article in all the Church magazines for the past 18 months. After the three couples assigned to the Centre read the magazines, we put them on a book counter and they are read by dozens of New Zealanders. We have many people who come in and ask if we have the latest issue of the New Era and are excited to get it and read it as soon as possible. We especially love the General Authorities’ messages. The article “With the Spirit You Can Do Anything” was also especially good this issue.

Now that our mission in New Zealand is coming to an end, we want you to know that one of the joys of our mission has been that we got in the habit of reading all the Church magazines. We hope that we will keep up this good habit the rest of our lives.

Elder Ben H. Robison and Sister Manon Robison
Visitor’s Centre, Temple View, New Zealand

My favorite pastime

I just love the New Era and look forward to receiving it each month. My favorite pastime is sitting down and reading through old issues of the New Era. Could you let me know if the New Era is published in other languages?

Cleta Price
Nephi, Utah

The New Era is published only in English, but the Church’s International Magazine, which is published in 16 languages, includes excerpts from all the other three Church magazines. Editor.

The heart of the matter

Would it be possible to get reprints of the Mormonad “Get Yourself into a Tight Squeeze” in the November New Era? I am Sacramento California Stake Special Interest chairman and would like to see this distributed in greater quantity (in poster-size if possible) to the various units here. It is so good!

May I compliment you on the artistry in the makeup of the magazine. What exquisite color reproduction you have achieved in the photographs! Of course, the messages are the heart of the matter, but the presentation of these messages enlarges and reinforces them in a most inspirational way. I have subscribed to a number of high-quality and expensive magazines over the years, but never have I seen one that is a greater artistic or spiritual treat. If ever anyone wants to present a very special and beautiful gift to someone else or to himself, all he needs is a subscription to the New Era.

Louise I. Easten
Davis, California

We are very sorry, but reprints of Mormonads are not available. Editor

How much work is left

It’s hard to express how much the New Era means in my life. The stories are always so inspiring. They help me to appreciate the Church members in other countries and their cultures. The New Era shows me how fast the Church is growing and how much work is left for us to do. In the November issue I especially enjoyed the story “Pageants and Principles.” When Lezlie expressed her feelings about sharing the gospel, it brought back the strong spiritual feeling that accompanied the Mia Maids in our ward during a recent cottage meeting. Sharing the gospel with my friends and having them feel in their hearts that it is true is one of the greatest blessings I have ever received. I really appreciate all the missionaries and the work that they are doing.

Diana Herrmann
Seattle, Washington

We didn’t make it easy

Imagine my delight as I read the December 1979 Feedback letters and saw one from a very special returned missionary with whom we have not been in contact for at least two years. I say special (and all missionaries are special) because this young man—a “greenie”—and his senior companion taught our family of nine about the gospel of Jesus Christ. And may I add, we didn’t make it easy! Because of their dedication to the Lord and our (rather weak) testimonies, we were all baptized, and most of us continue to grow stronger in the gospel every year. One of us is attending BYU and planning a mission. Another is setting goals for a temple marriage. Others are fulfilling jobs in our ward. To top it all off, we were recently sealed in the Salt Lake Temple for time and all eternity. I wish our special elders had been there and that we had stayed in closer contact. Thanks to DeMar Clegg and Kevin Wagner for setting the example and leading the way. They will always be very special to us.

Incidentally, one of the first gifts we received as investigators of the Church was a subscription to the New Era.

Joyce Taylor
El Toro, California

It’s different in Indiana

My companion and I, who are serving in the Kentucky Louisville Mission, would like to express our thanks and appreciation to the New Era. Having grown up near Church headquarters, we have both had many opportunities to be in the presence of General Authorities and partake of their words through conferences and other meetings. It is different for the Saints living in some of the small towns of southern Indiana. Not only does the New Era bring messages of happiness, truth, and wisdom, but it gives the Saints here an opportunity to hear from our inspired leaders. As one of our new members said, “It’s like having the prophet visit our home every month.”

Elders Scott Wilmarth and Von Humphreys
Kentucky Louisville Mission

Clean diapers

I really enjoyed the October article “Where Are the Clean Diapers? A Guide to Creative Tending.” It was fun to read and very informative. The ideas and suggestions are very realistic and useable for babysitting. The article lets parents know what they can expect from a babysitter, and it lets the babysitter know that she is not getting paid to watch TV. The article was well worth reading and had many great ideas about how to be a better babysitter.

Risa Hansen
Littleton, Colorado