Feedback

It’s nice to know

I have enjoyed every single issue of the New Era these six years I have been receiving it. Now as I prepare to go to BYU to continue my education, I realize how much the New Era has helped me reach this goal and to greatly increase my testimony of the true gospel. I would like to comment on Elder Randy Davis and his remarks in the June issue of the New Era. After reading the article “The Joy Is In Becoming,” he said that it was nice to know that there are girls who live the high standards of the Church and that he will be looking for this when he returns home from his mission. I want to say that it is nice to know that there are guys out there who appreciate it when a girl upholds these standards. Thank you, Elder Davis.

Lynn Fisher
Black Canyon City, Arizona

Stacking up well

I enjoy all the Church magazines very much. Until I left home and went on a mission, I never fully realized how filled they were with the words of the Lord as spoken through his prophets and other inspired men and women. I am working diligently to share the gospel with a girl back home in Virginia, and I have been turning more and more to the Church magazines in my efforts to fully answer her many questions.

My missionary apartment has a good-sized stack of Church magazines, of course, so one day I went through the whole stack, picking out those that I thought my friend would benefit from. When I finished, the stack I had picked out was larger than the stack that was left. I knew I couldn’t send that many magazines, so I tried again. About halfway through I stopped because every magazine had at least one good article or message. Finally I gritted my teeth and picked out the very best, but I still sent her a good-sized stack, along with a subscription to the New Era and the Ensign. I know that every one of those 23 issues will help her testimony grow, just as anyone reading them, member or nonmember, will be touched by them in some way.

Elder Woodman
Iowa Des Moines Mission

I only wish

I want to say hello to all the New Era readers and also to say thank you for the most inspiring magazine I’ve ever read. I use its messages and stories in my Sunday School classes, and they are a great help. Please continue publishing Jack Weyland stories. They’re fantastic! Perhaps most of you know very little about my country, so let me tell you that it’s wonderful. The Church is growing very fast down here, and all the members are feeling a very special spirit since the building of the Buenos Aires Temple was announced. This is a great blessing for all of us. I only wish all my friends and all the youth of the world could understand English so they could laugh, cry, and rejoice with each issue of the New Era.

Lita Padilla
Buenos Aires, Argentina

Someone they can talk to

We are thankful for the New Era. It keeps us going when we need it the most. We look forward to receiving it each month. It helps us to be more missionary minded. We really enjoyed the story “Crying with a Clown” by Anya C. Bateman. It was super! Many people need someone they can talk to about the important things in life, and that’s what we as members are here for. We are sure that all the missionaries in the world would agree with us in saying, “New Era, you’re great!”

Elders Rich Walkenhorst and Juan Cavez
Louisiana Baton Rouge Mission

Somewhat cut off

I have been an investigator of the Church for one year. The New Era has been a wonderful source of Church teachings and touching articles. The nearest chapel is 20 miles away in Olean, New York, so I have been somewhat cut off from the Church except for Super-Saturday seminary lessons and the New Era. The articles in the New Era have helped open my eyes to the fact that I have been blessed with many clothes that meet Church dress standards. Now I can reorganize my wardrobe in the best way possible. The articles in the New Era have also strengthened my faith, hope, and testimony in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Kerry Honey
Salamanca, New York

A hard decisionz

The May issue of the New Era was exceptional! Especially good was the article by Elder Jack H. Goaslind, Jr., “Your Heart Will Tell You So.” Every prospective missionary should read this article. Last February Elder Goaslind toured our mission. He is a very good speaker. Deciding whether or not to go on a mission is hard for some people, and I feel that reading this article will help. Serving a mission is a great blessing, and as Brother Goaslind says, “Indeed, the seeming sacrifice fades into insignificance in the light of the marvelous blessings that come from missionary service.” The blessings I have received are great, and I wouldn’t trade the experiences I’ve had for anything.

Elder Johnnie E. Miller
South Dakota Rapid City Mission

From shrinking violet to front seat

I am a 77-year-old returned missionary and graduate of BYU—also a fan of the New Era. I enjoyed “Time Out for a Mission” in the June New Era. I would like to bear testimony to the fact that going on my mission before finishing college was one of the best things I ever did. My eight brothers and sisters and I were born in the shadows of BYU in Provo, and our parents were educators, so we were expected to become college graduates. In many ways I was a “shrinking violet” personality until after I filled my mission. Reentering BYU after returning from my mission, I would head for the front seat in all of my classes. I wasn’t afraid to raise my hand and answer questions. I had become an outgoing, friendly person and received high grades in my classes. I attribute my success to what I gained by being a missionary before I finished college.

Rita D. Williams

No coincidence

On behalf of all the missionaries in South Africa, we want to personally thank the New Era, the Ensign, and the Friend for all the help you give us in sharing the gospel. So many times one of the Church magazines has “just happened” to come up with the right article for an investigator who is at a crucial point in his or her progression. We don’t think it’s all coincidence. As we stood under this sign in New Era, South Africa, the thought came to us that we are truly in a new era of the Church in Africa and throughout the entire world. Keep up the spiritual and thoughtful quality of the New Era.

Elders Doug Stone and Bill McNabb
South Africa Johannesburg Mission

Piano-forte-allegro

I was in a pretty depressed mood when mom picked me up from school today to go to my piano lesson. After the lesson, when I got in the car, I saw I had a letter from a friend plus the June New Era. By the time we got home I was so engrossed in the story “Fifteen Summers” that I stayed in the car to read. Well, one article led to another, and after a few more, I emerged from the car with a completely different attitude. Thanks to the New Era, I’m feeling much better.

Lora Williams
Sylva, North Carolina

Missionaries get it, too!

Before I came on my mission, whenever I got discouraged, I’d start reading my New Era and forget all my troubles. When I got out here, I really missed the New Era, until I found out that missionaries get it, too! Ever since then I’ve enjoyed my mission even more. Thanks for a great lift!

Elder Jeff Hansen
Tennessee Nashville Mission