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Cover letter

I appreciate reading the New Era, but I have noticed a bias in your cover photos that you might want to correct. In the 14 issues from January of ’87 through February of ’88, the cover pictures break down as follows: Two issues with Biblical paintings, one with a drawing of a temple, two with young men, one with young women and Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and eight with young women on the cover.

Maybe we shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but people do, and you may be convincing a lot of young men in the Church that the New Era is a magazine for young women. Realizing that girls will read books meant for either boys or girls, but it is difficult to get boys to read something they interpret as feminine, maybe you could balance the cover pictures so that the young men at least get equal representation. Thank you.

Craig R. Jeffs
Brigham City, Utah

A startling revelation

I just had a startling revelation. I was coming home this evening after visiting a branch conference and found my son poring over the February issue of the New Era. When I find him, at 16, spending time on the important things in life, I’m naturally curious.

After he had finished and put it on the table, it was immediately obvious why he had picked it up. The cover is a picture of a cute young woman. I flipped through the magazine and, knowing my son, it was not difficult to pick out the articles he had read.

I picked them out and verified my queries with him. Had he read the article on page 4, “What Is True Greatness?” No. Had he read the article on page 16 about preparing for a mission? No.

He went through the pictures of the pretty young lady whose article begins on page 21, and he read the story starting on page 32, “A Portrait of Brenda.”

Guess who read the missionary article on page 16? My 18-year-old daughter. Not solely because it has a picture of a cute missionary, but that didn’t hurt things.

Now for my revelation. If you’d have put a picture of a pretty young woman on page 16, and titled the story something like, “Why I go for R.M.’s,” you’d probably have every 12- to 18-year-old young man in the Church reading it. If the picture on page 16 had been put on page 32, guess who would be reading that story?

True, I’ve put a little tongue in cheek here, but I just find it interesting what attracts the attention of my teenagers.

Tom Haynie
Grand Blanc, Michigan

Bouncing back

I just wanted to say thank you for “Giving up the Ball,” the article in the January New Era about athletes who have gone on missions! I have a missionary who also gave up basketball for two years. He is currently serving in the Canada Calgary Mission. He had lots of doubts before he decided to go. But with the Spirit of the Lord and the examples of others, he is now serving in the mission field.

So to all those who are trying to decide to go, remember what the prophet has asked us to do. I know you’ll be richly blessed.

Kathy Riley
Oceanside, California

Cover to cover

I have been wanting to write to the New Era for years, and today I finally decided to “DO IT.”

I have been getting the New Era since I was a senior in high school (about nine years). At first I would only read the shorter articles, the Mormonads, and the Mormonisms. Then I decided I should start reading everything from cover to cover, and I have been ever since.

I love the New Era! It has truly been an inspiration to me. It seems like every month there is a song, a poem, or a story that I needed just at that time in my life.

Thank you so much for publishing such a great magazine! It is truly of the Lord, and in our day both youth and adults desperately need it.

Francie Widdison
Hooper, Utah

Right at me

I would like to thank you for publishing such a great magazine. The New Era has really helped me. It has lifted my spirit. It has brought me closer to my Heavenly Father. I love reading it. Sometimes it seems like the stories are pointing right at me.

They are so important to me in my life. They are really good for thoughts in seminary. Some of the stories really open people’s eyes. I know my Father in Heaven loves me. I would like to thank my parents for providing such a great magazine for me. It lifts me in spirit and makes me a better person.

Amanda Accordino
Kearns, Utah

The rest of my life

The New Era is awesome! I want to thank you for such a great magazine. Every article is so spiritually uplifting and makes me feel really good inside. Every time I read the New Era it strengthens my testimony of the truthfulness of the gospel. I too feel that some of the articles were written just for me. They inspire me and help me to face and overcome any problems that may come my way. I love the gospel. I know this church is true. I love the Book of Mormon, and I know it’s true. I love my Heavenly Father and his Son Jesus Christ. I can’t wait to go on a full-time mission to serve the Lord and spread the gospel throughout the world.

I want to say “Hi” to all of the youth throughout the world and tell them how great they are. I wish I could meet and become friends with all of them.

Thanks again for the New Era. I’m going to continue reading it when I go to BYU this fall, while I’m on my mission, and then for the rest of my life.

Guy Welker
Boca Raton, Florida