“Reader’s Guide,” New Era, Apr. 2001, 49

Reader’s Guide

Creative ideas for using this issue of the New Era.

Personal Improvement

Read President Hinckley’s personal testimony of the Savior on page 4. Spend some time alone on a Sunday thinking about your own testimony of the Savior. Read some scriptures about His life and write some of the things you have learned about the Savior in your journal.
“The Answer Guy” on page 40 is the story of a young man who befriends someone at school who has no friends. Think of someone at your school who is in need of a hand of friendship. If you’re too shy to do it alone, enlist the help of some of your friends.
When you’re handed a difficult trial, remember that some good can also come with it. Read “The Currant Bush” on page 12 for a great insight into adversity.

Summarize the main points from Elder Hillam’s article on page 46. Have family members each list one goal they’d like to reach during the next year. Then discuss how the family can help them reach that goal.
Read the story about Ella Allred and her family on page 20. Plan a family night that uses no modern technology. Read scriptures by candlelight. Then spend the evening playing games, singing, or reading. Talk about how the feeling in your home changes when the computer, television, stereo, and telephone are all silenced.

Make your turn to clean the meetinghouse into a great activity. Read “Coming Clean” on page 28 for inspiration and then get creative. Divide up into teams. Make some fun trophies (perhaps made of a feather duster or cleaning brush) to be passed around each time you clean.
Read “Fantastic Plastic?” on page 32. Then bring some catalogs or advertising sections from the newspaper and have everyone go on a mock shopping trip. Have everyone write down what they would buy if money were no object. Have one of your leaders or a special guest speaker help you figure the interest if you paid for your purchases with a credit card and only made the minimum payment each month. Talk about budgeting and the difference between necessities and extras.

Read to your class the Q&A about seminary attendance on page 16. Give everyone a plain paper bookmark (add a creative touch like a tassel if you’re so inclined) and have everyone write a few of the reasons they like coming to seminary on their bookmark. The next time they’re fighting a yawn, seeing that list marking their scriptures might be just the lift they need.