40 Years of Telling Your Story

“I love how you pick such strong stories that touch people’s lives every day.” That’s what one reader recently said in a letter to the New Era. We have received many similar comments over the years about the personal stories featured in the magazine.

Storytelling throughout history has been an important way of teaching truths, exploring our common interests, and connecting us to one another. The personal accounts shared by our readers lift and inspire as they demonstrate how to apply gospel doctrines and principles in our lives. They let us know that we are, indeed, part of a great brotherhood and sisterhood in the worldwide Church.

We laugh, cry, and often marvel at your strength and goodness when you send us your stories. They are an important part of the magazine, and we wish we could print all of them. We review each submission, looking for those with a solid gospel application. When we decide to use one for the magazine, we then send it through an editing and review process before scheduling it for an issue of the magazine.

We look forward to sharing inspirational stories with you for many years to come.

Top Ten

Over the years the New Era has run some great stories. Making a short list of favorite stories is hard, but here are a few we thought to recommend. For more stories, go to newera.lds.org and look under Past Issues or Search. While you’re there, let us know which ones are your favorites.

• B. Lloyd Poelman, “Strike the Steel,” Jan. 1981

• Frank Day, “He Was Somebody Special,” Sept. 1983

• Maria McKay, “Letters from Dad,” June 1995

• “My Worst Date Ever,” May 1998

• Ken Merrell, “The Visitor,” May 2000

• Keith Waters, “Get Me Out of This!” June 2005

• Rebecca Taylor, “Wearing Millicent,” July 2005

• Brian D. Stenquist, “This Recruit Does Not Swear, Sir!” Oct. 2005

• Jed Layton, “Anger Bounces Back,” Jan. 2006

• Kyle Keim, “Guided to Do First Aid,” Sept. 2010

Would you like to share your story?

We welcome stories about missionary work, conversion, family relationships, friendship, faith-promoting experiences, and maintaining standards. We also have departments that feature stories about how you gained your testimony, what you learned from living a gospel principle, and how the scriptures have affected your life.

You can find our submission guidelines and a link for submitting articles at newera.lds.org on the bottom right-hand side of the page. Please let us hear from you.

Photograph by John Luke