Feedback

New Era Contest Winners

Winners of the First Annual New Era Writing/Photography/Art Contest have been selected and notified personally.

The beautiful photograph for the center fold was taken by Bruce Chapman, Provo, Utah, and is an example of the quality work that was received in this contest.

In the following months the New Era will publish materials submitted from the more than twenty-five scholarship and cash award winners.

Addition

In the January issue of the New Era, mention was made of President Heber J. Grant’s marriage to Lucy Stringham. To be complete the record should indicate that he later married Augusta Winters and subsequently Emily Harris Wells.

The worldwide-Church problem

I just received the December issue and had a strong desire to write and send my compliments—it is a real testimony builder and carries a special message. However, I do have an observation. It seems to me that the New Era doesn’t reach out enough to the youth of the Church in informing them about young membership in the mission field. The issues sometimes seem Utah-centered or about the Church in the western states. I realize you’ve had a British issue, articles on Chicago, Alaska, Canada, and the Hill Cumorah, and reports from New Zealand and other faraway places. Maybe what I mean is that when you do an article on dating, for example, the treatment sounds so ideal. For many of us it’s depressing since the youth of our wards live twenty or more miles away from each other. We just can’t run around the block and find a Mormon. Actually, however, even these articles, which seem slanted more toward the heavily populated areas of the Church, are great! They keep us informed; however, they just don’t give us enough insight and similar points of view to let us know we’re not alone.

The average kids in other areas of the world might find it of interest to know that Wisconsin has only one stake (Milwaukee), and we have some very exciting things going on inside this little nucleus of gospel light radiating within a very troubled outside world. I feel that we have the choicest and strongest young people to be found anywhere (excuse the somewhat trite and biased opinion). The Church is certainly not taken for granted nearly as much as it is out West, and through our activities—youth conferences, stake plays, productions like our winter chateau parties, girls’ camp, and roadshows—we draw closer together.

Diana Dolato
Grafton, Wisconsin

Nonmembers

A missionary friend of mine gave me my first copy of the New Era, and I really love it. Although not a Mormon yet, I hope to be baptized soon.

Pam Martin
Boiling Springs, North Carolina

Engagement

In reading the April issue of the New Era I was impressed with the article, “What’s an Engagement For? ” You see, I am going with an inactive Latter-day Saint young man, and we have considered getting married. The suggestions in the article made me stop and think, and I realize that marriage for just time is not for me, and he realizes it and is going to put forth the effort to become active, thanks to suggestions in the New Era. Thanks so much for this wonderful publication.

Jane Williams
Ogden, Utah

New members

I’m a recent convert, and I’ve been traveling constantly since I took the lessons from the elders. The New Era was the only constant association I had with the Church, and it has helped me a lot in my knowledge of this church and has helped strengthen my testimony. Thank you for doing a marvelous job.

Bruce Snow
Carlsbad, New Mexico

Out here in Australia, Mormons are very few and far between. This means that being a Mormon can be very hard. For a while I had two major problems: (1) that Mormons are considered narrow, and (2) that intellectuals reject our religious position. I was at the point where I could have fallen away from the Church. Then “On the Straight and Narrow Way” [August] and “On Having Faith and Thinking for Yourself” [November] completely solved both these problems for me.

Stephen Martin
Wollongong, Australia

I’m serving with the U.S. Army in Vietnam at the present time. Your magazine is really appreciated by all the Latter-day Saint personnel here. It really makes life just a little bit easier. Most of us have no other contact with the Church here except through the New Era. Thanks for your help.

Kurt C. Hill
Vietnam

Heyerdahl

Let’s have three Ra’s for Thor Heyerdahl!

Curtis Call
Orem, Utah

Thanks

The New Era is great, and I would encourage the youth of the Church to take advantage of it and give it as a gift to their nonmember friends. The New Era can be a great missionary tool. It is an excellent way to let your friends know what the Church is about and how much fun it is to be a youth in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Elder Mac Loveridge
Montana-Wyoming Mission

In the August issue of the New Era I read the article “The Most Common Problems and How to Overcome Them.” I liked the idea of putting a desk in the closet. I don’t have any place to study, and when I saw this, I really thought it was a great idea. So I got my dad to build me one. I love it.

Shireen Grotegut
Spanish Fork, Utah

It’s amazing how every time I’ve been worrying or wondering about something, the New Era comes up with the right answers and ideas to help me make the right decisions. This last issue has helped me a lot, and I am really thankful the Lord saw fit to instigate a magazine for the young people of the Church. We need your help the most!

Diana Craven
Rexburg, Idaho

How can a person go wrong with a wonderful magazine like the New Era coming into his home every month? Thank you for writing an article about the Osmonds in the February issue. I think they are a very wonderful family, and they inspire me very much. I’m sure the Lord is pleased with them and their fine missionary efforts.

Elaine Reichenbach
Selma, Indiana

You must really love us! With each new issue that phrase rings true, but especially with the January issue on the prophets of the Lord.

Carol Boswell
San Jose, California

The New Era serves as a consistently good example of how great we as youth can be and how happy we can be when the gospel becomes most important in our lives. Who says religion isn’t relevant today? The New Era proves that it truly is.

Mary Schnitker
New Concord, Ohio

I have received letters from many, many wonderful people. I have also received quite a few books. As it would be impossible for me to thank all these people individually, would you be kind enough to print my sincere thanks to these people who cared enough to respond.

Robert C. Swanson
Canon City, Colorado

Instead of asking what’s for dinner when I arrive home from school, I now ask, “Has the New Era arrived?” If boys feel the same way, you’re doing great! I can honestly say that the magazine gives me a greater desire to be a wholesome follower of Christ.

Lori Lambson
Sandy, Utah

It has been one year since I was baptized. During much of that year I have been in the hospital. Today I received the latest issue of the New Era, and in spite of extreme pain, turned through it. I want others to know how much of a blessing this magazine can be to those who are ill. It has been wonderful for me, as have the members of the ward who help to look after my needs.

Cheryl Ann Trumbull
Wilmington, Delaware

Mormons in Vietnam

I wondered if you could supply us with the names of Mormon boys in Vietnam. It doesn’t worry me if this is not published, but would you please send names to the following address: 387 Taradde Rd., Green Meadows, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand.

Karen Armitage
Hawkes Bay, New Zealand

Punch and cookies

The story “Punch and Cookies Forever” in the March issue was so close to reality that I read it as if it were part of an autobiography. I’m very impressed by the way the author put the story together. I feel that people who do not have the opportunity to read the New Era are missing a great deal.

Bob Mothersell
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada