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As if you could kill time without injuring eternity!

—Henry David Thoreau

Nine Pageants Scheduled During Sesquicentennial

This year marks the 150th anniversary of the restoration of the gospel—the sesquicentennial of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. What better time to look backwards at our great heritage so that we may go forward with greater assurance and understanding of what it really means to be a Latter-day Saint. Several pageants that will dramatically portray aspects of gospel history are being prepared for presentation during the coming year. There is no admission charge for any of these presentations.

“Hear Him;” Temple hill; Temple View, New Zealand; January 17–19; 9:00 P.M.

“Jesus the Christ;” Temple grounds; Mesa, Arizona; April 1–5.

“Families Are Forever;” Meadows behind Visitor’s Center; Independence, Missouri; June 19–21; 9:00 P.M.

“Mormon Miracle;” Temple hill; Manti, Utah; July 10–12, 15–19; 9:25 P.M.

“And It Came to Pass;” Tri-stake center; Oakland, California; July 22–26; July 29–August 2; 8:00 P.M., plus two matinees, 2:00 P.M.

“America’s Witness for Christ;” Hill Cumorah; Palmyra, New York; July 25–26, July 29–August 2.

“City of Joseph;” Outdoor stage; Nauvoo, Illinois; August 12–26.

“Nativity Pageant;” Heritage Park; Calgary, Alberta, Canada; December 18–27; presented at 15-minute intervals.

“Christmas Festival;” Temple grounds; Los Angeles, California; December 16–25.

Find It Faster with a 1979 Index

You’ve just received your mission call to the beautiful country of Chile and want to learn all you can about it before leaving.

Or maybe you are struggling with developing your own scripture study plan and would like some clear, practical advice on how to devise a workable system.

Or perhaps you’ve been asked to lead an exercise night for your Mia Maid class next Wednesday, and you don’t know quite how to prepare for it.

You vaguely remember reading articles on all those subjects in the New Era sometime last year. But exactly which month? After eagerly reaching for your 1979 index, you look up Chile, scripture study, and exercise and find just the entries you need! 1979 indexes will be available the first of February, with articles listed according to subject, title, author, and department. Also available are hardback binders ($4.00 each) to hold one year’s New Eras. And if you’re missing any back issues, many of these are available for 40 cents. Indexes and binders may be purchased from Magazine Subscriptions, 50 East North Temple, Salt Lake City, Utah 84150.

She’s in “Sew-Biz!”

One of four regional winners in last year’s national “Sew-Biz” sewing contest was a Laurel from the Orem 55th Ward, Orem Utah South Stake. Jo-Anne Erickson was chosen as Orem High School’s winner and as one of 60 district winners before being named a top participant oh the national level. Jo-Anne made a three-piece skirt-blouse-vest ensemble to fulfill the requirements of constructing an outfit from a “Quick Butterick” pattern in fabric containing at least 50 percent Kodel. The contest was sponsored by Butterick Patterns, Eastman Chemical Products, and Seventeen magazine.

As a national winner, Jo-Anne received a Kodak camera, a silver bowl, and a four-day, all-expense paid trip to New York City for herself and her home economics teacher. The other regional national winners were from Arkansas, Michigan, and Pennsylvania. While in New York the winners visited the World Trade Center, the Rockefeller Center, and Fifth Avenue; toured Eastman Fibers, Seventeen magazine, and Butterick Patterns; went on a boat tour around Manhattan Bay; and attended a Broadway show. Jo-Anne is currently attending Ricks College where her major is interior design.

Escape!

The Antelope Island District of the Greater Salt Lake Council of the Boy Scouts of America escaped from the frozen, snow-covered hills of a frigid north country last winter. To do so they had to successfully treat cases of frostbite, hypothermia, and snow-blindness; rescue avalanche victims; and build fires in garbage can lids without benefit of firestarters or prepared tinder. In addition, they applied basic first aid for bleeding, splinting, and shock; constructed emergency shelters for the protection of injured patrol members; and cooked bacon and eggs in tin cans over their garbage can fires. To attract the attention of the Air-Rescue Squad, they had to make proper rescue signals using nothing but colored plastic. Not bad for a day’s work!

All the above activities were part of the district’s winter activity and took place on a snow-packed, hilly golf course in Bountiful, Utah. The opening event, “Race for Freedom,” required six patrols to race each other in Klondike sledges they had built themselves. They had to be six feet long and 24 inches wide, but the rest of the details were left up to the boys’ imaginations. This was the first in the ten areas of competition and was introduced in the instruction booklet in the following way: “Your patrol has been kept in a freezing prison in the far north for months. During this time you have been planning your escape and have built a sledge to carry your supplies. You know that the weather and trek across the snowy wasteland will be your greatest threat. You think you are ready. Now comes the test.” Each troop received achievement ribbons and patches, and the winning units received patrol equipment. Although the sky was cloudy and the snow deep, the sun shone big and bright—a reflection of the enthusiasm with which the boys put their Scout skills to work. A real winter escape couldn’t have been better handled!

Mormons Making Mention

The Beehive class president of the Bloomington Second Ward, Indianapolis Indiana Stake, was recently honored at her middle school assembly. Suzanne Miller was named the outstanding student council member after serving as treasurer all year, and also received one of four awards for academic excellence. In addition, she plays the violin in the school orchestra, is on the track team, participates as a starter on her school’s volleyball and basketball teams, keeps her journal up to date, and reads the scriptures daily.

Writing skits, acting, and directing are familiar responsibilities to Lisa Linford, a Laurel in the North Logan Fourth Ward, North Logan Utah Stake. Lisa wrote a skit for the regional Young Women conference and was later invited to present it at post-regional conferences by other local stakes. She also wrote, directed, and acted in the skit for the special homemaking area of focus nights that were held in her ward and stake. In addition, she wrote, directed, and acted in a skit for stake leadership meeting designed to introduce the leaders to the sports and camp program. “Lisa has the unusual gift of being able to combine the spiritually uplifting ideas and goals of the Young Women program with very real, easy-to-relate-to teenage humor,” said Margaret Elwood, Young Women president in the Fourth Ward. “She has great insight into the thinking and feeling of teenagers.”

A brother and sister from the Wenatchee Washington Stake are showing their classmates that Mormons make good leaders. Brent Baum is serving as student-body president at Eastmont High School after being named outstanding junior boy last spring. He is a member of the National Honor Society; plays school football, basketball, and baseball; and participates in Church softball. His sister Lisa was chosen girl of the year at Sterling Junior High School, where she played the piano for the stage band and clarinet in the concert band, sang in the concert choir, was vice-president of her junior high school student body, and was a cheerleader. Both Brent and Lisa are active in the East Wenatchee Ward.

A teacher in the Kalispell Third Ward, Kalispell Montana Stake, was honored as the outstanding eighth grade boy at the Kalispell Junior High School awards assembly last spring. Mark Conrad received the Bob Daley Award from Mrs. Garland Daley in recognition of his scholarship, participation in school activities, and ability to inspire others. He is a straight A student; has excelled in baseball, basketball, and track; and plays trumpet in the stage and concert bands. The award is given each year in memory of Bob Daley, a former KJHS student who died in 1972 of a brain tumor.

Gerhard Pienaar of the Vereenigning Branch, Johannesburg South Africa Stake, is the first Scout in South Africa to receive the Church-sponsored “On My Honor” award. To receive this award, Gerhard was required to be registered in an LDS Scouting unit for two years, earn the rank of First Class Scout, give two talks in sacrament meetings, complete two service projects, and keep the commandments of the Church. Gerhard explained that “the award is given as evidence that a Scout has done his best to do his duty to God and country, to others, and to himself.” He was serving as patrol leader when he received the award.

New Hampshire Winter Carnival

by Pat Gove and Dennis L. Swett

When all the Christmas carols have been sung, when the tinsel and garlands are packed away for another year, winter draws its snowy shroud over New England and the northern world hibernates until the coming of spring.

Everywhere, that is, except in the Manchester New Hampshire Stake. While the rest of the world slumbers, a certain magic descends onto the Mormon world, and dreams of sugar plums are replaced with dreams of dancing, sliding, snow sculpturing, banquets, fellowshipping, and testimony sharing.

Deep in the hills of New Hampshire, the stake’s Young Men and Young Women winter carnival begins with a taco dinner that is followed by a dance. After breakfast the next morning, all the youth meet at the sliding hill where the morning’s activities consist of good old-fashioned sliding and tubing. Although the weather is somewhat cold, hot chocolate and laughter seem to melt the chills.

After lunch, snow sculpturing occupies the first half of the afternoon, while seminary lessons fill the rest of the day until suppertime. That evening the participants of the winter carnival enjoy a banquet fit for a king! During the banquet, trophies for best snow sculptures are awarded, and special thanks are given to the chef who prepared the meal.

After dinner a special speaker addresses the group (last year it was the stake president R. L. Pitcher) and a testimony meeting concludes the eventful day. Then everyone returns to his own home before the Sabbath begins … and the countryside goes to sleep for yet another winter.

“Today Is Eternity”

by Sandi Poulsen

The phrase “today is eternity” has an extra amount of meaning for the youth of the Kinston North Carolina Stake who recently presented a stake musical by the same name. Said one participating Laurel, “The role I played in ‘Today Is Eternity’ helped me to a great extent. The play made me realize how important all decisions are and how careful and prayerful you have to be in making them.”

In preparation, more than 50 young men and women (including four non-Mormons) traveled to the stake center to rehearse lines, dancing, vocal solos, and choral music. A basic script was sketched by the adult stake drama and dance specialists, after which it was given to the youth for revisions and final copy. Since the play provided parts for every youth who desired to perform, many found themselves doing things they had never done before—including dancing, acting, and singing solos.

The play revolved around the struggles in the lives of the three oldest children in a large LDS family. The oldest daughter had to decide whether to marry a young man who could not marry her in the temple; the nearly nineteen-year-old son had to decide between a football scholarship and a mission; and the sixteen-year-old daughter faced the choice of maintaining her standards or joining with her peers in a more wild way of life. By the end of the play, because of sincere personal efforts and help from family members and leaders, all three had reached the right decisions.

Many favorable comments and reactions followed the production. One seminary teacher said, “The play was really a review of those things we studied in seminary last year. But I feel that seeing these decisions and problems enacted on stage has brought them to life and touched some of our youth in a way they never had before.”

The young woman who played the part of the girl deciding to wait for a temple marriage agreed. “There was no doubt in Mandy’s mind that she was to marry in the temple. It is the same with myself. But I learned that simply deciding that you will marry in the temple is not enough. You must start before you meet your sweetheart, before you even start to date. You must take necessary precautions now to guard yourself against falling in love with someone who can’t take you to the temple.”

Parents gave their wholehearted support throughout the preparations and presentation of the play. Several mothers voluntarily offered to take a makeup class to assist in this area. One mother commented afterwards, “I know the play helped my children. But I feel it helped me just as much if not more as I listened to the loving counsel given in song and word. It makes me more determined than ever to have that type of relationship and atmosphere in my own home.”

A great emphasis was also placed on missionary work, as stake members took seriously their stake presidency’s charge to bring nonmembers to the play. One non-Mormon who was in the play bore the following testimony afterwards: “For you to stop in the middle of rehearsal and explain that material [the Book of Mormon] to me made me stop and think of how much I meant to you. I was shown how much enthusiasm the Mormons have in presenting a demonstration of their faith. I believe that such interest in a church has got to be a revealing sign the Church is true.”

The dedication and hard work of the youth was rewarded by two nights of overflow audiences. But more important than that was the love and unity and testimonies that were strengthened throughout the whole Kinston North Carolina Stake.