Feedback

New insights

I love the poetry I read in the New Era. I seem to gain new insights and become closer than ever to my Heavenly Father. Thank you for such a lovely magazine, and for all the many times my testimony is strengthened by the things I learn there.

Beth Talmage
Huntington Beach, California

The words I was intended to find

I have recently been given the challenge of teaching the teenagers in combined courses 17 and 18 in the Sunday School. The other day as I walked past my home business office, my eyes were drawn like a magnet to the January-February 1982 New Era atop my desk. I let myself be interrupted from what I was doing that Saturday morning and settled myself in a comfortable chair with the New Era.

Perhaps it’s a good thing that Feedback appears in the very front of this choice, choice magazine. I carefully read the contents of each letter. As my mind dwelled on the contents of Sister Lesley Burton’s letter, the words I was intended to find sprang from the printed page: “How important it is to prepare ourselves spiritually for the tests of life.” My theme sign for weekly use with my Sunday School class throughout the year will read “Prepare yourself spiritually for the tests of life.”

When I read Sister Burton’s words, I knew through the promptings of the Holy Ghost that I had discovered just what I needed for my teaching efforts. Needless to say, I shall make time to continue reading all the contents of this New Era in the very near future.

Sue H. Bailey
Orangewood, California

The problems of life

I always read the New Era and feel that it is a very good and useful magazine. It always helps me solve the problems of life that I run into. At the least it gives me a different perspective about them.

Diana Watson
Glendora, California

Who I am

I’ve been reading the New Era just now, and I thought I’d write and say thank you for the inspiring messages that are published each month. They give so many young people inspiration. So many of the stories and poems really make me think about who I am and what the gospel is all about. I think it is really neat to have something like this available to the youth in the Church and out of the Church.

Lisa Wolf
Prince George, British Columbia, Canada

The spirit and the love

I would like to thank you for all the inspiring stories and articles in the New Era. I love reading them and feeling the spirit and the love that each issue contains. As a missionary and ambassador of the Lord Jesus Christ, I would like to thank the New Era for giving us here in the mission field an opportunity to feel close to home and the activities there.

Elder David W. Frei
Australia Sydney Mission

The surprise fund

I so much enjoyed the article in the June 1981 New Era on not attending questionable movies. When my boyfriend and I started going together, we quickly decided not to go to the movies. Instead we formed an imaginary fund with the money saved. Now whenever we think someone deserves a surprise, the money is there for it. We have never regretted our decision.

Karen Dietz and Robert W. Henderson, Jr.
Seattle, Washington

Fresh water to parched lips

I am a missionary serving in a small town in Western Australia where two families battle in righteousness to teach this gospel. Youths thirsting for righteousness have read “President Kimball Speaks Out on Planning Your Life.” I am thrilled to know that there are such young Latter-day Saints who will carry their beliefs with them with the integrity spoken of by our beloved prophet. This article reached my heart like fresh water to parched lips and gave me greater thirst to be a youth of untainted morality, an unashamed example of integrity such as President Kimball said he sees in this generation of young Latter-day Saints. All my youth the New Era articles have inspired me to set goals and achieve them. On my mission the New Era continues to give me light and truth.

Elder Hank J. Ensign
Australia Perth Mission

“The Mormon”

As a class in the Young Women program, we’ve been introduced to the New Era as an aid in lesson study and preparation. The resulting relevance of those lessons to current issues helps us realize that young women all over the world have the same sorts of problems in living the gospel that we have in Western Australia. We are usually the only Latter-day Saint students in our high school classes, and people tend to know each of us as “the Mormon.” This gives us a lot to live up to and is quite a challenge. Thank you, New Era, for helping us meet this challenge.

Suzanne Evitt, Maree Winter, and Jeanette Richards
Perth, Australia

Happy birthday

In the March issue of the New Era you talked about President Kimball’s birthday. I noticed that his birthday is on March 28. That is my birthday also! I will remember him when I blow out my 12 candles.

Julie Winans
Lebanon, Ohio