J A N U A R Y 2 0 0 2

COVER STORIES:WHAT THECHANGES MEANTO YOU—

DUTY TO GODAWARD, P. 13

PERSONALPROGRESS, P. 16

FOR THE STRENGTH OF YOUTH, P. 20

MUTUAL, P. 22

T H E

2 T H E N E W E R A

28

The New Era Magazine

Volume 32, Number 1

January 2002

Official monthly publication for youth of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Editorial Offices:New Era50 E. North TempleSalt Lake City, UT 84150-3225

E-mail address:cur-editorial-newera@ldschurch.org

To Subscribe:Send $8.00 check or moneyorder for the New Era toChurch Magazines Salt Lake Distribution CenterP. O. Box 26368Salt Lake City, UT 84126-0368

Subscription helpline:1-800-537-5971 Credit card orders (Visa,Mastercard, AmericanExpress) may be taken byphone.

Cover: The temple spires

represent youth looking

and working toward

eternal life. See “Just for

You,” on p. 12.

Cover photography:

Jed Clark (back).

8

un,

friendship,

building a

better you—

at Mutual,

p. 22.

FF

C O N T E N T S

The First Presidency

Gordon B. HinckleyThomas S. MonsonJames E. Faust

The Quorum of the Twelve

Boyd K. PackerL. Tom PerryDavid B. HaightNeal A. MaxwellRussell M. NelsonDallin H. OaksM. Russell BallardJoseph B. WirthlinRichard G. ScottRobert D. HalesJeffrey R. HollandHenry B. Eyring

Editor

Dennis B. Neuenschwander

Advisers

J. Kent Jolley W. Rolfe KerrStephen A. West

Curriculum Department Administrators

Managing DirectorRonald L. Knighton

Editorial DirectorRichard M. Romney

Graphics DirectorAllan R. Loyborg

Editorial Staff

Managing EditorLarry Hiller

Assistant Managing EditorJanet Thomas

Assistant EditorLaury Livsey

Editorial AssociatesShanna GhaznaviMatthew Baker

Editorial InternCaroline Benzley

Design Staff

Magazine Graphics ManagerM. M. Kawasaki

Art DirectorBryan Lee Shaw

Senior DesignerBrent Christison

Printing Director

Kay W. Briggs

Distribution Director(Subscriptions)

Kris T. Christensen

© 2002 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. Allrights reserved. Periodicals PostagePaid at Salt Lake City, Utah, and atadditional mailing offices. U.S. subscription rate $8.00 yearly, inadvance. Non-U.S. subscription rate isthe U.S. equivalent in local currency.

THE NEW ERA (ISSN 0164-5285) ispublished monthly by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 50East North Temple, Salt Lake City,Utah 84150-3225. Sixty days’ noticerequired for a change of address.Include address label from a recentissue. Changes cannot be made unlessold address, as well as new one, isincluded. Unsolicited manuscripts arewelcomed, but no responsibility isassumed for them. Sufficient postageand self-addressed envelope mustaccompany all manuscripts.

Canada Post InformationPublication Agreement #40017431

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Distribution Services, Church Magazines, P. O. Box 26368, Salt Lake City, Utah 84126-0368.

Words of the Prophet:

God Will Make a Way 4President Gordon B. Hinckley

There is no obstacle too great, no

challenge too difficult, that we

cannot meet with faith.

New Era Classic:

Friends Forever 8Elder Marvin J. Ashton

Family can be together forever, not

only as brothers and sisters but as

very close friends.

Extra Strength 10Bryant Staples

For the Strength of Youth—it was a

crazy title, but it made me want to

learn more about the true Church.

Just for You 12Announcing exciting changes in the

Aaronic Priesthood and Young

Women programs, For the Strength

of Youth, and Mutual.

Duty to God 13The Duty to God Award should be

an important achievement for every

young man.

Making Progress 16Pursuing Personal Progress helps

Young Women cultivate feminine

virtues, grow spiritually, and reach

their divine potential.

Stronger than Ever 20The revised For the Strength of Youth

becomes even more helpful.

Mutual Friends 22Mutual is the place for fun and

making friends and putting into

practice what is taught on Sundays.

Q&A:

Questions and Answers 24I try my best to be happy, but no

matter what I do, I feel overwhelmingly

sad all the time. Is there anything I can

do to feel better?

New Era Poster:

My Peace I Give unto You 27

Evaluate Your Style 28Caroline H. Benzley

Trouble finding a modest dress? No

problem when these Kansas Young

Women are on the job.

On a Slippery Slope 34Brittany Russell

Every time I swore, it became that

much easier to slip the next time.

The Extra Smile 37

Three Centavos 38Joel B. Macariola

My miracle involved only a tiny

sum, but it taught me that the Lord

is aware of me.

Decisions, Decisions 40Elder L. Tom Perry

When your decisions are based on

faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, it can

make all the difference in your life.

Dusti’s Plan 46Andrea Nixon

Dusti doesn’t let things like pain

or a wheelchair keep her from

serving others.

Reader’s Guide 49

We’ve Got Mail 50

Poem:

Time’s Page 51Lisa Rae Warner Askham

Photo of the Month: 51Derek Israelsen

Everything in the New Era may be copied for

incidental, noncommercial Church or home

use unless otherwise indicated. Other uses

require permission of the copyright owner.

J A N U A R Y 2 0 0 2 3

W O R D S O F T H E

P R O P H E T

4 T H E

GodGod WWillill MakeMake

by President

Gordon B. Hinckley

We need not fear as long as we have thepower of faith.

hall any of us say that with faith we cannot do better than we are now doing?

There is no obstacle too great, nochallenge too difficult, that we cannotmeet with faith. We live in a worldwhere the standards of the gospel arechallenged, where they are ridiculed,where sacred things are mocked. Shallwe compromise? Shall we revile thosewho speak ungraciously of us? . . . .

Said the Savior to His disciples, “Beye therefore perfect, even as yourFather which is in heaven is perfect”(Matt. 5:48).

This is the commandment which isbefore us. Regrettably we have not

SS

N E W E R A

reached perfection.We have a greatdistance to go. Wemust cultivate thefaith to reform ourlives, commencingwhere we are weakand moving onfrom there in ourwork of self-correction, thusgradually andconsistentlygrowing instrength to livemore nearly as weshould.

With faith we can riseabove those negativeelements in our lives whichconstantly pull us down. Witheffort we can develop the capacity tosubdue those impulses which lead todegrading and evil actions.

Illustrated by Sam Lawlor

J A N U A R Y 2 0 0 2 5

he

commander

of the first

submarine to

cross under the

polar ice carried

in his wallet a

tattered card

with an

expression of his

faith.

TTaaWWayay

o all who

may have

doubts, I

repeat the words

given Thomas as

he felt the

wounded hands

of the Lord: “Be

not faithless, but

believing.”

Let us recognize

that fear comes

not of God, but

rather that this

gnawing,

destructive

element comes

from the

adversary of

truth and

righteousness.

TT

We can do it

We can reach out to those whose faithhas grown cold and warm them by ourown faith.

Let us never forget, my brethren andsisters, that each of us is a part of thewhole and that what we do mars orbeautifies the magnificent panorama ofthe kingdom of God.

As our fathers labored in faith with amoving vision of the destiny of this work,even so can we. There is so much to bedone, so much improvement to be made,but we can do it, walking in faith.

“If ye have faith as a grain of mustardseed, ye shall say unto this mountain,Remove hence to yonder place; and itshall remove; and nothing shall beimpossible unto you” (Matt. 17:20).

So declared the Lord (from Ensign,Nov. 1983, 53).

God makes a wayWhat marvelous things happen when

men and women walk with faith inobedience to that which is required ofthem! I recall reading the story ofCommander William Robert Anderson,the naval officer who took the submarineNautilus beneath the polar ice from thePacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean, adaring and dangerous feat. It recounted anumber of other exploits of similardanger and concluded with a statementthat the commander carried in his walleta tattered card that had on it thesewords: “I believe God will always make away where there is no way.”

I too believe that God will always makea way where there is no way. I believethat if we will walk in obedience to thecommandments of God, if we will followthe counsel of the priesthood, He willopen a way even where there appears tobe no way (from Ensign, July 1995, 2).

Cornerstones of faithThese great God-given gifts are the

unshakable cornerstones which anchorThe Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-daySaints, as well as the individualtestimonies and convictions of itsmembers: (1) the reality and the divinity

6 T H E N E W E R A

of the Lord Jesus Christ as the Son ofGod; (2) the sublime vision given theProphet Joseph Smith of the Father andthe Son, ushering in the dispensation ofthe fulness of times; (3) the Book ofMormon as the word of God speaking indeclaration of the divinity of the Savior;and (4) the priesthood of God divinelyconferred to be exercised inrighteousness for the blessing of ourFather’s children.

Each of these cornerstones is relatedto the other, each connected by afoundation of Apostles and prophets, alltied to the chief cornerstone, JesusChrist. On this has been established HisChurch, “fitly framed together,” for theblessing of all who will partake of itsoffering (Eph. 2:21) (from Ensign, Nov.1984, 53).

BelieveTo all who may have doubts, I repeat

the words given Thomas as he felt thewounded hands of the Lord: “Be notfaithless, but believing” (John 20:27).Believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God,the greatest figure of time and eternity.Believe that His matchless life reachedback before the world was formed.Believe that He was the Creator of theearth on which we live. Believe that Hewas Jehovah of the Old Testament, thatHe was the Messiah of the NewTestament, that He died and wasresurrected, that He visited the westerncontinents and taught the people here,that He ushered in this final gospeldispensation, and that He lives, the livingSon of the living God, our Savior and ourRedeemer (from Ensign, Apr. 1989, 2).

Fear is the opposite of faithWho among us can say that he or she

has not felt fear? I know of no one whohas been entirely spared. Some, ofcourse, experience fear to a greaterdegree than do others. Some are able torise above it quickly, but others aretrapped and pulled down by it and evendriven to defeat. We suffer from the fearof ridicule, the fear of failure, the fear ofloneliness, the fear of ignorance. Some

Painting The Doubtful Thomas by Carl Heinrich Bloch

fear the present, some the future. Somecarry the burden of sin and would givealmost anything to unshackle themselvesfrom those burdens but fear to changetheir lives. Let us recognize that fearcomes not of God, but rather that thisgnawing, destructive element comes from the adversary of truth andrighteousness. Fear is the antithesis offaith. It is corrosive in its effects, evendeadly.

“For God hath not given us the spiritof fear; but of power, and of love, and ofa sound mind” (2 Tim. 1:7).

We need not fear as long as we have inour lives the power that comes fromrighteously living by the truth which isfrom God our Eternal Father.

Nor need we fear as long as we havethe power of faith (from Ensign, Oct.1984, 2–3).

Increase our faithI say again, as did the Apostles to

Jesus, “Lord, increase our faith” (Luke17:5). Grant us faith to look beyond theproblems of the moment to the miraclesof the future. Give us faith to pay ourtithes and offerings and put our trust inThee, the Almighty, to open the windowsof heaven as Thou hast promised. Give usfaith to do what is right and let theconsequence follow.

Grant us faith when storms of adversitybeat us down and drive us to the ground.In seasons of sickness may ourconfidence wax strong in the powers ofthe priesthood. . . .

Lord, increase our faith in one another,and in ourselves, and in our capacity todo good and great things. . . .

Father, increase our faith. Of all ourneeds, I think the greatest is an increasein faith (Ensign, Nov. 1987, 52).

What a choice generation you are—thebest, I think, in the history of the world.What a marvelous source of strength andpower and capacity! God bless you eachone that your lives may be happy andproductive, that you may realize thedesires of your hearts, that you may walkin faith and faithfulness (from Ensign,Sept. 1985, 6). NE

J A N U A R Y 2 0 0 2 7

8 T H E

FOFORREEVVERER

e wentone way,the

bicycle wentanother way,and the paperswent everywhere.At the sight of hismisfortune, hiscompanionlaughed heartilyat him.

by Elder Marvin J. Ashton(1915–1994)

Family members can bemore than just bloodrelations. They can, andshould, be close friends.

HH

FriendsFriendsN E W E R A C L A S S I C

y wife and I were in the frontof our yard one day when thenewspaper boy came down

the street on his bicycle. His bicycle wasloaded with papers. About 20 or 30 yardsin back of him, there was another boyfollowing him on a bicycle. I was not sureat that time what their relationship was,but I did notice they were coming downthe street at a pretty good clip.

When the newspaper boy came to oursidewalk entry, he was traveling too fastto make the approach to our home, and,as a result, he went one way, the bicyclewent another way, and the papers wenteverywhere. Noticing the boy had fallenon the lawn and was not hurt, butrealizing that he would undoubtedly beembarrassed from the fall in front of hisfriend, we moved toward him.

At the sight of this perfect three-pointlanding, if we may refer to it as that, hiscompanion shouted his pleasure andlaughed heartily with complete and fullenjoyment at the misfortune of hisassociate.

Trying to relieve the embarrassment of

MM

N E W E R A

the paper boy, knowing he didn’t wanthelp but he wanted to have his priderepaired a little, I took a few more stepstoward him and said: “It’s kind of a lowblow to have your friend laugh whenyou’ve had a bad spill, isn’t it?”

He went on picking up his paperswithout even looking up. Finally, he hadthe papers back in place and got on hisbicycle; and as he started out away fromour home, he made the remark: “He isn’tmy friend—he’s my brother.”

His words have been ringing throughmy ears with a great deal of significanceever since then. I sincerely feel that oneof the great purposes of family eveningsand home teaching is to have familymembers realize that a brother can be afriend, and that a sister can be a friend,and that a father and a mother can bemore than parents, they can be friends.

I would hope and pray that we maycatch the wisdom and the inspiration ofbuilding a home so that our members inthat sacred unit can look upon a fatherand say, “He is my best friend,” or “Mymother is more than a mother, she is myfriend.” When we realize that parents andfamily members can be more than bloodrelations and are in very deed friends,then we will have a glimpse of how ourHeavenly Father wants us to live, not onlyas brothers and sisters but as very closefriends. NE

Adapted from an October 1969general conference address.

Illustrated by Paul Mann

J A N U A R Y 2 0 0 2 9

ot only

did the

booklet

not show me how

to build even

more muscle, but

it sounded

downright

crazy—at first,

anyway. But then

I began to

realize that

maybe I was

missing out on

something

important in my

life.

by Bryant Staples

EXTRAEXTRASTRENGSTRENGTHTH

NN

I was a bodybuilder, andalready pretty strong. Butthen Kristy showed mewhat real strength is.

couldn’t help noticing Kristy, a beautiful brunette I’d had a crush on since my freshman year. She was

with some of her church friends. Idecided to go see what she was doing.

“Hi. Are you ready for the big game?”“As ready as I’m going to be. It

should be a good game! What are youdoing?” I didn’t really care but I wantedto sound interested in what she wasdoing. I heard girls like that.

“I’m passing out flyers on tips thathave made my life wonderful. Do youwant one?” Kristy asked in a hesitanttone. Well, I did notice that she alwaysseemed happy and confident. I guessthat’s why I was so attracted to her.

“Sure. Why not?” I took a pamphlet,and she gave me a beautiful smile.

I pulled out the flyer and read thetitle: For the Strength of Youth.

What a strange title, I thought. I’malready strong from weight lifting, but Iguess I could use some extra strength. Istarted reading about standards, dating,language, sexual purity, and other stuff. I

II

1 0 T H E N E W E R A

had never heard anything so crazy in mylife. Why would anyone want to live bythese standards? I was, however, curiousabout some of the beliefs. Like mostothers my age, I wondered about life andwhat I was going to do with it.

I talked to Kristy the next day aboutwhat I read. I was so amazed at howstrong she was about her beliefs in thestandards explained in the pamphlet. Shethen asked me if I’d like to meet two ofher friends. Her friends turned out to bemissionaries from her church.

During my discussions with themissionaries, I felt something I had neverfelt before. I had a feeling that told mewhat they were saying was true. I beganto understand why those standards wereso important, and how I could, by livingthose standards, bring more happiness tomy life and become a stronger person.

With the help of Kristy and her“friends,” I was soon baptized. I’ll alwaysbe thankful for her great example. Shehelped teach me that being strong ismore than building physical muscles.By sharing For the Strength of Youthwith me, I learned about standards thathelped me develop my spiritualmuscles. NE

Editor’s note: Elder Bryant Staples isserving in the Idaho Boise Mission.

J A N U A R Y 2 0 0 2 1 1Illustrated by Bryan Lee Shaw

1 2 T H E

JUSTJUSTforYYOUOU

Want to thrive—not justsurvive—in thesetroubled times? Powerfulhelp is on the way.

he new and

modified

programs

for Aaronic

Priesthood and

Young Women are

more evidence of

the love the Lord

and His servants

have for you.

TT

We want everyyoung man to enterthe elders quorumwith his Duty toGod Award. Wewant every youngwoman to enterRelief Society withher YoungWomanhoodRecognition.

—Elder M.

Russell Ballard

II t isn’t easy to be a teenager in today’sworld. But it is a whole lot easier ifyou are a Latter-day Saint and you take

advantage of what you have been given.While others may struggle to discover

who they are and their purpose in life,you know you are a child of God and youwant to become like your Father inHeaven. While others try to figure outright and wrong and too often make badchoices, you have been taught by yourparents and Church leaders to recognizethe sins that can destroy you. And whileworld events make others fear the future,you have the reassuring counsel ofPresident Gordon B. Hinckley: “Keep thefaith. Nurture your testimonies. Walk inrighteousness, and the Lord will blessyou and prosper you, and you will be ahappy and wonderful people” (Ensign,Aug. 1996, 61).

You have been given some otherpowerful helps to get you through yourteen years safely—things like your Forthe Strength of Youth pamphlet and theChurch’s programs for AaronicPriesthood and Young Women. Countlessyoung Latter-day Saints have used thesetools to shape themselves into worthy,happy, successful missionaries, husbands,wives, priesthood leaders, servants in the

N E W E R A

Lord’s kingdom, and otherwise successfuladults.

Now, in their love and concern for you,the leaders of the Church have modifiedthose tools and added some new ones.

As you get acquainted with the newAaronic Priesthood Duty to Godprogram, the revised Young Women’sPersonal Progress book, and the updatedFor the Strength of Youth, you will see thelove and personal interest that the Lord’slatter-day Apostles and prophets have forthe youth of the Church. And as you usethese marvelous tools in your life, theywill provide you with a clear path of hopeleading to a bright future. NE

As you learn and followGod’s commandments,you will feel the Spiritguide you in your life.

he purpose

of the [Duty

to God]

program is to help

young men

prepare for the

Melchizedek

Priesthood, the

temple

endowment, a

full-time mission,

and fatherhood.”

—The First Presidency

TT“

DUTYDUTYto GODGOD

AA ll of us are in debt.God has given us ourlives, all that we have on

earth, and the hope of returningto live with Him. In return, ourduty to God is to keep Hiscommandments and live livesworthy to return to Him.

For young men, your duty includesliving worthy of the priesthood—thepower to act in God’s name. As youperform the ordinances of thepriesthood, and use it to serve others,you fulfill your duty to God.

For years the Duty to God Award hasbeen an important achievement foryoung men. Beginning in January 2002,this award takes on even moresignificance as the requirements areexpanded to help young men develop asthey advance through the offices of theAaronic Priesthood.

Many young men have already hadthe opportunity to participate in asimilar program, known outside of theUnited States and Canada as AaronicPriesthood Achievement.

“[The program] started some yearsago internationally to help young menthrough the Aaronic Priesthood years, tofill in where Scouting was not available,and to help develop their testimonies

J A N U A R Y 2 0 0 2 1 3

1 4 T H E

here is great

power in the

Aaronic

Priesthood. This

program can help

you develop the

priesthood’s full

potential in your

life and prepare

you for even

greater things to

come.

TT

and understanding of the gospel and tohelp young men come to Christ,” saysElder F. Melvin Hammond, Young Mengeneral president.

As young men advance through theAaronic Priesthood they will be askedto meet set requirements and chooseadditional goals of their own. Eachyoung man will receive a guidebookthat outlines requirements andprovides space to record his goalsand chart his progress.

Since there are different dutiesfor each Aaronic Priesthood office,there are different guidebooks fordeacons, teachers, and priests. Youngmen who meet all the requirements ineach Aaronic Priesthood office arepresented the Duty to God Award.

To earn the Duty to God Award youngmen will need to complete the dutiesand goals outlined in the guidebooks, aswell as choosing goals of their own.These include:

1. Priesthood duties and standards2. Family activities3. Quorum activities4. Personal goals5. Service projects6. Keeping a journal

Learning your dutyThe duties required of young men

include keeping the commandments,living the standards in For the Strength ofYouth, having daily personal prayer,reading the scriptures, attending Churchmeetings, paying a full tithe, and fulfillingpriesthood responsibilities.

There are additional duties for eachpriesthood office. As a deacon, the basicduties also include passing the sacramentand gathering fast offerings. Teachersshould attend seminary where available,help prepare the sacrament, and serve ashome teachers if assigned by theirpriesthood leaders. Priests shouldcontinue to attend seminary, serve ashome teachers, and bless the sacrament.

Growing in the priesthoodThe goals for deacons include things

N E W E R A

such as organizingfamily home evenings,

preparing meals, keeping awritten record of family

history, and performing aservice project.

Teachers are required to memorizeand learn to lead hymns, keep a budget,study For the Strength of Youth, and readand discuss scriptures with family.

Among other requirements, priestsread the fourth section of the Doctrineand Covenants and learn what it meansto prepare spiritually, financially,emotionally, and physically to go on amission.

“We’ve tried to develop therequirements based on the maturity ofthe young men,” says Elder Hammond.“Completion of the goals is more difficultas they become teachers and priests.”

Quorum activities help young menunderstand the responsibilities of theiroffice and prepare them for theMelchizedek Priesthood. Young men arerequired to read about and understandcertain gospel principles and discussthem with their priesthood leaders.Service projects, fellowshipping, baptismsfor the dead, speaking in church,learning to lead music, and memorizingthe sacrament prayers are examples ofquorum activities that will fulfill the Dutyto God requirements.

Reaching new heightsAlthough each guidebook lists dozens

of ideas, it is up to the young men tochoose what goals they want toaccomplish for their personaldevelopment. Each young man willchoose eight or more personal goals foreach of the four categories. The four

“During thepreparatory periodof your lives it is soimportant that youcultivate spiritualgrowth, physicalgrowth, education,personaldevelopment, careerpreparation,citizenship, andsocial skills. Thesequalities are all partof your priesthoodduties and will helpin the decisions thatlie ahead for thenext decades of yourlife.”

—Elder Robert D. HalesEnsign, Nov. 2001, 40

categories are:

1. Spiritual development2. Physical development3. Educational, personal, and career

development4. Citizenship and social development

Some of the ideas listed in theguidebook are bearing testimony,reading scriptures, doing family history,keeping a journal, running, camping,exploring career goals, learning danceetiquette, or playing in a musical group.

What about Scouting?One question that many young men

may have when they find out about thenew Duty to God Award for young menis, What about Scouting? ElderHammond says the Duty to God Awardshould not interfere with Scouting, butthat the two programs will complementeach other. “Our effort was to findsomething that would be compatiblewith priesthood principles and also withScouting,” says Elder Hammond. “Dutyto God embraces Scouting, which iswonderful for our young men. . . . Dutyto God focuses more on the spiritual—bringing young men to Christ. Scoutingis primarily an activity program withsome spirituality as well. They arecomplementary to one another.”

The future is bright“When we set goals personally and

then try to achieve them, we grow anddevelop,” says Elder Hammond. “Thevalue of this program is what it does to ayoung man’s character and spirituality.The main emphasis is to develop thespiritual life of a young man.”

In a letter to Church units in the U.S.and Canada, dated September 28, 2001,the First Presidency said: “We desire allyoung men to strive to earn the EagleScout and Duty to God Awards. . . . Asyouth work on these goals, they willdevelop skills and attributes that willlead them to the temple and preparethem for a lifetime of service to theirfamilies and the Lord.” NE

J A N U A R Y 2 0 0 2 1 5

1 6 T H E

Making PRPROOYoung Women will findchanges in PersonalProgress help them moveforward with success.

ust as the

Savior taught

Mary and

Martha (above)

about paying

attention to

“needful” things

(see Luke 10:41),

Personal Progress

helps young

women learn

about their roles

in their homes,

communities, and

church. The new

book and journal

are pictured at

the far right.

JJYoung women

who earn theirYoung WomanhoodRecognition Awardwill be betterprepared to serve inthe Relief Society. Itwill help themprepare for theirfuture roles as afaithful woman,wife, mother, andleader in God’skingdom.

—Elder M. Russell Ballard

EE ach young woman is a daughter ofHeavenly Father who loves her.For years, Personal Progress has

been blessing young women by assistingthem to reach their divine potential. Itencourages them to make wise decisions,strengthen their homes and families, anddevelops values that will lead them toChrist and prepare them to becomerighteous, temple-worthy women. Now,Personal Progress has been revised tomake it even more helpful.

According to the Young Womengeneral presidency, the new PersonalProgress will keep the essential parts ofthe existing program such as the theme,the seven values, and the emphasis onpersonal worthiness. But the ValueExperiences and Projects, once restrictedto certain age groups, are no longerorganized in that same way. In addition,young women may now progressthrough Personal Progress more quickly.

“The biggest difference that girls willnotice,” says Sister Margaret Nadauld,Young Women general president, “is thatthey will do six Value Experiences in eachone of the seven values. Then there willbe a project associated with each value.And they will be encouraged to go attheir own pace.”

“In the past,” says Sister Sharon G.

N E W E R A

GRESSGRESS

Larsen, second counselor in the YoungWomen general presidency, “Beehiveswere really excited about being involvedin Personal Progress, then they wouldhave to stop until they were second-yearBeehives or until they became Mia Maidsto move on. With this change, girls canreceive their Young Womanhoodmedallion when they are 15 or 16,however fast they choose to completethe requirements.”

The new books will be smaller so theyare more easily carried with scriptures.Also, parents are asked to participate byunderstanding what experiences theirdaughter has chosen to complete andencouraging or helping her toaccomplish them. Both parents andYoung Women leaders may sign off on a

J A N U A R Y 2 0 0 2 1 7

1 8 T H E

● ●

ST

AN

DF

OR

TR

UT

HA N D

RI

GH

TE

OU

SN

ES

S

YO

U

NG W O

M

EN

he woman

at the well

(above) was

given “living

water” as she

learned gospel

truths from the

Master (see John

4:11). Personal

Progress helps

young women

pursue their goal

to stand as

witnesses for

truth and

righteousness. The

new medallion

(above, right),

available in silver

or gold, now

represents the

Young

Womanhood

Recognition

Award.

TT

girl’s progress. As the Personal Progresschanges are in transition, Laurels canchoose to complete the old program. MiaMaids and Beehives, however, will beasked to transfer the experiences theyhave completed in the old book to thenew.

Essentially, Personal Progress has beensimplified. Girls are asked to complete sixValue Experiences in each value. Girlsshould complete the first threeexperiences suggested for each value,and they may choose three additionalexperiences, two of which they candesign. After she has completed the sixexperiences, a girl can select and plan a10-hour Value Project for that particularvalue. One section of the book hassuggestions for projects.

“We remind girls that the ValueProjects can be part of the good thingsthey are already doing in their lives,” saysSister Nadauld. “So if you are doing goodthings in seminary or at school, theprojects can be part of that as long asthey have been approved before youbegin.”

The age-group jewelry will beeliminated, with a single YoungWomanhood medallion serving as thesymbol of completion. The newmedallion, available in gold or silver, willhave the temple spires on it. SisterNadauld says, “It will signify what we aretrying to accomplish in Young Women,for girls to be prepared to make andkeep sacred temple covenants.”

“And girls will have the opportunity towear the medallion while they are still inYoung Women,” says Sister Larsen.

As young women complete PersonalProgress before their years in YoungWomen are through, what will they do?Sister Nadauld explains the options. “Wehave several suggestions. One is to goback and complete the Value Experiencesthey didn’t do. Another is to compiletheir personal history. Yet another is toread the Book of Mormon. We alsoencourage the young women, under thedirection of their Young Women leaders,to mentor younger girls, giving themencouragement and help.”

N E W E R A

“We’ve asked some Young Women totry this out,” says Sister Carol B. Thomas,first counselor in the Young Womengeneral presidency. “And they werethrilled with the changes. The girlscouldn’t believe how exciting it could bewhen 17-year-olds help the 12-year-olds.It’s quite an unselfish concept. They werealso really excited about moving at theirown pace.”

Sister Nadauld says, “We hope thesechanges in Personal Progress will helpencourage girls to choose goals that willhelp them strengthen their homes andfamilies, cultivate feminine virtues, growspiritually, and reach their divinepotential.

“That’s a pretty tall order, isn’t it? Butyoung women are quite remarkable. Welove to watch their greataccomplishments!” NE

Young Women

THEME CHANGETHEME CHANGE

EE ach Sunday, young women standand say together the theme thathelps each girl understand her

identity, purpose, and destiny as adaughter of God. Part of that eternalpurpose is to learn how to be part of arighteous, loving home, as a daughterand someday as a wife and mother. Forthis reason, the phrase, “strengthenhome and family” has been added to theYoung Women theme.

We hope that each young woman willwant to bless her family through hergood choices and by living gospelprinciples.

The theme will now read:

We are

daughters of our Heavenly Father

who loves us, and we love Him.

We will “stand as witnesses of God at all

times and in all things, and in all places”

as we strive to live the

Young Women Values, which are—

Faith

Divine Nature

Individual Worth

Knowledge

Choice and Accountability

Good Works and

Integrity

We believe

as we come to accept and act

upon these values, we will be prepared to

strengthen home and family,

make and keep sacred covenants,

receive the ordinances of the temple,

and enjoy the blessings of exaltation.

—Young Women general presidency

J A N U A R Y 2 0 0 2 1 9

he

standards

haven’t

changed. They are

based on eternal

principles of

happiness and

will help lead us

to Christ. The new

For the Strength

of Youth helps

explain those

standards better

than ever.

TT

STRONGERSTRONGERThan EVEREVERFor the Strength of Youthhas always been a greathelp. Now, updated, it’seven more useful.

2 0 T H E

TT hey say a good friend is someonewho helps you be your best.Someone who will always tell you

the truth. Someone who will give youadvice you can count on. Someone whowill help you become the kind of personthe Lord expects you to be.

For years, For the Strength of Youth hasbeen just such a friend to Latter-day Saintyouth. But now you’ve probably beenhearing that that friend has changedsomewhat. It’s only logical to ask howand why.

Obviously the standards themselveshaven’t changed. Church standards areguidelines for behavior based on eternalprinciples of happiness. Follow thosestandards and you will be both happyand safe.

But if the standards haven’t changed,why update For the Strength of Youth?Because the world has changed. ElderCecil O. Samuelson Jr., executive directorof the priesthood department and amember of the Presidency of theQuorum of the Seventy, recently spoke tothe New Era about the new For theStrength of Youth.

“The youth today are stronger thanthey have ever been. But we live in anincreasingly difficult and complex world.

N E W E R A

Our youth have many tough decisionsbefore them. It is hoped that the newFor the Strength of Youth will give theman even clearer sense of what they needto do and what they need to think aboutto live the kinds of lives that ourHeavenly Father wants.”

But don’t expect to be told in moredetail what you should and shouldn’t do.Instead, you’ll find even more help inunderstanding gospel principles andbeing guided by the Spirit to live them.Elder Samuelson says much moreattention has been given to helping youunderstand the whys of the standards.There are also some great helps forexplaining those whys to your friends.

What else is new in For the Strength ofYouth? “New material has been addedthat focuses on what President GordonB. Hinckley is saying. . . . There is a newFirst Presidency message. Scriptureverses and scripture references have alsobeen added, and there are seven newtopics,” Elder Samuelson says. Thetestimony of the living Christ and theproclamation on the family have alsobeen added. “The inclusion of thesedocuments not only communicates thattheir messages are important but alsoemphasizes that we have living prophetsto guide us.”

How much does the new For Strengthof Youth deal with real-life issues andsituations? Elder Samuelson explains thatit is “a doctrinal document, but it is alsovery practical. It is hoped that youth willnot only want to learn what thestandards are, but will want to apply thesensible ideas given to help them keep

the standards. It is not intended thatthese ideas be unduly prescriptive, butyouth should carefully consider how toapply the doctrine.”

As the First Presidency says in itsintroductory message: “We promise thatas you keep these standards and live bythe truths in the scriptures, you will beable to do your life’s work with greaterwisdom and skill and bear trials withgreater courage. You will have the help ofthe Holy Ghost. You will feel good aboutyourself and will be a positive influence inthe lives of others. You will be worthy togo to the temple to receive holyordinances. These blessings and manymore can be yours.”

Clearly, For the Strength of Youth is abetter friend than ever. NE

J A N U A R Y 2 0 0 2 2 1

2 2 T H E

Now the weeknightactivity with your friendsis taking on a whole newdimension.

ur Savior

set the

perfect

example of one

who cares for

others. As

members of His

Church, we can

learn to serve

each other and be

supportive friends

as we learn to

follow Christ.

OO

Mutual

HH onest! This really isn’t an Englishlesson. But how did an adjectivelike “mutual” wind up being

used as a noun? After all, the rest of theworld uses the word in phrases like“mutual interests,” or “mutual friends,” or“mutual advantage.” But we Latter-daySaints talk about “going to Mutual.”

Well, it all goes back to a time yourparents or grandparents will remember, atime when we had the something called“Mutual Improvement Association.” Thelast two words were eventually dropped.But since “mutual” often refers to havingsomething in common, or to somethingthat benefits two or more people, thatword stuck. Because it does describefriends with a common interest (thegospel) getting together to everyone’sadvantage.

Mutual is the weeknight activity whereteens can meet in a relaxed setting tosocialize and put into practice the gospelprinciples taught on Sunday. It is a timeto become better friends with the teensin your ward or branch, and it is also theperfect opportunity to reach out to less-active youth and invite friends who wantto learn more about the Church.

Guidelines for MutualHere are the instructions your leaders

N E W E R A

are asked to follow in overseeing Mutual.•Mutual should meet on the same

day, at the same time, and in the sameplace each week and should last aroundone to one-and-a-half hours.

•Opening exercises should be heldeach week for about 10 to 15 minutes.The Laurel class presidency and theassistants to the bishop in the priestsquorum take turns conducting. Openingexercises should include a hymn, aprayer, and also may include talks,musical selections, song practice, andopportunities for youth to share theirtalents and testimonies.

•Class or quorum activities can befrom 30 to 70 minutes. Activities caninclude learning new skills or givingservice. Also, activity time can be used tofulfill Duty to God and Personal Progressrequirements.

•Practice or social activities areoptional but can follow class or quorumactivities and last about 30 minutes.

•Combined Young Women andAaronic Priesthood activities should takeplace once a month so the youth in yourward can learn to work together andsupport each other in living gospelprinciples.

Annual ThemeInformation will be sent each year

from Church headquarters to priesthoodleaders suggesting an annual theme forMutual. The theme may be used toprovide focus for activities such asdance, drama, speech, sports, music, orservice. Preparations for the activitiesshould be made during Mutual

“Some of the greatblessings of theseprograms that have beendeveloped are that as theyouth of the Church, youwill have a clearunderstanding of who youare, you will beaccountable for youractions, you will takeresponsibility for theconduct of your life, andyou will be able to setgoals so that you mightachieve what you weresent to earth to achieve.”

—Elder Robert D. Hales

Ensign, Nov. 2001, 39

FRIENDSFRIENDS

Mutualis forfriends

One of thegreatest thingsabout Mutual night isthat it is a good place to spend timedoing worthwhile activities andencouraging friendships. It’s a placewhere teens can spend time laughingtogether and having wholesome fun, aswell as learning more about living thegospel.

One girl who was introduced to thegospel by Mutual was Candace Read ofColorado Springs, Colorado. She says thatwhen she was 15 she wanted to find afriend she could trust not to sweararound her. She met Kimberly in algebraclass. Kimberly invited Candace to eatlunch with her friends. Candace says, “Ireally liked all of them. They all seemedso good-natured and free of thedistasteful things of the world. Kimberlyinvited me to come to Mutual. All ofthese friends that I knew from schoolwould be there. Of course I went. I lovedthe way Mutual made me feel.”

From there, Candace was invited tomeet the missionaries. She learned topray, and she learned of the truthfulnessof the gospel. When it came time for herto marry, she married in the temple, andshe and her husband have six children, allactively working on gaining the blessingsof the gospel.

Candace says, “I am so grateful to havea friend who set a good example for methat I might have these blessings in mylife.” NE

J A N U A R Y 2 0 0 2 2 3

QQ&&AAIf you feel“overwhelmingly sadall the time,” please,tell your parents oryour bishop or youryouth leaders.

Don’t forget to usethe power of prayer.

Search the scripturesand the words of theprophets.

Reread and studyyour patriarchalblessing.

Give service; helpingother people is agreat way to put yourown difficulties inperspective.

Never underestimatethe power of attitude.

Q U E S T I O N S & A N S W E R S

RR E A D E R S

“I try my best to be happy, but no matter what I do, I feel overwhelmingly sad all the time.

Is there anything I can do to feel better?”

NN E W EE R A

Occasional sadness is normal. We allgo through trials in our lives that causesadness. But you shouldn’t constantlyfeel depressed. If you “feeloverwhelmingly sad all the time,” please,tell your parents or your bishop or youryouth leaders what you are feeling. Youmay have a medical condition thatrequires professional help.

The purpose of our existence is toattain true joy and happiness. “Men are,that they might have joy” (2 Ne. 2:25).The plan of salvation is often referred toas the plan of happiness. However, weare here to be tested. And since there isopposition in all things, all of us willexperience sadness.

God wants us to be happy. But Satan isworking to make our lives miserable.President Ezra Taft Benson explained thatSatan’s tools for fighting the plan ofhappiness are “despair, discouragement,despondency, and depression” (Ensign,Nov. 1974, 65).

Unhappiness has many causes,including unworthiness. This doesn’tmean that if you are unhappy you must

2 4 T H E N E W E R A

I find that I am most unhappy when I am idle. Along with daily prayer and scripture study, I feel that continually setting goals and trying to be a better person can make me feel that there is more meaning andhappiness in my life. It’s nice to knowthat I’ve worked hard, not only formyself, but for the benefit of others.

Shelly Nebeker, 17Eagle River, Alaska

The only way to get rid of the sadness isthrough the help and companionship ofthe Lord. If you are feeling sad, youneed to pray to Heavenly Father forhelp and guidance and ask Him how toovercome your trial. It is also essentialto tell a parent or trusted adult aboutyour sadness. I have gone through suchan experience, and it will not go awaywithout help from our Heavenly Fatherand from a parent or an adult.

Ashley Chadwick, 13Yuma, Arizona

Photography by John Luke. Posed by model J A N U A R Y 2 0 0 2 2 5

NN E W EE R A RR E A D E R S

“ hen you

are

worthy, a

challenge becomes

a contribution to

growth, not a bar-

rier to it. Yet . . . no

matter how you

begin, those solu-

tions will never

provide a complete

answer. The final

healing comes

through faith in

Jesus Christ and

His teachings, with

a broken heart and

a contrite spirit and

obedience to His

commandments”

(Ensign, May 1994,

9).

—Elder

Richard G. Scott

of the Quorum of

the Twelve

WW

have sinned. But if sin is the source ofyour sadness, you should discuss withyour bishop how to repent.

Use the power of prayer. When Jesuswas suffering in the Garden ofGethsemane, He prayed for comfort.“Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and heshall sustain thee” (Ps. 55:22). You canfind comfort and happiness bycommunicating with God and asking forhelp with your trials. There is a reasonwe call the Holy Ghost the Comforter.

Search the scriptures and the words ofour current prophets. The words ofPresident Gordon B. Hinckley in “TheSpirit of Optimism,” in the July 2001 NewEra, may lift you up. If you have receivedyour patriarchal blessing, reread andstudy it to gain a clearer understandingof the Lord’s love for you and of yourdivine potential.

Serve those in need. Helping otherpeople overcome their problems is agreat way to put your own difficulties inperspective. Service can help you feel thehappiness that comes when striving todo what Christ would do.

Never underestimate the power ofattitude. President Hinckley’s optimismshould be an example to all of us, even intimes of sadness. “There are occasionallyhard days for each of us. Do not despair.Do not give up. Look for the sunlightthrough the clouds. Opportunities willeventually open to you” (Ensign, Apr.1986, 4–5).

Perhaps there is irony in making a listof things we can do to overcome sad-ness when being overwhelmed by somany responsibilities may be whatbrought on the feelings of sadness in thefirst place. Elder Dallin H. Oaks saidwhen he feels inadequate, frustrated, ordepressed, he thinks of Mosiah 4:27: “Itis not requisite that a man should runfaster than he has strength” (see Ensign,Nov. 1993, 75). The Lord knows ourlimits, and we won’t be required to domore than we are able. NE

Answers are intended for help andperspective, not as pronouncements ofChurch doctrine.

2 6 T H E N E W E R A

Listening to uplifting music, losing yourself in serving others, and prayer are three great ways to over-come sadness. Having a strong relationship with Heavenly Father is the key to personal happiness.

Dylan Roberts, 18Lewiston, Idaho

About four years ago I becameincredibly sad. It seemed as though Iwere falling into a black, bottomless pitwith no way out. My advice to anyonewho continually feels overwhelminglysad, no matter what they do, is to seekprofessional help immediately.

Name WithheldCalifornia

You might try to ask your father, bishop, or someone who has the priesthood to give you a special blessing.

Lauren Pineda, 12Kaysville, Utah

WHAT DO YOU THINK?Send us your answer to the questionbelow, along with your name, age,and where you are from. Pleaseinclude a snapshot of yourself that is 1 1/2 by 2 inches (4 by 5 cm) or larger.

Q&A, New Era50 East North TempleSalt Lake City, Utah 84150

QUESTIONIt seems as if everyone in my wardbelongs to a perfect family. Myparents are divorced, and I don’t feellike I fit in. Is there anything I can doto feel better, and how can Istrengthen my family?

Please respond by March 1, 2002.

J A N U A R Y 2 0 0 2 2 7

MY PEACE

PEACE I LEAVE WITH YOU, MY PEACE I GIVE UNTO YOU:

NOT AS THE WORLD GIVETH, GIVE I UNTO YOU.

(See John 14:27.)

Painting Holy One of Israel by Simon Dewey

MY PEACEI GIVE UNTO YOU

You already know howtough it is to find a dressthat’s both modest andstylish. A group of youngwomen in Kansas didsomething about it.

EvaluateEvaluateYYour our SStyletyle

by Caroline H. Benzley

Your feet are throbbing, your back hurtsa little, and you have been walking forhours. Although this may describe theway you feel after a long hike at camp, itcould also describe the way you feel aftershopping for a modest dress.

Finding a cute dress that is not tooshort, too tight, or too revealing that youcan wear to a school dance, a musicrecital, or church is a difficult task. Thelack of modest formal and informaldresses is a problem—a problem theyoung women of the Red Bridge Ward,Olathe Kansas Stake, decided to dosomething about.

How it beganIt all began in December 2000 when

Young Women President Cynthia Cockrieland her daughter Amanda went shoppingfor modest clothing. The trip was typical;they found a lot of dresses on the racksbut few that were modest. Frustratedwith the situation, Sister Cockrielexpressed her concerns to a manager of a

2 8 T H E N E W E R A

local department store. To her surprise,the manager listened with interest and

even offered to meet with SisterCockriel and her young women ifthey put together a presentationwith sketches, fabric swatches,and other descriptions of whatthey would like to see in thestore.

With the leadership of SisterCockriel and others, theyoung women of the RedBridge Ward went to work.The girls were excited tohelp, and they worked very

hard for more than fourmonths. The final product was

not just a few sketches and fabricswatches. Instead, the girls and theirleaders created a sample company,complete with name, logo, andvendor book.

The company’s name is Evaluate,with the emphasis placed on the “valu”part of the word. “When it comes todeciding what to wear, every youngwoman must evaluate her life, hervalues, and her style,” says Laurel AlisaChristensen.

As Laurel president, Liz Christensenacted as CEO of Evaluate. The rest of theLaurels were given jobs such as fashioncoordinator, journalist, photographer,and so on. The Laurels then sharedthe work of their assignments with

the Beehives and Mia Maids.

Designingmodesty

The youngwomen andtheir leadersrealized an increase of modestdresses is not something a store cando without the help of designers.Department stores can only sell whatthe designers create. The youngwomen in Kansas also know it is noteasy to design a modest dressbecause they each tried to design adress in keeping with the dressstandards of BYU and other Church-affiliated schools. Heidi Jarvis, aLaurel in the Red Bridge Ward,commented, “We now have anappreciation for dress designers. Itis a difficult task to make a modestdress exciting and even dazzling.”

Although designing such adress is difficult, the Red BridgeYoung Women think that AshleyBraithwaite of Allen, Texas, didjust that. When Ashley heardabout Evaluate’s project shesent the girls some dressdesigns that became animportant part of theirpresentation. They depictedthe type of dresses theyoung women arelooking for.

Ashley was notthe only young

J A N U A R Y 2 0 0 2 2 9Photography by Rhobbin Rosenthal, Mary Lee Voss, and Alisa Christensen

onths ofplanning,hard

work, andcreativity wentinto the girls’presentation. Itwas all worth it.They saw theycould make adifference andget their messageacross: “Modestyis not a trend.Modesty is astyle.”

MM

3 0 T H E N E W E R A

woman outside of the Red Bridge Wardto add to the Evaluate project. Hundredsof other girls voiced their supportthrough e-mails, letters, and phone calls.Response to Evaluate’s letter-writingcampaign came from all over. Adriennefrom Brazil responded, “Not every itemneeds to be skimpy or revealing. It ispossible to be modest and stylish at thesame time.” Others responded fromAustralia, Africa, Austria, and throughoutthe United States.

The big dayWhen the day of the presentation

finally arrived, the young women wereable to confidently present their opinionsto one of the largest upscale departmentstores in their area. The girls gatheredtheir sample dresses, posters, vendorbooks, dress designs, and letters. Withmore than four months of hard work

J A N U A R Y 2 0 0 2 3 1

3 2 T H E

ecause of theirpresenta-

tion, the localstore’s managersare increasingthe number ofmodest dresseson the racks.Other stores inthe chain havealso expressedinterest.

BB

behind them, they put on their biggestsmiles and told the retail world thatmodesty should not be overlooked.

The presentation went even betterthan most of the girls thought it would.The buyer and the managers listenedattentively to Evaluate’s message:“Modesty is not a trend. Modesty is astyle.” The girls also presented theirobjective of letting the store know aboutthe market it is missing by not sellingmore modest clothing.

In the presentation Liz Christensen

N E W E R A

explained, “There is a strong customer baseyou currently miss at your store. It may notbe a majority, but we hope to have shownyou that it is big enough to make adifference in your business.”

The presentation went so well that theinfluence of these 17 girls and their leadersextended beyond the store’s conferenceroom. The young women were interviewedby The Kansas City Star, and featured in TheWall Street Journal. The BritishBroadcasting Corporation also interviewedAlisa and Liz.

hey’re youraverage,fun-loving

Latter-day Saintgirls, but they’reserious aboutwhat they’vestarted and planto keepencouragingstores anddesigners toevaluate themodesty of the

TT

Fruits of their laborSo where does it go from here? Now

that the presentation is over, the girlsand their leaders are not about toabandon the project, not when they arebeginning to see the fruits of their labor.Because of the young women’spresentation, their local store’s managersare increasing the number of modestdresses on the racks. Different storeswithin the chain, such as one in Seattle,have also expressed interest in Evaluate.The young women now plan to contact

designers to encourage more modestdresses everywhere.

Thanks to the Red Bridge YoungWomen, next time you go shopping for amodest dress it may be a little easier tofind one. You may not even have to hikefor hours through the mall with sore feetand an aching back. Instead, with enoughsupport from people around the world,these girls may help us save all the hikingfor camp. NE

J A N U A R Y 2 0 0 2 3 3

clothes they offerfor sale.

3 4 T H E

hrilled to

be on the

ski patrol, I

trained hard

and prepared

for all kinds of

situations.

Unfortunately, I

wasn’t ready for

the avalanche of

foul language

and dirty jokes

that nearly

buried me.

by Brittany Russell

ON A

SLIPPERYSLIPPERYSLOPESLOPE

TT

Afterglidingdown the mountain that day,I was horrified to see justhow far I had slipped.

walked into the small office tucked in a deserted locker room and shook hands with the bearded man.

Terrified, I introduced myself. I stoleglances at the pictures cozily hung on thewall featuring an ocean of red coats,white crosses, wind-burned faces, andjagged, snowcapped mountains. Ienvisioned myself kneeling between theblack and brown marbled Germanshepherd and the man with the scruffywhiskers.

The interview was comparable to

II

N E W E R A

othersI’d had, butI never wanted ajob so badly.

I could think of nothingmore than sifting throughuntracked inches of light powder andgetting paid for every turn I made. I gaveno attention to the challenges I knewwould accompany me throughout thecold winter season as a 19-year-oldfemale Church member on the Park City(Utah) Mountain Resort ski patrol.

And I got the job.My first day of training came in

October after the leaves hadpromenaded their flashy colors and now

provideda dull andcrunchy carpet onthe ground. I wadedthrough masses of fellowpatrollers lining the walkway and heldmy breath, shielding my lungs from thethick cloud of cigarette smoke that

J A N U A R Y 2 0 0 2 3 5Illustrated by Dilleen Marsh

3 6 T H E

y cloth-ing told the

injured skier Iwas a member ofthe ski patrol. Butmy language suredidn’t tell him Iwas a member ofthe Church.That’s when Irealized just howfar downhill Ihad gone.

MM

circled above our heads. I also attemptedto conceal my disgust at the tobacco-spitters’ club in the corner.

What are you doing here? my mindprodded as I caught people stealingpeeks at me and seemingly furrowingtheir brows in doubt.

For two weeks we trained in sunshine,fierce wind, freezing temperatures, andblizzards to learn and perfect a patroller’sduties. It was in these harsh elementsthat people’s more colorful sidesemerged. I received such doses of foullanguage, dirty jokes, and untamedlifestyle stories that my mind almostbecame numb to them by the end of theseason.

My standards were first tested theweek before Christmas when I attendedthe ski patrol party. I walked in the frontdoor and was immediately greeted byseemingly happy and carefree co-workers. People who had never said aword to me before now seemed to thinkwe were best friends. Their beer spilledon my clothes as they stretched their

N E W E R A

arms out for a hug. A fellow rookieapproached me and unleashed hisfrustration at not having the personalstrength that I exhibited in avoidingalcohol. I was surprised by his sincereconcern as he continued to share hisdisappointment in his lack of conviction.

The beer sloshed out of his cup as hegestured with his hands, and I explainedto him the Word of Wisdom and thepersonal choice I made long before notto drink. As I drove home that night, Ifelt peace that I had been an example toone person.

Starting to slipUnfortunately, as the season

progressed, I found myself slowly lettingmy guard down. One day when I wasworking the Jupiter Peak rotation, Iresponded to an accident. My co-workerand I sped down the steep terrain with atoboggan, fighting to keep it steady.Upon arriving at the scene to help thevictim, we laughed at the blunders wehad made trying to get there. During ourstorytelling, I slipped in a colorfuladjective.

I thought nothing of it until, in aconversation with the victim, he told ushe was a BYU student and was preparingfor a mission. I realized that to him I wasprobably just another coarse mountainpatrol woman. I had given him no reasonto believe otherwise. At that moment Ireaffirmed my desire that no matterwhere I am, I want people to know I ama disciple of Christ. And isn’t that whatwe do when we take the sacrament eachweek—take His name upon us and standas witnesses?

When I slipped in my conduct that day,I was embarrassed that the injured skierwouldn’t associate me with the Church.But I was far more embarrassed that Ihadn’t first been ashamed that HeavenlyFather had also heard me.

Being on the mountain patrolchallenged my moral strength andconvictions. But even more than that, itstrengthened them. It is from oppositionthat we grow stronger. Through my trials,my reliance on Heavenly Father and thescriptures helps me to be strong in theface of temptation. The lessons I learnedwhile on patrol taught me to avoid thetemptation to lower my standards tobetter fit what others are doing. NE

J A N U A R Y 2 0 0 2 3 7

Val Chadwick Bagley

T H E E X T R A S M I L E

Ryan Stoker

Adam Koford

“Actually, David,your older brother

goes to seminary everymorning, not

cemetery.”

“Are you sure there isn’t a

video gaming meritbadge?”

“Ricky, getting a technical foul is notreally something you

need to see meabout.”

33

Three centavos mightsound like small change,but finding them addedup to a very big changein my life.

“ o, bishop, I don’t think I’m going on a mission.”These were my words as I

declined every invitation from my bishopto consider going on a mission. When myfamily became members of the Church,there were many things we had to learnand unlearn. Being first-generationChurch members, in our family going ona mission was something we neitherdiscussed nor considered. It seemed likea big sacrifice.

Still, I was an active member of theChurch. I would attend all my meetingsand accept responsibilities as they wereextended. I was in my second year ofstudying accounting when the bishopcalled me to be the financial clerk.

One Wednesday, I was faced withtrying to find an error in the records. I felt helpless as I labored to find the three centavos’ difference between the Church’s and the bank’s records. Thereport was due the next day and thatcompounded my problem. The onlysensible thing to do was to ask for help.

I approached my bishop and explainedmy predicament. It surprised me thatinstead of immediately reviewing the

NN

3 8 T H E N E W E R A Illustrated by Greg Newbold

CentavosCentavos

hen I

couldn’t

find the

mistake in the

financial report, I

finally took it to

the bishop. What

he did next

surprised me.

Instead of looking

at the report, he

invited me to

kneel and pray

with him.

by Joel B. Macariola

WW

report, he invited me to kneel and praywith him as we explained our problem tothe Lord. When we got up from ourknees, the bishop asked to see thereport. Almost immediately and withoutusing a calculator, he pointed to a column and said, “This is where yourproblem is.”

I totaled the numbers, and, sureenough, he was right. I felt overwhelmed.It seemed I had just witnessed a miracle.My young and feeble testimony of theChurch was strengthened. I gained astronger conviction that this was the trueChurch.

While I was still wrapped up in thisexperience, the bishop asked, “Now areyou going on a mission?”

This time, I said yes. As I left the meetinghouse that night, I

had with me all the missionary papers Ineeded to fill out. Within a few monthsfrom when my bishop submitted mymissionary recommendation form, I wascalled to serve a full-time mission in thePhilippines Baguio Mission.

It has been many years since thatnight. After completing a two-yearmission, I returned to school andobtained my college degree, four yearsbehind the normal age. If I had to do itover again I would still choose to serve.

I’m thankful for a bishop who obeyeda prompting to ask the right question atthe right time. I’m also thankful toHeavenly Father who not only helped me find the three centavos to reconcilemy report but who also led me to awealth of missionary experiences withoutprice. NE

J A N U A R Y 2 0 0 2 3 9

DECISIONSDECISIONS,,DECISIONSDECISIONS

hen

Nephi

decided

to do what the

Lord had

commanded and

moved forward,

acting in faith,

the Lord

delivered Laban

into his hands

and made it

possible to fulfill

the command.

by Elder L. Tom Perryof the Quorum of the Twelve

WW

hen I received an assignmentto speak in the priesthoodsession, I called Elder Robert

L. Backman, who was, at the time,director of the Young Men program, andasked for suggestions on a subjectneeding the special attention of thoseholding the Aaronic Priesthood. Within afew days I received a memo back fromElder Backman, and his response was,“The youth are at a most interesting timein their lives. They will soon be makingmajor decisions which will shape theirfuture, such as going on missions, college,a profession, marriage, etc.” His counselwas to speak on making right decisions.

Attached to his memo was a “Peanuts”cartoon that pictured Linus standing witha nice, firm snowball in his hand as Lucyenters the picture. She surveys thesituation and makes this comment toLinus: “Life is full of choices. You maychoose, if you wish, to throw thatsnowball at me. You also may choose, ifyou wish, not to throw that snowball atme. Now if you choose to throw thatsnowball at me, I will pound you rightinto the ground! If you choose not tothrow that snowball at me, your head willbe spared.”

Then Linus, throwing the snowballaway with a disgusted look on his face,said, “Life is full of choices, but I neverget any.”

Linus is right that life is full of choices.But I have found him to be wrong in thesecond part. Decisions are before usevery step of the way. Elder Richard L.Evans said in the film Man’s Search ForHappiness: “Life offers you two preciousgifts. One is time, the other, freedom ofchoice—the freedom to buy with yourtime what you will. You are free toexchange your allotment of time forthrills. You may trade it for base desires.You may invest it in greed. You may

WW

4 0 T H E N E W E R A

purchase with it vanity; you may spendyour time in pursuit of material things.Yours is the freedom to choose. Butthese are not bargains, for in them youfind no lasting satisfaction.”

Imagine Lehi’s timeThere is a great account in the very

beginning of the Book of Mormon of afamily that had some grave decisions tomake. Just imagine that you are living inthat time and you are a member of Lehi’shousehold. You are living in Jerusalem ina very comfortable home, warm andsecure, surrounded with many of thegood things of life. As you arise onemorning, your father calls a familycouncil. He states that he had a dreamlast night, and then makes a startlingstatement to you: “Go get your sleepingbags and the tents. Just take whatprovisions we can carry on our backs.Don’t worry about the gold and silverand your precious things. We will have noroom for them. I have been commandedby the Lord that we should depart intothe wilderness.” And the scripturerecords, “And he left his house, and theland of his inheritance, and his gold, andhis silver, and his precious things, andtook nothing with him, save it were hisfamily, and provisions, and tents, anddeparted into the wilderness” (1 Ne. 2:4).

You have only gone a short distancewhen your father has another dream. Hecalls you to him and says, “Behold I havedreamed a dream, in the which the Lordhath commanded me that thou and thybrethren shall return to Jerusalem.

“For behold, Laban hath the record ofthe Jews and also a genealogy of myforefathers, and they are engraven uponplates of brass.

“Wherefore, the Lord hath commandedme that thou and thy brothers should gounto the house of Laban, and seek the

J A N U A R Y 2 0 0 2 4 1Illustrated by Scott Snow

s a youngmarine,L. Tom

Perry foundhimself on astreetcar,surrounded byless-than-desirableinfluences,because he hadleft a decision tochance.

AA

records, and bring them down hither intothe wilderness” (1 Ne. 3:2–4).

Now that was a hard task assigned tothe sons, for Laban was a very rich andpowerful man. They murmured againsttheir father, and said it was a hard thinghe was requiring them to do. But oneson said to his father, “I will go and do thethings which the Lord hath commanded,for I know that the Lord giveth nocommandments unto the children ofmen, save he shall prepare a way forthem that they may accomplish the thingwhich he commandeth them” (1 Ne. 3:7).

Several decisions faced these youngmen as they approached Laban to ask forthe records. It’s most interesting to meto note the process by which they madethose decisions. First, the decision was toleave it to chance. And they cast lots, andthe lot fell to Laman. He went to thehouse of Laban, and as he sat and talkedwith him, he said he desired the recordsthat were written on the plates of brass.Laban was not too pleased with thisrequest and was angry, and thrust himout of his presence, and would not lethim have the record. He said, “Beholdthou art a robber, and I will slay thee” (1Ne. 3:13). That was enough for Laman;he fled and came back and reported tohis brothers that leaving the assignmentto chance did not work.

Nephi had to make another decisionon how to obtain the records. Hethought of all the wealth they wereleaving in their home, the gold and silverand all manner of riches. He thought hewould gather up that gold and silver andtrust in the things of the world topurchase the records. So theyapproached the house of Laban anddisplayed the gold and silver and offeredto trade these precious things for theplates of brass. When Laban saw theproperty and that it was exceedinglygreat, he did lust after it. Looking at thefour boys against all of his servants, it waseasy to determine that he could retainthe plates and have the wealth also. Hesent his servants after the boys to slaythem, and they had to flee, leaving theirproperty behind. Things of the world didnot produce the records.

Now the brothers of Nephi had almostlost their lives twice attempting to get therecord, and they were not very happywith him. Nephi was not willing to give

4 2 T H E N E W E R A

up; he reasoned with them this way: “Letus go up again unto Jerusalem, and let usbe faithful in keeping the commandmentsof the Lord; for behold he is mightierthan all the earth, then why not mightierthan Laban and his fifty, yea, or even thanhis tens of thousands?” (1 Ne. 4:1).

Who could argue against such soundreasoning? Of course the Lord wasmightier than Laban and all of hisservants. So by night Nephi led hisbrothers outside the wall of Jerusalem.He crept inside towards the house ofLaban, this time not leaving it to chanceor to worldly things, but going by faith.He said, “I was led by the Spirit, notknowing beforehand the things which Ishould do” (1 Ne. 4:6).

As he came to the house of Laban, hefound a man fallen to the earth, drunkenwith wine. On coming closer, hediscovered it was Laban. Laban had beendelivered into his hands. The Lord hadopened the way to obtain the record.Making the decision to place his trust inthe Lord produced the results.

There is a great lesson to be learned inthe decision-making process of the sonsof Lehi. Leaving the decision to chancewas not a very acceptable method.

An invitation to danceI remember one time when I was in

the Marine Corps, stationed at CampPendleton in California. I left a decisionto chance and almost found myself in amost unpleasant situation.

My buddies had been after me eachweekend to go with them into the dancehall in Los Angeles to have a good time.Each weekend I was encouraged to go.After several weeks of turning themdown, thinking that that was no place forme, I decided just once to leave it tochance and see how it would turn out.

I started with them towards this bigdance hall in Los Angeles. We were ridingthe streetcar, and as it progressed fromstop to stop, it was filling up with manyyoung ladies. They were not the type Ihad ever been around before. They wereextremely forward. I felt very uncomfortablearound them. As they approached me, Iadopted a tactic completely unknown toa marine. I retreated.

On the back row of the streetcar Ifound four young ladies whose appearancewas entirely different. I asked them if

J A N U A R Y 2 0 0 2 4 3

hilemilkingthe

cows as a youngboy, Spencer W.Kimball made uphis mind that hewould neverbreak the Word ofWisdom. Havingmade up hismind at an earlyage, it was easierto follow hisdecision and notyield, thoughthere were manytemptations.

WW

they were going to the dance, and theirreply was, “Yes, but not to the same oneyou are.” Then they said, “We are goingto the Adams Ward to a Mormon dance.What do you know about the MormonChurch?” I was surprised, relieved, andwillingly got off the streetcar with them,and had a most delightful evening at theAdams Ward. Have more confidence inyourself than allowing your decisions tohappen just by chance.

The decision by Nephi and hisbrothers to place their trust in the thingsof the world proved to be no moresuccessful than leaving it to chance. I wastalking to a father while attending a stakeconference. He was telling me about thepressures on his teenage daughter tofollow the ways of the world and how shehad made the decision not to allow thosepressures to influence her life.

She was the only member of theChurch in her class in school. She was apopular young lady with the boys andhad many opportunities to go out ondates. The boys in her class did not liveby the standards she had been taught inour Church. She made the decision totell every boy who asked her for a datewhat standards she lived by. If she wereto date them, they would be expected toconduct themselves in accordance withher standards. She would get such acommitment from them before sheaccepted a date. One day the big campusfootball hero came up to her before themost special dance of the year and said,“You know, I would ask you to go to thedance with me if you would lower yourstandards just a little.”

There was no hesitation in her voice asshe replied, “If I would go out with you, Iwould be lowering my standards.” Bestrong enough to make your decisions tonot follow worldly ways.

Nephi found success when he madehis decision to have faith in the Lord andto follow His way.

A secret of successSome years ago in the Church News

there appeared a most interesting articleabout a young man who made hisdecision to trust in the ways of the Lord.

“President Spencer W. Kimball is aconstant inspiration to the Church. Thisis not only so through what he says, butlikewise by what he does. When

4 4 T H E N E W E R A

addressing the Stockholm AreaConference he revealed the secret of thissuccess. Said he: ‘As I was out alone,milking the cows, or putting up the hay, Ihad time to think. I mulled it over in mymind and made this decision: ‘I, SpencerKimball, will never taste any form ofliquor. I, Spencer Kimball, will nevertouch tobacco. I will never drink coffee,nor will I ever touch tea—not because Ican explain why I shouldn’t, except thatthe Lord said not to.’ He said thosethings were an abomination. There aremany other things that are, too, that arenot in the Word of Wisdom. But I madeup my mind.

‘That’s the point I am trying to make. Imade up my mind then, as a little boy; ‘Iwill never touch those things.’ And so,having made up my mind, it was easy tofollow it, and I did not yield. There weremany temptations that came along, but Idid not even analyze it; I did not stopand measure it and say, ‘Well, shall I orshall I not?’ I always said to myself: ‘But Imade up my mind I would not.Therefore, I do not.

“‘I want to just say that I will soon gointo another year and that I have nevertasted tea, nor coffee, nor tobacco, norliquor of any kind, nor drugs. Now thatmay sound very presumptuous andboasting to you, but I am only trying tomake this point: that if every boy andgirl—as he or she begins to grow a littlemore mature and becomes a little moreindependent of his friends and his familyand all—if every boy and girl would makeup his or her mind, I will not yield, thenno matter what the temptation is: I madeup my mind. That’s settled’” (ChurchNews, Oct. 4, 1975, 16).

If we would all follow President Kimball’sexample to make our decisions based onour faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, what achange it would make in our lives.

O, youth of the noble birthright, makeyour decision now: “I will go and do thethings which the Lord hath commanded”(1 Ne. 3:7). There is power in His way.There is no greater joy in this life than tobe found in His service. I bear you mysolemn testimony that a decision to liveaccording to His law will bring you lifeeternal. NE

Adapted from an October 1979general conference address.

J A N U A R Y 2 0 0 2 4 5

usti poseswithsuitcases

packed withclothes destinedfor new members and newmissionaries inPeru. (Oppositepage) Dusti andthe bishop’s wifegive a new go-to-church dress tothe daughter of afamily Dusti’sbrother taught.

by Andrea Nixon

DD

PLANPLANDusti’s Dusti’s

4 6 T H E

The wheelchair doesn’thold Dusti back. It justhelps her move forward toserve others.

t first glance, Dusti Bills appearsto be an average, confident 19-year-old who loves animals and

Chinese food. You’d never suspect thatshe wasn’t expected to walk. Or that shedidn’t cry until she was one. Or that shedidn’t talk until she was three. Or thatshe has a disability that leaves her inalmost constant pain.

Dusti was born with cerebral palsy, butshe doesn’t let that stop her from doingthe things she enjoys. And one thingDusti loves is serving others.

Service is something Dusti, amember of the Riverton UtahFirst Ward, strongly believes in.When her brother was on hismission in Peru, hementioned in one of hisletters that some of thenewly baptized memberslacked appropriateclothing to wear tochurch. Dusti decidedto help.

For one of herValue Projects, Dustiasked her friends todonate dresses thatthe Peruvian Saintscould wear to church.When others found out

AA

N E W E R A

what she was doing, clothing of all kindsbegan pouring in to the Bills’s home.After collecting and sorting, Dusti filledseveral suitcases to take with her familywhen they traveled to Peru to pick upher brother. The bags were crammedwith everything from white baptismalclothes to suits for potential missionaries.

Dusti’s help didn’t stop there. Hernew wheelchair had arrived a few daysbefore she left Utah, so Dusti was morethan willing to leave her old chair at themission home in Lima. It would go to awoman who recently had a stroke andwas no longer able to walk.

“I was just glad someone who neededit got to use it,” Dusti says.

Along with finding grateful Saints whowere thrilled with their new clothes,Dusti found a little bit of herself, too.

“You could tell that the members werehumble and they reallybelieved in the Church

J A N U A R Y 2 0 0 2 4 7Photography courtesy of the Bills family

usti’s dog, Puck, is one of her

favoritecompanions. Herlove of animals isexceeded only byher love ofchildren,particularlychildren withdisabilities. Whenher health allowsit, horsebackriding is one ofthe joys of Dusti’slife. Babe (below,right) is herfavorite mount.

If you want tohelp provideclothing for thosein need, you areencouraged tocontribute toDeseretIndustries whereavailable or toother establishedrelief agencies inyour community.Much of theclothing donatedto DeseretIndustries is sentby ChurchHumanitarianService to needypeopleworldwide.

DD

4 8 T H E

and Jesus Christ. That mademe think, I do know thatthe Church is the rightone,” says Dusti. “I believethat Jesus Christ has a planfor everybody.”

Apparently Dusti thinks abig part of her plan includesservice, as it is often the basisof what she does. For anotherValue Project, Dusti madearrangements for her ward’sYoung Women group tovolunteer at an elementaryschool for severely disabledchildren. Dusti had alreadyspent countless hours there asa volunteer, and she wantedher friends to have theexperience as well. Dusti feels aspecial connection with thechildren she works with, and issensitive and understanding of theirneeds.

“I know the children are smart, andthey’re thinking of stuff. They just can’ttell people,” Dusti explains.

Dusti’s first thought is to serve, butwhen she’s not organizing clothing drivesor working with disabled preschoolers,she likes playing with her dog, Puck, andher bird, Kiwi. She also has two horses,two cats, a hamster, and a goat. She

N E W E R A

enjoys acting and playing bass clarinet,and she places high priority on gettingthings done.

Yet in the background, the surgeries,operations, and medication are a veryreal part of Dusti’s life. She tries hard tomaintain a positive attitude.

Dusti remembers a time when she was13 and came to terms with her condition.“I thought, Why am I in so much pain?Why does this have to happen to me? Ijust thought that it was part of the planfor me, and that I am going to know whysome day.”

Dusti may not know now why she hasto attend therapy sessions every week, orwhy she can’t go to the mall without her

wheelchair. But she does knowGod has a plan for her life, andshe knows that serving others iswhat brings her true happiness.She lives a life full of faith,

determination, and service.And that’s anything but

average. NE

R E A D E R ’ S G U I D E

Index of Topics

Adversity 46Choice and

Accountability 40Depression 24Duty to God 13Faith 4, 38Family Harmony 8For the Strength of

Youth 10, 20Friends 10Hope 4Jesus Christ 13Missionary

Preparation 38Modesty 28Obedience 4Personal Progress 16Profanity 34Service 46Standards 10, 20

Creativeideas forusing thisissue of the New Era.

Personal Improvement■■ Read “On a Slippery Slope” on page

34. Have you fallen into some less-than-desirable habits? Make a New Year’sresolution to do better. Don’t forget toreplace bad habits with good ones likereading scriptures or singing hymns.

■■ Resolve to improve yourrelationships with your brothers andsisters. Read “Friends Forever” on page 8for inspiration. Make a plan to invite eachbrother or sister to do something specialjust with you so the two of you can get toknow each other better. The activities youchoose may even be the start of some newfamily traditions or at least some greatfamily memories.

■■ Do you find yourself feelingburdened with the problems of the worldor the simple frustrations you face everyday? Read Q&A on page 24, then write alist of 10 things you can be happy orhopeful about.

Missionary Work■■ For the Strength of Youth, outlining

Church standards, has been updated andrevised. Prayerfully consider giving a copyof the pamphlet to a friend. Ask him orher to join you where you can talk,perhaps over lunch at school or at a localfast-food restaurant for a treat. Familiarizeyourself with the pamphlet ahead of time so you can answer your friend’squestions.

Family Home Evening■■ Help your parents and family

members get involved in the AaronicPriesthood Duty to God or the YoungWomen Personal Progress with you. Askthat one family home evening be devotedto reviewing the books with your parentsand brothers and sisters, and discuss howthe changes will affect you. Decidetogether how your family can help youachieve some of the requirements.

Leadership Tip■■ Since both the Aaronic Priesthood

and Young Women are introducing excitingchanges in the Duty to God and PersonalProgress programs (see page 12), have abrainstorming session on how your classor quorum can get better acquainted withthe new programs. Compile lists of ideasto share with your class at your nextMutual night.

Seminary Devotional■■ Bring a jar, several rocks large

enough to fill the jar, and sand. Show theclass that if you pour the sand in first andthen place the rocks on top, they will notfit. Reverse the order. If you put the rocksin first, then pour the sand in so it fills thelittle spaces between the rocks, it will allfit. Point out that if you put the importantthings like family, Church, and testimony inplace in your life first, then the smallerthings will fit much better.

J A N U A R Y 2 0 0 2 4 9

W E ’ V E G O T M A I L

“I never usedto read anyChurchmagazines,but since Istartedreading theNew Era ithas changedmy life.”

Really showsI love reading the New Era. It’s wonderful

having a magazine written for us youth. Eachtime I read an issue, I find at least one article Ifeel was written just for me. Often I find more.The articles inspire me to be better. They givegood advice and offer words of warning thatoften help. It really shows how very importantwe are to the leaders of the Church, and moreimportantly to our Savior and HeavenlyFather. One of the articles from the April 2001issue that especially hit me was “The CurrantBush” by Elder Hugh B. Brown. I have a hardtime handing over my problems to the Lordand letting Him answer my questions. I guessI forget who the gardener is. Thank you somuch for all the work that is put into themagazine.

Aimee MitchellMelba, Idaho (via e-mail)

Never used toI am 19 and I love to read the New Era. I

never used to read any Church magazines, butsince I started reading the New Era it haschanged my life and has helped meunderstand more about the Church and itsteachings. It has also really helped me withthe preparation for my mission that I am dueto serve very soon. I love reading the beautifulstories and articles in this magazine. So thankyou so much for making a great magazinewhich I can be proud to read every month.

Martin McGinlayLeyland, Lancashire, England (via e-mail)

UpliftingI really enjoy reading the New Era.

Although I’ve only been reading it for abouttwo months, I find it is very uplifting. A lot ofmagazines for youth these days are totallynasty, but I’m glad I have the New Era to read.Thank you for everything and the time thatyou put into the magazine.

Laura M. SmithEast Lyme, Connecticut

Awesome Q&AsThe New Era has been such a positive

influence in my life. Thank you for all the hard

5 0 T H E N E W E R A

work you put into it. When nonmemberfriends ask me hard questions about myreligion, I’ll sometimes give them a copy withthe answer. Thank you for all the Q&As. Theyare awesome.

Debbie FriedmanBeaverton, Oregon (via e-mail)

Giving the right impressionMy 14 year old is an avid reader. She was

hooked on reading romance novels, and herinterest in these books led me to be veryconcerned that my daughter was getting thewrong impression of what a relationshipbetween a man and a woman should be. Thisconcern led to many talks, lectures, and fightsbetween the two of us. After discussing thesituation with my sister-in-law, she asked if Ihad given my daughter a subscription to theNew Era. I was inactive at the time and hadnot thought of this. The next thing I knew, mybrother and sister-in-law had purchased asubscription to the New Era for her. Now ayear later I am not having the same battleswith her over what she reads and I am nolonger so concerned about what she islearning about relationships. She nowunderstands she does not have to settle for anempty, go-nowhere relationship based onsexual attraction. She is no longerdisappointed to be a young woman and nowunderstands the differences between the waythe world and the Lord tells us relationshipsshould be. I contribute this change to themagazine’s layouts and stories on templemarriage and respecting your mate, whetheryou are dating or married. Thank you fordoing what the Lord has asked of you.

Name Withheld (via e-mail)

We love hearing from you. Write us at New EraWe’ve Got Mail50 E. North TempleSalt Lake City, Utah 84150

Or e-mail us at

cur-editorial-newera@ldschurch.org

Submissions may be edited for length and clarity.

P H O T O O F T H E M O N T H

by Derek Israelsen

TIME’S PTIME’S PAAGEGEby Lisa Rae Warner Askham

A page yellowed with timeAnd a white, crisp new one,Both have much to offer:A time past—

and a time just begun.

I can read of days gone by,Reliving history,And then I write of my own lifeAnd what it means to me—

The changing times,The changing ways,How people lived before,To read of their experience,To live in days of yore.

And now, another day revealsA page, all clean and white,My life and time,The way I live,Will linger through whatI write.

J A N U A R Y 2 0 0 2 5 1

40

22

29

41

00

02

22941 Jan 02

“Keep the faith.

Nurture your

testimonies.

Walk in

righteousness,

and the Lord

will bless you

and prosper

you, and you

will be a happy

and wonderful

people.”

See “Just

for You,”

p. 12