FOR YOUTH OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS THE DECEMBER 2010 COVER STORY: THE SEASON OF CARING, P. 2 SINGING PRAISE IN SOUTH AFRICA, P. 16 BOOK OF MORMON CHRISTMAS, P. 24 GIFTS TO SAMOA, P. 28 HOW MUCH IS ENOUGH? P. 34 In Tune: The First Presidency: Thomas S. Monson, Christmas Comes Again 8 Henry B. Eyring, Don Staheli and Jim Kasen Dieter F. Uchtdorf The Quorum of the Twelve Apostles: The Gift I Didn’t Want 10 Boyd K. Packer, L. Tom Perry, Chad Morris Russell M. Nelson, Dallin H. Oaks, M. Russell Ballard, I didn’t much like my Christmas present, but Richard G. Scott, Robert D. Hales, Jeffrey R. Holland, it eventually became precious to me. David A. Bednar, Quentin L. Cook, D. Todd Christofferson, Neil L. Andersen Line upon Line: Editor: Paul B. Pieper Luke 2:8–14 13 Advisers: Stanley G. Ellis, Christoffel Golden Jr., Yoshihiko Kikuchi Questions and Answers 14 “I have a hard time motivating myself to read Managing Director: David L. Frischknecht the scriptures. How can I find the motiva- Evaluation, Planning, and Editorial Director: tion?” Vincent A. Vaughn Graphics Director: THE SPIRIT WE FEEL AT Allan R. Loyborg CHRISTMASTIME p. 2 Sing Praise to Him 16 Managing Editor: Richard M. Romney Richard M. Romney South African youth worship the Lord Assistant Managing Editor: Janet Thomas The Message: through song. Associate Editors: David A. Edwards, The Spirit We Feel at Christmastime 2 Paul VanDenBerghe President Thomas S. Monson The Best Present 22 Publications Assistant: Sally J. Odekirk The Savior gave freely to all. And His gifts Ailson Sales Editorial Intern: Charlotte Wood Wilson were of value beyond measure. One family in Brazil works hard to save their Editorial Staff: Susan Barrett, Christmas, but a stranger blesses them with Ryan Carr, Jenifer L. Greenwood, R. Val Johnson, Adam C. Olson, Mormonad: a gift. Laurel Teuscher Love’s Pure Light 5 Art Director: Brent Christison Christmas in the New World 24 Senior Designer: Fay P. Andrus Design and Production Staff: How I Know: Wendy Kenney Collette Nebeker Aune, Eric P. The birth of Christ was signaled by a day, a Johnsen, Scott M. Mooy, Jane Like Sweet Milk 6 Ann Peters, Scott Van Kampen Yolanda Morales Posadas night, and a day of light in the new world. Prepress: Byron Warner Accepting the gospel became like drinking Printing Director: Craig K. Sedgwick sweetened milk to her. Distribution Director: Evan Larsen © 2010 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved. Periodicals Postage Paid at Salt Lake City, Utah. The New Era (ISSN 0164-5285) is published monthly by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 50 E. North Temple St., Salt Lake City, UT 84150-3220, USA. POSTMASTER: Send address Text and visual material in changes to Distribution Services, the New Era may be copied for Church Magazines, P.O. Box incidental, noncommercial 26368, Salt Lake City, UT 84126- church or home use. Visual 0368, USA. material may not be copied if Canada Post Information: restrictions are indicated in the Publication Agreement #40017431. credit line with the artwork. Copyright questions should be addressed to Intellectual Property Office, 50 E. North THE GIFT I DIDn’T Temple St., Salt Lake City, WANT p. 10 UT 84150, USA; e-mail cor- intellectualproperty@ldschurch. org. New Era To Samoa with Love 28 The New Era Magazine Nathan Covarrubias Volume 40, Number 12 One young man in Ari- December 2010 zona organizes a service Official monthly publication for youth of The Church of project for tsunami survivors Jesus Christ of Latter-day CHRISTMAS WITH THE Saints in Samoa. PIONEERS p. 40 Editorial Offices: New Era The Extra Smile 31 50 E. North Temple St. The Last Carol 44 Rm. 2420 Salt Lake City, UT 84150-0024, Gospel Classics: Amy Rhoads USA The Story That Is Ever New 32 A simple request for a song resulted in a E-mail Address: President Heber J. Grant (1856–1945) small miracle for our group. [email protected] The story of Jesus Christ is a story of old that To Change Address: Send old and new address ever remains new. Instant Messages 46 information to: Resisting Satan; testifying of Christ; never a Distribution Services P.O. Box 26368 Enough Stuff 34 better Christmas. Salt Lake City, UT 84126-0368, USA. David A. Edwards Please allow 60 days for When does having stuff become too much? We’ve Got Mail 48 changes to take effect. What’s Up? 38 Poem: Quest for the Best 49 Christmas with the Pioneers 40 Kathryn May Chapman Susan Arrington Madsen Christmas in pioneer times was a time for Photo 49 Craig Dimond Cover: Christmas is a small gifts and thoughtful memories. season of remembering and caring. See “The CHRISTMAS IN THE NEW WORLD p. 24 Spirit We Feel at Christ- mastime,” p. 2. Cover art: Be It unto Me, by Liz Lemon Swindle TO SUBMIT MATERIAL: Send stories, articles, photos, poems, and ideas online at newera.lds.org. Click Submit Your Material, and fill in the form. Or e-mail or mail them to the Editorial Offices address above. For return, include a self-addressed, stamped envelope. TO SUBSCRIBE: By phone: Call 1-800-537- 5971 to order using Visa, MasterCard, Discover Card, or American Express. Online: Go to store.lds.org. By mail: Send $8 U.S. check or money order to Distribution Services, P.O. Box 26368, Salt Lake City, UT 84126-0368, USA. Visit us online at www.NewEra.lds.org. December 2010 1 The SPIRIT The Christmases we remember best gen- erally have little to do with worldly goods, but a lot to do with families, with love, and with compassion and caring. 2 New Era THE MESSAGE We Feel at Christmastime ecently as I have reminisced concern- it aboard. ing past Christmases I’ve realized that Gate 67 in Atlanta was a microcosm of the Rprobably no other time of the year whole cavernous airport. Scarcely more than yields as many poignant memories as does a glassed-in cubicle, it was jammed with trav- Christmas. The Christmases we remember elers hoping to fly to New Orleans, Dallas, best generally have little to do with worldly and points west. Except for the fortunate few goods, but a lot to do with families, with traveling in pairs, there was little conversation love, and with compassion and caring. at gate 67. A salesman stared absently into Many years ago I read of an experience space as if resigned. A young mother cradled at Christmastime which took place when an infant in her arms, gently rocking in a vain By President thousands of weary travelers were stranded effort to sooth the soft whimpering. Thomas S. Monson in the congested Atlanta, Georgia, airport. 1 Then there was a man in a finely-tailored An ice storm had seriously delayed air travel gray flannel suit, who somehow seemed as these people were trying to get wherever impervious to the collective suffering. There they most wanted to be for Christmas—most was a certain indifference about his manner. likely home. He was absorbed in paperwork: figuring the It happened in December of 1970. As the year-end corporate profits perhaps. A nerve- midnight hour tolled, unhappy passengers frayed traveler sitting nearby observing this clustered around the ticket counters confer- busy man might have indentified him as an ring anxiously with agents whose cheerful- Ebenezer Scrooge. ness had long since evaporated. They too Suddenly the relative silence was broken wanted to be home. A few people managed by a commotion. A young man in military to doze in uncomfortable seats. Others gath- uniform, no more than 19 years old, was ered at the newsstands to thumb silently in animated conversation with the desk through paperback books. If there was a agent. The boy held a low-priority ticket. He common bond among this diverse throng it pleaded with the agent to help him get to was loneliness: pervasive, inescapable, New Orleans so that he could take the bus to suffocating loneliness. the obscure Louisiana village he called home. M The fact of the matter was that there The agent wearily told him that prospects were more passengers than there were were poor for the next 24 hours, maybe CHAEL MAL I available seats on any of the planes. When longer. The boy grew frantic. Immediately ON BY M I an occasional plane managed to break out, after Christmas, his unit was to be sent more passengers stayed behind than made to Vietnam—where at that time war was ILLUSTRAT December 2010 3 raging—and if he didn’t make this flight, he The lights of the departing plane blinked might never again spend Christmas at home. starlike as the craft moved off into the dark- Even the businessman looked up from his ness. The infant slept silently, now in the lap cryptic computations to show a guarded of the young mother. Perhaps another flight interest. The agent clearly was moved, even would be leaving before many more hours. a bit embarrassed. But he could only offer But those who witnessed the interchange sympathy, not hope. The boy stood at the were less impatient. The glow lingered gen- departure desk casting anxious looks around tly, pervasively in that small glass and plastic the crowded room, as if seeking just one stable at gate 67. friendly face. My brothers and sisters, finding the real The Savior gave freely Finally the agent announced that the flight joy of the season comes not in the hurrying to all. And His gifts was ready for boarding.