THE JUNE 2009 COVER: 14-YEAR-OLD CONCERT PIANIST, P. 46 TO FEEL AND FOLLOW THE SPIRIT, P. 2 ARE YOU A FAN OF MOM AND DAD? P. 10 THE POWER OF FORGIVING, P. 23 ARGUING ABOUT RELIGION, P. 14 The First Presidency: Thomas S. Monson, Questions and Answers 14 Henry B. Eyring, “Some of my Church friends argue with Dieter F. Uchtdorf nonmenber friends over which religion is The Quorum of true. I know contention is wrong, but how the Twelve Apostles: Boyd K. Packer, L. Tom Perry, do I let my friends know how I feel about the Russell M. Nelson, Dallin H. Oaks, M. Russell Ballard, gospel?” Richard G. Scott, Robert D. Hales, Jeffrey R. Holland, David A. Bednar, Quentin L. What One Person Can Do 16 Cook, D. Todd Christofferson, Neil L. Andersen Richard M. Romney A young man in the small country of Editor: Spencer J. Condie Advisers: Gary J. Coleman, Suriname is making a big difference. Kenneth Johnson, Yoshihiko Kikuchi, W. Douglas Shumway Bagging the Promotion 20 Managing Director: David L. Frischknecht Amy Weir Editorial Director: At last, I was being promoted. But Victor D. Cave Graphics Director: would I have to work Allan R. Loyborg on Sundays? Managing Editor: THE MESSAGE: THE 20-MARK NOTE p. 2 Richard M. Romney Assistant Managing Editor: Janet Thomas Associate Editors: The Message : David A. Edwards, Paul VanDenBerghe The 20-Mark Note 2 Publications Assistant: Sally J. Odekirk President Boyd K. Packer Editorial Intern: If you can learn what the Spirit is, Jacob Fullmer Editorial Staff: Susan Barrett, then you never need to be alone. BAGGING THE PROMOTION p. 20 Ryan Carr, Jenifer L. Greenwood, R. Val Johnson, Adam C. Olson, Laurel Teuscher In a Word : Managing Art Director: C h a r i t y 7 What Joseph Smith Taught : M. M. Kawasaki Jesus Christ is the perfect example of charity. Art Director: Brent Christison The Power of Forgiving 23 Senior Designer: Fay P. Andrus “We must be merciful to one another, Design and Production Staff: Collette Nebeker Aune, Eric P. Called to Serve : and overlook small things.” Johnsen, Scott M. Mooy, Jane Elder Neil L. Andersen 8 Ann Peters, Scott Van Kampen Get to know the new Apostle. Printing Director: Craig K. Sedgwick Distribution Director: What about Mom Randy J. Benson and Dad? 10 © 2009 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights Mindy Raye Holmes reserved. Periodicals Postage Paid Here’s some advice on appre- at Salt Lake City, Utah. The New Era (ISSN 0164-5285) is published ciating and talking to your monthly by The Church of Jesus parents. Christ of Latter-day Saints, 50 E. North Temple St., Salt Lake City, UT 84150-3220, USA. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Distribution Services, Church Magazines, P.O. Box 26368, Salt Lake City, UT 84126- 0368, USA. Canada Post Information: Publication Agreement #40017431. WHAT ABOUT MOM AND DAD? p. 10 The New Era Magazine He Will Lift Your Pack 24 MVP: Most Valued Person 42 Volume 39, Number 6 Jeffery A. Moulton J. O. Haroldsen June 2009 My pack seemed to drag until suddenly I thought she hated me. Why would she Official monthly publication for youth of The Church of I felt lighter than air. want to be like me? Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Mormonad : Editorial Offices: New Era Take the Next Step 27 50 E. North Temple St. Rm. 2420 Salt Lake City, UT 84150-0024, Mile-High Perspective 28 USA David A. Edwards E-mail Address: Denver teens talk about standing out. [email protected] To Change Address: Send old and new address The Extra Smile 33 information to: Distribution Services P.O. Box 26368 Maxed Out 34 Salt Lake City, UT 84126-0368, USA. Sean Johnson Please allow 60 days for I didn’t know it was so easy to get changes to take effect. seriously into debt. MVP: MOST VALUED PERSON p. 42 Instant Messages 44 Cover: Fourteen-year-old Don’t be afraid to speak out; my first pianist John Yoo knows bishop’s interview; timely cover up. about developing talents. See “Hearing Heaven,” Hearing Heaven 46 p. 46. Sally Johnson Odekirk Fourteen-year-old concert pianist John Cover photography: Richard M. Romney (front) Yoo talks about developing your talents. and Mindy Raye Holmes (back) NewEra.lds.org 47 TO SUBMIT MATERIAL: We’ve Got Mail 48 To send stories, articles, pho- tos, poems, and ideas, go to newera.lds.org and click Submit Your Material. Or P o e m : write to the Editorial Offices A Walk with My Father 49 address or e-mail above. For return, include a self-ad- Laura A. Austin dressed, stamped envelope. P h o t o 4 9 TO SUBSCRIBE: MAXED OUT p. 34 By phone: Call 1-800-537- Lane V. Erickson 5971 to order using Visa, MasterCard, Discover Card, or American Express. Online: Go to www.ldscata- log.com . By mail: Send $8 U.S. check or money order to What’s Up? 38 Text and visual material in the New Era may be copied for inci- Distribution Services, dental, noncommercial church or home use. Visual material may P.O. Box 26368, Salt Lake City, UT not be copied if restrictions are indicated in the credit line with the To the Point 40 84126-0368, USA. artwork. Copyright questions should be addressed to Intellectual Why baptize at eight; Mom won’t come Property Of ce, 50 E. North Temple St., Salt Lake City, UT 84150, to Church; can standards be too high? USA; e-mail: [email protected] . Visit us online at www. NewEra.lds.org . NEW ERA JUNE 2009 1 The 20-Mark Note BY PRESIDENT BOYD K. PACKER President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles ver 30 years ago I was assigned at midnight. The elders took us to the train with then-Elder Thomas S. Monson station, helped us buy our tickets, and saw Oto organize a servicemen’s stake us aboard the train, which would take from in Europe. We met at Berchtesgaden, about midnight until about 10:00 the next Germany, high in the Bavarian Alps. morning to arrive in Berlin. Originally it was a headquarters built by As the train was pulling out, one young Adolf Hitler in an incomparably beautiful elder said, “Do you have any German money?” place. Seldom has there been on this earth I shook my head no. Why did this young anyone who has duplicated in personality He said, “You better have some,” and, elder hand me a and purpose the adversary quite as much running alongside, pulled from his pocket 20-mark note? If as did Adolf Hitler. I thought that we had a 20-mark note. He handed that to me. you understand come full circle where that had taken place At that time the Iron Curtain was very that, you will on that site, and now we were gathered “iron.” The train stopped at Hof on the understand how there to organize a stake of Zion. border between West Germany and East our lives are really After we had finished setting apart Germany, and the crews were changed. All not our own. They and completing that organization, we of the West German crew members got off are governed. were assigned to go to Berlin for a stake the train, and the East German crew got on conference. We needed to get from the train. Then the train set out across East Berchtesgaden high in the Alps down Germany toward Berlin. to Munich to the airport. The U.S. government had just begun We got to the airport in ample time for our to issue five-year passports. I had a new plane, which was scheduled to leave at about passport, a five-year passport. Before our 10:00 in the morning, but it was fogged in. trip, we went to have my wife’s passport We sat there listening to the announcements renewed, but they sent it back saying that for nearly 12 hours. They kept saying they the three-year passports were honored as thought the fog would clear. It did not clear. a five-year passport. She still had more HORKELSON T That night near 10:00, two missionary than two years left on her passport. GG elders came to the airport. We knew then At about two o’clock in the morning, a ON BY GRE that the planes would not fly. They told us conductor, a military-type soldier, came and I there was a train leaving Munich for Berlin asked for our tickets, and then, noting that ILLUSTRAT 2 The elder who handed me the 20-mark note was David A. Bednar, a young elder serving in the South German Mission, who is now a mem- ber of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. NEW ERA JUNE 2009 3 we were not German, he asked for our passports. I do Our Lives Are Guided not like to give up my passport, especially in unfriendly All of this comes to this point: the elder who handed places. But he took them. I almost never dislike anybody, me the 20-mark note was David A. Bednar, a young elder but I made an exception for him! He was a surly, burly, serving in the South German Mission, who is now a mem- ugly man. ber of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. We spoke no German. In the train compartment, there So why was it that this young elder from San Leandro, were six of us: my wife and a German sitting to the side California, handed me the 20-mark note? If you understand of her and then almost knee to knee in a bench facing us that and understand what life is about, you will understand were three other Germans.