2003 SPECIAL ISSUE: YOUR FAMILY LOTS AND LOTS OF SISTERS, P. 2 6 JOSEPH SMITH’S FAMILY, P. 42 The New Era Magazine Volume 33, Number 6 ets of Ohio June 2003 sisters are An official an example monthly publication SS for youth of of support and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints love. See “Sister The New Era can be found Connection,” on the Internet at www.lds.org. Click on “Gospel Library.” on p. 26. Editorial Offices: New Era, Room 2420 50 E. North Temple Salt Lake City, UT 84150-3220 E-mail address: cur-editorial-newera @ldschurch.org Unsolicited manuscripts are welcomed, but no responsibility is assumed. For return, include self-addressed, stamped envelope. To Subscribe: Send $8.00 U.S. check or money order per year for the New Era to Distribution Services P. O. Box 26368 Salt Lake City, UT 84126-0368 Subscription helpline: 1-800-537-5971. Credit card orders (Visa, Mastercard, American Express) may be taken by phone. Cover: Kelley Smith and Ashley Greathouse of Columbus, Ohio, are sisters in the gospel. See “Sister Connection” on p. 26. Cover photography: Janet Thomas (front) and Christina Smith (back) 7 Plan Now 24 for Then What a Brother 2 C ONTENTS The First Presidency: Gordon B. Hinckley, Thomas S. Monson, James E. Faust Quorum of the Twelve: Boyd K. Packer, L. Tom Perry, David B. Haight, Neal A. Words of the Prophet: Sister Connection 26 Maxwell, Russell M. Nelson, Your Family 4 Janet Thomas Dallin H. Oaks, M. Russell Ballard, Joseph B. Wirthlin, President Gordon B. Hinckley Sisters in Columbus, Ohio, reveal the Richard G. Scott, Robert D. The greatest joys of life are secrets of staying close. Hales, Jeffrey R. Holland, Henry B. Eyring found in happy family relationships. Editor: Of All Things 32 Dennis B. Neuenschwander Idea List: Advisers: J. Kent Jolley, W. Rolfe Kerr, Stephen A. West Plan Now for Then 7 Message on a Bottle 34 Managing Director: David Frischknecht Kristi McLane Elder Ronald L. Loveland Editorial Director: Here are some tips for getting your A mother’s love is the best message. Victor D. Cave Graphics Director: own family tree off to a great start. Allan R. Loyborg Ask Yourself 36 Managing Editor: My Fathers 8 How do you feel about your family? Richard M. Romney Assistant Managing Editors: Rosemarie Deppe Here are a few questions to ask yourself. Vivian Paulsen, I found great father figures in my Marvin K. Gardner Editorial Staff: ward and stake. The Extra Smile 39 Collette Nebeker Aune, Arianne B. Cope, Susan Barrett, Caroline Benzley, Ryan Carr, Shanna All I Asked For 11 Tagalong 40 Ghaznavi, Jenifer L. Greenwood, Carrie Kasten, Melynn Minson, Becca Aisen BreighAn Olsen Sally J. Odekirk, Adam C. Olson, I needed to know that I was loved. Spending time with a pesky little sister Roger Terry, Janet Thomas turned out better than expected. Managing Art Director: M. M. Kawasaki Our Greatest Happiness 12 Art Director: Scott Van Kampen Every modern-day prophet has Joseph’s Family 42 Design and Production Staff: Fay P. Andrus, Brent Christison, taught the importance of families. Elder M. Russell Ballard Colleen Hinckley, Randall Pixton Joseph Smith’s family was supportive Marketing Manager: Q&A: and loving to the boy prophet. Larry Hiller Printing Director: Kay W. Briggs Questions and Answers 16 Distribution Director: My brother isolates himself from the Another Mother 46 Kris T Christensen rest of the family. He spends most of Tracie Hohl © 2003 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights his time with friends, and he never Both mothers were great blessings to me. reserved. Periodicals Postage goes to church with us. How can I Paid at Salt Lake City, Utah, and at additional mailing offices. reach out to him? What’s in It for You 49 The New Era (ISSN 0164-5285) is published monthly by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter- New Era Poster: We’ve Got Mail 50 day Saints, 50 East North Temple Street, Salt Lake City, UT Home Security 19 84150-3225. Poem: To change address: Sixty days’ Spanning the Generations 20 End of a Day 51 notice required. Include old Shanna Ghaznavi Margot Glassett address as well as new. Stephanie Spann relies on her grand- POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Distribution parents to learn about her heritage. Photo of the Month 51 Services, Church Magazines, P.O. Box 26368, Christian Schluchter Salt Lake City, UT 84126-0368 What a Brother 24 USA. Mamie Hunsaker Hammer Everything in the New Era may be copied Canada Post Information: My bothersome brother became for incidental, noncommercial Church or Publication Agreement #40017431. one of my closest friends. home use unless otherwise indicated. Other uses require permission of the copyright owner. NEW ERA JUNE 2003 3 W ORDS OF THE P ROPHET YYOOUURR F M L FHereAA are the spiritualM blueprintsII forL a happyYY home. We have learning to gain, work to do, BY PRESIDENT GORDON B. HINCKLEY service to give. We are here with a marvelous inheritance, a divine endow- ment. How different this world would be if ou will know no greater every person realized that all of his actions happiness than that found in your have eternal consequences. How much home (from Ensign, May 1998, 51). more satisfying our years may be if in YY our accumulation of knowledge, in our The greatest joys of life are experienced relationships with others, in our business in happy family relationships. The most resident affairs, in our courtship and marriage, poignant of sorrows, the most bleak and Gordon B. and in our family rearing, we recognize forlorn feelings of misery come of unhappy P Hinckley that we form each day the stuff of which family life (from Ensign, Aug. 1992, 5). teachesP us how eternity is made (from Ensign, Jan. 1994, 4). to strengthen our The Stuff of Which Eternity Is Made families and Strengthen the Family You’re in Now The family is divine. It was instituted by our increase our Let us continually work to strengthen Heavenly Father. It encompasses the most happiness at home. our families. Let us not take one sacred of all relationships. Only through its another for granted, but let us constantly organization can the purposes of the Lord be work to nurture a spirit of love and respect fulfilled (from Ensign, Jan. 1994, 5). for each other. We must guard against 4 ILLUSTRATED BY DILLEEN MARSH faultfinding, anger, and disrespect children. This, more than soft one for another (from Ensign, May carpets, more than lovely draperies, 1999, 88–89). more than cleverly balanced color If we would look for the virtues in schemes, is the thing that will make one another and not the vices, there for better and more beautiful homes would be much more of happiness (from Ensign, Feb. 1991, 2). in the homes of our people. There In such a home, parents are loved would be far less of divorce, much and not dreaded; they are appreci- less of infidelity, much less of anger ated and not feared. And children and rancor and quarreling. There are regarded as gifts of the Lord, to would be more of forgiveness, more be cared for, nurtured, encouraged, of love, more of peace, more of and directed. happiness. This is as the Lord would There may be an occasional have it (from Ensign, May 1998, 51). disagreement; there may be small quarrels. But if there is prayer in the Pray Together to Stay Together family, and love, and consideration, I feel satisfied that there is no there will be a residue of affection adequate substitute for the morning that will bind forever and a loyalty and evening practice of kneeling that will always guide (from Ensign, together—father, mother, and Jan. 1994, 5). NEW ERA JUNE 2003 5 Aim for a Temple Marriage A Strong Family Is Worth the Work Every normal young man desires a wife. Every normal I believe in the family where there is a husband who young woman desires a husband. Be worthy of the mate regards his companion as his greatest asset and treats you choose. Respect him or her. Give encouragement her accordingly; where there is a wife who looks upon to him or her. Love your companion with all your heart. her husband as her anchor and strength, her comfort and This will be the most important decision of your life, security; where there are children who look to mother the individual whom you marry. and father with respect and gratitude; where there are There is no substitute for marrying in the temple. It is parents who look upon those children as blessings and the only place under the heavens where marriage can be find a great and serious and wonderful challenge in their solemnized for eternity. Don’t cheat yourself. Don’t cheat nurture and rearing. The cultivation of such a home your companion. Don’t shortchange your lives. Marry the requires effort and energy, forgiveness and patience, right person in the right place at the right time. love and endurance and sacrifice; but it is worth all of Choose a companion of your own faith. You are much these and more (from Ensign, Aug. 1992, 5–6). more likely to be happy. Choose a companion you can When all is said and done, this is what the gospel always honor, you can always respect, one who will is about. The family is a creation of God. It is the basic complement you in your own life, one to whom you can creation. The way to strengthen the nation is to give your entire heart, your entire love, your entire strengthen the homes of the people (from Ensign, allegiance, your entire loyalty (from Ensign, Feb.