YOUTH MAGAZINE OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS JANUARY 2017 THENew Era 2017 MUTUAL THEME: James 1:5–6 pp. 10–23 IVING T SURV HE MUDSLIDES, SOCIAL DEVILISH LIES COMEFOLLOW ME CHAINSAWS, AND MEDIA 7 AND HOW TO THEME HELPING HANDS HIGHLIGHT REEL STAY WISE pp. 2, 44, 49 p. 26 p. 36 p. 38 The First Presidency: Thomas S. Monson, Henry B. Eyring, Dieter F. Uchtdorf The Quorum of the Twelve Apostles: Russell M. Nelson, Dallin H. Oaks, M. Russell Ballard, FROM THIS ISSUE Robert D. Hales, Jeffrey R. Holland, David A. Bednar, SNIPPETS Quentin L. Cook, D. Todd Christofferson, Neil L. Andersen, Ronald A. Rasband, Gary E. Stevenson, Dale G. Renlund When you feel like you shouldn’t pray, that’s Editor: Joseph W. Sitati Assistant Editors: Randall K. Bennett, Carol F. McConkie —page when you really need to pray. Advisers: Brian K. Ashton, Jean B. Bingham, LeGrand R. Curtis Jr., Christoffel Golden, Douglas D. 11 • Sometimes all it takes is a bowed head, Holmes, Erich W. Kopischke, Larry R. Lawrence, Carole M. Stephens folded arms, and a few simple and sincere words. Managing Director: David V. Clare Director of Church Magazines: Allan R. Loyborg Business Manager: Garff Cannon —page 20 • This time we aren’t running Managing Editor: Brittany Beattie Assistant Managing Editor: Joshua J. Perkey away from a hurricane—we’re going Publications Assistant: Sally Johnson Odekirk Writing and Editing: Bethany Bartholomew, Ryan toward its aftermath. —page 28 • Carr, David Dickson, David A. Edwards, Matthew Flit- The plan of ton, Charlotte Larcabal, Michael R. Morris, Richard M. Romney, Mindy Anne Selu salvation—the flow chart I’d been taught Editorial Intern: Hadley Griggs Managing Art Director: J. Scott Knudsen since Primary—was real. —page 31 • Three Art Director: Jeanette Andrews Design: Fay P. Andrus, Mandie Bentley, Rachel Smith, or four times a day, day after day, the drill K. 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New Era WHAT’S INSIDE THE MONTHLY YOUTH MAGAZINE OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS January 2017 • Volume 47 • Number 1 FEATURES 2 Morning and Evening Prayers Prayer becomes more mean- ingful as we counsel with the Lord in all of our doings. Elder David A. Bednar 5–6 32 James 1: 24 Capture Your Life One Day at a Time 32 Sabbath Day Technology: Your journal can be easier Distraction or Delight? to keep—and less boring— Get some ideas on proper than you think. uses of technology on the Sabbath. 34 Celestial Moments A young woman describes the spiritual moments that have meant so much. 2017 MUTUAL THEME 35 The Breaking Point In military training, some 10 2017 Mutual Theme 20 5 Promises of Prayer onetime tempters be- A Q&A with the Young Check out these bless- 26 came allies. Men and Young Women ings that are promised General Presidents. if you pray. 26 Helping Hands after 36 Surviving the Social the Storm Media Highlight Reel 14 Ask of God 22 5 Questions to Ask When A young man from Florida, Get ideas for navigating Sheet music for the Mutual Prayers Feel Unanswered USA, describes the hurri- the social media theme song. If you aren’t getting cane cleanup. landscape. answers, try asking yourself 18 I Didn’t Feel Worthy to Pray some questions. 30 When the Plan Became Real 38 Seven Lies Satan Wants When family problems, a For a young woman facing You to Believe new school, and unanswered loss, the plan of salvation He’s miserable, and he wants prayers brought depair, one was more than a flow chart. you to be miserable too. young woman found hope. PLUS . 6 FOR THE STRENGTH OF YOUTH 8 FHE OBJECT LESSON 13 MUTUAL THEME POSTER 17 LINE UPON LINE 41 TO THE POINT 42 QUESTIONS & ANSWERS 44 COME, FOLLOW ME CARDS 45 THE EXTRA SMILE COME, FOLLOW ME THEME: The Godhead, pp. 2, 44, 49 46 INSTANT MESSAGES 46 48 FROM CHURCH LEADERS 49 POSTER 1 “When thou risest in the morning let thy heart be full of thanks unto God.” —Alma 37:37 2 New Era THE MESSAGE By Elder David A. Bednar Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles Morning and Evening PRAYERS Prayer becomes more meaningful as we counsel with the Lord in all our doings (see Alma 37:37). he patterns used by God in creating the earth are instructive in helping us understand how to make prayer meaningful. In the third chapter of the book of Moses we learn that all things were created spiritually before they were naturally upon the earth. T“And now, behold, I say unto you, that these are the generations of the heaven and of the earth, when they were created, in the day that I, the Lord God, made the heaven and the earth, “And every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew. For I, the Lord God, created all things, of which I have spoken, spiritu- ally, before they were naturally upon the face of the earth” (Moses 3:4–5). We learn from these verses that the spiritual creation preceded the temporal cre- ation. In a similar way, meaningful morning prayer is an important element in the spiritual creation of each day—and precedes the temporal creation or the actual exe- cution of the day. Just as the temporal creation was linked to and a continuation of the spiritual creation, so meaningful morning and evening prayers are linked to and PHOTO ILLUSTRATIONS BY JANAE BINGHAM JANAE BY ILLUSTRATIONS PHOTO are a continuation of each other. January 2017 3 Consider this example. There may be things in our char- Thus our evening prayer builds upon and is a continuation acter, in our behavior, or concerning our spiritual growth of our morning prayer. And our evening prayer also is a about which we need to counsel with Heavenly Father preparation for meaningful morning prayer. in morning prayer. After expressing appropriate thanks Morning and evening prayers—and all of the prayers for blessings received, we plead for understanding, direc- in between—are not unrelated, discrete events; rather, tion, and help to do the things we cannot do in our own they are linked together each day and across days, weeks, strength alone. For example, as we pray, we might: months, and even years. This is in part how we fulfill the scriptural admonition to “pray always” (Luke 21:36; 3 Nephi • Reflect on those occasions when we have spoken 18:15, 18; D&C 31:12). Such meaningful prayers are instru- harshly or inappropriately to those we love the most. mental in obtaining the highest blessings God holds in • Recognize that we know better than this, but we do not store for His faithful children.