Comment

Elder S. Dilworth Young of the First Council of the Seventy thought readers might enjoy this view of the Munich Area General Conference. We think so, too.

The Munich Conference

I want to take this opportunity to commend you on such a wonderful family magazine, which teaches the Saints on how to live their daily lives. The Holy Spirit has guided me, and the true gospel has helped me as the mother of six children. I want to share the gospel message with everyone; it is what will hold the people “fast when the going gets rough.” Thank you again for a magazine that has helped us. I always feel closer to the Savior when I read the standard works and the Ensign.

Carole Grossman
Greenville, Pennsylvania

May I take this opportunity to say a very special thank-you to you and your staff for all the dedication and inspiration that go into publishing this magnificent magazine. I deeply regret that I did not receive it for over a year, and oh, how I missed it!

I never realized just how difficult it was to part with an Ensign until this evening. I had promised a friend (nonmember) a copy of the Ensign, and it was only when I tried to choose which one to give my friend that I found it so difficult. I did not want to part with any of them. I was shocked at myself and decided to give her the March issue. I know she will love it, and I pray that the Lord may touch her heart with the Holy Spirit so she may see the truthfulness of the gospel and receive this great blessing and happiness.

The first article I turn to is the “First Presidency Message.” I use some articles for our family home evening. I was so touched by the article in the April issue “And Jesus Wept.” One cannot pick out a favorite article, because all of them are uplifting and inspiring.

Mary A. Cosgrove
Glasgow, Scotland

To a searching Protestant Christian the Ensign is a delight! It is neat and well-organized, the artwork is in excellent taste, and the articles are varied enough to have something for everyone. Your emphasis on the importance of scripture study is especially appreciated. I hope you are aware of the excellent missionary tool you have in your Church magazines.

I want to thank you most especially for the October issue of the Ensign—it was outstanding. “The Making of the Old Testament” and “An Overview of History: Moses to Malachi” together were especially good and answered a question I have had for some time concerning the Melchizedek priesthood and the gospel of Jesus Christ (or seeming lack of them, rather) in the Old Testament. This is the first time I have seen it clearly explained in context of the Old Testament record as we have it today.

J. McVey
Atlanta, Georgia

Last month I had a friend come and tell me how great the October issue was. … then another friend called, enforcing same. I didn’t receive mine and kept looking and looking. The children often bring the mail in and so I started to go through the house. Well, I became more frantic every day … and none of my friends would allow me to borrow their copy. I am the Gospel Doctrine teacher and even my pleading that I needed to see a copy for my class would not impel them to let me borrow theirs.

Our older boy had been deer hunting and the day before he was due back, I began cleaning up his side of the bedroom. Lo and behold, he’d stuck it under the side of the bed where he’d apparently been reading it before going hunting. Never have I been more grateful to find anything. I had to make many calls to friends and the Church librarian (she was going to lend me the library’s copy) and let them know I had my copy.

Yvonne Rempp
Yerington, Nevada

I was very much taken by your article “The Shepherd’s Flock” [April, p. 6]. I would like to point out that those pictured in the article were in fact Semitic, although the artist’s conception would lead one to believe otherwise. We should take care to see that pictures are consistent with historical fact, rather than models of what we consider to be ideal stereotypes of Christian love and virtue. That these personalities in the ancient church are felt to be characterized better by Anglo-Saxon movie types than by Semitics, which would better reflect their true physical characteristics, may be perceived as indicative of an orientation in the Church and western civilization. It is especially interesting to note that the picture of Judas is the only one to accurately reveal any of the Semitic features that they all no doubt had.

Richard Bookstaber
Provo, Utah

We are twins serving in the Korea Mission and decided to write and thank you for your top-grade work. Over here in the land of the morning calm, we have a mission goal of placing two subscriptions to one of the Church magazines each month. Of all the mission goals, this one is the most enjoyable to keep. We love to place your fine magazines in homes of Korean families and then hear from them how much they appreciate it, especially the General Authorities’ words. We have also found great success in placing the magazine in banks and doctor’s offices. We know of several occasions in which people were led to investigate the Church through this method. Please keep up the good work and know that you are making many friends for the Church.

Elders Wayne and Orrin Joakero
Korea Mission

My time in the Navy is almost up now and I wanted to write and thank you and your staff for a year and a half of good reading. I’m the only member of the Church on my destroyer and the Ensign has always been a help in keeping my spiritual side up when there’s been no other contact with the Church.

Last summer and fall we were on a North Atlantic cruise, and right now we’re deployed to the Mediterranean Sea with the Sixth fleet. Because of the Mideast war, we’ve spent a lot of time at sea. But last mail call my August Ensign was there. It got wet somehow when it rode from the oiler to our ship on the highline, but it was sure good to have it. It was very timely.

Lloyd Kartchner