We loved this contest. It has been wonderful reading the stories people sent us, sharing the finalists, and seeing people’s reactions to these writers and their work.
Thank you to the writers, the translators, the readers, and the voters who made this such a great experience. Thanks, especially, to those who shared these stories with friends and encouraged them to help us choose a winner. It was wonderful to see so many people from around the world voting.
We have two $100 awards to give. The Grand Prize goes to the piece with the most votes from readers. We also have a Judges’ Choice Award to recognize great writing in other pieces. Grand Prize
After counting all the votes, the top stories were:
5. “Victor” by David Hurtado
4. “La Muralla del Tiempo” (“The Wall of Time“) by Camila Andrea Fernández
3. “Duas Missões” (“Two Missions”) by Andreza Castro
2. “O Amigo Secreto” (“The Secret Friend”) by Amanda Araújo de Castro
and the winner is….
1. “Um Domingo na Laginha” (“A Sunday at Laginha”) by César Augusto Medina Fortes
Congratulations!
Judges’ Awards
As judges, we also wanted to recognize three pieces for their contributions to the contest.
Honorable Mention: “Anexo documental I” (“Documentary Appendix 1”) by Gabriel González Núñez Judges’ Statement: The Doctrine and Covenants teaches us that God gives us eternal truths in ways that reflect our own language and understanding. In this alternate history, Gabriel González Núñez uses striking imagery to help us to reach toward the eternal in the restoration by imagining the same truths unfolding in a different time and place. A vital contribution to Mormon literature–and the Mormon imagination.
Honorable Mention: 「創造教室」 (“The Creation Workshop”) by Mitsushige Takaki Judges’ Statement: Mitsushige Takaki’s “Creation Workshop” stood out to us for receiving an even amount of votes from each language votes were cast in. By helping us imagine how our different personalities in the premortal existence might be reflected in the beautiful diversity of the natural world, Takaki gave us a story that resonated around the world and gave voice to the contest’s theme.
Judges’ Award Winner: “TIEMPO una partícula” (“TIME a particle”) by Citlalli H. Xochitiotzin Judges’ Statement: Christ’s Atonement is beyond the scope of human imagination, but Citlalli H. Xochitiotzin uses lyrical language to help us draw closer to this most vital of all moments. We feel nature cry out, sense time collapsing around its meridian, see the tendrils of empathy extending through centuries and around the world from a central point in the Garden before being snapped back into the moment, locked once again into the rhythm of each step as events fall forward toward Golgotha.
Reminder: Next Chance to Submit
If you enjoyed this contest, we’d love for you to submit to, or encourage others to submit to, our next contest, the 8th Annual Mormon Lit Blitz. Stories, essays, poems or other written works under 1,000 words are welcome. Email up to three entries to everydaymormonwriter@gmail.com.
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