Emma: Woman of Faith


Anita Stansfield - 2008
    . . . More than three decades had passed since she'd lost her precious Joseph. She had learned to live without him . . . but nothing had ever felt right without him. . . . “Joseph,” she whispered into the breeze as she lovingly fingered the worn gold beads encircling her throat, a gift from Joseph, one of the few tangible remnants of his love for her. In this triumphant tribute, well-loved LDS author Anita Stansfield conveys Emma Smith's greatness of spirit; her undying love for and loyalty to Joseph; her remarkable compassion, courage, and dignity; and her unwavering testimony of the Savior. Joyful and poignant, insightful and moving, intense and reverent, this thoroughly researched fictional narrative paints an intimate portrait of the Lord's “elect lady” through a love story that transcends time and embraces eternity.

I saw the Lord: Joseph's First Vision Combines from Nine Accounts


Kerry Muhlestein - 2020
    Yet, because the details of the vision are spread over nine different accounts that vary in emphasis and some finer points, many people do not know all they could about this remarkable and world-changing experience.Kerry Muhlestein, professor of Ancient Scripture at Brigham Young University, presents a faithful, harmonized version of the First Vision story to show how each of the various accounts might share select aspects of the vision yet all be consistent with the actual event experienced by Jospeh Smith. As the Prophet recorded or shared his remarkable vision, he emphasized different details depending on the audience and circumstances at the time. All nine accounts—four firsthand and five secondhand—are combined into one compelling story in this retelling of Joseph Smith's incomparable vision. Also included are the original accounts in their entirety so that readers can feel for themselves the powerful witness of the Prophet Joseph Smith. Strengthen your testimony of this singular, foundational event that would lead to the Restoration of Christ's Church upon the earth.

The Standard of Truth: 1815–1846


The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints - 2018
    Three years later, an angel guides him to an ancient record buried in a hill near his home. With God’s help, he translates the record and organizes the Savior’s church in the latter days. Soon others join him, accepting the invitation to become Saints through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. But opposition and violence follow those who defy old traditions to embrace restored truths. The women and men who join the church must choose whether or not they will stay true to their covenants, establish Zion, and proclaim the gospel to a troubled world. The Standard of Truth is the first book in Saints, a new, four-volume narrative history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Fast-paced, meticulously researched, Saints recounts true stories of Latter-day Saints across the globe and answers the Lord’s call to write history “for the good of the church, and for the rising generations” (Doctrine and Covenants 69:8).

House on the Hill


Annette Lyon - 2005
    Then one night, tragedy strikes Lizzy's family when their rural home burns down. Financially unable to rebuild, the Sullivans must find another place to live—and Lizzy must leave her lifelong friend Joshua behind.When a family in Logan invites the Sullivans to share their home, Lizzy's father begins work as a mason on the Logan temple. Against her mother's wishes, Lizzy begins a relationship and falls in love with Abe, a young man who is not a member of the Church. Little does Lizzy realize that she will be forced to choose between Abe and Joshua, two good men. What does she truly want in her life?House on the Hill, by best-selling author Annette Lyon, will sweep you back in time to a faithful community where life was simpler than it is today, but matters of the heart were every bit as complex.

In the Hands of the Lord: The Life of Dallin H. Oaks


Richard E. Turley Jr. - 2021
    

The Porter Rockwell Chronicles: Vol. 1


Richard Lloyd Dewey - 1999
    A strong story holds reader interest and history comes alive for adults and teens alike. Volume 1 begins with his childhood years in New York where he becomes best friends with the future Mormon prophet Joseph Smith. The story continues through Porters settlement with the Mormons in Missouri, where he fights against mobs. See the engaging yet humorous courtship with a young woman he meets and is determined to marry. Porter proves himself in friendship and loyalty to the prophet. As a teen, he also becomes the protector of his neighbors from anti-Mormon mobs. Dynamite initial volume of the series is historical fiction at its best accurate, engrossing, and full of adventure and humor. First printing sold out in only 8 days. Now in 4th printing (Hardcover)

The Book of Longings


Sue Monk Kidd - 2020
    I was the wife of Jesus.” Raised in a wealthy family in Sepphoris with ties to the ruler of Galilee, Ana is rebellious and ambitious, a relentless seeker with a brilliant, curious mind and a daring spirit. She yearns for a pursuit worthy of her life, but finds no outlet for her considerable talents. Defying the expectations placed on women, she engages in furtive scholarly pursuits and writes secret narratives about neglected and silenced women. When she meets the eighteen-year-old Jesus, each is drawn to and enriched by the other’s spiritual and philosophical ideas. He becomes a floodgate for her intellect, but also the awakener of her heart.Their marriage unfolds with love and conflict, humor and pathos in Nazareth, where Ana makes a home with Jesus, his brothers, James and Simon, and their mother, Mary. Here, Ana’s pent-up longings intensify amid the turbulent resistance to the Roman occupation of Israel, partially led by her charismatic adopted brother, Judas. She is sustained by her indomitable aunt Yaltha, who is searching for her long-lost daughter, as well as by other women, including her friend Tabitha, who is sold into slavery after she was raped, and Phasaelis, the shrewd wife of Herod Antipas. Ana’s impetuous streak occasionally invites danger. When one such foray forces her to flee Nazareth for her safety shortly before Jesus’s public ministry begins, she makes her way with Yaltha to Alexandria, where she eventually finds refuge and purpose in unexpected surroundings.Grounded in meticulous historical research and written with a reverential approach to Jesus’s life that focuses on his humanity, The Book of Longings is an inspiring account of one woman’s bold struggle to realize the passion and potential inside her, while living in a time, place, and culture devised to silence her.

Of Goodly Parents


H.B. Moore - 2004
    A deeply divided family led by Lehi and his son Nephi leaves the ancient city of Jerusalem and flees into the Arabian wilderness to make their long journey towards a promised land.

Glorious Truths about Mother Eve


Susan Easton Black - 2018
    She partook of the forbidden fruit, persuading Adam to do likewise. Was she a temptress? Did she introduce evil into the world? When scrutiny regarding Eve’s actions in the Garden of Eden takes on a negative tone, we can turn to truths to put Eve in the right light. Glorious Truths about Mother Eve addresses many questions about her and her story by exploring the hidden depths of the Genesis, Moses, and Abraham accounts of the Fall of Adam and the teachings of Latter-day prophets on the role of Eve in the garden and in mortality. Learn how these sacred truths challenge traditional religious scholarship, and rejoice with gospel scholar Susan Easton Black in the revelations that clarify Eve’s noble role as matriarch of the human race in the Lord’s plan.

Eyes Like Mine


Julie Wright - 2009
    And even though the rest of the wagon company has decided they must continue on to Zion, Constance Brown refuses to go any further until she finds her husband. All she can think about is the last time she saw him#151;he lovingly touched her face and then sang their baby girl to sleep. Will that memory be all Constance has to hold on to? In a future time and place, Liz King is a teenager struggling with her identity in the modern world. The embarrassment she feels because of her parents' divorce and her family's newfound financial problems turns to bitterness. Through an inexplicable twist of fate, Constance and Liz are brought face to face. Liz recognizes Constance's name from her mother's endless lectures on their family history, and she also recognizes her eyes#151;they are exactly like her own. Were these distant relatives brought together in order to help each other? Will Constance be able to return to her own life and find William, and will Liz be able to keep from telling Constance how her story ends? In this irresistible novel filled with gripping adventure and heartfelt emotion, two young women from drastically different times and settings learn that the challenges life holds for them are not so different after all.

The Holy Secret


James L. Ferrell - 2008
    We do not love what is holy. Although we might reverence things that are deemed holy- the temple, for example, and the scriptures, and the Sabbath- we do not love them. Not really. Not with our whole souls.The Holy Secret is the story of a man who learns how to love what matters. As he does, he learns another secret: Love for holiness transforms life itself. His realization of what he had been missing may lead you to some discoveries of your own!

The Greatest Quest


Blaine M. Yorgason - 1987
    Adapted from a true story, this dramatic novel explores the biblical evidence of Christ's true church. It also explores the motivations of the four friends: Jamie's single-minded concentration, Joseph's sincere desire, Will's doubt, and Susan's pure hope. As love blossoms between Joseph and Susan, the war separates them and jeopardizes their quest for God. Finally, when Joseph's life hangs in the balance, the truth is revealed in stunning simplicity. The Greatest Quest is the perfect book for those who love truth, and for those who seek it.

The Life and Teachings of the Prophet Joseph


Truman G. Madsen - 1997
    Line upon line he uncovered doctrinal detail, then folded revealed messages into instructions for righteous and ultimately covenant-based living.Distinguished author and speaker Truman G. Madsen examines the development of Church doctrine through the revelatory experiences of Joseph Smith. He considers the Prophet's personal character and commitment to his call, then pursues the process of his acquiring and applying Christlike characteristics despite poverty and persecutions borne by himself, his family, and other Church members. Included is a thoughtful analysis that discusses Joseph's reception of divine principles and their subsequent application to the family, temple ordinances, and the long-term vision of the Church.The insights presented here, gained through exhaustive research and humble inspiration, give the listener a broader understanding and appreciation of Joseph Smith's role in the restoration of the gospel.

The Centurion's Wife


Davis Bunn - 2009
    Caught up in the maelstrom following the death of an obscure rabbi in the Roman backwater of first-century Palestine, Leah finds herself also engulfed in her own turmoil--facing the prospect of an arranged marriage to a Roman soldier, Alban, who seems to care for nothing but his own ambitions. Head of the garrison near Galilee, he has been assigned by Palestine's governor to ferret out the truth behind rumors of a political execution gone awry. Leah's mistress, the governor's wife, secretly commissions Leah also to discover what really has become of this man whose death--and missing body--is causing such furor. This epic drama is threaded with the tale of an unlikely romance and framed with dangers and betrayals from unexpected sources. At its core, The Centurion's Wife unfolds the testing of loyalties--between two young people whose inner searchings they cannot express, between their irreconcilable heritages, and ultimately between their humanity and the Divine they yearn to encounter.

The Ties That Bind


Kristen McKendry - 2009
    Now, as he approaches the birth of his first child, he feels deeply unsettled about his severed familial bonds. Before Daniel can feel ready to be a father himself, he knows he must unravel the painful mystery of his past and make peace with what he finds.This quest begins as Daniel discovers the story of his grandmother, a woman of great faith who wanted nothing more than to have her family sealed together eternally, but whose untimely death led to the scattering of her offspring. Daniel’s journey of understanding unfolds as he forms new connections with relatives he never knew he had and gains long-lost insight about the difficult circumstances that entangled his family tree. From a past riddled by abuse, abandonment, and alcoholism, Daniel comes to see himself and his future in a promising new light.Inspired by actual people and events, this novel poignantly imparts unforgettable lessons about love and loss, choice and accountability, and the everlasting ties that bind generations. I loved it! Not only is The Ties That Bind a tender story of a man in search of himself, but it includes a lot of good tips for how one might find the pieces to the puzzle of one’s own history.