We never wanted for anything, except maybe more time together....When Eddie was twelve years old, all he wanted for Christmas was a bike. Although his life had gotten harder -- and money tighter -- since his father died and the family bakery closed...Eddie dreamed that somehow his mother would find a way to have his dream bike gleaming beside their modest Christmas tree that magical morning.What he got from her instead was a sweater. "A stupid, handmade, ugly sweater" that young Eddie left in a crumpled ball in the corner of his room.Scarred deeply by the realization that kids don't always get what they want, and too young to understand that he already owned life's most valuable treasures, that Christmas morning was the beginning of Eddie's dark and painful journey on the road to manhood. It will take wrestling with himself, his faith, and his family -- and the guidance of a mysterious neighbor named Russell -- to help Eddie find his path through the storm clouds of life and finally see the real significance of that simple gift his mother had crafted by hand with love in her heart.Based on a deeply personal true story, The Christmas Sweater is a warm and poignant tale of family, faith and forgiveness that offers us a glimpse of our own lives -- while also making us question if we really know what's most important in them.

    With a husband alway traveling, a daughter on the brink and still adjusting to her new ward, she hopes her new visiting teaching route will bring some much needed companionship. Then she finds out she has been given the hardest visiting teaching route ever with the surly inactive Bishop's wife at the top of the list. At least her companion Gwen seemed nice, an older woman in a nursing home who said no one had visited her in years. Using this to her advantage, Cath calls her new sisters and convinces them to cheer Gwen up. Surprisingly most agree but when Cath arrives at the Pleasant Valley Home for the Elderly she is disappointed to find Gwen fast asleep. Apparently Gwen has a sleeping disorder called KSL and no one knows when she will wake up- it could be weeks. Armed with a bucket of crayons and a handful of paper, Cath convinces the sisters to write Gwen notes so when she does wake up, she'll know some cares. What no one guessed is that Gwen would write back and change all of these women's lives forever.

    Every parent needs resources that will add to the spiritual roots, and to the moral foundation their children build their lives upon. As we are shown how God has inspired eminent people in their pursuit of excellence, we see how to find His guidance in our lives. When we plant in their hearts a view of history as a legacy to live up to, children are empowered to prepare for, and then perform, the missions God sent them to earth to accomplish.”

    Snow is one of the most revered women in the history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We hear stories of her faith and strength, and we sing her beloved hymns. She was fondly known as "Zion's Poetess" and also as "Presidentess," because of her leadership of Relief Society and her role in forming and directing organizations for young women and children. She has remained a legend for generations of Latter-day Saints, but we know less about her "variegated life," as she described it—the personal joys and sorrows brought about by unfolding events in the young Church of which she was a part.This intimate look at Eliza R. Snow, by authors Karen Lynn Davidson and Jill Mulvay Derr, reveals a more private side of this extraordinary woman. She emerges as a bright young poet in Ohio, a new convert to the restored Church, a seamstress, and a sharer in the persecutions and hardships of the early Saints. We see a member of the households of Joseph Smith and Brigham Young, a dedicated temple worker, and a traveling Relief Society president with a zeal for teaching the gospel.Her delight in nature, her love for family and friends, and her outlook of hope for the cause of Zion are reflected here through selections from some of her best poems. Photographs, artifacts, and personal letters add visual beauty to this inspiring introduction to her fascinating life.

    As the drive-time radio host for seventeen years and also the voice of his sports commentator, Jim Shorts, and other characters, Matthews entertained ten million listeners weekly, sold out every appearance in the Midwest, and performed in front of 65,000 fans at Grant Park. He traveled around the world, met the famous, had babies named after him, and helped countless charities. He entertained hundreds of thousands of people inside prisons, army bases, and backyards. His promotions included comedy jams, a band, barbeque throw downs, and golf outings.Broken Mary is Matthews' story of his early years in radio and stand-up comedy, his successful career, his struggle with MS, his awakening to the dignity of women, and, importantly, his chance encounter with a broken statue of Mary left next to a dumpster and all that happened as a result. Told with Matthews' signature good humor, this confession of the brokenness of mankind is touchingly honest, personally inspiring, and full of hope.

    Unlike other books about the atonement, The Peacegiver is written as an extended parable. It tells the story of a man struggling, with the help of a loved one, to come unto Christ. IN reading the rich details of his often difficult journey, we find ourselves embarked on a personal journey of our own. His questions are our questions; his problems, our problems; his discoveries, our discoveries. Along the way, the truths of the gospel are unfolded with surprising clarity and power, illuminating aspects of the atonement that few of us have ever heard or considered before. These surprising implications show us the way to deep and lasting peace in our hearts and homes."My peace I give unto you," the Savior declared. The Peacegiver explores in a deeply personal way what we must do to receive the peace he stands willing to give.

    Drawing on unforgettable real- life experiences and rich examples from the scriptures, he offers suggestions for reorienting our lives in order to achieve greater joy and happiness even in the most challenging times. Redefining Joy looks at some of life s most difficult questions. But be prepared. The answers may surprise you.

    But through the recognition of small miracles, the members of the Londt-Shultz family, though damaged, endure, and in spite of life-threatening challenges become saviors among their peers and courageous examples to their captors.

    First diagnosed with bi-lateral retinoblastoma at the age of seven months, she had feared blindness since childhood. Ironically, the treatment that had saved her life as a baby was responsible for the radiation- induced cancer that again threatened her life as an adult. Now a wife and mother of two young sons, she faced her greatest challenge. Five major surgeries within the space of five months left her physically and emotionally devastated-- and completely blind. Yet during that horrendous time, Kris discovered moments of spiritual strengthening that became holy places in her life-- places where she could feel the purifying, transforming power of Christ that enabled her to survive and to learn how to live in a world of darkness. Compelling, honest, and at times humorous, her story and the insights she gained will help others find hope and healing in the midst of their own trials.

    

    In her personable and straightforward style, she emphasizes our unique roles as men and women of God, the divine power that is available to help us fulfill our mortal missions, the lessons we can learn from those who have gone before, and the legacy we will ultimately leave behind. A stirring call to action, this motivational book points to the urgent need for us as Latter-day Saints to have a clear vision of who we are.

    She quickly attracted a loyal following that was captivated by the upbeat mother happily raising her young children, madly in love with her husband, Christian (Mr. Nielson to her readers), and filled with gratitude for her blessed life.However, everything changed in an instant on a sunny day in August 2008, when Stephanie and Christian were in a horrific plane crash. Christian was burned over 40 percent of his body, and Stephanie was on the brink of death, with burns over 80 percent of her body. She would remain in a coma for four months.In the aftermath of this harrowing tragedy, Stephanie maintained a stunning sense of humor, optimism, and resilience. She has since shared this strength of spirit with others through her blog, in magazine features, and on The Oprah Winfrey Show. Now, in this moving memoir, Stephanie tells the full, extraordinary story of her unlikely recovery and the incredible love behind it—from a riveting account of the crash to all that followed in its wake. With vivid detail, Stephanie recounts her emotional and physical journey, from her first painful days after awakening from the coma to the first time she saw her face in the mirror, the first kiss she shared with Christian after the accident, and the first time she talked to her children after their long separation. She also reflects back on life before the accident, to her happy childhood as one of nine siblings, her close-knit community and strong Mormon faith, and her fairy-tale love story, all of which became her foundation of strength as she rebuilt her life.What emerges from the wreckage of a tragic accident is a unique perspective on joy, beauty, and overcoming adversity that is as gripping as it is inspirational. Heaven Is Here is a poignant reminder of how faith and family, love and community can bolster us, sustain us, and quite literally, in some cases, save us.

    For the first time, the complete collection of Maya Angelou's published poems-including "On the Pulse of Morning"-in a permanent collectible, handsome hardcover edition.

    It is literally a gift - a gift of God's power. While carefully maintaining the sacred confidentiality of the temple ordinances, this book provides scriptural correlations which will open up rich new areas of understanding. Once you read this inspired information, you will be better informed about the scriptural authority and symbolism of the sacred ordinances. You will be better prepared and motivated to apply scriptural symbols in your life and strive to become more like Christ. Within these pages are more than twenty scriptural symbols which correlate with the temple service. The central focus of these symbols is found in Brigham Young's oft-quoted statement of the ceremony's ultimate purpose: to enable recipients to pass by the angelic sentinels who guard the entrance to God's kingdom as they "walk back to the presence of the Father." Endowed from on high teaches that revelation occurs during the endowment, that promises are required before blessings are granted, that covenants are the channels through which blessings flow, and that the Lord is voluntarily "bound" when we obey His commandments. This is a unique and reverential guide to growth in the most sacred of all areas of our relationship with the Savior and our heavenly Father. Reading and pondering Endowen From On High will be a choice experience for all Church members.

    In Daring to Ask for More, Melody Mason has shone the light of God’s Word on the path to true revival—Holy Spirit-inspired, daring, audacious prayer. I know this book will be a tremendous blessing to many.Doug Batchelor, President and Speaker, Amazing Facts If prayer is “the key in the hand of faith to unlock heaven’s storehouse” as Steps to Christ declares, then Melody Mason’s new book is long overdue. Daring to Ask for More is precisely God’s strategic appeal to this generation living on the edge of eternity. Daring to Ask for More indeed! May our hearts be stirred up as never before to seek God through prayer as never before, while there is still time.Dwight K. Nelson, Senior Pastor, Pioneer Memorial Church, Andrews University Melody Mason’s new book, Daring to Ask for More, is driving me to my knees. My needs are so great and my resources so few, what self-righteousness it is to pray so little. Thank you for that push!Frank Fournier, President, ASI