Bad Guys of the Book of Mormon by Dennis Gaunt

Bad Guys of the Book of Mormon

By Dennis Gaunt

Deseret Book, 2011

Review by Heather B. Moore

I had a conversation once with another Book of Mormon novelist about characterizing the infamously “wicked” King Noah. The other author thought he was wicked through and through, with no redeeming value. Perhaps that was the case toward the end of his life, although we cannot truly know the deep motivations or potential of another. I considered the “why’s” and “how’s” of King Noah and his evil court. What had led him through the series of events that culminated in sentencing a true prophet of the Lord to a fiery death? (See Mosiah 17.)

Did King Noah have a lousy childhood while his father, King Zeniff, was busy running a nation and his mother attended to her vast queenly duties? Perhaps Noah was mistreated by a nanny who raised him; or perhaps he was the brunt of schoolyard jokes . . . Was he uncoordinated? Did he have a hard time making real friends? Was he a lousy hunter?

Whatever drove Noah to spiral down the path of greed, selfishness, and eventual destruction, one thing is clear: we can learn from his choices. They were certainly subtle in the beginning. Maybe he stopped saying his prayers, he chose the wrong friends, or he let his pride swell exponentially as he prepped to become the heir to the throne.

This same sentiment is echoed by author Dennis Gaunt in his non-fiction book, Bad Guys of the Book of Mormon. Reading about the villains of the scripture can teach us how to avoid the same pitfalls.

Gaunt makes an excellent case for learning the enemies’ strategy in the ever-escalating spiritual war—a war in which two sides are battling for our souls. If we want to win, we must think like a military leader. A successful military leader studies every move his enemy is making. Gaunt suggests that we plan our own counter-attack by educating ourselves on the “bad guys in the Book of Mormon. Let’s learn to be smarter than they are. Let’s learn their tactics. See what tricks they used. Peek at their maps and plans. Pinpoint their lies. Point out the holes in their arguments. Let’s see how faithful people just like you and me resisted and defeated them in the past. Let’s be ready to face the bad guys of today” (8).

I couldn’t agree more. I echo Gaunt’s petition that we must stay proactive, we must stay diligent, and we must stay educated and aware of the adversary’s power, so that, we can “rejoice and exult in the hope” of Christ (Alma 28:12).

I highly recommend this book to adults and youth alike. Gaunt is witty, humorous and insightful, sharing personal experiences in a highly readable and entertaining way.

I Need Thee Every Hour by David P. Vandagriff

I Need Thee Every Hour: Applying the Atonement in Everyday Life
By David P. Vandagriff
Covenant Communications, 2010

Review by Heather Moore

I Need Thee Every Hour, by David P. Vandagriff, is the type of book that you’ll need a pencil handy as you read. There were many many places I marked that contained profound insights.

Vandagriff introduces the topic of the Atonement by saying “The Atonement of Jesus Christ is not only for your last breath and the last day of your life, but it is also for every day of your life, every breath of your life” (p 1). Yes, this is something we might inherently know, but I love the way Vandagriff lays it out in a simple-to-comprehend style. As a former bishop on two separate occasions, Vandagriff has been the witness to the continuing effect of the Atonement in many people’s lives, including his own.

The Atonement is individual. To illustrate, Vandagriff gives a poignant example of a BYU student who shares her artistic talent with a group of elderly women in nursing home. The Atonement is service, as demonstrated in the way that Christ teaches the Apostle Paul. The Atonement is both vertical and horizontal. Vertical from ourselves to the Lord, as we reach up, the Savior reaches down to us; and horizontally: from ourselves to others.

Through touching examples from Vandagriff’s years of service in the Church, he brings to life the amazing application of the Atonement. He offers many examples, including one where his ward was able to help children who struggled with school in his area. On a more personal level, Vandagriff also shares his own personal trials. Trials that he didn’t plan for or expect, but trials that taught him the infinite nature of the Atonement and how, through grace, he could keep his vision steady as his dependence on the Savior became complete and utter.

Despite personal trials, Vandagriff was called into positions of leadership, which continued to teach and refine his natural man. He was put in positions of trust to counsel with those who had broken commandments and subsequently came into his office to start the process of repentance. In his book, Vandagriff outlines the significant steps of sincere prayer, scripture study, and drawing closer to the Savior, in order to complete the process of true repentance.

Vandagriff also explains why bad things happen to good people, how the Savior truly knows each of our trials, and how He experiences our individual pain and sorrows. But most importantly Vandagriff outlines how we can endure trials that come, whether attributed to sin or to circumstance. Vandagriff offers an explanation in the way of King Benjamin, who taught his people to serve each other. “Serving others because we love Christ will help us maintain and develop the vital characteristics of patience, humility, and charity” (p 128).

Even though Vandagriff has served in Church positions where he was blessed with frequent communication and inspiration from the Spirit, he still struggled with receiving answers of a personal nature, including a monumental question in his professional life. And until he learned to humble himself and take worldly desires out of the equation, did he finally receive the answer the Lord was all the while waiting to give him.

Finally, Vandagriff explains the purpose of the Atonement for every man, woman and child. Just as Vandagriff believed he could fly as a young child, tried and failed, we cannot truly fly without the Atonement. No matter how intelligent or talented or righteous we strive to be, we cannot reach our divine potential without the Atonement’s finishing touches.

As insightful as the title conveys, Vandagriff outlines ways to apply the Atonement to our day-to-day lives, as he combines uplifting personal experiences and insights by Church leaders and prophets. Vandagriff has not led the perfect life, and he willing shares his trials and the steps to growth as he continues on life’s path. Well-written and compelling, I Need Thee Every Hour, is a useful and encouraging guide for our days of light and our days in which we feel we are wading through the mists of darkness.

For more information about the author and his other publications, visit his website here.

Too Precious for Earth by Amy C. Maddocks

Too Precious for Earth
By Amy C. Maddocks

Review by Heather Moore

Amy Maddocks’ heart broke on the day that she held her infant son in her arms as he struggled with his final breaths. Her son, Connor, had been a miracle. Amy wasn’t supposed to be able to have any more children, but then she miraculously became pregnant. After all the precautions were taken and all the risks made, she and her husband eagerly prepared to welcome a new child into their home.

In Too Precious for Earth, Amy provides a rich and detailed telling of her journey into becoming a mother for the second time. Although an unexpected journey, she rearranges her life so that she can be healthy physically and financially provide for her son.

Just as Amy is finally allowing herself to believe that even the most impossible dreams can come true, she develops a serious pregnancy complication. Her son, Connor, is born twelve weeks premature. As Amy struggles with her own slow and painful recovery after a cesarean birth, little Connor begins to fail.

A beautiful but heartbreaking tale of a mother and family who overcome the depths of grief and despair and learn to embrace life again. Amy forges through her trials, learns the meaning of true friendship, embraces the miracles that she has been witness to, and triumphs as she uses the miracle of Connor to change and bless hundreds of lives.

Too Precious to Earth will take you on a raw and poignant spiritual journey you’ll never forget.

Visit Amy's Website for more information, or to order her book.

Maus and Maus II by Art Spiegelman

I'm not sure about recommending these books here because the recommendations on this site are usually pretty tame, but they were too amazing for me to not mention them. So when it comes to these books, reader beware! These books are appropriate for their subject matter--they are not gratuitous--but they are gritty.

The Holocaust is a difficult subject that has been taken on by countless authors, each author trying to add depth and breadth to a story that is already too big to be grasped. But no matter how big of a challenge the Holocaust presents, writers need to write about this--especially writers who have a direct connection to it.

In what is probably one of the earliest graphic novels, Maus and Maus II is the story of Art and his father Vladek and their struggles to understand the Holocaust. Vladek is a Holocaust survivor who always wants to tell his survival tale but can never quite bring himself to do it until his son starts asking him questions. Overwhelmed by Vladek's grief and idiosyncrasies--many of which grew out of the war--Art turns to the only medium he knows to express himself: comics.

As his sketches the pain and frustration that have been the driving force of both their lives, the Jews comes out as mice (maus is the German word for mouse) and the Nazis come out as cats. The simple cat and mouse metaphor provides the clarifying juxtaposition that Art needs to emotionally process and record his father's story.

The Pulitzer Prize winningMaus volumes are raw and real. Seeing the story documented through comics allows the reader to approach the Holocaust from another angle--making it both more immediate and more complex. Maus and Maus II are books that should not be missed by anyone searching to understand the Holocaust.

Forged in the Refiner's Fire by Candace Salima and Elizabeth Cheever

Recently I read Forged in the Refiner’s Fire—a compilation by Candace Salima and Elizabeth Cheever. I immediately found myself caught up in the stories of the trials and tribulations that others have gone through (some are well-known LDS names such as entertainer Merrill Osmond, author Tristi Pinkston, etc.). These are stories from the heart—stories that have changed lives. From an unwanted painful divorce, to a debilitating injury, to a childless couple—many walks of life are examined. Do these stories have good endings? Not necessarily—because they are true stories—about the ebb and flow of living a good life in spite of difficult challenges. About finding and maintaining faith against the odds.

An informational video can be found here on You Tube. In it, Candace Salima discusses the purpose and impact of the book.

Copies of Forged in the Refiner’s Fire are available on Candace's Website or on Amazon.

The Progress Paradox by Gregg Easterbrook

Written by ESPN's Tuesday Morning Quarterback, this book talks about how even though America is at the zenith of its prosperity but American happiness has plateaued and, in some instances, even declined. Why is this? The answers, as any LDS reader might guess, go well beyond the old adage "money can't buy happiness." If you are looking for a light non-fiction read packed with good news and innovative ideas for enriching your life, this is a great place to start!

The Second Comforer: Convsersing with the Lord (Book Review)

Title: The Second Comforter: Conversing with The Lord Through the VeilAuthor: Denver C. Snuffer Jr.Publisher: Mill Creek PressGenre: InspirationalYear Published: 2006Number of Pages: 445Binding: Soft coverISBN: 10: 0-9740158-7-3Price: $23.99Reviewed by Rob FiciurThis book took me several months to read. Normally, that would mean the book failed to engage me as a reader. The opposite is true with this book. Denver Snuffer’s first book made me think. I cold only read a few pages before I had to stop and digest the material. In many ways this book was as spiritually enlightening as Stephen Covey’s books: Spiritual Roots of Human Relations and the Divine Center. I read Covey’s books 10 years or more ago – yet I still reflect back on the paradigm shifts that I gained from them. In that same way, I believe Denver Snuffer’s writing will have a long term change in how I view my / our potential relationship with our Heavenly Father.Who is Denver Snuffer? My son is serving in the Salt Lake South mission – and told us about this Brother Snuffer he met. When our son had to send some stuff home – this book – and Brother Snuffer’s second book – were in the box. Knowing only that my son was impressed by the spiritual insights of this High Councilman he met on his mission, I began reading. A key strength to this book is that Denver Snuffer writes it as an “ordinary” member of The Church. His emphasis is on how much more is available to us from the Lord if we seek him, if we ask. We don’t have to be a General Authority or have a "high calling" in order to receive revelation from our Heavenly Father.At the beginning of each chapter the author shares an experience in his life – that helps teach a lesson. Some of these lessons are positive – others spotlight the lows in his life. However, through it all the reader gets a sense of hope of how we “ordinary” members of The Church can have revelation as a routine part of our lives.I read through the book again a second time to get quotes I could put in this book review. In time I realized I had gathered too many quotes for one book review. What higher compliment can I give to a book than to say my book review was going to be 15 pages so I had to cut it back. (I guess the only higher compliment is to say that my son and I will be arguing over who gets to keep / read Denver Snuffer’s second and third books when my son returns from his mission – if I tell my son where the books are).Quotes:“Academic discussions have never been the primary tool the Lord has commended for his saints for following Him or discovering his truths.” (page iii)“Brigham Young said "I do not want to know things faster than I can obey. Everything that is received must be lived up to.” (page 13)“But faith is not the end. Though developing faith will save you, much more is offered if you are willing to receive it.” (page 59)“No Goliaths in your life will destroy you. Rather, God will destroy the Goliaths for you.” (page 75) “It requires that you look Goliath in the face and say he is God’s problem, nor yours. Your problem is to persist in faith.” (page 78)“You can still feel Him here anytime you are willing to do so.” (page 106)While in Law School, Brother Snuffer had the following experience:“My developing analytical abilities were applied indiscriminately to everything including the Church… [My friend asked me] 'Are you reading your scriptures?' “I replied ‘What does that have to do with it? To which he responded ‘I would be more convinced of your complaints if you were reading your scriptures.’ I was unwilling to abandon my criticisms and thought he was being obsuse. But to prove him wrong, I began to read the scriptures and tried all the while to keep up my complaints against the Church. What I found however was that I could not both study the scriptures and reflect on their meaning and retain a critical and judgmental attitude…. I was off the mark. Criticism is easy. Anyone can do it. Obedience is hard…” (page 107)“It is not Heaven’s responsibility to force upon us answers to questions which we do not ask.” (page 111)“Tradition can be a very unspiritual thing…[There are members of other churches who are not interested in the Restored Gospel because of their family’s religious heritage or tradition.] There is no difference between this form of religious commitment and the one that keep a Latter-day Saint, a member of the LDS Church whose ties are familial and traditional rather than spiritual and revelatory.” (pages 136-137)I close the book review with a new “doctrine” that I found in this book – the doctrine of Self Selection.Brother Snuffer went into some scriptural detail to show that the appearance of the resurrected Jesus Christ to the Nephites was almost a year after the great destruction scenes. (That was a new idea to me). Then he described those that had gathered around the temple at Bountiful as being strangers to the city because they were marveling at all the destruction that had occurred. These people had gathered at the temple in Bountiful to celebrate a Law of Moses festival that starts each new year.“The pilgrims who had come to Bountiful to celebrate the season despite the difficulty they encounter in the process. [Because of the great destruction that occurred in the land a year earlier]."They had come to the temple precinct to be present at the year’s end for some worthy observance…this audience for Christ’s coming is interesting to contemplate. It is comprised of people who *self-selected*. They came to observe their normal religious duties. As a result of that intention and commitment, they are present for a much greater event. [See 3 Nephi 11]“Doing the Lord’s every day work is more important than it may seem at times…They chose themselves by choosing the Lord, and so the Lord chooses them. There is a powerful lesson in this for us all. How the Lord finds you spending your time is important to whether He can visit with you or not.” (page 162-163)My son won’t be home from his mission until June, that should give me time to read Denver Snuffer’s second book “Nephi’s Isaiah: A Prophetic Look at the Last Days” before my son comes home.

Rob Ficiur
http://www.latterdaycanada.com/

The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom

The Hiding Place, written by Corrie ten Boom, is a true story about the author's experiences during the holocaust. Corrie ten Boom was a leader in the Underground. With the help of her family, she kept many Jews safe from the Nazis. However, she was eventually caught, and along with her family, thrown into prison and a concentration camp.

This inspirational story is about how Corrie found faith and held onto it for dear life. She witnessed many miracles, but the greatest miracle to me, is that Corrie and her sister, Betsie, were able to maintain such a positive outlook because of their unwavering faith in God.

Here is a brief excerpt:

"Corrie Ten Boom stood naked with her older sister Betsie, watching a concentration camp matron beating a prisoner. "Oh, the poor woman," Corrie cried. "Yes. May God forgive her," Betsie replied. And, once again, Corrie realized that it was for the souls of the brutal Nazi guards that her sister prayed."

The Hiding Place is a life-changing classic. It is a quick read. Although it is about the holocaust, it is not deeply depressing but enlightening and uplifting. I hope you enjoy it! It is one of the best books I have ever read.

The 5 Lessons a Millionaire Taught Me: About Life and Wealth

I've read a lot of financial planning books and I consider myself pretty well-educated in matters of finance. I've even published articles on managing finances. So I wondered if this book had anything new to offer. In concept, it doesn't, but in presentation it does. And any time you take a moment to evaluate the health of your finances, I think it's time well spent.

Of course knowing that Richard Paul Evans is a self-made successful author and businessman, I was even more intrigued.

I read a couple of chapters, then went in search of a pencil. Doing that means there are things I don't want to forget. One of my favorite chapters is titled, "Keep a Portion of Everything You Earn." I tell my kids constantly. "Do you want to spend your birthday money on making the PlayStation2 Executives even richer by purchasing a $50 game? Or do you want swap games with your buddies?"

One of the quotes in the book really struck me. "Too many people spend money they haven't earned, to buy things they don't want, to impress people they don't like." I'm raising my hand, because I am guilty.

I also loved Evans' example of how to win within the margins. I think that's what impressed me the most. Of course we all want to use our talents and skills we already have to expand our financial net, but Evans gives some excellent examples of how to do exactly that.

I highly recommend this book because of its simplicity, its undaunting brevity, and its structure based on tried and true principles.

The Bountiful Container

I bought this book last spring after we had moved into our first house. I was feeling pretty domestic and thought that there was nothing I'd like more than a container garden on the deck off our 2nd floor master bedroom. Before reading this book I knew nothing about gardening in containers (or otherwise, for that matter). I still feel like an extreme novice but this book gave me the confidence to forge ahead and plant a container garden.

This book is written in such a way that I didn't feel intimidated but I can imagine that even seasoned gardeners could glean some good information. They detail vegetables, fruits, edible flowers, and herbs that can be grown in containers. The offer suggestions as to whether to plant as seeds or buy plants, when and where to plant, temperatures, harvest times, etc... They even include some "theme" gardens like an Italian Cook's garden or a Kid Garden.

I recently got this book back off the shelf to prepare for this gardening season. Now I can't wait to see what I'll be able to produce this year.

The Worst Hard Time

Author Timothy Egan
This is a book of true stories about the lives of several families during the dust bowl years in the Texas panhandle, Oklahoma panhandle, Colorado, Kansas and a little bit of southwestern Nebraska. It tells why and how the dust bowl years developed, as well as how it affected those in the "thick" of it. Walter Cronkite described this book as, "This is can't-put-it-down history."
I learned a lot about that part of our history. Reads quickly.