Children & Young Adult

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Books can uplift and inform. With General Conference recently ending, here are some remarkable books to help keep the Spirit strong in our lives.

On the Path Home, by President Henry B. Eyring, is the perfect smallish sized book to help keep you focused and encouraged to stay on the path. No matter the circumstance or difficulty you might be experiencing temporarily, or long suffering, you can open this beautiful book and find reassuring quotes to buoy you up and keep you focused on persevering. Each quote is framed with a beautiful background that includes both interior and exterior scenes. For example, a bright sunrise behind a field of yellow wheat is the background to this quote: “The light that comes to us with truth will be BRIGHTER than the darkness that comes from sin and error around us.” 

To Become Like God: Witnesses of Our Divine Potential, by Dr. Andrew C. Skinner, clarifies why the Savior came to earth and what exactly could become our end result if we live worthily before God. This amazing book is full of interesting aspects of the history of Christianity and how the belief of deification was lost during the apostasy. Dr. Skinner backs up all that he writes with scriptural references, books, articles and more. With Christ’s greatest gift of the Atonement we can become like God. Be sure to check out the laborious notes found in the back that help to document his research completed to write this book.

Worship: Adding Depth to Your Devotion, by Dr. Eric D. Huntsman, helps us understand how to feel more connected to God in prayers, participating in ordinances, singing praises and more. There are times in our lives when we feel the Spirit with a strong sense that seems to electrify our very souls. Why is this infrequent? Why don’t we feel spiritually in tune when on our knees in prayer? Dr. Huntsman helps navigate our actions, prayers and songs to become more connected and thereby feel the Spirit as often as we allow. Each chapter builds on the previous ones as you begin to understand how to place your thoughts and deeds toward Him. Some of these chapters include: “Prayer”, “Sacred Places” and “Worshipping God through Music”.

The Joseph Smith Papers: Administrative Records Council of Fifty, Minutes – March 1844 to January 1846 is a treasure trove of valuable information describing much of the most turbulent years in the Church’s infancy. These valuable papers have been preserved, collected and compiled by Church scholars after thoroughly annotating and editing them. This has taken the Church History Department many exhausting hours in order to provide more light on this most difficult time in history. The main editors are Matthew J. Grow, Ronald K. Esplin, Mark Ashurst-McGee and Gerrit J. Dirkmaat. This oversized book contains 734 pages which includes photos, maps and extended appendixes.

Twice Blessed: The Beauty of Forgiving and Forgiveness, by Dr. S. Michael Wilcox, demonstrates how we can forgive – and at the same time ask for forgiveness. The opening page has this beautiful and important scripture: Luke 6:36-38. “Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful…. Forgive, and he shall be forgiven: Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over.” There are some very powerful lessons from scripture stories found throughout this smallish sized book (136 pages). Dr. Wilcox states that “Part of our challenge is to change from being driven by the head and the ego-dominated emotions to the heart,…..the soul – that spiritual part of us that’s above the intellect and passions”.

 Let God Love You: Why We Don’t / How We Can, by Dr. Wendy Ulrich, helps direct us toward a closer relationship with our Heavenly Father. Dr. Ulrich shows, through the teachings of Christ, how to build this relationship and feel closer to our Father in Heaven. There is a checklist found in the middle of the book to help you understand where you stand with your relationship with Father. You might be surprised with the outcome. But no matter, this book will certainly help make you feel much closer to Him. There are some wonderful inspirational stories found throughout as well as perfect scriptures at the beginning of each chapter.

No Ordinary Women: Making a Difference Through Righteous Influence, by Elaine S. Dalton, brings the importance of being a woman of God and the powerful difference each sister can make upon themselves, their families and others. The chapters include: “The Influence of a Righteous Woman”, “We Can Do Hard Things”, “We Are Disciples of Christ” and “We Are Women of Charity”. Each chapter has a significant quote highlighted such as in chapter one: “As daughters of God, we are each unique and different in our circumstances and experiences, and our part matters because we matter.”