Brother to Brother by Charles Manley Brown

Years of friendship, from highschool through higher education and into their chosen professions, have cemented the trust between Anthony Ririe and Pat Donavan. Now in the year 2020, both men reside in Salt Lake City. Both men are also invested with tremendous ecclesiastical responsibilities. Anthony Ririe is a counselor in the First Presidency of the LDS Church and Pat Donovan is the Bishop of the Salt Lake Catholic Diocese. And Bishop Donovan has just received a portion of a manuscript which could destroy the foundation of the LDS Church and even affect other Christian sects.   Sherman Drake was once a man who joined the LDS Church in the misplaced belief that it would allow him to win the heart of a particular young woman. But this daughter of the Lord already had a boyfriend. Wallowing in his disappointment, Drake spurned his newly found faith and wowed to discredit the LDS Church. Drake discovers his opportunity for revenge when his roommate discusses a particular manuscript. This document appears to be a copy of the Book of Mormon written before Joseph Smith received the golden plates. So who would be the best person to initiate the downfall of the LDS Church? Why not the Bishop of a Catholic Diocese in the heart of Mormondom, Salt Lake City?   Charles Brown readily admits that his book reminds readers of the Hoffman forgeries. The authenticity of the Book of Mormon has often come under scholarly scrutiny and attack. Brother to Brother provides an entertaining fictional account of how such an attack could be resolved.

Captain Matrimony by Robert Farrell Smith

Calculus is one of those dreaded subjects for many students. Andy Phillips, however, liked calculus enough to eventually become a teacher of this "delightful" subject. Now Andy is out of work. The school where he worked, Parson HS, in Charlotte, NC, burned down to the ground a couple of months ago.  Bishop Harding, Andy's bishop, requires a favor. Bishop Harding's brother Tat lives in a small Utah town which is in need of a math teacher and Andy needs a job. Thunder City, UT, was settled shortly after the Saints arrived in Utah. Thunder City is a beautiful, quiet and tiny place. Life moves along at a sedate pace. Everybody is aware of everybody's business.  Andy accepts the position with reservations; he decides that this just might be a sort of "religious Peace Corps" experience. Andy's responsibilities will include teaching a summer term adult relationship class. Little does he know that this class will actually be a marriage preparation class and that none of the young adults in Thunder City are willing to attempt marriage because of the curse placed upon the town. Thunder City is also known as Mishap.  Within minutes of arriving in Thunder City, Andy witnesses the foibles of small town life. His education in rural life continues as Andy meets the inhabitants of Mishap. By Sunday, Andy believes that there are no surprises left, but then he sees the Thunder City LDS chapel. Eventually, Andy accepts his new surroundings. He even decides to investigate a murder and the origin of the "marriage" curse.  I enjoyed Captain Matrimony, it made me laugh. R.F. Smith has a talent for poking fun at the unique small town LDS lifestyle without offending his readers. I'll be reading more of Smith's books.

Dangerous Games by Keith Morris

History is filled with secrets and wartime especially creates secrets. One such secret was the flight and destination of Morning Glory, a B-29 bomber, in March of 1951. Her captain and crew felt assured in their mission and hoped to strike a decisive blow against an enemy of Uncle Sam. But the adventures of the Morning Glory and her crew were forgotten and lost in history.  History also has a curious way of being written. Salt Lake City hosted the Winter Olympics in 2002. Now in the summer of 2005, after terrorists had detonated a biological weapon in Torino, Italy, the host city for the 2006 Winter Olympics, the World Health Organization announced that Torino can’t be cleaned up in time for the Olympics. After carefully evaluating offers from several previous host cities of Winter Olympics, the IOC announced that Salt Lake City would serve as the emergency host of the 2006 Winter Olympic Games!   History is created by individuals and their actions. Peter Grant is one such individual. He used to work for the FBI, then changed career paths a few times and became a statistic in the divorce game. But he remained faithful to the Gospel throughout his trials. Now Peter runs his own small detective agency and works part-time for the Latter-day Saint Security Services protecting General Authorities of the Church. When a local sculptor is found murdered in Spanish Fork, Peter is asked by the FBI to investigate. And somehow, a North Korean terrorist may be connected to the murder according to the FBI.   Dangerous Games is an entertaining thriller and provides a plausible, but most likely highly speculative, view of Church Security. It will be fun to read more of Morris’ books if he continues his writing career.

A Disciples Life: The Biography of Neal A. Maxwell by Bruce Hafen

Bruce Hafen faced a tremendous challenge in writing this book since his subject is an Apostle of the Lord and the temptation exists to only present perfectness in the life of Neal A. Maxwell. But Hafen and Maxwell agreed that a candid account must include a person's limitations and challenges. As Maxwell writes: "Real people who believe and prevail are ultimately more faith-promoting and impressive than saccharine saints with tinsel traits."  Neal Maxwell's family came from British and pioneer stock, including the traits of hard work, perseverance and faith. Maxwell was born in 1926, "an ordinary boy, not born under any condition that would make him feel entitled to anything in particular." At the time, life in Salt Lake City, and in America in general, was optimistic and societal change was abundant. World events also were brewing in preparation of difficulties yet to come.   Maxwell's youth was filled with hard work, family love and gospel lessons. He realized early on that "life seemed to have an overall, purposeful, and divine design. Some things were right and other things were wrong." Of course, watching his dad exercise his priesthood powers and fulfill his church callings faithfully also strengthened Maxwell's testimony.   His highschool years were tough for Maxwell, adolescent acne interfered with his social life and he felt like a "social pariah." But Maxwell kept busy with his responsibilities at home, his studies, basketball and his 4-H pig breeding project. Then WWII started.  WWII helped Maxwell define his political views and gave him a greater spiritual understanding. Maxwell's military service taught him about the ugliness of war and brought him closer to Divine teachings. Hafen says: "During the battle for Okinawa, Neal had the most transforming experience of all. [H]e knelt . . . pleading for protection and dedicating the rest of his life to the Lord's service."  Maxwell survived and served a full-time mission after the war. During the following years, even decades, Maxwell married a beautiful young lady, started his family, gained more education, dabbled in politics and grew in his church service. His unique writing style also matured and his secular and sacred knowledge increased. One of his greatest challenges was health related. Chemotherapy changed Maxwell's appearance but never dampened his love for the Lord's work.   A Disciples Life is inspiring. Bruce Hafen successfully faced a gargantuan task in portraying Maxwell's vibrant life. Maxwell's spiritual strength radiates from the pages of this impressive tome. Elder Maxwell accepted the challenge and continues to live a Disciple's life. He teaches us that "the only truly unique gift we can give our Heavenly Father is the complete submission of our will."

Eve and the Choice Made in Eden by Beverly Campbell

In her introduction, Campbell reminds her readers that some of the information in her book must be considered to be conjecture, albeit informed conjecture. Campbell carefully researched the story of Adam and Eve living in the marvelous Garden of Eden, including studying the original meanings of the words found in the Bible text. Campbell also boldly states that "[e]rrors in understanding the Eden story are not small, and until they are corrected, ignorance of their presence will continue to be manifest in grossly enlarged consequences to our social fabric."  What are these consequences? Well, it appears that society in general believes that there is something inherently wrong or inferior about women in general because of Eve's supposedly eternally destructive sin. This attitude is wrong! Righteous women are as honored as righteous men in God's eternal value system.   Campbell reminds her readers that the events of the Garden of Eden must be understood on several levels. Firstly, Adam and Eve's actions in the Garden are historical facts as recorded in the Bible. Secondly, the sacred story is filled with metaphors and symbols. Says Campbell: "The serpent, the tree, the forbidden fruit, the rib, their nakedness, are all profoundly symbolic of unchanging moral concepts." Thirdly, the story of Adam and Eve secures the reader in his knowledge of a God who is our Father and created the world.  Yes, Adam and Eve had been given two commands by their eternal Father and upon casual reflection it does appear that Eve "sinned" by eating the fruit of the tree of good and evil. However, women in general are far more intuitive than men and women often consider what can be done for the greater good. This was the dilemma that Eve faced. She knew that she and Adam had been assigned to multiply and replenish the Earth. Eve also recognized that she and Adam couldn't fulfill this divine commandment while living in the Garden in an innocent state.  Courageous Mother Eve accepted the fruit from the serpent and then invited Adam to eat this fruit also. Most readers know the rest of the story. Rabbi Harold S. Kushner, talking about Eve, had these wise words for misguided or doubting Thomases: "The woman is not the villain of the story, enslaved by appetite and bringing sin and death into the world. She can be seen as the heroine of the story, leading her husband into the brave new world of moral demands and moral decisions."   Latter-day Saints have always believed that Adam and Eve exercised free will in the Garden. Through her book, Campbell strengthens this belief and shows her readers that Eve did not shame future women by her actions in the Garden of Eden.

Fairhaven Chronicles #1- A Fresh Start in Fairhaven by Sharon D. Jarvis

Fairhaven, Alabama, is a quiet southern town which has just seen much economic upheaval. Many families have moved to find work elsewhere and the two LDS wards in Fairhaven have been combined to form one ward with new leadership and a new Bishop, James Shepherd. Poor James never expected this call to lead a ward and he feels inadequate. He owns a grocery store and doesn't see himself as a spiritual giant. But James has been called and he accepts the assignment from the Lord.  The members of the newly formed ward come from all ranks of social and economic standing. Well-educated members share pews with the less educated, job seekers rub shoulders with employed folks and financially poor mingle with financially successful members. Latter-day Saints are all brothers and sisters and their faith will grow as members of the former two wards interact.  Bishop Shepherd receives divine inspiration in extending callings of leadership. For example, the new Relief Society president is a shy and humble sister who fears public speaking but has an immense knowledge of homemaking and crafting skills. Other ward members also accept their callings and Bishop Shepherd is surprised to learn of some of their talents. While getting to know his ward, the Bishop not only discovers a couple who are quite reserved, even paranoid, about their personal business but also enjoys the opportunity and challenge of guiding teenagers in the Lord's way. Sickness, weak testimonies and willingness to serve are also found in various ward members. Latter-day Saints are not exempt from trials and Bishop Shepherd often seeks divine direction to counsel ward members. The burden of his calling weighs heavily upon Bishop Shepherd but he acknowledges the Father and says: "I know Thou wilt help me bear the weight."  Sharon Jarvis draws her reader into Fairhaven and presents a plausible story of diversity, trials, triumphs and laughter. The Fairhaven ward resembles most any ward in the church and yet a delightful sense of community and family closeness emanates from the pages of this book. I look forward to visiting Fairhaven in future volumes of this series.

Fairhaven Chronicles #2-Mercies and Miracles by Sharon D. Jarvis

Fall is in the air and James Shepherd is slowly adjusting to his new stewardship as Bishop of the Fairhaven Alabama Ward. It has only been a short while since the 9/11 tragedy. Even the inhabitants of out-of-the way Fairhaven have been affected by this calamity. The Shepherd children also worry about what is happening in the world.  In addition to calming his family’s worries, Bishop Shepherd also has to guide his ward and solve various problems encountered by the members. All these responsibilities take their toll and Bishop Shepherd feels the weighty burden of his calling. But through prayer, the help of his counselors, the support of a loving wife and the well-timed words of encouragement from a childhood friend, Bishop Shepherd manages to continue serving the Lord.  As part of his service, the bishop visits the less active ward members. One such visit has him staring at the wrong end of a shotgun! The highschool football star is LDS but doesn’t set a very good example for the other youth of the ward. Through humor and friendship, Bishop Shepherd gains this young man’s trust and guides him on a better path. One of the biggest challenges faced by the bishop is the trial experienced by a happily married couple when the wife decides that her intellect supercedes the teachings of the Church. How can Bishop Shepherd help this formerly faithful sister regain her testimony? Not all readers will experience the pleasures and difficulties of serving as a bishop. Yet through Jarvis’ Fairhaven Chronicles, readers may vicariously undergo the life of a bishop. Are bishops perfect? No! Are Latter-day Saints perfect? No! Nobody is exempt from trials and difficulties but Jarvis’ fictional accounts remind her readers that answers to prayers and blessings in life will come through faithfulness, service and endurance.

Fairhaven Chr.#3-Through Cloud & Sunshine by Sharon D. Jarvis

Christmas Day is over and Bishop Shepherd and his wife Trish are just relaxing, reflecting on the day and their blessings, when the phone rings. And with this untimely call, reality reasserts itself.   T-Rex; a.k.a. Thomas Rexford, highschool football star, ward member and idol to many; is missing and his mom is worried. A nasty Alabama ice storm is starting and T-Rex is out on his motorbike. Bishop Shepherd hastily organizes a search. T-Rex is found but he is in poor shape with external and internal injuries. Before the ambulance arrives, T-Rex receives a priesthood blessing which includes a curious phrase.   The Fairhaven Ward members unite in prayer and fasting for T-Rex’s benefit and Bishop Shepherd feels confident that Heavenly Father has heard their pleadings. Meanwhile, life goes on in Fairhaven and the Shepherds find themselves with other difficulties. Tiffani, the sixteen-year-old, prepares for her first date. This event alone tests her parents’ patience. Then the Shepherds get a new prickly neighbor. Bishop Shepherd watches over his flock as a father should and finds himself being torn between his responsibilities for his own family and his ward family. And a Bishop’s responsibilities are many.  The entertaining and well-written Fairhaven Chronicles are like a primer for future bishops. Jarvis’ series has often been compared to Karon’s Mitford series but with an LDS twist. Readers grow to appreciate the ward members as they practice their religion and overcome their trials.

Gethsemane by Andrew C. Skinner

Skinner tells his reader that "the meaning and message of Jesus' experience in Gethsemane are that simple: he loves us--all of us." Through His love and partaking of the bitter cup, Christ allows for all of us to pass through our own bitter experiences and let them become sweet again. And without the events of Gethsemane, God's eternal plan would come to naught. As Skinner says: "Gethsemane was the place where eternity hung in the balance."  Sacred scriptures teach that Christ's suffering in Gethsemane was beyond compare, that the Holy Son accepted the suffering for all of mankind's sins, that "He bled from every pore." Skinner reminds his reader that Christ's selfless act of suffering also included the pains associated with depression, disappointments and hurt feelings. Through His own experiences, Jesus understands all the trials mankind will face. Can any of us prevail without Christ's actions in Gethsemane? No! "Simply living in a fallen world produces tests, trials, pain, sickness and affliction."  Skinner's book deepened my understanding and wonderment of the sacred events at Gethsemane. Christ's divine act allows mere mortals to return to live with the Eternal Father.

Grin & Share It by Janene W. Baadsgaard

When Janene was just a newlywed, she watched a large family arrive at church in a rather disheveled manner. This observation prompted Janene to promise herself that her life what never be so out of control. But twenty years and nine children later, Janene has changed her opinion. She says that "[r]aising a family is more like jumping on a roller coaster where we’re laughing one minute and scared to death the next." So let’s see what Janene learned during these years of roller coaster rides.  Janene learned that humor is an important ingredient in living. And events which at the time may appear to be disasters, such as her family’s musical number in a sacrament meeting, will become more humorous as the light of passing time illuminates the situation. Developing your sense of humor leads you to developing more inventive solutions to daily problems. Since the gospel plays a most important part in the Baadsgaard home, Janene receives maternal insights and understandings. She tells her readers that one day it dawned on her "that if today wasn’t the best day of my life, I’d never get to have the best day of my life." Janene also reminds readers to follow Christ’s words, to become like little children, to emulate the joys children find in daily life. Janene delights her readers with personal reflections on paternal dreams, houseguest, children’s sicknesses, Halloween costumes, learning to speak Childese and the stressful days of school. Of course, Janene remembers to tell readers that successful marriages heavily depend on two partners who love each other despite their faults and allow each other some personal agency and freedom. But partners who make the eternal commitment also see the divine future of their family.  Grin & Share It made me laugh. At the same time, Janene reminded me of the sacredness of raising my family in the gospel.

Hearts of the Children: #1-The Writing on the Wall by Dean Hughes

The erection of the loathed Berlin Wall in 1961 did not just divide a city, and as part of an ugly border a whole nation, but also tore asunder families. Berlin, the proud metropolis, has become an island of democracy within the realm of the Soviet Union and many families will be separated from loved ones for decades. Such is the case for Peter Holtz.  Peter moved his family back to the Russian sector of the vanquished Germany to be supportive of the small LDS branch. Now he and his family are restricted to the Deutsche Demokratische Republick. And being Mormon hinders scholastic and vocational endeavors.  The grandchildren of D. Alexander and Beatrice Thomas are entering their teenage years at the beginning of the turbulent 1960's. President Kennedy faces Russian missiles in Cuba and America wobbles through the Civil Rights movement.  Kathy Thomas is only 14 years old, yet she has definite ideas about what should be right or wrong.  Eugene Thomas fits the description of a highschool jock but he has some good qualities.  Diane Hammond is one of the most popular girls at Ogden HS but she and her mom are constantly at odds.  All generations of the Thomas family face their own trials, and discover their own convictions, during this confusing era. With Writing on the Wall, Dean Hughes' fertile imagination has created a finely detailed tapestry of historical fact and fiction. Having graduated from Ogden HS and having German ancestry myself, I was able to truly enjoy this book. Of course, I now must wait patiently for the next book.

It's the Principle of the Thing by Don H. Staheli

When you go through life, what do you see? Do you learn from your various experiences or are you just glad when each day ends? Well, Don Staheli decided to examine his life and learn from his experiences. And this book is the result of his efforts.  Staheli discovered that all of us have goals but few of us are willing to focus on the many steps needed to achieve our goals. As he says: "We must have a good understanding of the direction we want things to go."  With this understanding, we can open our eyes and glean information from our daily experiences. For Staheli, even climbing trees as a youth can teach a morale. As we grow older, our direction for our goals may change but without proper direction, all of our efforts will be for naught. "Fender benders are a natural hazard of life" and "none of us is free from the occasional bumps and scrapes of human interaction." Of course, you personally have never experienced any scrapes and bumps, right?   Its the Principle of the Thing is Staheli's attempt at finding insight in everyday life. He isn't a Fulghum but he does have something to say to his readers. And his readers may just reexamine their lives and learn from their experiences.

I Will Fear No Evil by Robert Millet

The world is filled with chaos; the world is filled with fear. Anger, frustration, discouragement and despair fill mortals' hearts. Wars, strive and civil unrest are pitting neighbor against neighbor and are tearing countries and regions apart in malicious conflict. And where in the world an unstable peace reigns, economic instability causes anxiety. This is the world of today! Yet there is hope.  Robert Millet courageously proclaims that all this chaos, this conundrum of abundant good and abundant evil, can be taken to task by "singular and unusual souls [who] engage the contradictions and bring order out of spreading chaos." Millet quotes President Hinckley directing us that "God is at the helm." We will gain strength from our interactions with Divinity.  Of course, our loving Father will never force His children to make the correct choices. Forced obedience was somebody elses plan. Millet reminds us of President Kimballs statement: "The basic gospel law is free agency and eternal development. To force us to be careful or righteous would be to nullify that fundamental law and make growth impossible." Yes, the price of agency is the possibility to make incorrect, even evil and degrading choices.   Tragedy befalls all of us at some point in our lives but we can find peace and solace in the gospel. Even after the horrific, and never before envisioned, events of September 11, 2001, our lives must go on. We cannot sequester ourselves, we cannot take "counsel from our fears." Instead, we buck up and go on with the business of living and following God's words and guidance.  Millet informs us that as long as we are grounded in the gospel, as long as we live the commandments, as long as we don't allow the evil one to lead us astray, we will quell our fears and we will gain the victory over the turbulent times of our lives. There is a cost but the eventual reward is well worth the suffering we may be asked to endure in this mortal state. And when will the end come? Not until the Lord's declared time. Until then, Millet's work reminds us that we have all the resources at our disposal to overcome our fears.

Masquerade by Sierra St. James

Clarissa Hancock needs a job which will not restrict her parental time as much as the two dead end jobs she is working currently. Elaina, her three-year-old daughter, needs a mommy. The divorce between Clarissa and Alex Hancock not only destroyed a family but also created financial and emotional burdens for Clarissa. Slade Jacobson is famously well known since his television program is king in the ratings. He is handsome and would make a nice catch for some lonely woman. But Slade isn't looking for romance. He is divorced and recently became a member of the LDS church. Slade has fame and fortune but happiness eludes him. Currently, he would be happy enough to hire a competent nanny for his spirited four-year-old daughter Bella.  When Clarissa applies for a nanny position in the home of Slade Jacobson, she knows that Slade would prefer a married woman to be his daughter's nanny. But Clarissa is desperate and when she is offered the job, she neglects to mention that she is single. Her first assignment is to tend Bella in Hawaii while Slade attends to his work. Taking care of two little girls and at the same time avoiding any romantic entanglement with a movie star shouldn't be too difficult? Right?!  Masquerade is a fun novel of misconception and confused love. The trials of divorce and the hazzards of fame are portrayed in this book. Overall, Masquerade is a delightful escape from the rigor of daily life.

Megan by Jack Weyland

Being a high school senior in the Bay area isn't easy for Megan. She is one of few Latter-Day Saints in her school. Her father is gone on business all week and her mom tries to hold the family together. When Megan's father is home, he is busy fulfilling his church calling as scoutmaster. He does ask Megan how she is doing and if she follows the commandments but Megan just lies to her dad and says that all is well. In fact, Megan is in trouble. Her road of self-deceit has led Megan lately to dress immodestly when she is away from home in an effort to catch Kurt's eye. He is a loner, always appearing to be troubled and jaded by life. Kurt has graduated from high school and enjoys much personal freedom. When he finally does pay attention to Megan, or perhaps to her attire, he invites her for a ride on his father's boat. Over the next few weeks, Kurt and Megan date often and Megan ignores all that she has been taught by her family and the gospel. She and Kurt are intimate and Megan becomes pregnant.  Jack Weyland fills his novels with ordinary people. He doesn't preach with his writing. Yet, his stories tell a moral and present the repercussions of disobedience to the commandments. Megan faces and accepts the consequence of immorality. The course of repentance is not easy nor quickly attained. Megan has to make some very difficult decisions before her story ends. Everybody should read this book.

Molly Married? by Tamra Norton

It seemed like such a perfect idea to Molly. She and Shannon would park their car at the perimeter of the Idaho Falls airfield and watch Molly's heart throb, Elder Brandon Mace, return from his mission. But the best laid plans often go awry. Suffering only minor embarrassment, Molly and Shannon return home to Oakley, Idaho.  Molly is a basket case waiting for Brandon to contact her. When Molly and Brandon finally meet, Molly is accompanied by David who played good Samaritan when Molly's truck had a flat tire. Oh the agony Molly endures while the fates play Twister with her romantic encounters. But there is hope, Molly and Shannon will be roommates at BYU-Idaho and Brandon will also be attending.  Life at BYU-Idaho is quite different from life in sleepy Oakley. Molly's home-teachers have a knack for always showing up at mealtime, her classes are difficult and Brandon appears to be involved in other things. He doesn't have much time for Molly. In fact, Brandon looks as if he is interested in an exotic beauty called Elena, one of Molly's roommates. And Molly is fighting becoming romantically attracted to her goofy ballroom dancing partner Gordon. How any of these tangles in Molly's life will resolve is anybodys guess.  Molly Married? continues the madcap adventures of Molly whose faith in the gospel is as firm as the Rockies but whose life rocks with misunderstandings, frustrations and comical romantic situations. Norton's Molly books are addictive and I look forward to future stories.

Molly Mormon? by Tamra Norton

Poor Molly Chambers, she is sixteen, a junior in highschool and she lives in Oakley, ID, where everybody knows everybody. Oakley is a small farming community where nearly everybody is LDS and yet teenagers are just as tempted to sin. Molly and her cousin, and best friend, Shannon want to obey the commandments. Then Shannon falls for the beguiling charm of Chad, top jock and party animal. Molly cautions Shannon but temptation, misplaced trust and lust overcome Shannon's resolve. Shannon turns sixteen and a few weeks later discovers that she is pregnant. And Chad does not want anything to do with his child.  Molly's life isn't perfect either. Several of her classmates mercilessly tease her calling her "Molly Mormon." Also, Molly and her nemesis Jennavive, cheerleader and the most popular girl in school, have been teamed up for a class project. And to top it all of, Molly is falling for Chad's party buddy Brandon. Nothing worth achieving ever comes without a price. What price will Molly be willing to pay to endure her highschool years?  Molly Mormon? reminded me of some of Jack Weyland's books. LDS teens are not exempt from the temptations of the world and living the standards of the Lord is never easy. Molly Mormon? and other books like it, though fiction, can still strengthen the youth and help the youth keep their covenants. Take the time to read Molly Mormon?.

Mormonville by Jeff Call

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is under attack and Luke Manning is the attacker. Luke, an investigative reporter, has been hired to write a scathing exposé about the Mormon church. To write his caustic book, Luke will leave his beloved New York City and move to Helaman, UT, Hickville USA. He plans to live in Helaman for a year and infiltrate the Mormon culture to discover whatever scandals he can find.  Shortly after arriving in Helaman, Luke learns that the towns name is pronounced "Heal-a-man" not "Hell-a-man." Luke also quickly finds out that his neighbors are quite friendly, perhaps even a bit nosy. On one of his first Sundays in town, Luke watches in amazement as his neighbors troop past his house on their way to church. All of them appear so wholesome; he calls them products from a "Brady bunch assembly line." Before long, Luke befriends the Benjamin family living across the street and even takes the missionary discussions in his deceitful quest to learn all about Mormonism. Although he isn't baptized, Luke willingly accepts a church calling, goes home teaching and participates in ward activities. He carefully notes the foibles and quirkiness of his fellow ward members and his book nearly writes itself. But the infamous fly in the ointment eventually meddles with Luke's despicable writing project. Will Luke finish his book and will his lifestyle changes have a lasting effect?  Jeff Call's first novel, Mormonville, allows LDS readers to laugh at themselves. The characters residing in Helaman can be found in any ward and Call provides an insightful and amusing look at LDS culture in conservative Utah. Mormonville gleefully points out that Latter-day Saints are a somewhat "peculiar people" but the book never belittles the LDS church. I enjoyed this book and I was surprised by the ending.

One More River to Cross (Standing on the Promise #1) by Margaret Young and Darius Gray

History is filled with many little forgotten facts. One of these is that the Mormon pioneers weren't all Caucasian or Hispanic. Many pioneers were African-American; some were slaves, some were freed slaves and some were freeborn. In fact, some African-American pioneers played important roles in early Church history.  Elijah Abel was one of these prominent but humble black pioneers. His story begins early in his teens when he, his mom and his siblings escape from their white owner. On their trek, the Abels are assisted by Friends, Quakers who were members of the Underground Railroad. Eventually, Elijah's family part ways to find work. Elijah stays with his sick mom and lovingly buries her body after she dies. He promises to always remember her last counsel: "Make yoself better."  Eventually, Elijah travels to Nauvoo where he meets the Lord's Prophet Joseph Smith. Elijah becomes a member, is ordained to the priesthood and ultimately set apart to be a Seventy! Yes, Elijah Abel was one of the few African-American priesthood holders in early Church history. He served missions and served in other callings faithfully.  One More River to Cross isn't written solely about Elijah Abel. Other black LDS pioneers include Samuel Chambers, who was baptized secretly; Isaac James, who travels to Nauvoo for the "fun" and food and Jane Manning, who arrives in Nauvoo to make a new life.  Young and Gray have exhaustively researched their book. After nearly endless hours searching through personal journals, reference works, Church histories and documents and oral narratives, the creation of One More River... began.  This book is a commemoration of African-American pioneers and their roles in Church history. I learned from this book and I gained a greater appreciation of the troubles all pioneers endured.