New Books by Eyring, Holland Offer Encouragement and Comfort
by Laurie Williams Sowby
New
from Henry B. Eyring – his first book in many years – is
Choose Higher Ground. His mother was fond of telling
him, “If you are on the right path, it will always be uphill.”
True to form, he has used that analogy to lift others.
President
Eyring’s talks over the past decade or so have been compiled in
this book to provide guidance in making the upward effort. Using
examples from the scriptures as well as personal experiences over a
lifetime, President Eyring employs a gentle teaching tone in his
words as he offers sound advice for all stages of life. The chapters
fall under five major divisions: A Strong Foundation, Personal Growth
through Helping Others, Strength in Adversity, Power to Live a
Consecrated Life, and Help for the Last Days.
“As
the challenges around us increase,” he writes, “we must
commit to do more to qualify for the companionship of the Holy Ghost.
Casual prayer won’t be enough. Reading a few verses of
scripture won’t be enough. Doing the minimum of what the Lord
asks of us won’t be enough. . . Only a steady, increasing
effort will allow the Lord to take us to higher ground.”
Even
though you may recall many of the talks once you see them here, it’s
nice to have them in a single collection (with a helpful index as
well). Choose Higher Ground beckons with a familiar voice
filled with stories, insights, and solid, loving counsel. (Deseret
Book 2013, 250 pages in hardcover, $23.99.)
For
Times of Trouble is a different kind of book from a General
Authority, and different from many things we’ve seen by Jeffrey
R. Holland. Subtitled Spiritual Solace from the Psalms, it
contains Elder Holland’s “personal musings and private
meditations on a very eclectic selection of psalms.” He notes
that Jesus himself quoted from Psalms more than any other part of the
Old Testament and calls the psalms “a biblical bridge reaching
to all people.”
Rarely
does Elder Holland offer an entire psalm or even an entire verse, and
sometimes it’s a line or two from various psalms clustered into
a single thought, followed by his own thoughts. Rather than scholarly
commentary, it is intended to provide strength and spiritual solace.
Elder Holland articulates those thoughts in his typical literary
style.
Three
sections are divided into personal reflection on various psalms,
Messianic Psalms, and the Twenty-third Psalm. Color plates of
evocative art are interspersed. Careful notes crediting sources and
referencing additional scriptures follow the text, along with both a
scripture and a subject index. Included with the book is a DVD of
Elder Holland speaking on the topic.
Christians
of any faith should find this lovely book meditative and comforting.
(Deseret Book 2012, 242 pages in hard cover, $26.99)
Laurie
Williams Sowby has been writing since second grade and getting paid
for it since high school. Her byline ("all three names, please")
has appeared on more than 6,000 freelance articles published in
newspapers, magazines, and online.
A
graduate of BYU and a writing instructor at Utah Valley University
for many years, she proudly claims all five children and their
spouses as college grads.
She
and husband, Steve, have served three full-time missions together,
beginning in 2005 in Chile, followed by Washington D.C. South, then
Washington D.C. North, both times as young adult Institute teachers.
They are currently serving in the New York Office of Public and
International Affairs
During
her years of missionary service, Laurie has continued to write about
significant Church events, including the rededication of the Santiago
Temple by President Hinckley and the groundbreaking for the
Philadelphia Temple by President Eyring. She also was a Church
Service Missionary, working as a news editor at Church Magazines,
between full-time missions.
Laurie
has traveled to all 50 states and at least 45 countries (so far).
While home is American Fork, Utah, Lincoln Center and the
Metropolitan Museum of Art have provided a comfortable second home.
Laurie
is currently serving a fourth full-time mission with her husband in
the New York Office of Public and International Affairs. The two
previously served with a branch presidency at the Provo Missionary
Training Center. The oldest of 18 grandchildren have been called to
serve missions in New Hampshire and Brisbane, Australia.