Three newly published
titles for Latter-day Saint readers share testimony based on personal
experience.
In Amazed by
Grace, Deseret Book CEO Sheri Dew shares her growing insights
in the continuing exploration and discovery of Christ’s meaning
in her life.
The overarching
concept: “The key to unlocking the power of His covenant sons
and daughters is in His covenant sons and daughters learning to
unlock the power in Jesus Christ.”
She reiterates her
assertion from previous books that the Church values both women and
men equally, as evidenced by the access that both have to ordinances
and power of the priesthood. Speaking of the temple, she writes,
“Through His grace, He has made His highest, holiest spiritual
privileges available to both men and women.”
Although it’s
basically the same article published in the Fall 20124 issue of “BYU
Magazine,” the layout and design of this small hardcover book
put the words and ideas in an attractive package suitable for giving
— and keeping (Deseret Book 2015, 75 pages, $15.99).
Elder M. Russell
Ballard’s testimony shines through every chapter of Yesterday,
Today, and Forever: Timeless Gospel Messages. Although the
personal stories may be familiar, they are part of messages given in
settings other than general conference and published in this
collection for the first time.
A real bonus is the
integration of quotes from his two grandfathers, who both served as
Apostles: Elder Hyrum Mack Smith (who served 1901 to 1918) and Elder
Melvin J. Ballard (who served 1919-1939).
Quotes come from family
files, general conference reports, Church magazines, and “letters
written during their numerous missions.” Elder Ballard writes
that his purpose was to “delve into the teachings of these two
Apostles and share some of their words alongside my own as a further
witness of the eternal truth of these principles.”
Both his own talks and
the quotes from his grandfathers have been edited slightly to make
them more readable (Deseret Book 2015, 182 pages in hardcover
$22.99).
Angels Beside
You: True Stories of the Lord’s Tender Mercies is a
collection of first-person experiences compiled by Judy C. Olsen. The
stories in her fourth volume have been related by “ordinary
people” experiencing various circumstances of life, many of
them challenging and some of them miraculous.
The stories appear
pretty much unedited and in the authentic voices of those who
experienced them — nothing fancy, just honest and sincere
reflections of faith and gratitude (Covenant Communications 2015, 160
pages in softcover $11.99).
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.
