Have you ever been to Time Out for Women? Each event is unique because of the different presenters that visit each city on the tour. Check out these products to learn more about these people with incredible stories living faithful lives. Find your event and get tickets for the Time Out for Women Fall 2018 Tour.
More than the Tattooed Mormon | Al Carraway
Al Carraway is a blogger, speaker, and author of the book More Than the Tattooed Mormon. She was born and raised in New York, has been a member of the LDS Church for eight years, and lives in Utah with her family. She is sealed to her sweetheart, Ben, and they just welcomed their second baby this past summer. Al loves sharing her testimony that it is only through the gospel of Jesus Christ that we find real happiness.
Al Fox Carraway has inspired the world with her message of conversion, redemption, and finding faith. As a blogger and award-winning public speaker, her voice has reached millions. Now you can own this limited second edition hardback of her best-selling autobiography, featuring 2 brand new chapters from Al and a bonus talk on CD. Learn from her story what it means to truly trust in the Lord.
An Unseen Angel | Alissa Parker
Alissa grew up in Ogden, Utah the youngest of five children. She graduated from Weber State University and there married her high school sweetheart, Robbie. They are the proud parents of three beautiful girls; Emilie (who passed away at age 6), Madeline (8) and Samantha (6). Alissa currently resides in a small town outside of Vancouver, Washington with her family and their four chickens. Alissa is an avid photographer, crafter, reader and amateur gardener. After her daughter Emilie was killed at Sandy Hook Elementary, Alissa co-founded two non-profit organizations; Safe and Sound Schoolswhich empowers parents and educators about school safety and The Emilie Parker Art Connection that helps fund and support art programs for children. But the job that means the most to Alissa is being a full-time mom to her daughters.
When Alissa Parker lost her daughter Emilie in the Sandy Hook Elementary mass shooting, she started a life-changing journey to answer soul-searching questions about faith, hope, and healing. As she sought for the peace and comfort that could help mend her broken heart, she learned, step by step, how to open her heart to God's Grace and will.
One step brought her face to face with the shooter's father, where in a pivotal and poignant meeting, she was given an opportunity to forgive. Another step brought her into the sheltering compassion of her community as family, friends, and even strangers reached out to buoy her up with their shared faith. And several miraculous manifestations of Emilie's continued presence and influence lifted her heart and will validate the faith of every Christian.
The story of Alissa and Emilie reminds us that the bonds of love continue beyond this life and that despite tragedy and heartache, we can find strength in our family and our faith.
The Holy Invitation | Anthony Sweat
Anthony Sweat is an assistant professor of Religious Education at Brigham Young University. He received a BFA in painting and drawing from the University of Utah and MEd and PhD degrees in education from Utah State University. Anthony is the author of many books including his most recent, Christ in Every Hour. He and his wife, Cindy, are the parents of seven children and reside in Utah.
You may feel a little intimidated when you're preparing to enter the temple for the first time. Fortunately, this book can help. It offers answers about the endowment by providing a frame for you to understand the purposes and procedures of its ordinances.
Explore the temple endowment from three different vantage points: the why, the what, and the how, so that when you go to the temple—whether for the first time or the hundredth—you can more fully absorb the learning and truth the Lord has in store for you.
The Lord has extended to each one of us a holy invitation: an invitation to enter His house, to learn of Him and His ways, and to prepare to return to His presence and receive a fullness of His exalting blessings. Learn how you can accept the invitation the Lord has extended to you personally and find profound meaning in the sacred temple endowment.
Changed through His Grace | Brad Wilcox
Brad Wilcox grew up in Provo, Utah, except for childhood years spent in Ethiopia, Africa. As a young man, he served a mission for the Church in Chile. Brad earned a PhD from the University of Wyoming and is now an associate professor in the department of Teacher Education at BYU. Brad and his wife, Debi, served as president of the Chile Santiago East Mission from 2003-2006. Brad also has recently served as a member of the Sunday School general board. He is the author of many best-selling books, including The Continuous Atonement. Brad and Debi are the parents of four children and reside in Provo, Utah.
"Have you been changed by grace?" In this insightful book, Brad Wilcox explores this life-altering question in depth. Christians throughout the centuries have used grace to describe God's favor, goodwill, and love. However, grace is more than a description of God's attributes. It is the help, power, and strength He offers as we choose to engage with Him in striving to attain those attributes. Grace is different from the Atonement. It is not Christ's suffering, death, and Resurrection. Rather, grace is the power that flows from those sacred moments. Grace is not a priesthood ordinance, but essential ordinances invite greater and greater endowments of grace into our lives. Grace is a divine gift, but like any gift, it must be received.
In this book, Brother Wilcox uses real-life stories and personal experiences to demonstrate how we can choose to receive Christ's grace more fully. In addition to using Paul's teachings in the Bible, Brother Wilcox draws from the scriptures of the Restoration, the teachings of modern prophets, and sacred hymns to explain complex doctrines in simple and memorable ways. This allows us to understand how a covenant relationship with God and Christ can help us and those we love escape the bondage of addictions. he teaches how through the Holy Ghost—the messenger of grace—God can strengthen and save but also transform us.
This book is filled with hope. God's help is not a prize for the righteous. It is the source of righteousness. His grace is not a reward for the worth. It is the source of worthiness. It is not waiting for us once we change. It is the power we need throughout the entire perfecting process.
Our Sweet Basil Kitchen Cookbook | Cade and Carrian Cheney
Cade and Carrian Cheney are the husband-and-wife team creating and publishing recipes on the popular website Oh, Sweet Basil. They have run the site for nearly ten years and now share their creations with a few million readers each month. Known for using fresh ingredients and putting their own unique twists on familiar comfort foods, Cade and Carrian recently published their first cookbook, Our Sweet Basil Kitchen, in which they inspire families to reinvent family dinner. The Cheneys are the parents of three wonderful children and currently live in Lehi, Utah.
Cade and Carrian Cheney are the husband-and-wife team behind the popular Oh, Sweet Basil food blog. Carrian grew up in the Pacific Northwest and prefers garden-fresh produce, natural ingredients, and healthy eating. Cade, raised in South Carolina, loves all things Southern—particularly if it involves a grill.
Together, they have collected more than 100 recipes that combine their love of fresh ingredients with unexpected flavor combinations and mashups of tried-and-true family favorites. Their innovative dishes will elevate and reinvigorate your everyday recipes and impress your friends and family.
The Cheneys believe that "Cooking isn't just about the food, it's about the hands that created it. For us, that means sharing a little Southern comfort and a little farm-to-table. But wherever you are and whatever flavors you are sharing, remember that good food and good people make for a good life."
Believer | Calee Reed
Calee Reed Adams grew up in San Diego, California and was taught to sing by her mother at a very young age. When Calee's mother passed away in 2011 after a battle with cancer, Calee decided to write her first album, The Waiting Place, as a tribute to her. Her second album, What Heaven Feels Like, was released in 2015 and features inspirational songs in Calee's unique, fresh style. Calee experienced another painful loss when her first marriage ended in divorce. She penned her third album, Believer, during her years as a single, full-time mom. She remarried in 2017 and is now experiencing the joys (and chaos!) of blending a family with five adorable children.
Known for her powerful voice and emotive lyrics, Calee has a personal approach to songwriting that is well served by emotional performances on this contemporary Christian album. Calee's latest release marks a new chapter in her career, a turning point from her previous albums that chronicled the death of her mother and subsequent trials and struggles. This album is a celebration of rising from the ashes, seeing life anew through the lens of faith, and becoming a more committed and joyful believer. She is battle-tested and exultant on the title track and on "Begin Again," but she also leaves room for poignant musings on the nature of God and the mystery of the faith journey on "Understood God" and "Outrun the Rain." This album provides renewed faith and joy in our spiritual journeys and will leave you basking in its light and the beauty of its message long after the last chords ring out.
Unshattered: Overcoming Tragedy and Choosing a Beautiful Life | Carol J. Decker, Stacey L. Nash
Carol J. Decker grew up in the Northwest and has always had a love for life. In 2008, she survived sepsis while pregnant with her second child, resulting in multiple amputations and complete blindness. Since then, Carol, her husband, and their two beautiful daughters have learned to live life with an optimistic attitude and determination that anything is possible. Carol’s book, Unshattered: Overcoming tragedy and Choosing a Beautiful Life was released earlier this year.
On June 10, 2008, Carol Decker walked through the hospital doors a healthy woman with flu-like symptoms and early labor contractions. Three months later, she returned home a blind, triple-amputee struggling to bond with a daughter she would never see.
Unshattered: Overcoming Tragedy and Choosing a Beautiful Life recounts Carol's fight for survival against sepsis and its life-shattering complications. From excruciating skin grafts to learning how to function in daily life without lower legs, a left hand, and her sight, Carol takes us on a personal and raw, yet inspiring journey. She travels through the darkness of trauma, anxiety, and depression to arrive, literally, at the peak of a mountain with a heart full of gratitude and love. More than a story of triumph over tragedy, the book offers inspiring life-lessons and insights which can help readers to do more than endure unimaginable pain and darkness in their own lives. This book can give them the perspective and strength to pick up the pieces of their own tragedies and choose a life of healing, purpose, and joy—a beautiful life.
Sweet Redeemer | City of Enoch
Brianna Curran, Jeremy Christensen, and Kyle Wesley are the new vocal trio known as City of Enoch—a group with a mission to share their love of Jesus Christ and testify of God’s goodness. Although their journey together is just beginning, Brianna, Jeremy, and Kyle are no strangers to the music industry. With captivating harmonies and powerful lyrics, City of Enoch hopes to spread their message by creating a unique sound with fresh arrangements that are already drawing in new listeners. It’s a sound you haven’t heard anywhere in Contemporary Christian music today.
City of Enoch is the group that you have been waiting for, with a captivating sound that is described as “Lady Antebellum harmonies meet Christian Contemporary praise.” This debut album from a rising trio features new songs, great Christian covers, and an incredible new arrangement of the classic hit “He Hears Me”.
Ites | David Butler, Ryan Jeppesen
David Butler is by day a college religious educator sharing his love for the scriptures and his belief that there is a power for good innate in every human soul. By night he is a fort builder, waffle maker, sports coach, and storyteller for his six favorite little people, also known as his children. He and his wife, Jenny, live with their family amid the snowcapped peaks of the Mountain West, but they often dream of a beach house on a sunny shore somewhere.
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No Ordinary Women | Elaine S. Dalton
Elaine Dalton was born and raised in Ogden, Utah, and received her bachelor's degree in English from Brigham Young University. She served as the Young Women general president of the Church from 2008 until 2013. She is the author of A Return to Virtue, Shine!, and No Ordinary Women. She is married to her best friend, Stephen, and they are the parents of five sons and one daughter and the grandparents of 18! She loves being outdoors with her family, dancing with her granddaughters, and running marathons.
Speaking to women of all ages and walks of life, Sister Elaine S. Dalton writes, "As daughters of God, we are each unique and different in our circumstances and experiences, and our part matters because we matter. We are no ordinary women. We are elect, and each of us has a unique, divine mission to perform."
Having had the opportunity to travel throughout the world and serve and work among women young and old and in between, Sister Dalton has seen firsthand how the Lord has blessed each of us with distinct and divine talents. And when we use those gifts to become righteous women of influence on the people and the world around us, there is no limit to the good we can achieve.
Sister Dalton highlights many of the qualities we are blessed with as women of covenant in these latter days. Though many of us may feel that we have only a small part to play in the building of the Lord's kingdom, Sister Dalton helps us to recognize that "by small and simple things are great thing brought to pass" (Alma 37:6). As we reflect on our roles within our spheres of influence and commit to act as disciples of Christ in whatever we do, we discover that we truly are capable of great things and that our work and contributions in the kingdom are anything but ordinary.
Even This | Emily Belle Freeman
Emily Belle Freeman took her first creative writing class in high school and has loved writing ever since. She finds great joy in studying the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. Her deep love of the scriptures comes from a desire to find their application in everyday life. She is the author of several books, including Celebrating a Christ-Centered Christmas; The Peter Potential; and most recently, Even This. Her favorite activities include parades, vacations, firework displays, and going for a long walk with a good friend. Emily and her husband, Greg, live in Lehi, Utah, and are the parents of five children, whom she adores.
In Even This, Emily Belle Freeman shares her own deeply personal experiences of feeling forgotten by God—from the fear of abandonment in a dark hospital room to the desperation that followed months of unanswered prayers. In a moment of honesty, she found herself asking the question she had been afraid to consider: "Where is God in this?"
Once There Was a Mom | Emily Watts, Destin Cox
Emily Watts is a lover of words. A graduate of the University of Utah, she has been an editor for Deseret Book Company for more than thirty-five years, much of that time working from home part-time so she could devote most of her attention to her husband and their five children. She is now Executive Editor at Deseret Book. She loves serving in the Church and has spent most of her adult life teaching in the various auxiliaries, but her favorite calling is as a grandmother. Emily and her husband, Larry, live in Taylorsville, Utah. She is the author of several inspirational books, including Take Two Chocolates and Call Me in the Morning; I Hate It When Exercise Is the Answer; and The Slow-Ripening Fruits of Mothering.
"Mom" was the biggest word in her world.
It made her want to dance, and it made her want to hide.
And on some nights, when the house was dark and still and the moon peeked through the window, it made her wonder.
For every mom who has ever wondered if all the little things she does in a day make a difference, Once There Was a Mom offers hope and encouragement. Take it from someone who, like you, has read story after story, sung lullaby after lullaby, and even taken the batteries out of the toys once in a while! The truth is, little things are much more important than we may think. With contemporary, stylized illustration by artist Destin Cox, this charming gift book will bring a smile to the face of mothers of any age.
The Christ Who Heals | Fiona Givens, Terryl Givens
Fiona Givens was born in Nairobi, Kenya, educated in British convent schools, and converted to the LDS church in Frankfurt am Mein. She graduated from the University of Richmond with degrees in French and German, and received an M.A. in European History while co-raising the last of her six children. Besides education, she has worked in translation services, as a lobbyist, and as communications director for a nonprofit organization. Fiona and Terryl are the parents of six remarkable children, the grandparents of five fonts of fun, and currently reside in Virginia with Andrew’s dog, Zoe.
In a world increasingly prone to doubt, a foundation in Christ is the only sure basis of a durable discipleship. And for Latter-day Saints, the Jesus Christ revealed through the Prophet Joseph Smith is, in some very significant ways, a different kind of Christ than the Jesus of modern Christianity. The Christ of the restored gospel collaborated with Heavenly Parents for our salvation even before the foundation of the world, "does not anything" save it be for our benefit (2 Nephi 26:24), and is determined to patiently guide and nurture every one of God's children into an eternal heavenly family. Most significantly, this Christ does not rescue us from a condition of original sin or depravity. Rather, He is primarily a healer of the wounds incident to a long-planned sojourn, one intended to immerse us in the trials, pains, and soul-stretching of this mortal schoolroom. He is not only the most remarkable being in the history of religious thought; He is, in fact, The Christ Who Heals.
Courage to Be You | Gail Miller, Jason F. Wright
Gail Miller is owner of the Larry H. Miller Group of Companies, which includes car dealerships, the Utah Jazz and other sports teams, theater complexes, and many other companies. Gail and her late husband, Larry, also created a strong legacy of giving back through a wide range of charitable, educational, and humanitarian causes. Gail serves on numerous boards and advisory councils and will releases her first book this year.
Gail Miller might seem as though she has it easy—now. But she has experienced challenges in nearly every aspect of her life: financial struggles, family trials, and personal loss. Through it all, she has had courage to move forward and remain grounded in her faith.
In Courage to Be You, Gail encourages readers to find their own path—with the help of the Lord. Her candid stories and personal insights about faith, hard work, grief, and many more topics are both fascinating and inspiring.
"I hope as you read about my journey," she writes, "you will recognize a gem or two of truth that may be useful in your journey. Hopefully, you'll recognize you're not alone in a confusing and complicated world."
Reading this book is like sitting down with a good friend and visiting about the things that matter most. It will fill you with courage and determination to be the best "you" possible.
The Spirit of God | Jenny Oaks Baker
Jenny Oaks Baker is a Grammy-nominated, Billboard No. 1 performer and recording artist. She received her Master of Music degree from the renowned Juilliard School in New York and has performed as a soloist at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center. She has released 16 studio albums. Jenny, her husband, Matthew, and their four children reside in Utah.
Grammy-nominated classical violinist Jenny Oaks Baker joins Emmy-award-winning composer Kurt Bestor to create a beautiful collection of classic hymns and spirituals. This album celebrates the spiritual roots found in well-loved melodies that have lifted the souls of believers through generations. An instant classic, this album is a peaceful, joyful, and stirring addition to your music library.
At the Pulpit | Kate Holbrook, Jennifer Reeder
Jenny Reeder is a nineteenth-century women’s history specialist at the LDS Church History Department. She has a PhD in American history from George Mason University, with an emphasis in women’s history, religious history, memory, and material culture. Her master’s degree is from New York University in history, archival management, and documentary editing. She has worked with the Center for American Jewish History, the Brooklyn Museum of Art, and the Joseph Fielding Smith Institute for LDS History. She serves on the executive committee of the Mormon Women’s History Initiative Team.
At the Pulpit contains fifty-four discourses given by Latter-day Saint women throughout the history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Like Lucy Mack Smith, these women drew on inspiration and experience to declare their understanding of eternal truths. This book illustrates the history of women's public preaching in the church, but its most important feature is the actual words of Mormon women. From the time of Emma Hale Smith's earliest exhortations at meetings of the Nauvoo Relief Society, Latter-day Saint women have been charged to instruct their families and neighbors, their congregations and Relief Societies, and other organizations. The talks featured in this volume show Mormon women doing the spiritual and intellectual work inherent in a life of Christian faith—seeking to do good works, understand the atonement of Jesus Christ, and strengthen their own faith and the faith of those around them. These women endeavored to live what they believed and to help their listeners do so as well.
Written to the high scholarly standards of the Church Historian's Press, the book provides a resource for contemporary Latter-day Saints as they study, speak, teach, and lead. Each discourse in this volume begins with an introduction that acquaints readers with the vibrant personalities of some of the women who have shaped the church. Introductions also provide glimpses into the circumstances and forces that shaped these women. Readers will encounter some familiar figures from church history and from the contemporary church—leaders like Eliza R. Snow and Linda K. Burton, current Relief Society general president. But they will also learn from women like Jane H. Neyman, whose stories are largely unknown to modern Latter-day Saints. Neyman applied to join the Nauvoo Relief Society in 1842, but her petition was rejected due to gossip about her daughters. Over twenty-five years later, she spoke in a Relief Society in Beaver, Utah, on charity, urging members to be forbearing and forgiving of one another.
The voices in these pages ring from Nauvoo's red brick store to the National Auditorium in Mexico City to the Tabernacle on Temple Square and beyond. These discourses offer instruction on gospel principles while also revealing the particular concerns of individual women. At the Pulpit allows us to hear the historical and contemporary voices of Latter-day Saint women—voices that resound with experience, wisdom, and authority.
Moroni's Guide to Surviving Turbulent Times | John Bytheway
John Bytheway is a bestselling author, favorite speaker, and part-time instructor at Brigham Young University. He has published many booksand has also created numerous talks on CD. John served a mission to the Philippines and holds a master’s degree in Religious Education. He and his wife, Kimberly, have six children.
The prophet Moroni, who spent at least the last twenty years of his life alone and wandering to avoid being captured and killed, has in the latter days become one of the symbols of our religion. His statue watches over nearly every temple and has been depicted on the cover of millions of copies of the Book of Mormon in dozens of languages.
In this book, best-selling author John Bytheway suggests that Moroni's last words were both intensely personal and universally applicable. In the closing chapters of the Book of Mormon we discover a wonderful formula for surviving today's turbulent times. Moroni's topics, and even the sequence in which he shared them, become a strategy for remaining steadfast and true in our day. John suggests that whatever latter-day challenges we face, we can successfully navigate them by "likening Moroni."
Who's That Girl? | Laurel Christensen Day
Laurel Christensen Day grew up in California, Kentucky, and Missouri. She attended Brigham Young University, served a mission in California, accidentally graduated from college without a husband, and began her career. Laurel has spent most of that career at Deseret Book Company, working as the Director of Entertainment and then for seven years as the Director of Time Out for Women. During that time, Laurel received a master's degree in Communications Management and is currently the Vice President of Product at Deseret Book. She is the author of several books and recently experienced the results of her own little faith experiment, finally finding the love of her life at the age of 40. Laurel and her husband, Stephen Day, were married in the Salt Lake Temple in April 2013.
Laurel was sitting in her 2nd period Psychology class in high school when the loudspeaker announcement was made that she would be giving the high school graduation speech. The guy sitting behind her (who had been sitting behind her all year long) said, “Who the heck is Laurel Christensen?” The question haunted her for a long time. It's easy for girls to confuse or simply not know their identity in this world today. Drawing on life experiences, Laurel shares a message for all young women that God knows who they are — and He knows who He needs them to be.
Anymore | Madilyn Paige
Madilyn Paige is a singer-songwriter from Provo, Utah. Her deep passion for music is evident by her desire and ability to co-write each of the songs on her debut album. Trained and mentored by both Usher and Blake Shelton on season 6 of NBC’s The Voice, she is known for her distinct voice and talent.
Madilyn Paige matures into a fresh new pop sound on her follow-up to her debut self-titled EP. Her pitch-perfect vocal talent combines with progressive electronic and traditional pop production on this album. Keeping with the inspirational tone of her first album, this new effort shows Madilyn striking out with bold messages about positivity, self-worth, inner strength, and the dangers of comparing ourselves to others in a hyper social-media world. Standout tracks like "Scribbles" examine a deeper relationship with God, and the anthemic "We Are the Riptide" is a call to girls across the world to unite as a force for good.
You Can Never Get Enough of What You Don't Need: The Quest for Contentment | Mary Ellen Edmunds
Mary Ellen Edmunds loves life! She has a B.S. in Nursing from BYU and taught there for several years. She has served as an LDS missionary in Taiwan, Hong Kong, the Philippines, and Indonesia, and she directed a health project for children in Nigeria, West Africa. She was a Director of Training at the Missionary Training Center in Provo and served as a member of the Relief Society general board for 11 years. She has authored several books and has recorded talks on CD. Her hobbies and interests do not currently include cooking, sewing, landscaping, tatting, fixing small appliances, babysitting, rock climbing, or skydiving. But she does do all her own stunts! She enjoys her family and friends, teaching, writing, music, people, reading, thinking, serving, and being a "happifier"!
Why does it seem we are always looking for more? In her wonderfully unique style, author Mary Ellen Edmunds suggests that You Can Never Get Enough of What You Don't Need because what you don't need never satisfies. "I can have a house filled with stuff and things, but if it's not what I need, it will never satisfy me, no matter how much I have," she observes. Have you noticed that the happiness we equate with abundance often eludes both those who get what they want in life and those who don't? This eye-opening treasure hunt of a book will help you find the secret to living with contentment.
Step Forward | Mercy River
With 15 children between them, it's amazing that Whitney Permann, Brooke Stone, and Soni Muller have time for anything other than wiping runny noses, hunting for socks, and prying suckers off the van floor. But music has been a part of each of their lives since childhood and is now a strong presence in their homes. The three friends met while singing in the Jenny Phillips Choir and there found a common love for tight harmonies and sharing the gospel through song. Over the past eight years, Mercy River has traveled all over the United States and Canada as a highly sought-after ensemble, performing for thousands of people while testifying of the Savior. They have performed, written, and directed hundreds of firesides and concerts, as well as recording on dozens of inspirational albums.
Mercy River turns a new page in their music career with their latest album, Step Forward—a phrase taken from a beloved talk by President Russell M. Nelson, "A Plea to My Sisters." This album is deeply personal and very timely. Throughout their career, Mercy River have been a voice of comfort and hope to their audience, encouraging and lifting those who are looking for light in the midst of difficult times. With Step Forward, they add an infectious boost of grassroots action. This album encourages women to unify, rise up, and speak out. The songs on the album are dedicated to standing for truth, strengthening marriage and family, trusting in God, and making a difference. Their light-infused and faith-promoting lyrics will put a spring in your step and hope in your heart.
Higher | Nathan Pacheco
Nathan Pacheco is a classically trained tenor who has a passion for reaching out and uplifting people through music. In addition to being a television and recording artist, Nathan completed his debut solo tour in 2013. He has been featured globally in live performances, including touring the United States, Canada, and Mexico with Yanni. He and his wife and their two boys reside in Nashville, TN.
Award-winning tenor Nathan Pacheco has toured the world featured alongside world-class artists such as Yanni, Katherine Jenkins, and Placido Domingo. In all of his travels across South America, through Europe and Asia, and across America, Nathan often includes spiritually rooted and uplifting songs in his repertoire. This album is a collection of his favorite songs that connect with those spiritual moments from his performances across the world. These songs take the listener on a beautiful journey with classic hymns such as "Be Thou My Vision," soaring Italian epics like "Nella Fantasia," and modern classics such as "Forever," by Kari Jobe. Performing with intimate acoustic backing and often featuring piano and cello, Nathan's desire with this album is to help people reach higher, to feel deeper spiritual connection, and to find peace through songs that life the soul.
Twice Blessed | S. Michael Wilcox
S. Michael Wilcox recently retired as an instructor at the institute of religion adjacent to the University of Utah. A frequent speaker at Brigham Young University Education Week, Michael also conducts tours of the Holy Land, Church history sites, Europe, China, Antarctica, and Central and South America. He received a bachelor’s degree in English literature from Brigham Young University, a master’s in media from the University of Arizona, and his PhD from the University of Colorado in educational philosophy. He is the author of many books and talks. Michael lives in Draper, Utah, and he and his late wife, Laurie, are the parents of five children.
In a gospel full of magnificent beauty, perhaps the concept of forgiveness is the most beautiful gift of all. It is a divine grace, bestowed in its purest form through the Savior's Atonement and available to each of us daily as we receive and extend mercy. And each single instance of forgiving immediately becomes a double blessing, touching both the person who forgives and the one who is forgiven.
In Twice Blessed, author Michael Wilcox explores many rooms of "the mansion of forgiveness." From forgiveness within the family to forgiveness for repeated offenses to forgiveness of the deepest of wounds, each case is unique and requires a different type of healing. "As with all aspects of the gospel, forgiveness is much deeper and more beautiful than we appreciate on our first examinations," writes Wilcox.
Is there someone you are struggling to forgive? Are you finding it nearly impossible to forgive yourself, even long after God and others have forgiven you? Spend some time in the mansion of forgiveness, and secure for yourself the double blessing that Heavenly Father is so eager to give.
Worth the Wrestle | Sheri Dew
Sheri Dew is a native of Ulysses, Kansas, and a graduate of Brigham Young University. She has authored several books, including the biographies of two presidents of the Church, Presidents Gordon B. Hinckley and Ezra Taft Benson. Sheri served as a counselor in the general Relief Society presidency and is now CEO of Deseret Book Company. She also serves as a vice president of Deseret Media Companies and as a member of both the BYU Marriott School of Management’s National Advisory Council and the President’s Leadership Council for BYU-Hawaii. In March 2003 the White House appointed her as a member of the U.S. Delegation to the Commission on the Status of Women and Girls at the United Nations.
Why can’t I seem to conquer weaknesses that plague me?” “How do I know if I’m receiving revelation?” “Will the Lord forgive me after what I’ve done?” “Why can’t we seem to get ahead financially even though we faithfully pay our tithing?” “What if the Church’s position on gay marriage bothers me?”
Those are just a handful of the countless questions Sheri Dew has heard people ask over the years. “May I answer these questions,” she writes, “and any questions you may have, by posing a different question: Are you willing to engage in the wrestle? In an ongoing spiritual wrestle?”
In Worth the Wrestle, Sheri examines the process of asking good questions—whether those questions be doctrinal, procedural, historical, or intensely personal—and learning how to get answers. She demonstrates how to live by faith while seeking greater light and knowledge. And she testifies of principles that are worth wrestling for and of understanding that can be gained in no other way.
Diary of Two Mad Black Mormons | Zandra Vranes and Tamu Smith
Tamu Smith and Zandra Vranes are popular multimedia personalities and the authors of SISTASinZION.com. Known on Sistas in Zion as “Sista Beehive” and “Sista Laurel,” the duo also hosts a weekly online radio program, Sistas in Zion Radio. Their media entity, which focuses on humorous aspects of faith and Mormon culture, seeks to uplift, inspire, bridge religious divides, and create healthy dialogue. Their lives are blessed by amazing family and friends. Tamu enjoys spending time with her husband of twenty years and their six wonderful kids. Zandra loves getting together with family and spending time with her husband.
You’ve read the title, and now you’re scratching your head, wondering if this book is for real, right?
It is. Yes, the authors are bona fide Mormons. And hilarious, too! They call themselves Sistas in Zion.
Did we mention they’ve got enough faith to move mountains? Well, they haven’t moved any mountains just yet, but that’s not stopping them from keeping right on praying and believing and knowing that the gospel of Jesus Christ is worth it.
Their unique perspective on their own diary entries will have you laughing one minute and exclaiming “Amen!” the next. They talk about personal experiences and lessons they’ve learned about relationships, sisterhood, standing up for what you believe, embracing diversity, and dealing with adversity—what being a Christian is all about.
The Sistas’ humorous and poignant outlook on life will strengthen your faith and remind you of the joy to be found in living a Christ-centered life. You’ll soon realize that the authors aren’t mad-mad—they’re crazy-mad, funny, and inspiring!
The Lincoln Hypothesis | Timothy Ballard
Timothy Ballard is the founder and CEO of Operation Underground Railroad (O.U.R.), which rescues children from trafficking. He spent over a decade working as a Special Agent for the Department of Homeland Security, where he was deployed as an undercover operative for the U.S. Child Sex Tourism Jump Team. The best-selling author of The Lincoln Hypothesis, he recently received the distinguished George Washington Honor Medal from the Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge. Tim lives in Utah with his wife and six children.
Abraham Lincoln became the sixteenth US president during a very dark time in America's history. Author Timothy Ballard explores the crucial role that President Lincoln played to bring this nation closer to heaven. Readers will see Lincoln as a man inspired of God who invoked a covenant relationship between America and its maker — not unlike the national covenants invoked by righteous leaders in the Book of Mormon. In addition, The Lincoln Hypothesis reveals documented evidence that Abraham Lincoln did, in fact, check out the Book of Mormon as he struggled with making some of the most critical decisions of his presidency. Did he read it? Did it influence him? Was the Book of Mormon a key factor in Lincoln's success and the healing of a nation?
The author states, “As you read, you will, like a prosecutor reviewing a case, or like a jury determining a verdict, identify valuable pieces of evidence that can be fully substantiated. You will also identify pieces of evidence that cannot. I ask you to consider all the evidence and weight it accordingly. Through this study, many questions regarding the interplay between the restored gospel and the Civil War will be answered. New questions may emerge that will not be so easily answered. Either way, in the end you will find yourself on a most exhilarating investigative journey.”
That We May Be One | Tom Christofferson
Tom Christofferson, who describes himself as “a happy, gay Mormon,” has spent his career in investment management and asset servicing, living in the United States and Europe. He has served as a director on corporate and nonprofit boards and was a founding board member of Encircle, a group providing resources to support LGBTQ individuals and their families in Provo, Utah. Tom recently released That We May Be One: A Gay Mormon’s Perspective on Faith & Family. Tom serves as a Gospel Doctrine teacher in his Salt Lake City ward.
In That We May Be One, Tom Christofferson shares perspectives gained from his life's journey as a gay man who left The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and then returned to it. After having asked to be excommunicated from the faith he was raised in, Tom spent two decades in a loving relationship with a committed partner. But gradually, the love of family, friends, and strangers and the Spirit of the Lord worked on him until he found himself one night sitting in his car in front of the bishop's house...
This book is about the lessons Tom, his family, and his fellow Saints learned while trying to love as God loves. It is about the scope and strength of this circle of love and about how learning the truth of our relationship with God draws us to Him. For anyone who has wondered how to keep moving forward in the face of difficult decisions and feelings of ambiguity; for anyone who needs to better understand the redeeming power of our Savior, Jesus Christ; for anyone who seeks to love more fully; this book offers reassurance and testimony of God's love for all of His children.