Though Black members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have only had full access to the priesthood and the ordinances of the temple since 1978, there have been faithful Black members of the Church since the beginning. And their stories of faith and perseverance in the face of criticism are astounding. So for the month of February, the LDS Living Book Club will be diving into many of their written-word testimonies in My Lord, He Calls Me.

This beautiful new collection of personal essays comes from Black American Latter-day Saints who, despite societal and cultural struggles, have remained strong in their faith. Everyone who reads this book will be inspired by the faith, testimony, endurance, understanding, spiritual strength, and pioneer spirit of these faithful Saints.

► You may also like: Why this editor says a new compilation of Black Latter-day Saint testimonies is a gift for all

You can read an excerpt from the book here: ‘Sometimes we learn the most on the unlit roads’: What 2 teens found on their road trip to the South

You can get your physical copy of the book now at Deseret Book stores or DeseretBook.com, or listen to the audiobook for free with Bookshelf+. Sign up for a free 30-day trial today!

• An easy-to-follow reading schedule shared on Instagram
• Excerpts from the book shared on LDSLiving.com
• Poignant quotes and discussion of the topics addressed in the book

Each month we choose a new book to read together. Joining is easy! Simply follow @ldslivingbookclub on Instagram for reading reminders and insights.

My Lord, He Calls Me: Stories of Faith by Black American Latter-Day Saints

Though Black members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have only had full access to the priesthood and the ordinances of the temple since 1978, there have been faithful Black members of the Church since the beginning. Both early and contemporary members have been faithful in the face of criticism from both inside and outside the Church. My Lord, He Calls Me is a new essay compilation by active Black American Latter-day Saints whose ancestors were brought to the United States from Africa and enslaved. They share their conversion stories, what life was like during the priesthood restriction, and why they remain in the Church. Though all will benefit from it, this book was created especially by and for Black members as support and encouragement. Readers will be inspired by the faith, testimony, endurance, wisdom, and spiritual strength of these faithful Saints.

Available in Deseret Book stores and at deseretbook.com.

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Alice Faulkner Birch

Alice Faulkner Burch was baptized into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in July 1984. She served as the first African American in the Chile Santiago South Mission from 1987 to 1988. In 1989 she was called as the first African American ordinance worker in the. Salt Lake Temple. She has served the community as secretary of the Utah Chapter of Afro-American Historical & Genealogical Society, secretary for the Utah Black Roundtable, and a member of the annual Utah Juneteenth Committee. Alice and her husband, Robert, live in West Valley City and work to make Utah a more enjoyable place for Black people to live.

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