The Road Show by Braden Bell

Yes, as a youth I was traumatized by many a road show, but somewhere along the way the road shows in my stake stopped. I heard rumors of budget cuts and reducing competition and probably a few other things. I guess I just assumed it was a Church-wide mandate not to do road shows anymore and personally I didn’t think I’d miss them. As far as I know none of the wards I’ve lived in since high school have participated in said activity, so imagine my surprise to find out road shows are alive and well in Utah. (You people just have to be strange, don’t you?) ;)

With visions of my own childhood road show nightmares dancing through my head, I honestly had no idea what to expect from a book by the same name. The cover was beautiful, but I suppose I still assumed it was stupid humor because that was my own experience with those events. But within reading the first few paragraphs I could tell this book wasn’t meant to be light and humorous. Do you remember the old Jack Weyland book The Understudy? The Road Show by Braden Bell had the same sort of feel for me.

Instead of stupid jokes and bad acting I found sincere intents in both the story line and the characters portrayed. With a theme such as “Our Savior’s Love” I came away from my reading experience just as filled as the characters were for their participation experiences. That had a down side though- there was a strong embarrassment factor. I finished, publicly bawling my eyes out, at the kid’s swimming lessons and was completely appalled with my display, but totally in love with this story. That’s a road show I really would have loved to see.

Anything I didn’t like? Well, when I first began reading The Road Show, I wasn’t sure that I was going to like it. The story begins with multiple snippets of the character’s lives, pointing out their difficulties and the areas where their testimony seems to be lacking. Even though the situations were real and poignant, the book itself didn’t really catch my interest until the call to direct the road show was extended. I think I would have preferred to have the character vignettes woven into the actual storyline a little more and have everything set up for me at the beginning a little less.

Still, this is a very powerful story and an even more valuable message. If you’re one who shudders at the mere mention of a road show don’t let the subject matter keep you from reading. This is one road show you’ll not regret spending your time with. You might even learn a few things about yourself along the way. I dare you to read The Road Show without being able to find a portion of yourself in one of the characters.

Need a good read to boost your spirits before buckling down for the dreaded Primary program practices or a renewal of energy for a Young Women’s or other church event? The Road Show just might be what the doctor ordered. This one goes on my “will re-read” and “will recommend” shelf. I’m so glad I picked it up, fears of stupid humor and bad musical numbers notwithstanding.

Master by Toni Sorenson

I’ve had Master by Toni Sorenson pegged for the Easter weekend slot in my book reviews for several months. So, even though it was a Whitney Finalist I’m going ahead with my review. I just won’t tell you if it won my top vote or not. :)

Master is a fiction portrayal of the Savior’s life from the time of early childhood until his resurrection. It is a story told by one faithful follower who was beside him through out all these years. Toni Sorenson sets up a scenario in which Almon, the narrator of the story, is taken in by Mary and Joseph when they find him sick, beaten, and abandoned on their journey home from Egypt. Almon is a mute with a keen eye for observing things around him. It is through these highly perceptive eyes that the reader gets to experience the author’s view on what Christ’s formative years might have been like.

Toni Sorenson sets up a scenario for every aspect of the Savior’s story as it is told in the scriptures and stays close to those scriptural accounts in her retellings. It’s a nice look at what it means for Christ to be our Master and Savior in a non-stressful, non-preachy environment. There are no deep gospel philosophies expounded upon. It’s not nearly as intense on the history and culture aspects as the Kingdom and the Crown series by Gerald N. Lund. It’s easy to stay in the story and not get lost in all the “technical” aspects of the time period. In other words, it doesn’t make you feel bad if you’re not the ultimate scripture scholar.

Master is simply one person’s journey in coming to know the Savior and understanding His divinity. In fact, the author seems to be so careful about making sure everything is scripturally accurate that you don’t really see/hear Jesus speak in the young chapters. When Jesus “once was a little child” he is described in depth, but he never really says much. That seemed kind of weird to me, but that may just be me. I don’t know that the average reader would pick up on it or care. Christ’s childhood is described with loving care and you do get an impression of what life with Him could have been like. He does have more direct quotes as He begins His ministry, but even then the author is very careful about what she actually has the Savior saying.

That little harrumph aside, I found Master by Toni Sorenson to be an engaging and sweet story. It’s too long for a Sunday afternoon, but I’d recommend you specifically set aside some time each night this week to read a chapter or two. I think it will add a nice depth to your worship this Easter season. It may be fictional, but Master clearly leaves you with the most important message any of us can understand in this life. In the words of Almon: “Jesus was . . . He is . . . and will always be . . . my Master.”

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Mary & Joseph by Robert Marcum

Since I haven’t done much in the way of decorating or gift-giving or all the other stuff most people do to get in the Christmas spirit, I thought it was about time. So, I picked up a book that had been on my list for a while and had a beautiful few days really getting myself in the mood for the Christmas season.

Mary & Joseph by Robert Marcum is a beautiful retelling of the classic scripture story of the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ. But it also goes a bit further and explores Christ’s childhood and beyond. It was a very interesting read.

Although I thought Mr. Marcum became a little wordy at some points, it was certainly allowable. His descriptions of the rituals and meanings of the Law of Moses often felt too lengthy and pulled me a little out of the story. However, they were not so overdone to lose me as a reader entirely. It was interesting information for the student in me. I think I also would have preferred the chapter notations that offered even further explanations to be given all together at the end of the book rather than following the actual chapters. That was a little distracting to me as well. It wasn’t that I didn’t want the information, I did, but I didn’t want to step out of the story to get it.

What I loved most about this novel is the depth that Robert Marcum put into the characters. While I can not say if his portrayal of Mary is accurate to whom she really was as a person, I totally adored her as a character in the book: not just as the mother of Jesus, but as a woman I would love to have called friend. He didn’t just retell the scriptures or immerse the reader in the culture and history. Mr. Marcum brought the people to life on the page. It made for a great learning experience and it was nicely uplifting.

Though it was a moving book, both for the spirit of its message and the fact that it was well written, my favorite portion of the book actually came very early. It seemed to speak very clearly of the life and mission of the Savior, both at the time of his mortal life and now as I think about my own life.

Before Joseph even learns of the impending birth, he is discussing the promises of the Messiah with a friend and has this to say.

“I do not question the teachings of the rabbis. Our Messiah will come to rule and reign, but he will come to die for us as well. He must, because if he does not purify Israel with his blood, our momentary freedom from Herod will be buried with us in the grave.”

“But how can he do both?” Matthias asked with some frustration.

“I don’t know how he will do it, Matthias, I only know that he will do it. My fear is that when he does, we will not be ready for him. We will be the ones to afflict him, not the Romans or the Herods. We will refuse him because he does not do it as we supposed he should . . .”

I know there are times in my own life that I definitely feel this way. There are things I want and need, which I am desperately waiting on the Lord for. I wonder sometimes if I’m confusing the how and why with the faith I should have. Am I not noticing what the Lord is trying to do for me, am I rejecting his blessings because they do not seem to come in the way I think they should? How many times has Jesus slipped into my life and I have missed an opportunity because I did not recognize Him? Probably more than I would care to admit.

It was a good reminder at this season and gave me some food for thought as I started to prepare my own celebrations. If you’re looking for the same type of reminder you won’t regret the time spent with Mary & Joseph this Christmas season.

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His Holy Name by Dallin H. Oaks

My two boys are being baptized this weekend, so covenants have been on my mind a lot lately. Because of my own ponderings I thought I’d share what I consider to be a classic title from my bookshelf with you.

His Holy Name by Dallin H. Oaks was published in 1998, but it has been a title I’ve referred to many times over the years. It’s a smaller book, but packed with excellent points to ponder.

Elder Oaks writes in the introduction that the book, His Holy Name, came about from his own search for answers on a very important question. When he was called as an apostle he was given a charge to be a special witness for the name of Jesus Christ: not just to testify of Christ but also His name. That’s a very interesting distinction. It cause Elder Oaks to do a lot of thinking, searching, and questioning of other spiritual giants to figure out just what it meant to stand as a witness to the name of Jesus Christ.

One of Shakespeare’s famous questions has to do with a rose smelling just as sweet whether or not it was named rose. It’s an interesting question for any of us. If I were named Sue, or Nancy, would I still be me? Does it matter if my husband calls me by my first name or a pet name? What about how my children address me?

Now, take those same questions and apply them to the way we refer to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. What does it really mean to take upon us the name of Jesus Christ when we are baptized? How do we honor that name? There are many different names applied to Heavenly Father and the Savior of mankind in the scriptures. Does it matter which name we use at any given time? Why are we specifically commanded not to take the names of deity “in vain” and what does that really mean?

Deep stuff, huh? Fortunately, like many things in the gospel, the answers can be simple, deep and poignant, or doctrinally philosophical in nature. It all depends on what we bring to the table. That’s one of the reasons I like Elder Oaks’ book. The answers to these questions could fill hundreds of pages. I get lost in those big doctrinal tomes. I lose the spirit when I read them because I’m so overwhelmed by information. Sure I can find it parts. I can be uplifted and inspired in small chunks, but I’m still a child as far as the nature of the gospel: I prefer purity and simplicity to deep understanding. Give me “Jesus loves me this I know” over “in the sixth year of the reign of the judges. . .” any day.

His Holy Name can satisfy any type of gospel reader, but it is short, sweet and to the point. Elder Oaks asks questions and answers them. Then, he tells you what he’s learned about honoring the name of the Savior and what it means in our covenants and everyday lives. I came away appreciating the Savior more, and understanding my relationship to him more, and that’s the best thing that can be achieved from any title.

If you can get your hands on it, I recommend His Holy Name as a quiet Sunday read that will bring the spirit of the Sabbath to your heart and remind you what your really doing when you go to the temple or take the sacrament. It’s one of the best doctrinal resources I have on my shelf.

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The Santa Letters by Stacy Gooch-Anderson

Talk about receiving a wonderful early Christmas gift, I just got one. I’ve been privileged to review The Santa Letters by Stacy Gooch-Anderson, and it really was a treat to do so. Here is a set of messages we all need to reflect on during the Christmas seasons, presented in a sweet and endearing way.

Take a moment to view this beautiful book trailer that portrays the heart of this book’s premise and message.

Did you catch the spirit of the messages this book contains? They really are beautiful and timely. No, the basic gospel themes aren’t really all that new and original. In fact, I can guarantee you have heard them before in many different Sunday School and Relief Society lessons, but I think you’ll “listen” a little more attentively this time. There is nothing here but a sense of love and a desire for everyone to know the peace of gospel truths at Christmas, or any time of the year.

The Santa Letters are all about healing and remembering the many blessings we each enjoy, whether they readily occur to us or not. Each “Santa” letter comes with a bit of inspiration, a bit of advice on how to understand the joys of life better, a bit of the gospel, and a lot of Christ-like love. They all work together to form an uplifting experience for anyone who might be feeling a little overwhelmed. I’d put it on the must read list for most of us, if only for the letters themselves. If your children are a little bit older, The Santa Letters might also be a great read-aloud kick off for your own family’s Christmas season.

There are times when the characters feel less than real to me, and times that the writing lacks the smooth, poetic flow that I appreciate with the type of poignant message The Santa Letters contains, but all-in-all it’s a very sweet book for a first time novelist. You can find Stacey’s own account of the inspiration behind this book and sample the first chapter on her website www.thesantaletters.org. (Word to the wise, however, mute your sound while browsing. The background musical flourish was a nice touch when I opened the site but not so much after it kept repeating every few seconds!)

As many of us start to look toward finding the Christmas spirit, I pray we can take a little of The Santa Letters into our own hearts and lives. We all need more McKennas and Santas in our lives. Who can you be for someone else this year?

My suggestion: buy a bunch of copies and you’ve got an instant Christmas present appropriate for almost anyone on your list. Need to do a little more than just a book? Go through and find the topic of each letter, wrap a small gift for each topic to include with the books and instructions to read the book together, opening their own gifts after reading that specific letter. Plus, the story, “A Strange Visit” that the book mentioned being given to the family is included in the back of the book for you, as well as a few ideas for simple goodie bags. Need more help? Then visit the Santa Letter Shop on Stacy’s site. You’ll find downloadable Santa letters to start you on your way.

There. Christmas is all done. You can thank me by sending massive amounts of chocolate. Errr, maybe you should send Stacy Gooch-Anderson the chocolate instead. After all, they are her words and thoughts that can touch just about any heart.

Stacy is on virtual book tour this month, promoting The Santa Letters. You can check in on her progress and say “hi” from here.

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