Who's at the Door? by Dan Harrington

I have to say I found Who’s at the Door? by Dan Harrington veeerrrrry interesting. This is a memoir about Dan’s time coming to know the Mormon missionaries and the messages they share. I truly enjoyed his perspective and seeing things from an “outsider’s” point of view. I’m grateful for people like Dan Harrington who have a healthy craving for spirituality as well as an even healthier esteem for religions and their benefits to all walks of life. Who’s at the Door? was well-done, respectful and spiritually uplifting.

I pray every missionary can have a “Dan” experience. There are people out there who are ready to hear the gospel for many different reasons. Not all of those people will end up in the waters of baptism. There are even more people out there who have no interest in learning about our religion and some of them aren’t very nice about it. I hope there are enough good people that our young men meet along the way that treat them with respect, friendship and love even when they are agreeing to disagree.

Who’s at the Door? makes a quick Sunday afternoon read and great food for thought in a Family Home Evening. It’s an interesting look at how what we say and do as we share our beliefs with others affects both ourselves and our friends. We tend to fall into two categories where missionary work is concerned. We’re either very skittish about the whole thing or completely zealous about it. This is a great way to find a happy medium and remember the most important part of missionary work—love, friendship and acceptance for those we talk to.

Who’s at the Door? is one of those books that had me thinking about who I knew that I could recommend it to the minute I finished. That earned it a few extra bonus points as well. Anything I didn’t particularly like? No, surprisingly it didn’t have many whiny complaints from me. I actually would have liked it to be a little longer and go more into some of Dan’s experiences sharing his interest and concerns about the church with others as well as what he learned investigating other churches along the way.

Thank you, Dan, for sharing your insights and beautiful spirituality with the world.

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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Breaking Up with My WIP

Yes, I’m afraid if something doesn’t drastically change, I’m going to have to break up with my WIP. We took a nice long break while I got ahead on some other deadlines and wrote the Sharing Through Song manuscript. I really was excited to get back to it, but then reality started to set in yesterday.

It’s still a really good story, it’s still a story I’d love to tell, but I began to realize that I don’t think it’s the story I’m supposed to be telling right now. Either that or I’m not telling it right.

Something is off. I’m forcing the plot to conform to the story line and that’s compromising the believability. It would definitely work in another time or place, but not where I “need” it to.

So, at just under 11,000 words I think I’m going to break the ties that bind me to my current WIP. I don’t think it’s gone forever, maybe somewhere down the line I’ll be able to fix the story and create what I’d originally hoped to express. In the mean time, I think I’m going to have to start dating projects that have been on the backburner for a while. Some of them have been there so long that I’m sure trying to court them will feel more like a blind date than a friendly re-acquaintance. Still, a girl’s got to try. Somewhere out there is a manuscript that needs me desperately. I simply can’t live on nonfiction alone. :)

Top Ten Reasons I Created a Blog

1. All my friends had one. Yeah, I know I’m not supposed to give in to peer pressure and all that, but they were having so much fun!
2. I like to see my name in print. Ok, so in this case it’s a computer screen, but its still an ego trip.
3. I love to write. I’m not very good at a lot of things, and I don’t like to do most of them, but I love to write and this is just one more chance.
4. Someone told me once it would help me sell more books. So go to my web site and buy one for heaven sakes!
5. My husband doesn’t *really* listen when I talk. At least not about writing, he’s supportive, but he doesn’t get it. I’m hoping you will.
6. I’m trying something new. I’m normally found playing on the non-fiction playground, but those no-good fiction writing friends of mine have been tempting my muse. It’s a scary thing to jump out of your comfort-zone.
7. I like to say the word “blog”. Ok admit it, it just a fun word to say, kudos to however thought that one up. Now I have another excuse.
8. I’m lousy at keeping my web site updated. This nags at the back of my mind a bit more than my site.
9. Random thoughts. Every writer has them, sometimes we have no idea what to do with them. Here’s my solution.
10. To inspire. Some of you, who attended the recent LDStorymakers conference, might recall my chosen super power. I chose invisibility. I’ve always thought that the Holy Ghost had the coolest job in the world. This is my way of whispering my own testimony to whoever will listen. Maybe it will inspire a super power of your own.