“Jesus of Nazareth” by Truman Madsen

Filed under: LDS Books and Talks, Reviews — Review Editor at 5:02 pm on Sunday, October 26, 2008

“Jesus of Nazareth” by Truman Madsen is a four volume recording of his lectures on the ministry of Jesus Christ. Brother Madsen’s distinct delivery style makes these lectures a treat. He is very precise in his description of the events in Jesus’ life and brings a depth of insight and understanding that is evidence of his deep knowledge of the Gospel. He served as the director of the BYU Jerusalem Center, and because of his extensive experience in the Holy Land, he is very familiar with the topography and geography of the area in which Jesus served his ministry. This knowledge comes from his living in Israel for several years and his interaction with the people there that made it possible to understand their culture more thoroughly than most.

Many times in the book, he talks about how the etymology of Jewish words affects our understanding of the scriptures and gives the reader a deeper insight to the scriptural passages. 

Jesus of Nazareth is available in four volumes:

Volume 1 contains the following lectures: “The Shepherd and the Lamb,” “Healings On The Temple Mount,” “Ascent and Transfiguration”, and “The Passover and the Sacrament.”
Volume 2 lectures: “Bethlehem,” “Youth in Nazareth”, “The Light That Shines in Darkness”, ”Baptism and Temptation”, and “Cana, the Cleansing, Jacob’s Well.”
Volume 3 lectures: “Sermon On The Mount”, and “Three Parables For Our Time.”
Volume 4 lectures: “The Last Week”

Breaking down the life of Jesus into periods of time and events like this makes it possible for those studying the life of Christ to concentrate, in depth, on the important segments of His ministry. His last four lectures entitled, The Last Week of Jesus’ life begins with His entrance into Jerusalem to his crucifixion on the cross.  Brother Madsen’s scholarship will inspire you, and you will come away with a deeper understanding of Jesus’ ministry; you will have a desire to go back and listen again and again to gain an even deeper understanding.  “Jesus of Nazareth” by Truman Madsen lectures are enlightening and make a wonderful addition to everyone’s gospel library.

D. Richardson
Retired High School Counselor

“Finding Your Mission in Life” by George D. Durrant

Filed under: LDS Books and Talks, Reviews — Review Editor at 10:16 am on Friday, October 17, 2008

“Finding Your Mission In Life”  by George D. Durrant is just a great, entertaining book/talk download!  Brother Durrant tells a wonderful story in the beginning about a missionary, and this story had me brimming with tears!  It is a great way to start the talk.  After the first story, Brother Durrant talks about ways to find your mission in life.  He is a delightful man!  I was laughing with him and the audience.  He just has a way of making you feel a part of his family while he talks with you.  I thoroughly enjoyed this talk.  I have actually listened to it twice since I got it, because it is that entertaining!  This is a great way to start or end your day.  We all probably struggle with finding our way in life, and Brother Durrant just helps us along.
 
I highly recommend “Finding Your Mission In Life” by George D Durrant.  I surely hope that you enjoy it as much as I have!
 
K. Meyer
Castle Rock, Colorado; Blackbelt in TKD 

“The Other Side of Heaven” by John Groberg

Filed under: LDS Books and Talks, Reviews — Review Editor at 10:14 am on Tuesday, October 14, 2008

If you enjoyed the movie The Other Side of Heaven by John H Gorberg, you will love the book! After watching the movie I wanted to know more of the story. I wondered what “kolipoki” really meant; he tells you in the book! The movie barely scratches the surface of his missionary experiences.

Elder Groberg’s narrative of his endless adventures in Tonga, are filled with thought provoking life lessons. As he finishes a chapter he reveals the lesson learned from that particular event.

Elder Groberg tells of returning home from teaching on other islands in a motor launch. A terrible storm rises with great waves sinking the boat. After questioning why the Lord did not protect the missionaries, he arrives at a conclusion. “God was with us. He saved us. I have heard it said that sometimes the Lord calms the storm, and sometimes He lets the storm rage and calms His child.”  What a great lesson! We all have storms in our lives. The reassurance that God is with us through those storms offers hope and comfort. Life is not easy, but we are never alone. As Elder Groberg so poignantly phrases it, “We learn lessons from storms that we cannot learn from calm seas.”

The greatest thing I learned from this book is how to look for the lessons in my own experiences. I find myself asking, “What does the Lord want me to learn from this?” It was an unexpected gift that has changed my perspective of everyday events.

The great faith of the Tongan people is inspiring. We are so busy in our daily rush that often we forget what is truly important. The Tongans have a simple lifestyle that we should all adopt, that of helping our neighbor, loving one another, and trusting in the Lord.

The Other Side of Heaven by John Groberg is delightful as well as insightful.  The movie was entertaining. The book is life altering.

A. Cardon
Northern Utah

“The Legend of the Lamp” by Tina Monson

Filed under: LDS Books and Talks, Reviews — Review Editor at 4:07 pm on Wednesday, October 8, 2008

The story “The Legend of the Lamp” by Tina Monson, is an irresistible adventure for all ages to read.  I thoroughly enjoyed the story, but my mind constantly kept pondering the fact that no matter what new adventure was next in the plot, one thing that remained prevalent throughout the entire novel was the bonding of three siblings to each other in their passion to discover the legacy within their own family, which began with a mysterious lamp.

The author, Tina Monson, states before the story ever begins in her forward that her purpose in writing this intriguing adventure comes from a story passed down to her from her own family heritage.  It sparked her imagination and she states, “My hope is that you will love the idea enough to research your own genealogy, searching for the hidden adventures, courage and intrigue surely hidden within your own family’s history.”

I have since discovered, through another’s perception, that the perfect definition of the word legacy is “Something precious you leave to someone you love.”  None of us knows when the door to the other side of the veil will open up for us to leave our earthly existence; therefore, what we do with our lives will garnish the legacy that we leave behind for our own families.

I believe this story, “The Legend of the Lamp” by Tina Monson, will connect with every soul who reads it, because of the deep desire we all have to connect with our own past and heritage, and the desire to make a difference we otherwise thought would be impossible.

J. Woodbury
Kaysville, Utah