The Work and the Glory

[ElderBigDawg]

This book series is amazing! I started around the middle of this year. I made a goal to finish the series before leaving for my mission. It doesn't seem like it will happen though.

I'm currently on A Season of Joy. This series has helped me learn more of Joseph Smith not just an icon to be revered from a distance, but as a man full of love for people. He made mistakes just like you and me. The author did a great job of getting into his psyche and character. I feel like I know Joseph Smith a lot more now as if he were my next door neighbor.

It's so much fun to read these books. The Steed family are awesome to read about. The Latter-day Saints in general have a very interesting history. I like history, so I'm automatically sold for this series.

Though The Work and the Glory is indeed historic fiction, there is still a ton of truth in it. This series has helped strengthen my testimony in the church.

[BenRaines]

Some better reading, unless you already have them all down, prior to a mission, would be. Articles of Faith by James Talmadge, Miracle of Forgiveness by Spencer W. Kimball, The Book of Mormon several times, Old Testament, New Testament, Doctrine & Covenants.

Once you have them covered and feel good about what you understand of them another I enjoyed right after my mission and my son enjoyed during his was How to Win Friends & Influence People by Dale Carnegie.

Another I just finished reading is The Speed of Trust by Stephen Covey.

There is always time to read fiction mixed with a little history after your mission.

Ben Raines

[ElderBigDawg]

Reading is one of my main hobbies, so The Work and the Glory naturally fits in there. Of course, I also read the scriptures. I own those Missionary Reference books you mentioned, including Jesus the Christ. I've also read What I Wish I Knew Before Becoming a Missionary (or something like that) by John Bytheway. I've also been reading Becoming a Great Missionary, The Ultimate Missionary Guide, Offenders of a Word, Why I Believe the Book of Mormon, and a number of other books in preparation for my mission. It's also a goal of mine to finish Preach My Gospel from cover to cover before leaving on my mission.

I've already read the Book of Mormon several times, and continue to do so. The Old Testament and Doctrine and Covenants are my weaker points, but I'll be reading those too.

So I think I'm doing pretty good so far.

[BenRaines]

Awesome.

Ben Raines

[Palerider]

Another book by Talmadge is Jesus The Christ....that book helped me alot and so did the book How to Win Friends and Influence People.:)

[ElderBigDawg]

I have that book as well, so I'll be sure to read it.

[Jbs2763]

Do you think book 10 will finally come out since Elder Lund was released?

[Palerider]

Do you think book 10 will finally come out since Elder Lund was released?

I think thats a possibility......

[ElderBigDawg]

Do you think book 10 will finally come out since Elder Lund was released?

One of these days, and I'll have plenty of books to read up until then.

[puf_the_majic_dragon]

I'm sure you can learn the doctrines and teachings of the Prophets from reading in The Work and The Glory, just as you can from reading about a pair of Nephite Reeboks. Truly these books were inspired to teach us the Plan of Salvation and help us appreciate the atonement of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Sarcasm IS a legitimate literary device :)

In my opinion, if you want to prepare to serve a mission, read the scriptures, read Preach My Gospel, and go to Institute. The Miracle of Forgiveness couldn't hurt. Maybe Jesus the Christ. Those others CAN hurt, because reading them takes time away from the more important things - "Good, Better, Best". And I would definitely stay away from any "How to influence people" books before your mission - you aren't going to win hearts or influence others, you are going to share the Gospel and to share your testimony - the Spirit does the influencing.

If you want to appreciate the Church's history and Joseph Smith as a person, there are plenty of true and accurate journals and historical books - including the History of the Church - that would provide a much more clear and ACCURATE picture than The Work and The Glory. But like I said, especially before your mission, these things can distract you from the Best books.

:edit:

Just thought I'd add - it's really great that you DO read and ARE reading, that's a rare thing :) and your desire to prepare is very admirable. But there is temporal preparation, and then there is spiritual preparation.

Edited October 13, 2008 by puf_the_majic_dragon

[ElderBigDawg]

I never intended to use The Work and the Glory as a replacement for church doctrine and history. It is for my entertainment only, with all the stuff I mentioned in the opening post as an added bonus.

[Guest dec2057]

Some of the members were pretty big on the Work and Glory series but they irritated me because it mixed truth with fiction and when you are teaching a class, it's too easy to teach the fiction as it's intermingled with the truth and not easy to separate.

I like to read a book where it is either fiction OR non fiction. Apart from that, I have heard good things about the series from others.

[FallenAngel]

This book is one of my all time favorites. I've only been able to read the first but still ^.^

[northern_dad]

I'm reading the first book in the series and I can't put it down! Good thing I purchased the next two. Great book.

[KatieO]

I love this series.

I read the first 5 and kinda got stuck in the 6th(I think it was, really really large one). I picked it back up after reading a couple "lighter" books and then finished the whole series. I was sad for it to be over.

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