Monday, March 9, 2015

LDS BOOK REVIEW: To My Friends by Jeffrey R. Holland


ABOUT THE BOOK

"If you need a burden lifted, I want you to imagine I am in a personal, private, closed-door chat with you. I want to help you if I can." With those words, Elder Jeffrey R. Holland invites every reader of his latest book to become a friend, to receive instruction and encouragement, counsel and comfort.

Elder Holland addresses these powerful messages "to my friends who love the Lord," "to my friends who want to change," "to my friends who face opposition," and more. Each chapter begins with a beautifully designed quotation to help convey the message in an artistic way, making the book a lovely gift for friends to share. Throughout, Elder Holland's powerful witness of the Savior shines through, for, as he writes, "I am grateful for the greatest friend any of us could ever have, in time or eternity, the Lord Jesus Christ."

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

JEFFREY R. HOLLAND was called as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in June 1994. A native of St. George, Utah, he received bachelor's and master's degrees from Brigham Young University and a master's degree and PhD in American Studies from Yale University. In 1974 he became dean of Religious Education at BYU and two years later was named Church Commissioner of Education. In 1980 he was appointed president of BYU, where he served until he was sustained as a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy in 1989. Elder Holland is the author of several books, including Broken Things to Mend and Christ and the New Covenant. He and his wife, Patricia, have three children and thirteen grandchildren.

REVIEW

Elder Holland has long been one of my favorite speakers.  He shares gospel doctrines in such a personal, easy to understand way.  While this is a collection of past talks, they are collected in a beautiful hardbound book that for those like me who prefer this format, will be delighted to read. Many of these talks were given in general conference or other public occasions and can be found for free online.  But in my opinion, Elder Holland always seems to speak to the individual, so the book's format addressed "To My Friends" works well.

There is a great deal of tender advice here that is well worth reading multiple times and I plan to do so.  Elder Holland speaks so beautifully using scriptures, stories, and explanations to help the reader or listener feel and think about what he is saying.  In my opinion, this is a book well worth owning and treasuring for the beautiful design as well as the important words contained within.

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