Tuesday, April 4, 2017
LDS BOOK REVIEW: Worth the Wrestle by Sheri Dew
ABOUT THE BOOK
Why can’t I seem to conquer weaknesses that plague me?” “How do I know if I’m receiving revelation?” “Will the Lord forgive me after what I’ve done?” “Why can’t we seem to get ahead financially even though we faithfully pay our tithing?” “What if the Church’s position on gay marriage bothers me?”
Those are just a handful of the countless questions Sheri Dew has heard people ask over the years. “May I answer these questions,” she writes, “and any questions you may have, by posing a different question: Are you willing to engage in the wrestle? In an ongoing spiritual wrestle?”
In Worth the Wrestle, Sheri examines the process of asking good questions—whether those questions be doctrinal, procedural, historical, or intensely personal—and learning how to get answers. She demonstrates how to live by faith while seeking greater light and knowledge. And she testifies of principles that are worth wrestling for and of understanding that can be gained in no other way.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Chapter 1: Questions are Good
Chapter 2: Wrestling
Chapter 3: Receiving Answers
Chapter 4: Walking by Faith
Chapter 5: Cherishing Keys
Chapter 6: Standing as Witness
Conclusion: What is Worth Wrestling For?
Notes
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sheri Dew is a native of Ulysses, Kansas, and a graduate of Brigham Young University. She has written a number of books, including the biographies of two Presidents of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: Presidents Gordon B. Hinckley and Ezra Taft Benson. She served from 1997 to 2002 as Second Counselor in the Relief Society General Presidency, and since March 2002, she has served as the Chief Executive Officer of Deseret Book Company. She now also serves as an executive vice president of Deseret Management Corporation.
REVIEW
Questions about life and about God are common to all of us. I know I have many of my own. Maybe that's why I found this book perfect for me. I have a lot in common with Sister Dew, being still single at an age long past when I'd hoped to be married. And I still have plenty of questions about it. I really appreciated the candor with which the author explains the importance of being willing to search for answers, to 'wrestle' for answers so to speak. The Lord wants us to invest ourselves in finding answers to our questions, in a matter of speaking, He wants us to demonstrate that we care enough for an answer to put forth the effort to get one. Using personal experiences, scriptures and scripture stories, as well as quotes from LDS general authorities (that as members we consider to be prophets, seers, and revelators) showing the need to really invest ourselves in finding answers. Asking questions can lead to answers when they are asked from a position of faith rather than doubt, believing that God can and will lead us to the answers in His own time and way. In fact, Sister Dew suggests some really good questions for readers to start with. The part I especially related to was the chapter on receiving answers, where the author suggests asking the Lord to show us how we as individuals perceive His responses.
For those who wonder if it's okay to have questions about the LDS church (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints), its policies, doctrines, and practices, as well as questions about the Lord Himself, I highly recommend this book. I found the book both informative and inspiring, and a powerful reminder that the Lord wants us to learn, He doesn't leave us comfortless, and He will answer our questions if we find the courage and persistence to ask. He will even give us the right questions to ask if we feel lost. I also agreed with Sister Dew's point that once we've received answers, it's important to then stand as a witness for those things that we have learned. A wonderful read that I loved and will undoubtedly read again.
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