Tuesday, September 1

Two book raves

I've been devouring a slew of books lately. It's been great! No, they weren't useful ones about how to potty train. That would have been way too smart and on-the-ball. Most of them seemed to have a common thread - the power of sisterhood. I loved it!

My favorite was The Necklace: Thirteen Women and the Experiment that Transformed Their Lives. One lady has always wanted to own a diamond necklace, but has never been able to justify the cost. She talks other women into buying it with her and the experiment is them sharing the necklace. It was interesting to read about the women and their differing motivations to become part of this group and what they were able to accomplish together.

On a completely different note, I'm a big fan of the Church's official radio station online called the Mormon Channel. I often listen to it while I clean - either the live feed or individual programs. Last week I listened to one of the Legacy programs about Willard and Rebecca Bean of Palmyra, NY. The Beans were called to serve a five year mission in Palmyra, New York. They lived on and worked the Joseph Smith farm just after the Church was first able to acquire it in 1915. During the program, two of the Beans' grown grandchildren shared stories from histories they have published. Willard was a prize-winning boxer and a great scriptorian which was perfect for the religiosity and anti-Mormon persecution of Palmyra at that time. There are many great "encounters"! Dad, you'd LOVE this!!!

Two days after I listened to the program, I was going through a box of books dropped off by a friend. In there, was one of the Bean's grandkids' histories of what became a 24 year mission in Palmyra! Serendipity!!! A Lion and a Lamb. It didn't take me long to get through that book and I absolutely loved it! Rebecca ran the home while taking care of unexpected visitors daily and her testimony will make you cry. I have a new hero! Willard ran the farm and sought to soften hearts towards the Church. In the end, they were able to acquire the Hill Cumorah and some other important sites from the early years of the Church. It was a fascinating, lively glimpse into their lives and I loved every bit of it!