Women of the Book of Mormon by Heather B. Moore

Explore the lives, circumstances, and choices of women in the Book of Mormon in this uplifting and inspiring volume that illustrates the parallel between the lives of the women of the Book of Mormon and LDS women today. With new insights on practically every page, author Heather B. Moore explores the written and unwritten stories of the prominent women in the Book of Mormon—taking familiar material and providing vivid details about family dynamics, domestic practices, and other aspects of daily life. By applying historical and cultural contexts to the situations of women like Sariah, Abish, Eve, Mary and the faithful mothers of the stripling warriors, you will peek beneath the surface of the scriptural accounts to better understand both the righteous women of the Book of Mormon—and the women who didn’t use their agency wisely. (Taken from the back cover of the book).

Rarely do I find a non-fiction book that really holds my interest so I didn't expect to find this book so engaging, but Moore's writing held me captive from the first word. She focuses on twelve women mentioned in the Book of Mormon and what their lives may have been like. This book is backed up by extensive research and is full of rich details about everything from what childbirth would have been like to a woman's role in the home and family. It is interesting to read about the lives of these women and compare them to our own.

Each of the twelve chapters begins with a beautiful picture which makes this more than just a reference book. This is a book that can be treasuered and consulted often. Women of the Book of Mormon is a quick read with only 96 pages and would make a lovely Mother's Day gift.

From Women of the Book of Mormon (pg 8): "The women of the Book of Mormon are our sisters, and their stories lie within those sacred pages. Not only can we learn from the messages of their husbands and sons, we can discover how much the Savior loves us through the experiences and enduring faith of these women."

*Heather gave me a copy of this book to review.

A Student Again

I've had a few people ask me to clarify what I meant when I mentioned the university courses I've signed up for. University is something I've been thinking about for years, but the timing just never seemed right.

More years ago than I want to admit to, I started college with big plans. Ever since kindergarten I'd dreamed of being a school teacher, more specifically, an English teacher. But well meaning individuals talked me out of it. They insisted that there was no call for someone with those skills and talked me into elementary education, arguing that it would give me more opportunities. I should have stood my ground, but I was still young and easily swayed by older and more seasoned family members. But after one year of this I knew I couldn't spend the rest of my life with little kids.

The advice I received when I announced I would be changing my major was varied, but most of it focused around the need to be able to be a mom and have a career I could do from home. What can I say, I come from a very traditional family and I still believe that is the best option when possible. I entered the fashion design department and discovered I had skill and talent that I could put to good use. After I finished two years of college, I quit school to be a stay-at-home mother.

The year I spent learning behind a sewing machine has served me well, and I've made countless prom and wedding gowns. Sometimes I enjoy it and sometimes not, but because of the area I live in, it has never brought in the kind of income that can support a family. And even though I figured I would be a working seamstress for the rest of my life, the knowledge that I didn't finish school always bothered me.

Over the last two years I have been thinking more and more about returning to school and getting a long-overdue degree. I've had to convince myself and my husband that it is the right thing to do. One of the biggest reasons I kept coming back to was the uncertainty of our future. Several different things have left us with no retirement savings and we often joke about working as Walmart greeters until we die. I always tell my husband that I am his retirement plan. With twelve years difference in our ages, I should be able to work well after he retires. If I had any sort of training.

I know there are places that probably would hire me, but that nagging desire for a formal education keeps kicking around in the back of my mind. I want that piece of paper to prove that I did it. So this January, I signed up for a correspondence course, just to get started. The long term goal is to get that English degree I originally planned on. At some point I will transfer to the local university and get my teaching degree. By doing correspondence, I should be able to stay home at least until the two oldest leave for their own university experiences. Once I get into the groove of papers and tests again, I'll do more than one course at a time, but for now this one course is reminding me how far away those college days are and how much I need to do to catch up. It feels good to be taking action though. I'm not really sure where this all will take me, but it should be an intresting ride.

Reading and Writing

I have been reading like crazy lately. Out of the 30 books nominated for the Whitney Awards, I've read 22 1/2 but I'll get them all done, I think. It is always amazing to me the variety of books out there and the amount of really good writing. Doing all this reading affects my own writing as I look at the different ways other authors approach a story. It is all part of the learning process. Sometimes I wish the learning process wouldn't take so long, and I could say I did it and I'm published. Compared to some of my author friends, I feel like I am coming to the table very late in the game. But better late than never. Keep watching for me, because I will get there someday. Meanwhile, I have a little more reading to do.

Journal Winner

Oops! I almost forgot about the contest for the journal. Actually, I remembered, I just couldn`t remember when I said I would draw. Okay, that pretty much explains the state of my mind these days. Anyway. . .after using highly scientific methods, I have determined the winner to be:

Taffy

Congratulations Taffy! Send me your email address and I`ll get the journal to you right away.

*****

Besides the noble art of getting things done is the more noble art of leaving things undone.
-Lin Yu Tang

I seem to be excelling at the latter. With so many demands on my time, I have to pick and chose what gets done, and what gets put aside for later. Long gone are the days when I diligently cleaned my house every morning and put a lot of effort into nice meals. The house is still tidy and the family still gets fed, but so much of my energy goes elsewhere, that I often feel a little guilty for not excelling in the art of being a homemaker.

It really is okay though. I have the full support of my husband and my kids who think it is cool to have a writer in the house. The fact that this writer hasn`t been published yet doesn`t seem to matter to them. They are also supportive of my return to school. There is a limit though. I`m trying to cut back on my activities and lighten the load, as much for my benefit as theirs. After all, it is nice to be able to stop and breath once in a while.