Out of the Best Books - LDS Living

Made for Joy with Sunny Mahe May 05, 2025

When the scriptures tell us that “men are that they might have joy”, do we believe it? Learning and growing from trials are a part of life and today we are focusing on the intersection between joy and the hard things.

Sunny Mahe has seen her fair share of tough moments and has kept her sunny disposition throughout it all. She shared some of her experiences in a message captured in Made for This. It’s a compilation of talks for women by women including words from Sheri Dew, Patricia Holland, Melissa Inouye and more.

You can pick up your own copy of Made for This: Inspiring Messages for Women now! Or download the Deseret Bookshelf Plus app for more podcasts, audiobooks, and ebooks from these authors and more.

CHAPTERS: An Endowment of Love by Melinda Brown Apr 28, 2025

The house of the Lord is just that, His house. In her new book An Endowment of Love, author Mindy Brown talks about the temple, our attitudes toward it, and the sacred covenants we make there, with that mindset. Reminding us all that we have Heavenly Parents that will welcome us lovingly back home.

We introduce that idea with Chapter 1: Feeling at Home in the House of the Lord. You can find An Endowment of Love at your local Deseret Book store or on the Deseret Bookshelf Plus App!

Carrying the Temple With Us with Melinda Brown Apr 21, 2025

We often look at the temple as sort of a finish line, but can we reframe our temple experience so that it feels like a starting point? In this episode, you'll hear a fresh approach to the temple experience. Melinda Brown, author of An Endowment of Love joins and shares this revolutionary message: "if the temple is making your life better now, then the concerns for the eternities will figure themself out."

Melinda is an author, teacher, speaker, mother, friend, and recently got her Masters degree from Duke Divinity School in Christian education. She wrote this book because she saw a need for young people to better understand the temple when she started teaching a class called Temple Plus when she was called to serve in a YSA down in Provo.

You can pick up your own copy of An Endowment of Love today! Also head to LDS Living's YouTube to hear more from Melinda and deepen your understanding of the temple!

The Lord Spoke Vienna Jaques' Name with Brent Rogers Apr 14, 2025

In the whole of the Doctrine and Covenants there are only two women mentioned by name. The first being Emma Smith, whose story most of us are familiar with. But the second is a woman provides an insight into what life was like as a saint in the early Church. Today's conversation is all about Vienna Jaques. And her story will help illuminate our study of the Doctrine and Covenants this year.

Joining in this episoe is Brent Rogers, a historian and the author of The Lord Spoke Her Name: The Remarkable Story of Vienna Jaques in the Restoration. Brent shares how Vienna's story has helped his testimony of the restoration, and why it matters to learn of the everyday saint.

Order your copy of The Lord Spoke Her Name today or head to Deseret Bookshelf+ to listen to the audiobook!

CHAPTERS: The Infinite Atonement by Tad R. Callister Apr 07, 2025

In preparation for the Easter Season we are spending this episode learning about the Atonement of Christ. Elder Cook said in this weekend’s General Conference that “The Atonement of Jesus Christ provides the ultimate rescue from the trials we face in life.” And doesn’t that sound like the kind of saving we all need.

Tad R. Callister’s book The Infinite Atonement teaches about many principles of the Atonement. In this episode you'll hear chapter 16 titled "The Blessing of the Resurrection."

Order your copy of The Infinite Atonement today! Or head to your local Deseret Book store or download Deseret Bookshelf+ to listen to the audiobook with your family this Easter.

CHAPTERS: Prophets See Around Corners by Sheri Dew Mar 31, 2025

We might have all at one point asked ourselves, “Why do we have prophets? Why should we listen to them?” In the restored gospel, we believe that the counsel we receive from prophets prepares us for all that lies ahead. The revelation they receive is for us today—revelation that takes into account the unique circumstances in the world now.

In Prophets See Around Corners, Sheri Dew shares from her own experience working closely with prophets, seers, and revelators throughout her life and career. She answers common questions about prophets and affirms the myriad ways they point us to Jesus Christ. In this episode, you'll hear chapter 6, "Why Follow Prophets?" which helps answer one of those common questions and in it we see that God prepares us when we listen.

Order your copy of Prophets See Around Corners now! Or head to your local Deseret Book store or download Deseret Bookshelf+ to listen to Sheri Dew read the entirety of her book.

Humanizing Each Other with Amy Harris Mar 24, 2025

As Latter-day Saints, we’re connectors. We care about creating and maintaining relationships both on earth and after death. And we want to better understand our unique doctrine of eternal relationships so we can better love and appreciate our relationships now, across the veil, and in the eternities.

Which is something Professor Amy Harris has a passion for. She’s a historian and genealogist who coordinates the Family History Bachelor’s program at BYU. Her enthusiasm for family history and her study of temple work in the D&C will help us see God’s abundant love and careful attention to all his children.

Her book, Redeeming the Dead: Themes in the Doctrine and Covenants can be found at your local Deseret Book, or on deseretbook.com, or on the Deseret Bookshelf+ app.

CHAPTERS: The Divine Gift of Forgiveness by Neil L. Andersen Mar 17, 2025

Forgiveness is a principle of the gospel that serves as a salve to any and all of our relationships. We hope to receive it from the Savior, and we are promised that through His divine atonement, it is possible. Elder Anderson writes, "As surely as the sun will rise tomorrow, the Savior's divine gifts of repentance and of forgiveness, offered in the beauty of His encompassing love, are certain for those who come unto Him with full purpose of heart."

In this book, Elder Andersen writes especially to those who are "awakening" unto God—those who are just beginning to discover or who seek the divine gifts and power of repentance and forgiveness in their lives. The Divine Gift of Forgiveness is organized in such a way that readers can choose the section or chapter that applies most to them and study it without having to have read from cover to cover. In this episode, we dive into chapter 7: Joy or Remorse of Conscience.

This work will help all readers become more devoted disciples of the Savior. If you want your own copy of this book, head to deseretbook.com or find it now on Bookshelf+.

Learning How God Moves Slowly with Rachel Cope Mar 10, 2025

In the Church, we often colloquially refer to a trial as something we're “going through.” As if there is a finish line, or even a moment in time that we just need to get by. But perhaps the real need is to slow down in our hard times and find out what it is we can learn when we simply sit with them.

Author Rachel Cope invites us to this very thing in her book The Slow Work of God. In it, she makes the case that sitting with grief, loss and hardship can bring us into a deeper conversion. She joins this conversation to share how a very personal loss taught her about God's nature, and that we are His slow work. Rachel teaches Church History and Doctrine at BYU. She holds a PhD in American history with an emphasis in women’s history and religious history.

You can find Rachel's book The Slow Work of God on the Bookshelf+ app or at your local Deseret Book or head to deseretbook.com.

CHAPTERS: The Slow Work of God by Rachel Cope Mar 03, 2025

As we self-examine our own process of conversion, there may be big, miraculous moments that we can point to, but lasting conversion is generally a slower process. That process builds up over time and brings us a continued conversion. And learning to embrace this process, despite the hard, will bring us as much joy as the miraculous big moments.

Author Rachel Cope is personally familiar with that formula for conversion through grief, as she explains in the introduction to her book The Slow Work of God. In this episode, you'll hear in her own words, the introduction of her book, which is the perfect starting point to understand where her motivations for writing about loss come from, and how that universal understanding can help us see the hope that comes through patience with the divine.

If you want to listen to the rest of this audiobook, download Deseret Bookshelf+ in the app store and search her book The Slow Work of God. You can also head to deseretbook.com or your local Deseret Book to pick up your own copy today.

CHAPTERS: Wrestling with the Restoration by Steven Harper Feb 24, 2025

This episode explores a topic that is going to answer a crucial question of faith many of us have asked before: why does this church matter? And with our study of the Doctrine & Covenants for the Come, Follow Me year, this chapter from Steven Harper’s Wrestling with the Restoration: Why this Church Matters will add to your knowledge of prophetic revelation. It will change the way you respond the next time you encounter prophetic revelation.

This chapter invites us to be a part of the ongoing restoration, and the book is a salve to any who is deep in their wrestle with the doctrines of the restoration.

If you want to listen to the rest of this brilliant book, download Bookshelf+ app where you can listen to the entirety of Steven’s work, plus a library of other really great books. Or head to deseretbook.com or your local Deseret book to get your copy.

Thinking Different about the Restoration with Steven Harper Feb 17, 2025

This episode jumps into something that is right the Out of the Best Books alley. It’s all about asking this crucial question of our faith: why does this church matter? We'll explore how we can encourage the wrestle of that. Hopefully we can see our study of the Doctrine and Covenants this year in a new light, and it may enlighten the conversations we have around the Sunday dinner table.

The perfect person to have this conversation with is Steven C. Harper. He is a professor of Church history and doctrine at Brigham Young University. Steven helps students develop resilient faith and is passionate about them becoming lifelong disciples of the Savior. And his book Wrestling with the Restoration inspired today’s conversation.

Get your copy of Wrestling with the Restoration: Why this Church Matters at your local Deseret Book Store or on deseretbook.com, or download the Deseret Bookshelf+ app today!

CHAPTERS: The Law of Love in Action by Steve Young Feb 10, 2025

In time for Valentine's Day this year we have an audio excerpt with a focus on love–real Christlike love. Steve Young's book The Law of Love in Action holds stories and commentary about letting love lead out in all relationships. Heard is a piece from chapter 10: No Expectations, No Transaction.

Steve Young is a first ballot NFL Hall of Famer, author, and public speaker. He has written QB: My Life Behind the Spiral, The Law of Love, and the recent Law of Love in Action

Learning to love as Christ would love is a life-long persuit, and we are all in it together. Love, as Steve says many times, is undefeated. You can order The Law of Love in Action or check it out on the Deseret Bookshelf Plus app today.

CHAPTERS: My Lord, He Calls Me edited by Alice Faulkner Burch Feb 03, 2025

My Lord He Calls Me: Stories of Faith by Black American Latter-day Saints edited by Alice Faulkner Burch celebrates the stories of Black Latter-day Saints. It’s an essay compilation by active Black American members of the Church whose ancestors were brought to the United States from Africa and enslaved. Because it's Black History month, we wanted to hear about their conversion stories, what life is like as a Black Latter-day Saint, and why they choose to remain in the Church. You will be inspired by the faith, testimony, endurance, wisdom, and spiritual strength of these faithful Saints.

This episode pulls an essay called "Our Roadtrip to Jesus" and it's written by Haley and Millie Fletcher, two teenage sisters who are living in Utah. Their mother, who is white, encourages and plans a cross-country roadtrip with them so that they can connect to their ancestral roots. Their story promises that by finding out our own stories, we learn to connect with Jesus.

If you want to listen to the rest of the essays, download Deseret Bookshelf+ where you can hear the entire audiobook. You can also head to your local Deseret Book or deseretbook.com to order your copy today.

Revelation for the Early Saints and Us with Janiece Johnson Jan 27, 2025

Revelation is crucial to the restored gospel and crucial to our lives today. As Latter-day Saints, we know the heavens are open, but perhaps we all want to know how to hear God better and understand what revelation looks like in our own lives.

This podcast episodes features Janiece Johnson who will help us see that revelation is indispensable. She is a church historian and acquisition director at Deseret Book. She specializes in American religious history—specifically Latter-day Saint history and in her new book Revelation: Themes in the Doctrine and Covenants, she focuses on revelatory moments in the D&C.

You can pick up your copy of Revelation: Themes in the Doctrine and Covenants now at your local Deseret Book store, or online at deseretbook.com. You can also read now on the Deseret Bookshelf+ app.

Mindfulness in Worship with Carrie Skarda and Jacob Hess Jan 20, 2025

Today we’re talking all about how to slow down and commune with God. It’s a topic that we hope will help remind us how to draw closer to God without doing more.

With so much going on in the world, so much to do and be, why would anyone want to focus on stillness? Because that’s what Jesus Christ did.

In this episode, authors of The Practice of Stillness Carrie Skarda and Jacob Hess share their focus on mindfulness and how we can get away from our “frantic doing” and do more with God by doing less.

CHAPTERS: Seven Visions by Adam Miller and Rosalynde Welch Jan 13, 2025

In this episode, we're sharing audio from chapter five of Rosalynde Welch and Adam Miller’s new book Seven Visions: Images of Christ in the Doctrine and Covenants called, “Christ in the Bosom of the Father.”

Adam and Rosalynde put President Nelson’s call to seek Christ intentionally at the forefront of this effort. Chapter five focuses on Doctrine and Covenants Section 110, providing perspective as we begin our Come Follow me study of the D&C this year.

Learning to hear God’s voice is the goal of a lifetime, and in their book, Welch and Miller explore the themes of light in the Doctrine and Covenants and how that leads to knowing God. Their book has an important message: that learning how to hear God’s voice should be urgent to us all. You can order Seven Visions: Images of Christ in the Doctrine and Covenants now or check it out on the Deseret Bookshelf Plus app.

Seeing God in Our Lives with Rosalynde Welch and Adam Miller Jan 06, 2025

Deseret Book authors Rosalynde Welch and Adam Miller join this episode to discuss their book Seven Visions: Images of Christ in the Doctrine and Covenants.

Learning to hear God’s voice is the goal of a lifetime, and in this episode, Welch and Miller explore the themes of light in the Doctrine and Covenants and how that leads to knowing God. They share an interesting insight that we want to dive more into: that learning how to hear God’s voice should be urgent to us all.

This book is a great companion to the new 2025 Come Follow Me study of the Doctrine and Covenants. Order Seven Visions now or try a free trial of the Deseret Bookshelf+ app today to hear the audiobook.

CHAPTERS: A Case for the Book of Mormon by Tad R. Callister Dec 30, 2024

In this episode, we're sharing audio from chapter 2 of Tad R. Callister's book A Case for the Book of Mormon called, “Man-Made or God-Given?”

A common criticism of the Book of Mormon is that it's man-made. Brother Callister addresses this common argument and addresses many of the critics theories. Plus he shares a testimony of Emma Smith that you’ll be thinking about for days.

In this book, author Tad R. Callister presents compelling evidence, both physical and spiritual, for the authenticity of the Book of Mormon. He invites readers on a spiritual journey that promises a witness stronger than any intellectual argument could create. You can order A Case for the Book of Mormon now.

CHAPTERS: To Always Have His Spirit by Gerald N. Lund Dec 23, 2024

In this episode, we're sharing audio from chapter four of Gerald Lund's To Always Have His Spirit: A Divine Promise for the Latter Days. This is a fresh look at the covenants we take part in every Sunday and how we can strive to take the sacrament from routine to remarkable.

Chapter Four is aptly titled, "The Voice of the Lord: Key concepts about personal revelation," and in this excerpt, you'll hear this compelling idea: that understanding the Spirit leads to having Him abide with us.

Gerald Lund is an acclaimed author of The Work and the Glory series available at Deseret Book. He has also written several non-fiction books, served as a general authority, and been a lifelong teacher with the Church Educational System. You can order To Always Have His Spirit now or listen to the full audiobook on Deseret Bookshelf+.

Connecting to Art of Christ with Kate Lee Dec 16, 2024

Deseret Book author and artist Kate Lee joins this episode and opens up about how her artwork has helped her connect with the Savior. Her book, Connecting with Christ, features her artwork as well as some contemplative questions for the reader to ponder about how these images of the Savior bring you peace and draw you closer to Him.

Lee's artwork is a staple of Latter-day Saint art, and you can find it now at your local Deseret Book store or online at deseretbook.com. In this episode, you'll hear how light plays a key role in her work, and how you can put yourself into the scene.

Order Connecting with Christ now or try a free trial of the Deseret Bookshelf+ app today.

CHAPTERS: The Rock of Our Redeemer by David A. Bednar Dec 09, 2024

In this episode, we're sharing audio from chapter two of Elder David A. Bednar’s book The Rock of Our Redeemer: Facing the Future with Faith, Hope, and Power.

This chapter, "The Blessings of Direction and Strength" is less than 10 minutes of audio read by Elder Bednar himself. But in that short time, you’ll hear a promise that every covenant making and keeping member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has available to them remarkable gifts and opportunities all around.

Elder David A. Bednar is a member of the quorom of the twelve apostles. His previous published books include The Spirit of Revelation; One by One; The Parable of the Cheetah; and the bestselling trilogy Increase in Learning; Act in Doctrine; and Power to Become. You can listen to him read the rest of his audiobook The Rock of Our Redeemer on Deseret Bookshelf+ or order it online here!

Remembering Christlike Love at Christmastime with Adam Miller Dec 02, 2024

Deseret Book author Adam Miller joins this episode to explore the question, "Why did Christ come to the earth as a baby?" which is a theme in his new book The Christ Child.

Miller explores the attributes of a child that we should aspire to because they are also attributes of the Savior: awe, imagination, and love. This conversation also explores tapping into a new perspective of the scriptural invitation to become like a child.

This book will make your Christmas! Order The Christ Child now or try a free trial of the Deseret Bookshelf+ app today.

CHAPTERS: When Church Is Hard by Tyler Johnson Nov 25, 2024

In this episode, we’re sharing audio from chapter three of Tyler Johnson’s When Church Is Hard. The title of this chapter, “What does it mean to believe?” Is a question that many young adults grapple with in the Church.

This excerpt puts some compassionate understanding behind the common need to have absolute answers right now. And then it turns to a truly compelling idea: that doubt doesn’t have to be negative. It is the start of something much more.

Author Tyler Johnson is an oncologist who served as a YSA bishop in northern California. His hours spent counseling and observing young adults led him to conclusions about the reasons so many young adults find it difficult to stay in the Church. You can order When Church Is Hard now or listen to the full audiobook on Deseret Bookshelf+.

CHAPTERS: Habits of a Peacemaker by Steven Collis Nov 18, 2024

In this episode, we're sharing a sneak peak into chapter six from Steven Collis's Habits of a Peacemaker: 10 Habits to Change our Potentially Toxic Conversations into Healthy Dialogues. This chapter is called "Be open to change" and it's one key habit that takes very little effort.

It's an important handbook for anyone wanting to build bridges of understanding, be more Christlike in conversations, and take down fear of offense.

Author Steven Collis is a professor of law at the University of Texas. You can order Habits of a Peacemaker: 10 Habits to Change Our Potentially Toxic Conversations into Healthy Dialogues now or listen to the full audiobook on Deseret Bookshelf+.

Practical Ways to be a Peacemaker with Steven Collis Nov 11, 2024

Deseret Book author Steven T. Collis joins this episode to share the formula for getting along in contentious times from his book Habits of a Peacemaker. After listening, you'll have the confidence to engage in dialogue about hard topics while building and strengthening relationships.

Collis encourages personal responsibility in a pursuit of peace through ten habits including "assume you know nothing," "don't feed into people's worst fears," and introduce "a sliver of humor."

Order Habits of a Peacemaker: 10 Habits to Change Our Potentially Toxic Conversations into Healthy Dialogues now or try a free trial of the Deseret Bookshelf+ app today.

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