Review of, The Beginning of Better Days: Divine Instruction to Women from the Prophet Joseph Smith by Sheri Dew and Virginia H. Pearce

Product Details: 
Hardcover 
Publisher: Deseret Book (2012)
Genre: non-fiction/religious
ISBN-10: 1606418513
 ISBN-13: 978-1606418512





 Book Description:

How important are women in the restored church of Jesus Christ? We learn something about the answer to the question from a simple historic fact: In 1842, the Prophet Joseph Smith took time to attend several meetings of the Female Relief Society of Nauvoo and give personal instruction to the women there. He did this at a time of great personal turmoil, when persecutions were raging and his responsibilities were heavy. He did it at a time when society barely acknowledged women as having any kind of status at all. On six separate occasions, he taught the women personally about their privileges, their opportunities, their obligations, and the blessings the Lord had in store for them in His kingdom.

The Beginning of Better Days includes Joseph Smith's six timeless sermons to the women of Nauvoo, along with personal essays from Sheri Dew and Virginia H. Pearce that help us better understand the sermons and their relevance for Latter-day Saint women today. "We have attempted to share a little about our own processes of discovery regarding the sermons," writes the authors. "This is what worked for us. What works for you may be similar—or it may be completely different. The important thing is to dig in."


My Review:

If you have ever wanted to read doctrine specifically just for us, as women, then you need to read The Beginning of Better Days: Divine Instructions to Women from the Prophet Joseph Smith. For many years we have heard references from these teachings, but now we have access to all of the words that the Prophet Joseph gave to the women of the church in 1842. The book starts with two essays, one from Virginia H. Pearce and the other from Sheri Dew. Sister Pearce's essay is full of many of her life's experiences and feels very personal. Sister Dew's talk reads more like a class where we are given many specific details about The Prophet Joseph and what he taught the women of the church. At the end of the book we finally find the six lectures given to the women. These lectures are in the form of notes that were taken by Sister Eliza R. Snow. I love how on these pages there are four empty lines on each page, where you the reader, can take your own notes. I loved the advice given by Sister Pearce, she said:

"You may feel inclined, as I did, to underline those words when you read the Minutes, since we women find ourselves far too often discussing others with less than liberal feelings. Joseph teaches me, warns me, that this is something I am apt to do. Recognizing this, I am armed to make a choice to stop, to pray to be filled with charity and to enlarge my heart toward those whom I might have judged or criticized."

I actually found myself underlining many things throughout the whole book as I was reading it. I also was leaving myself little messages in the side about things that had touched me and that I wanted to remember.

To better understand what Sister  Dew discusses in her essay she  states:

"The Prophet Joseph clearly signaled the Relief Society's vital commission in building faith and testimony among Latter-day women and their families. The subjects he covered in his sermons to the sisters of Nauvoo reflect a breathtaking breadth, depth, and doctrinal density." 

She then went on to say that four of his recurring themes were, first, the place of women in the Lord's kingdom; second, the priesthood; third, the temple; and fourth, charity and the divine nature of women.

I can promise you, if you read this book, you will feel so differently about yourself as a woman. You realize how important our work is, as women, in these final days. 

As Sister Dew said, "By the very nature of what he chose to teach women, Joseph Smith established expectations for every women who would have the privilege of living in this great, culminating dispensation...that we learn how to receive truths, the spiritual gifts, and the privileges the Lord has offered His true followers. Our sisters of Nauvoo helped lay the foundation of a great work. They did this against every kind of prevailing emotional, spiritual, and tangible wind. Now it is our turn."

I had ancestors that were women in Nauvoo at this time. I have read their histories, and know of their great sacrifices they made for the gospel and their families. This book, and the words of The Prophet Joseph Smith, gives me the courage and inspiration to follow in their footsteps. 

To purchase this book go to Deseret Book.

***I received a review copy of this book. In no way did this influence the honest review that was given,***