Me Thinks

Books I read in 2025:

1. Listening and Caring Skills by John Savage (Helpful and informative. Many listening techniques were covered, most of which I agreed with).

2. Quiet: the Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking (I read this book a few years ago for Book Club, but it was an assigned book for my chaplain class so I read it again. I enjoyed it more this time and learned from it. We are all a mixture of both introvert and extrovert. Come to know yourself and your nature and maximize your strengths. Understand that people have differences).

3. What You Feel You Can Heal: A Guide for Enriching Relationships by John Gray (I enjoyed this book and learned from it. I liked the drawings/cartoons too. The main theme is to express your feelings and emotions instead of repressing them).

4. Generation to Generation: Family Process in Church and Synagogue by Edwin H. Friedman (An assigned book for chaplain class and not my favorite. We carry with us issues from our original family settings and relationships).

5. Jesus is the Christ by Neil L. Andersen (I enjoyed reading Elder Andersen's thoughts about the Savior).

6. The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon (Martha is a midwife and is a very important member of her community. What a story! I read this book while studying to become a chaplain and was fascinated with her medical and listening skills).

7. Spark Joy by Marie Kondo (A book on tidying and sorting and how those skills can lead to better self-esteem and control).

8. The Many Lives of Mama Love by Lara Love Hardin (Wow! An amazing story and a lot to take in. Here's a warning about the language, drug content and jail time. Lara pulled herself out of drugs which is so difficult to do).

9. Forty Autumns: A Family's Story of Courage and Survival on Both Sides of the Berlin Wall by Nina Willner (I found this book fascinating because it told of a family torn apart by a forty-year enclosure of East Germany).

10.Nothing More to Give: From Transactional Obedience to Transformational Relationships by James Skeen (This book led me to ponder on why I obey. The Savior's grace is paramount).

11. The Milkman's Son by Randy Lindsay (A man is surprised after taking a DNA test to find out that the father he grew up with is not his biological father).

12. The Tenderness of Jesus: An Invitation to Experience the Savior by Dr. Rob Reimer (Dr. Reimer exhorts us to develop a personal relationship with Jesus Christ).

13. A Brilliant Night of Stars and Ice by Rebecca Connolly (I really enjoyed this historical fiction. I did not know the story about Captain Arthur Rostron and how he guided his ship Carpathia through ice to come to the rescue of the Titanic passengers who were on lifeboats, even though there two other ships that were closer in proximity to the Titanic). 

14. A River Runs Through it and Other Stories by Norman Maclean (A patient I visit was a college language professor for many years. When I asked her to recommend a favorite book, she invited me to read this. Though I enjoyed the writing in A River Runs Through it, I did not care for the other stories).

15. Death is But a Dream: Finding Hope and Meaning at Life’s End by Christopher Kerr (People who are nearing death often see departed, beloved friends and family members, or they sense their presence, and this is a comfort to not only the dying, but also to their family members).

16. The Book of Comforts: Genuine Encouragement for Hard Times by Faires, Faires, Wernet, and Wilder (Each message starts with a scripture and then the authors expound on the scriptures).

17. In the Hands of the Potter by Camille Fronk (Thoughts about being humble, how the Lord molds us, faith and spiritual self-reliance).

18. The Doctrine & Covenants (This was an excellent book for me to read this year because there are so many people in early church history who sacrificed, and they are examples to me).

19. The Doctrine & Covenants Study Guide: Start to Finish by Thomas R. Valletta (An excellent book! The quotes and commentary which go with the sections of the Doctrine & Covenants are insightful).

20. The Book of Mormon (I love this book! Truth is clearly taught and light flows into my life when I read it).

21. The Book of Mormon Study Guide: Start to Finish by Thomas R. Valletta (I learned from the commentary and accompanying quotes next to the Book of Mormon passages. I would recommend this study guide).

22. Preach My Gospel (What a great book! I learned so much from this).