What were Spencer W. Kimball's emotions on the eve of the throat operation that virtually took away his voice for the last thirty years of his life? What advice did Charles A. Callis give to his newly married daughter? What did President Theodore Roosevelt have to say to Reed Smoot, U.S. Senator and member of the Quorum of the Twelve?

In this inspiring and thought-provoking collection of letters, you will get a glimpse into the personal lives, thoughts, and feelings of many prominent members of the Church--a rare view that is not often seen from the pulpit or in history books.

'I dream about you almost every night,' wrote young Diantha Clayton to her husband, William, who was required to go west while she stayed behind to await the birth of their first baby. 'To tell you I want to see you is useless yet true; you are constantly in my mind.'

Investigators of the Church in Nigeria in the 1960s sent a touching letter to the Missionary department, expressing their testimonies and asking to have the Church officially organized in their country. The sweet spirit of the letter was not obscured by the author's somewhat limited familiarity with English grammar and spelling: 'We have the please to inform you of our satisfaction on the restored gosple of Christ as testify by the secred book of mormon which was reveal through vision to his holiness the Prophet Joseph Smith.'

These carefully selected letters, over half of which have never before been published, will provide hours of uplifting reading. Each letter has an introduction to put it in context, as well as a summary of events in the lives of the correspondents. Biographical summaries at the end of the book provide further valuable information.

A Treasury of Latter-day Saint Letters is a rare offering that will provide excellent material for talks and lessons, encouragement in times of difficulty, and the pure joy of inspiring reading. Whether read a letter at a time or for hours on end, this is a book that belongs in every Latter-day Saint home.

Published: May 2001
Pages: 247