The Atoning One

THE ATONING ONE

by Robert L. Millet

The Atonement of Jesus Christ is—and should be—at the very center of all we teach. Everything else is peripheral. Everything else is either connected to this central, saving truth or it has no power to bless or change us. It is vital that we understand that through this singular act by our loving Lord, we can be reawakened, redeemed, reclaimed, and restored when we fall short or wander off the gospel path. At the same time, we must recognize that although the Lord’s Atonement is at the heart of God’s plan, we cannot and should not attribute everything good that happens in our lives to that Atonement. Both the first and third members of the Godhead have a myriad of ways in which They too bless the children of our Father in Heaven.

In The Atoning One, acclaimed author and experienced educator Robert L. Millet describes the mystery and majesty of who Jesus Christ is; His singular saving role in the plan of salvation; how the Father and the Holy Ghost are inextricably linked with Christ in the redemption of humankind; and how members of the Church can come to comprehend and rely upon divine grace. As Brother Millet teaches, we rejoice in the fact that Latter-day Saints are now more Christ-centered and Atonement-centered than ever before, but we must ensure that how we talk about and approach our Savior’s offering is done with care. This book provides insightful guidance for deepening your understanding and appreciation of the Savior’s ultimate gift.

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A PERFECT READ FOR THIS EASTER WEEKEND
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Destiny Came Knocking

DESTINY CAME KNOCKING

by Cindy Roland Anderson

When Piper Jensen’s dog has a litter of puppies that aren’t anything like their purebred mother, she immediately suspects the culprit responsible for the mishap is her neighbor’s derelict dog.

Seeking restitution, Piper confronts the owner, Gabe Wesson, a single father of two children that likes to keep to himself. She isn’t prepared for Gabe to be so handsome, nor so disagreeable, and is irritated by his demands for a paternity test to prove his dog is the sire.

As she and Gabe try to work things out, they both fight a growing attraction neither one of them want. But when Piper finds her heart falling in love with his children, it might be the catalyst that tips the scale towards a destiny she never dreamed possible.

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This book is SO GOOD!

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Light in Your Eyes

LIGHT IN 
YOUR EYES

by Cami Checketts

Snow Valley's new pediatric dentist, McCoy Wilson, is in debt and stress taller than his beat-up Chevy. The last thing he needs is a beautiful assistant who he's drastically overpaying.

Chanel Horman prays moving to Snow Valley after her husband's death will give her and her son a fresh start. A hunky new boss isn't in the plans, but she'll have to find some way to work with McCoy without melting at his gentle smiles or she'll be in trouble deeper than the snow drifts.

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LOVE. LOVE. LOVE. 

the Snow Valley Romances!

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A Familiar Fear

A FAMILIAR FEAR

by Kathi Oram Peterson

Ex-FBI agent Riley Scott lives each day with the scars of her former career. After the murder of her husband and the recent attempt on her own life by the Russian mafia, her heart is irrevocably broken. Agate Island seems like the perfect place to begin building a new future for herself and her teenage son, yet even before the ferry docks at their new home, Riley realizes there will be no escape for her. There, on the boat, is mafia boss Maksimillian Petruso—the man who took everything from her. The man she killed.

Matthew Taggart knows who Riley is and understands her reaction to his resemblance to Maksimillian Petruso. But Matthew is nothing like his estranged criminal father. So far, he has been able to hide from that evil world. However, he's afraid Riley's appearance on the island may lead his family's mafia connections to his doorstep. After all, she is the agent who took down his father. Matthew needs to leave town. Fast. Unfortunately, when the family wants to find him, there is nowhere he can hide. Now he and Riley are thrown together in a dangerous connection, and learning to trust each other is their only hope of survival.

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A FANTASTIC suspense that will keep you 
reading way long into the night.

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Courage to be You

COURAGE TO 

BE YOU

by Gail Miller

Gail Miller might seem as though she has it easy—now. But she has experienced challenges in nearly every aspect of her life: financial struggles, family trials, and personal loss. Through it all, she has had courage to move forward and remain grounded in her faith.

In Courage to Be You, Gail encourages readers to find their own path—with the help of the Lord. Her candid stories and personal insights about faith, hard work, grief, and many more topics are both fascinating and inspiring.

"I hope as you read about my journey," she writes, "you will recognize a gem or two of truth that may be useful in your journey. Hopefully, you'll recognize you're not alone in a confusing and complicated world."

Reading this book is like sitting down with a good friend and visiting about the things that matter most. It will fill you with courage and determination to be the best "you" possible.

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I loved this book!

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Read what others are saying about it:

“I’ve long admired the Miller family and always wondered whether their matriarch, Gail, was the secret ingredient behind their myriad accomplishments. After reading Courage to Be You, the wondering is over. What a strong, humble, loving leader, wife and mother! Her courageous story – and her life – are an inspiration the world needs.”
—John Bytheway, Bestselling Author, Speaker and Educator

“Because I admire Gail Miller so much, it was such a privilege to be invited into her private thoughts and to better understand what drives her. She’s so powerful and intelligent, yet so warm and kind. I love her courage! This is such a well-written, thoroughly enjoyable book.”
—Jenny Oaks Baker, Grammy Nominee and Billboard No. 1 Violinist

“In Courage to Be You, Gail Miller becomes the wise friend and life coach you’ve always wished for. Beautifully written and packed with personal experiences, this book offers valuable advice about what matters most: faith, family, friendship, hard work, and creating your own definition of success. Learning how Gail found her own voice will give you the courage to find yours. This book is a treasure.”
—Brad Wilcox, author of The Continuous Atonement and Changed through His Grace

“I confess that at first I thought Gail Miller's book Courage to be You was for women. But reading about her journey as a stay-at-home mom, wife, mother, grandmother, corporate executive and humanitarian makes me want to be a better man.”
—Michael McLean, Singer, songwriter, creator of The Forgotten Carols

“Courage to Be You surprised me: I had not expected to read so revealing and genuine an account from someone so famous. Gail opens up her life for us—and that of her iconic husband Larry. We find trials and heartache we may not have expected from people so successful, and we witness enduring images of the lessons for a meaningful life.”
—Mitt Romney

I loved reading every bit of this. What a refreshing read! She shares incredible experiences and lessons with compelling honesty, openness, humor and compassion. I didn't want it to end, I wanted more!
—Al Carraway, Award-winning speaker and author of, "More Than the Tattooed Mormon," and "Cheers to Eternity.


“I was drawn into Courage to be You after the first few sentences. I immediately wanted to know more about Gail and what she has learned. By the time I finished the book, I felt like she was a friend. She shares insights in a way that feels like we had gone to lunch and talked over a bowl of soup and a salad with extra dressing. “

—Hilary Weeks, #1 Billboard Christian Artist

Left Standing

LEFT STANDING

by Mason Wells, Tyler Beddoes, and Billy Hallowell

“I decided to be a survivor, 

not a victim.”

Most people can’t imagine experiencing a terrorist attack, let alone multiple bombings.

Left with third-degree burns, shrapnel wounds, and a shaken spirit, Mason Wells chose to leave behind his anger and hate in the face of terrorism and instead turn to God. Mason recounts how his faith eventually allowed him to forgive the men behind the attacks that nearly cost him his life and the lives of so many others.

This miraculous true story will change how you see your own struggles and teach you the true power of forgiveness, perseverance, and love.

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I am always impressed with those who can forgive a terrible injustice that happened to them. This book will leave you with a hope that you can love and forgive and continue to move forward 

despite your own trials.

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Peace for a Palestinian

PEACE FOR A PALESTINIAN

by Sahar Qumsiyeh

Sahar Qumsiyeh was born into a loving Christian family in Jerusalem and raised in Beit Sahour, near Bethlehem. Growing up in a country torn apart by political upheaval, Sahar struggled with feelings of hopelessness and anger as she watched her people being persecuted, tormented, and even killed.

As a young adult, Sahar received a scholarship to an American university. While there, she was baptized into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. But staying true to her new faith was put to the test when Sahar returned home to Palestine.

In Peace for a Palestinian, Sahar shares her experience desperately searching for peace and joy only to find that true peace lies not in external resolution but in following the Savior. As she explains, "We may live in a place with barriers, checkpoints, and restrictions, but we can feel liberated by His Atonement."

Whether your own obstacles are great or small, Sahar's message will help you discover that the true source of peace and comfort is the same for all of us.

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This book is AMAZING!

I cannot even imagine living where there are checkpoints to get anywhere--even to go to church.

Sahar is an incredible person filled with hope and love.

Her story is remarkable -- May we all become more like her.

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Ashes on the Moor

ASHES ON 

THE MOOR

by Sarah M. Eden

The life of an impoverished schoolteacher is not one Evangeline Blake would have chosen for herself. Torn from her home and her beloved sister and sent to work in the gritty factory town of Smeatley, Evangeline must prove herself to her grandfather, a man who values self-reliance above all else, before he will grant her access to her inheritance. Raised to be a lady of refinement, she hasn't any of the skills necessary to manage on her own nor does she have the first idea how to be a teacher. But failure means never being with her sister again.

Alone and overwhelmed, she turns to the one person in town who seems to know how she feels—Dermot McCormick, an Irish brick mason who is as far from home and as out of place as she is. Despite the difference in their classes and backgrounds, Evangeline and Dermot's tentative friendship deepens and grows. Her determination and compassion slowly earn her the faith and confidence of the skeptical residents of Smeatley, who become like the family she has lost.

But when a secret from her past comes to light, Evangeline faces an impossible choice: seize the opportunity to reclaim her former life and rejoin her sister or fight for the new life she has struggled to build for herself—a life that includes Dermot.

Ashes on the Moor is the inspiring love story of one Victorian woman's courage to fight against all odds, and the man whose quiet strength gives her the confidence to keep trying.

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A new Sarah M. Eden book? Yes there is!

I was able to get an Advanced Readers Copy 

and I am LOVING IT!

Love the theme, the characters, the story line, everything!

So. So. So. Good! Cannot put it down!

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PreOrder today so you don't miss out-

TREK the Movie

   

TREK the Movie

Written by Hollywood screenwriter David Howard and Jon Enos, and directed by Alan Peterson, TREK is a family comedy that follows a group of LDS teens as they stumble their way through the sagebrush looking for their pioneer heritage as well as their own testimonies.

Watch as Tom, a young Mormon teenager and his friends try to smuggle in unsanctioned food, battle sibling rivalry, encounter a “special ops” Young Mens leader, ponder doctrinal brain teasers, and match wits with a Twinkie-loving skunk. Through all of the ups and downs, they are revealed to be “real” LDS youth who are struggling with real challenges—doubts, divorce, relationships. When they encounter unexpected trouble, their faith is tested much like their pioneer ancestors.

(Sponsor will contact winner)

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Russell M. Nelson: Father, Surgeon, Apostle

RUSSELL M. NELSON

Father, Surgeon, Apostle

by Spencer J. Condie

As a latter-day apostle, Elder Russell M. Nelson is known worldwide for his tireless service in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Many people, however, are not familiar with his pioneering work in the field of open-heart surgery, the life-prolonging operation he performed on President Spencer W. Kimball, his role in helping open Eastern Bloc countries to the preaching of the gospel, and his loving efforts to build relations with the people of China.

In Russell M. Nelson: Father, Surgeon, Apostle, readers are treated to an intimate portrayal that will help us come to know Elder Nelson as a man of testimony, a dedicated husband and father of ten, and a servant whose principal desire since his youth has been to serve God's children.

Full of insight and inspiration, this biography will take its place among other important works that chronicle the lives of the Lord's latter-day servants.

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I started reading this book this morning.

Did you know he speaks French, Russian, Spanish, and Chinese?
Did you know he performed the first open-heart surgery in Utah?

Did you know he received the Gold Heart Award in 2002?

Did you know he has 9 daughters and 1 son?

I am anxious to learn more about our newly ordained prophet.

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Six Days to Live

SIX DAYS TO LIVE

by Kenneth M. Page

Sometimes disaster is simply a matter of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Take Addison Roberts, for example: it is a deadly coincidence that in a crowded parking lot one day, she catches the eye of a dangerous criminal on the run. In his desperation to evade the police, what he needs is a way out—and Addison and her car are his ticket to escape.

Lieutenant Chase Roberts, on leave from his military assignment, is anxious to be reunited with his wife. Yet as night falls and Addison fails to appear, Chase feels a rising sense of foreboding. Hours quickly become days as he desperately works with authorities to find the woman he loves. But after being named a person of interest, Chase is warned away from the investigation—a mandate he ignores. Chase will stop at nothing to find his wife, and what he ultimately discovers is terrifying: Addison has been carjacked by a man who has killed before and has no scruples about killing again . . .

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I seriously cannot put this book down...

It is that GOOD!

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Escape From Rwanda

ESCAPE FROM RWANDA

John Yves Bizimana was only seven years old when his family was caught up in the Rwandan genocide. In Escape from Rwanda, he tells of their horrifying escape and subsequent experiences as refugees, traveling with his widowed mother and his younger brother and sister from country to country, searching for safety and a place to call home. When they finally reach Zimbabwe, they expect their lives will settle down — they don't suspect that even greater trials are yet to come.

John's story is one of almost unimaginable hardship — trudging through corpses that litter the road out of Rwanda, huddling under cardboard boxes for shelter, depending on strangers and governmental agencies for sustenance. His story is one of poverty, loneliness, and death, but it is also a story of faith, hope, determination, and miracles. This unique first-person account is interwoven with stories of others' saving acts of kindness and compassion in a seemingly compassion-less world.

This unforgettable story of rising above all odds reminds us that life itself is a blessing and that hope should be the driving force of our lives.

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John Yves Bizimana truly has an amazing story to share.
I cannot even imagine going through all that he has.
He really is an example of "faith, hope, and survival."

My favorite quote:
"In the end our lives will fall into place; 
if they haven't, then it is not yet the end."

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Finding Beauty in the Beast

FINDING BEAUTY IN THE BEAST

by Jessilyn Stewart Peaslee

Princess Rose’s fiery temper has kept every potential suitor away—until now. After being spurned and humiliated for the last time, the princess forces every eligible man in the kingdom to present a gift to her under pain of death. The man who brings her the best gift will be chosen as her husband.

When Corbin is summoned to present his gift, he hopes that his simple offering will keep him safely overlooked. All he wants is to return to his quiet life as a common blacksmith, away from forbidding castles and beastly princesses. But love works in mysterious ways, and it all starts with a rose...

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What a fun book! 
Great reading and a fantastic example of how to treat each other.

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Start Reading

Them in Us: Seeing Women of the Bible in Ourselves

THEM IN US:

Seeing Women of the Bible in Ourselves

by Michelle Wilson

Eve, Mary, Hannah, Esther, Ruth, Naomi, Jochebed--we are inspired by these and other amazing women of the Bible, but can we relate to them? Do we have anything in common with them? Can we see pieces of them in ourselves? In this booklet we look at these great women, and others in the Bible, and the characteristics each one represents. Hopefully, we will discover that we are more alike than different and we truly do carry pieces of them in us.

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I love the way Michelle combines humor with humble honor of the women whose stories we read of in the Bible. This book will open your heart to these amazing women who went before us and will allow you to see that you have pieces of greatness like them within you.

LOVED. LOVED. LOVED. THIS. ONE.

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Available on AMAZON

Mr. Write

MR. WRITE

by Chelsea Hale

Can love be written when Tyler and Liz are on different pages?

After Liz Montgomery dumped “Mr. Perfect” four days before their wedding, she built herself a new happily ever after – A.K.A. workaholic. Between grad school, a demanding job, and helping with Happy Moments Charity events, she has determined not to let relationships stand in the way of her dreams again. But one wrong step throws her unwittingly into the arms of a stranger who could threaten her plans.

New York Times bestselling author Tyler Lakewood is in town to complete one job: interview family and friends for NFL star, Kyle Montgomery’s biography. When an opportunity to help Liz with Kyle’s charity events turns the page of his plans, he goes to great lengths to ensure Liz sees him as Mr. Right.

While fighting her mounting attraction for Tyler, Liz accepts Tyler’s help. Soon she can’t deny he has already written on the pages of her heart. When plans for the annual charity ball unravel, she must decide whether to close the book forever or let him write the happily-ever-after ending she’s always dreamed of.

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LOVED IT!

This author is FANTASTIC!

I will definitely be reading more from her!

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Available on AMAZON

Camera Wars

CAMERA WARS

by Chelsea Hale

Camera Wars. Love in Focus. Capturing Love has never been so hard.

For Coco Beaumont, capturing love is easy. It's her job. She uses her camera and films happy couples in love with her wedding videography business. In her personal life, Coco's heart is captured thousands of miles away by her boyfriend, who builds orphanages in South America.

While filming for her roommate Liz, Coco's focus becomes blurred. The photographer for Liz and Tyler's wedding gets in her way and under her skin. She is torn between what she has waited for, and what is right in front of her.

Peter Jorgensen is hired for his college roommate's wedding. But signing up for the job comes with more than he bargained for. Though they start off on the wrong foot, Peter is determined to show Coco that capturing love is more than perfect predictability and a setting on the camera.

Coco is so focused on seeing the love between everyone else, she is oblivious to the love blooming in her own life. It will take a reset on her aperture to see what has been in front of her eyes the entire time.

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I absolutely adored this book!

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The Gospel at 30,000 Feet

THE GOSPEL AT 30,000 FEET

by Dieter F. Uchtdorf

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf has earned a reputation among members of the Church for using his decades of experience as a pilot to draw gospel metaphors. He has even joked about the frequency of the phenomenon from the pulpit, once noting that a congregation may be asking, "What does this have to do with an airplane?" President Uchtdorf's ability to draw on real-life experience and share easily interpreted analogies has endeared him to Church members the world over.

This new book brings together many of those stories of flight that President Uchtdorf has used in his ministry. In this colorful, inviting format, more than 20 of his best-loved stories come together under five major themes: Principles of Flight, Lift, Guidance on the Journey, Weathering the Turbulence, and Our Eternal Destination.

Great for personal edification, lesson preparation, family home evenings, or meaningful gift giving, this book brings the lessons from 30,000 feet in the air into the home, teaching us about this journey of life and the joy we'll find in reaching our ultimate destination.

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You will love these stories!

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Seek This Jesus

SEEK THIS JESUS

by Neill Marriott

Neill Marriott was raised in the Deep South of the United States and grew up an active member of her Methodist congregation. As a young girl, Neill developed a strong faith and desire to seek Jesus, and a foundation for the rest of her life was set. When she was introduced to the Church in college, her religious paradigm started to shift.

In Seek this Jesus, Neill Marriott shares her unique conversion story and how she learned to give her heart to Jesus, find strength in Him, and follow Him despite life's hardships. Told with her characteristic Southern charm, you can't help but feel as though you are settling down in an airy sitting room surrounded by magnolias and chatting with an old friend.

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WOW! This book was phenomenal!

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Safe House

SAFE HOUSE

by Traci Hunter Abramson

The guardians, the shadowy heroes of the top-secret program designed to protect members of the most elite government organizations, are being hunted down one by one. There is a single explanation: a traitor must be embedded somewhere in their midst. But if they themselves are the target, who will protect them?

CIA operative Renee Niezen has heard tales of the guardians, though she’s never really believed in their existence—until she is approached by Charlotte, an old friend who desperately needs her help to stop the systematic destruction of the guardian program. Renee accepts the plea for assistance, but not everyone is thrilled to have her on the team. Kade—one of the last guardians standing—is unimpressed with Renee’s qualifications and turns instead to the legendary Saint Squad for help. But when Renee is caught in the crosshairs, Kade must set aside his antagonism for the woman in order to protect her. Their grudging alliance soon develops into much more—but before the pair can examine their feelings, their investigation takes a dramatic twist. With lives on the line, Renee and Kade must use their spy training at every turn as they draw dangerously close to the shocking truth.

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Traci Huner Abramson is definitely one on my favorites!

I read everything she writes-- they are all fantastic!

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Acting Married

ACTING MARRIED

by Victorine E. Lieske

Tara McDermott needed a job, so she took the only thing available—cleaning house for the swoon-worthy actor, and Hollywood Bad Boy, Rick Shade. When he comes up with a crazy plan to tame his wild reputation by marrying her, she reluctantly agrees so she can pay off her debts and move her daughter back to the Midwest where life is simpler. If only he wouldn’t make her heart pound every time he kisses her.

Rick’s reputation is in the toilet and it’s affecting his job. In order to get a good role, he needs to show Hollywood he’s now a family man. After enticing Tara with a large sum of money to go through with the farce, he sets out to show the public he’s in love. But Tara’s soft lips keep calling to him and soon he doesn’t know what’s pretend and what’s real.

Acting Married is a sweet romance.

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I ABSOLUTELY LOVED THIS BOOK!

Fun writing. Fun situation. Fun reading.

You won't be able to put it down.

While this book can be read alone it is book 5 of the MARRIED SERIES.

The entire series is AMAZING. I recommend all of them!

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Here are all the books in the series

   

Book 7 - Countdown to Christmas

Book 7 of Christmas Countdown

Christmas Jars Reunion

by Jason F. Wright

The New York Times bestseller Christmas Jars has sold nearly 500,000 copies. Thousands of people across the country have emailed the author at ChristmasJars.com about how the Christmas Jars tradition has touched their lives— either by receiving a jar or by giving one.

Hope Jensen’s story continues in Christmas Jars Reunion. It’s been two years since Hope was reunited with her biological mother on Christmas Eve at Chuck’s Chicken ’n’ Biscuits. Hope has never felt more complete. She’s writing full-time for a family magazine and, with the help of her mother, Marianne, leading the Christmas Jars Ministry out of Chuck’s quirky restaurant. To top it off, she’s dating a marketing executive in a comfortable long-distance relationship. Her life is right where she wants it to be — a state of organized chaos — as another Christmas rolls around.

Then her world changes forever over Thanksgiving weekend.

The Maxwells hire a nephew to take over the family furniture restoration business. Someone that Hope can’t stop thinking about. Then an out-of-town stranger shows up at the diner asking to help in the ministry — a stranger whose motives are yet unclear.

Before the sun sets on Christmas Day, two men will try to change Hope’s life forever. In the process, Hope will be reminded of the immense power of a single jar, and the healing that sometimes comes only with forgiveness.

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I loved Christmas Jars and I love Christmas Jars Reunion even more!

Hope wants to see thousands of jars given this Christmas...

But in the end she realizes it is all about...

ONE jar

For ONE person

Because of our ONE Savior

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Book 6 - Countdown to Christmas

Book 6 of Christmas Countdown

A Christmas Parable 

by Elder Boyd K. Packer

“A parable is ‘a brief, simple story told to illustrate or teach a moral or spiritual truth,’” writes President Boyd K. Packer. “This is a Christmas parable.” With that introduction, President Packer relates the tender story of a man whose strange dream during a difficult Christmas season awakens him to the reality of the Savior's atonement.

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This book is wonderful! 

I marvel that without Christmas there would have been no Easter. 

My favorite quote from the book is, "No wonder choirs of angels sang. No wonder signs appeared in the heavens. No wonder shepherds and kings learned to follow stars." May we all still "seek Him today."

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Book 5 - Countdown to Christmas

BOOK 5 of Christmas Countdown

Christmas Jars

by Jason F. Wright

Where had it come from? Whose money was it? Was I to spend it? Save it? Pass it on to someone more needy? Above all else, why was I chosen? Certainly there were others, countless others, more needy than me. . .

Her reporter's intuition insisted that a remarkable story was on the verge of the front page.

Newspaper reporter Hope Jensen uncovers the remarkable secret behind the “Christmas Jars,” glass jars filled with coins and bills anonymously left for people in need. But along the way, Hope discovers much more than the origin of the jars. When some unexpected news sets off a chain reaction of kindness, Hope's greatest Christmas Eve wish comes true.

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Christmas has not been the same since this book was written... 

This book is definitely a Christmas tradition...

to be read over and over again each year with those you love! 

This story will change your heart.

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Book 4 - Countdown to Christmas

BOOK 4 - Christmas Countdown

Christmas Gifts, Christmas Blessings

by President Thomas S. Monson

President Thomas S. Monson shared the story "Christmas Gifts, Christmas Blessings" as a powerful reminder that it is more important to give than to receive. As we remember this insight during our Christmas season, we will find that Christmas gifts we share truly do become blessings in our lives as well.

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This booklet powerfully explains why we give gifts at Christmastime and the impact it has on ourselves and others. I love it when President Monson shares one of his stories. Everyone needs to read this booklet.

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Book 3 - Countdown to Christmas

BOOK 3 - Christmas Countdown

Lieutenant Terry's Christmas Fudge

by Gerald N. Lund

On a mission to bomb a French bridge and slow down Hitler's retreating army, U.S. bomber pilot Wendell B. Terry miraculously survived a harrowing parachute jump after his plane was hit by enemy fire. Scorched by the burning plane, he landed amid German SS troops and soon found himself in a German prisoner-of-war camp. He shared a cement room with 23 other prisoners. He lived with a dirt floor, no heat to ward off the bitter cold, one small window, and not much to do. To make matters worse, Christmas was approaching, and Lieutenant Terry's heart ached for his new wife and their child who would soon be born.

In the depths of the cold and dark, however, a light of hope was sparked by the arrival of a small parcel from the Red Cross. Chosen by lottery to receive that package, Lieutenant Terry opened it to find a small can of powdered milk, a packet of sugar, two squares of unsweetened chocolate—and a chance to bring a glimmer of Christmas joy to his fellow prisoners.

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This book is FABULOUS! 

I cannot even imagine being away from family at Christmastime, yet alone, being a prisoner-of-war. I am impressed with the efforts of many people to make the prisoner's lives just a little better. The package from the Red Cross is just one example in this book. Lieutenant Terry could have done many things with the items in the package. What he truly does will warm your heart.

Based on a true story.

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Book 2 - Countdown to Christmas

BOOK 2 of Christmas Countdown

ROOM IN THE INN BOOKLET

by Elder Neil L. Andersen

Traveling home along a quiet road on Christmas Eve, the Andersen family became stranded in a remote part of the French countryside. The heartwarming story of their encounter with a modern-day innkeeper in a quaint village in France is a reminder that whoever you are, wherever you are, God knows you and loves you, and His miracles still happen today at Christmas and all the year through.

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I LOVED THIS! The opening is fantastic-- my favorite part is about Mary and all the trials she had-- do we think we are better than her and we should have less trials than her? I have never thought about that. 

Then the story about Elder Andersen in France was amazing! I couldn't put it down. Everyone needs to read this!

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Book 1 - Countdown to Christmas

I am participating in a Christmas book-a-day countdown-- I will be sharing here what we are reading and then you can read along too -- leave comments of what you thought about the book. 

BOOK 1 of Christmas Countdown

Celebrating a Christ-centered Christmas by Emily Belle Freeman

Discover how each figure of the nativity can lead your family closer to Christ this Christmas season. Learn the tradition of the tinkling bell, whip up a batch of French cocoa, create a tender mercy tree, and find ways to make your gift-giving more meaningful as Celebrating a Christ-Centered Christmas guides you through seven meaningful traditions inspired by the nativity setting. These simple experiences will give you an opportunity to escape from the frantic busyness of the Christmas season to spend time reflecting on the Savior and the miracle of His birth.

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I loved this book. Of course, I love anything Emily Belle Freeman writes. It was intriguing to think about each person at the nativity. I put them all out on display, but never really think about anyone besides baby Jesus. This book really brought a new perspective to me for the whole group who witnessed the miraculous event.

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Get it on Amazon

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The Forgotten Carols Giveaway

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I love the Forgotten Carols!

The songs are incredible and the show is phenomenal.

A Christmas tradition for the whole family.

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Here is a fun Q&A with Michael McLean

1. What is your favorite Forgotten Carol scene?

I have so many scenes in THE FORGOTTEN CAROLS that are “favorites” for a variety of reasons.  But I’m surprised, performance after performance, how often something touches me differently and teaches me something that I’ve missed in performances past.  It’s the gift of doing this show for 26 years.  I keep learning things, understanding things, and feeling things that bring me closer to the One Christmas is all about…the One who we remember…It’s about remembering what’s been “forgotten” when it comes to the meaning of Christmas. 

2. Do you have a favorite snack you enjoy while traveling to each tour city? 

I'm a diabetic, so this is sort of a trick question.  I crave chocolate cake donuts, but have to eat Kind Bars.  That’s the reality, but the truth is, I cheat sometimes…and take a little bit more insulin to make up for it.  Don’t tell anybody :)

 3. What do you enjoy most when you’re on the road performing? 

The older I get the more exhausting it is to be traveling from place to place…but the joy of that travel when it’s with people I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to pieces.  The cast and the crew make it a joy beyond measure.  

4.  During the last song when the audience is hand-in-hand singing, what emotions do you feel from the stage? 

When the encore segment of The Forgotten Carols happens, I find myself focusing on the meaning of “together forever”.   Is it something that we hope will happen someday, somewhere down the road, or is it something we can feel right now, this moment?  Some nights I feel like I should sing a different lyric for families that can’t buy in to the idea of an eternal connection, for whatever reasons, and the appropriate lyric for them would be, “We can be together, whatever, today”.  Some nights, thinking about my own family and the challenges we face, those words are a great comfort and a celebration of now.  I believe that what happens to me, and many people who attend The Forgotten Carols, is that together in that moment, we feel the love and peace and comfort that comes at Christmas time to remind us that we are never alone, and the One whose birth we celebrate is ALWAYS with us.   

Here’s a news flash for you, my blogger friends.  I’M ADDING A NEW CAROL TO THE SHOW THIS YEAR that I think will shine a beautiful light on that thought. Hope y’all come and hear me sing it!!!

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