"FAITH AND A LIFE JACKET: 7 Truths for Your Eternal Mission," by Ben Bernards, Cedar Fort, $10.99, 112 pages (nf)
“Faith and a Life Jacket: 7 Truths for your Eternal Mission,” by Ben Bernards offers sound advice laced with healthy humor to inspire prospective missionaries for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and their families.
Using examples from his adventure-filled LDS mission to Fiji, Bernards devotes a chapter to each of seven tools that helped him navigate a mission — and the rest of life’s ups and downs: “It’s Going to Be Harder than You Think, but It's Possible with God's Help”; “Evil is Real, but God is More Powerful”; “Miracles Happen, and They're Unlocked by Patient Obedience”; “Timing is Everything, and It's in God's Hands”; “Love the People. There is No Substitute”; “Success Ain’t What you Think; God Measures it Differently”; and “Forget Yourself and Go to Work.” Each chapter begins and ends with a quote that reflects on the chapter’s message.
Subjects range from how keeping a clean apartment can allow the Spirit to influence the work, to combating the forces of evil, to miracles brought about by obedience to the Spirit and handling unexpected instructions from a mission president. Along with the examples from his mission, the author illustrates his points with examples from the scriptures and latter-day prophets.
Bernard’s humorous, yet down-to-earth, easy-to-read storytelling style makes the true principles and sound advice he offers accessible to young adult readers. He does not play down the challenges missionaries often face, but at the same time offers ways to make the mission a great learning experience that can influence a lifetime.
The final chapter offers a challenge to “NGOTATS — Now go out there and teach someone." A few black-and-white illustrations and endnotes are also included.
The book would help any prospective missionary — and his or her family — better understand and prepare for the rigors and rewards of missionary life.
Bernards grew up in Utah County and graduated from Brigham Young University. He is a teacher and youth speaker for seminary and Especially For Youth classes and currently lives in northern California where he works as an IT project manager for Apple.
Rosemarie Howard lives in a 100-year-old house on Main Street in Springville, Utah. She enjoys creating multimedia projects. Her website is at dramaticdimensions.com.