What is a hero? (No, I'm not talking about the sandwich.)
Synopsis
Our fast-paced society loves adventure
and it loves a hero—but what about Latter-day Saint heroes? Are there any? There are plenty!
Heroes
of Faith, True Stories of Faith and Courage, is a collection of twenty-four
riveting stories about people who
rose above difficulties and impossible odds to emerge triumphant. You’ll read
about stalwart men and women who stood firm and valiant in the gospel in spite
of dangerous mobs, flying bullets, physical handicaps, extreme hardships, and
dictatorial regimes.
It's fascinating to read about the exploits of real
heroes and when that hero is acting in accordance with the principles of the
gospel, the adventure is not only thrilling, but inspiring as well. In these
days of increasing trials and tribulation, we can all use some worthy role
models, especially those that strengthen our faith and increase our
testimonies.
Author Interview
Shirley: When I read a
description of your new book, “Heroes of Faith, True Stories of Courage and
Strength,” I had to wonder if you’ve ever been bullied, or known anyone who
has.
Marlene:
Fortunately, I was never bullied. And except for one time at camp, I hadn’t
known anyone who was bullied. I’m
amazed at how the people in Heroes of
Faith were bullied and
persecuted, yet did not respond in kind. The section on missionary heroes was
especially interesting—I can’t believe how their lives were threatened so many
times and yet they did not back down from sharing the gospel. I love the other sections as well—it’s
so inspiring to read about these amazing people who had such incredible spiritual
and moral strength that enabled them to stand up for what they believed in
despite heavy persecution. And the section on disabled heroes is awesome—to see
how blind, deaf or physically disabled people were able to accomplish so much
makes me want to try harder to do better.
Shirley:
I got teased in junior high school for
being so tall. If I could grab hold of the guy who was teasing me, I’d swing
him into the lockers. I don’t suppose that’s the way the people in your stories
handled their tormentors.
Marlene: Ha ha! People sometimes teased me for being short, but I wasn’t able to
fling them into lockers. Perhaps this
is why it’s so good to have role models—so we can see the way we should act, but don’t always!
Shirley:
Where did you find your stories? How did
you decide which ones to use?
Marlene: I did a lot of research at numerous libraries. I started at
Utah State University. Their Institute also has a great library. (I went to BYU,
which has a lot of great collections). Finally, I did a lot of research at the
Church History Library in Salt Lake City.
Their archives have a lot of tremendous records. I went through old newspapers and
magazines, such as the Times and Seasons,
the Elder’s Journal, The Contributor,
and the Young Women’s Journal, as
well as going through personal journals and records. As for deciding which stories
to use, if the experiences made my jaw drop and gave me a warm, fuzzy feeling,
I picked it. There were so many
stories, though, that I put them into two books. One book has already been published, it’s called; Latter-day Saint Heroes and Heroines.
You can get it on Amazon, or order it through Seagull Book.
Shirley:
What’s your own personal description of a
hero?
Marlene: I think a hero is someone who stands up for their belief
knowing it’s gonna cost them—big time.
You’re a hero if you do what needs to be done, forgetting about what consequences
you’re going to face afterward. You’re a hero if, despite the risks and danger,
you go ahead and act true to your beliefs. A hero is someone whose has strong convictions
and act anyway in a way that shows their beliefs because they know deep inside
that the end result is worth any and all discomfort, pain, and trials they have
to go through.
Shirley: Perhaps I ought to
change my ways and quit grabbing door-to-door salesmen and flinging them into
lockers. Where can I get a copy of this book so I can mend my ways?
Marlene: I would definitely
advise you to read this book and repent, although the word on the street is to
avoid your house. That’s why you see salesmen glance fearfully at your door and
slink on past. You can get Heroes of Faith
at Seagull Book and other LDS bookstores. Online, you can get Heroes at:
