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pelagius · 12-11-2007, 07:01 PM

I finally got my copy of On the Road with Joseph Smith: An Author's Diary by Richard Bushman this morning. I highly recommend it. It is a diary of his experiences around the publication of RSR. His reactions to reviews, the publicity tour, and his reflections on RSR in general. It is very interesting and quite moving at times.

Let me highlight a couple of quotes:

Elder Holland wrote a generous note last week. I was pleased to have him say "You knew (and I and everybody else knew) that you had to deal with things as honestly and forthrightly as you could. Nevertheless, your faith and loyalty are apparent on ever page." pg. 104-105
As I awoke in the morning, it struck me that I should bear testimony to thank God for help with the book. I sought a blessing from Elder Packer before getting started; and insofar as I was worthy, I think the blessing was fulfilled. pg 32
The worst mistake was Sunday's Ensign Stake talk. At the end I did not bear my testimony. On other occasions, I have had audience members ask me about my testimony. LDS audiences always want to know. Someone came up to me afterword and asked if I ever bore my testimony to these groups. On another occasion a person asked me if I was a patriarch. He wanted to assure a reader of my book that I must have a testimony if I was. On Sunday a man hung around for a long time finally said, I bet your testimony is different from that of people in this room. I said it was, but I believed in the gold plates. He was astounded. I must find a way of conveying my basic belief in all these settings. I felt bad after the Ensign Stake talk and am still in mourning a little. Partly this is vanity; people we not as enthusiastic as in Cottonwood. But partly it is a realization that I have erred and must improve my ways. pg 108

12-11-2007, 07:01 PM	#1
pelagius Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 1,431	On the Road with Joseph Smith I finally got my copy of On the Road with Joseph Smith: An Author's Diary by Richard Bushman this morning. I highly recommend it. It is a diary of his experiences around the publication of RSR. His reactions to reviews, the publicity tour, and his reflections on RSR in general. It is very interesting and quite moving at times. Let me highlight a couple of quotes: Elder Holland wrote a generous note last week. I was pleased to have him say "You knew (and I and everybody else knew) that you had to deal with things as honestly and forthrightly as you could. Nevertheless, your faith and loyalty are apparent on ever page." pg. 104-105 As I awoke in the morning, it struck me that I should bear testimony to thank God for help with the book. I sought a blessing from Elder Packer before getting started; and insofar as I was worthy, I think the blessing was fulfilled. pg 32 The worst mistake was Sunday's Ensign Stake talk. At the end I did not bear my testimony. On other occasions, I have had audience members ask me about my testimony. LDS audiences always want to know. Someone came up to me afterword and asked if I ever bore my testimony to these groups. On another occasion a person asked me if I was a patriarch. He wanted to assure a reader of my book that I must have a testimony if I was. On Sunday a man hung around for a long time finally said, I bet your testimony is different from that of people in this room. I said it was, but I believed in the gold plates. He was astounded. I must find a way of conveying my basic belief in all these settings. I felt bad after the Ensign Stake talk and am still in mourning a little. Partly this is vanity; people we not as enthusiastic as in Cottonwood. But partly it is a realization that I have erred and must improve my ways. pg 108 Last edited by pelagius; 12-11-2007 at 07:07 PM.