Official Review: Islands of Faith - New Zealand

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Jgideon
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Official Review: Islands of Faith - New Zealand

Post by Jgideon »

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Islands of Faith - New Zealand" by Randall R. and Linda Lee Ripplinger.]
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4 out of 4 stars
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The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in New Zealand forms the core of the book, Islands of Faith New Zealand. The authors (Randall R. and Linda Lee Ripplinger) express their love and support for the church by writing the book. The book opens the doors to the lives of many active church members who have played a pivotal role in the development of the Latter-day Saints (LDS) Church in New Zealand.

The book consists of 31 chapters. Each chapter revolves around the spiritual journey of a given family. The Church of Jesus Christ of LDS has a strong foundation in terms of their faith and spirituality. Their basic teachings are derived from the Bible and the Book of Mormon. The families that are featured in the book have shown outstanding devotion to the teachings of the church. Most of them have served in different positions in the church. Bishops, elders, and missionaries play a major role in the growth, development, and stability of the church.

The authors’ writing style was very clear and concise. The information that the author provided in each chapter was easy to grip. Consequently, I felt like I was meeting and interacting with every new family that each chapter presented. Every chapter in the book has photographs of its characters. This is amazing. The photographs seemed to bring a clearer picture of each new family. The authors have given meticulous attention to every detail in the book. In addition, the book seems to have been masterfully formatted.

I seem to have liked every bit of the book. My favorite aspect of the book is that the authors seem to have a special connection with every character that they have featured in their book. I did not feel that a given character/family was given less attention than the others were. My favorite character was Manasseh. When he was a young child, he had an accident that prompted the doctors to remove part of his skull to allow his brain to heal. Through the miraculous works of God, the cranial bone kept growing until the skull was complete again. Eight years later, the hospital called the family to see if they wanted the skull (the one that was removed during the surgery) back. A family member said they did not want it. The boy was disappointed and said, “You should have said ‘yes’ so I could take it to school and show everyone!” That was a lovely reply.

I love how the faith of the LDS Church promotes unity and love within the family. Many families in the church today are struggling to remain united. There are thousands of broken families within the general Christian setting. However, the LDS Church seems to have strong teachings that keep their families together. This has made me desire to read the Book of Mormon. Well, I am Christian and I actively read the Bible. I just want to know what the Book of Mormon offers.

I gladly give the book 4 out of 4 stars. A lower rating would not match the wealth of information that each chapter offers. The book appears to have been professionally edited. I noted very few grammar mistakes. However, they did not make the book anything short of enjoyable. The book, Islands of Faith New Zealand by Randall R. and Linda Lee Ripplinger, would be a great read for everyone who wants to learn about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in New Zealand. It is also good for spiritual growth, especially among Christians.

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Islands of Faith - New Zealand
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Post by HollandBlue »

My favorite character was Manasseh. When he was a young child, he had an accident that prompted the doctors to remove part of his skull to allow his brain to heal. Through the miraculous works of God, the cranial bone kept growing until the skull was complete again.
This fact amazes me! I'm glad you enjoyed the book, but I don't think it's for me. I did enjoy reading your review though!
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Post by Britty01 »

I enjoyed reading the thoughtful and insightful review for this book. The cover page grabbed my attention. I know a little about the LDS but I expect that this book would offer more information. I am sure I would enjoy reading about Manasseh.
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Post by Caylie_Cat »

I know very little about the Church of LDS and this book seems to be a great advertisement for the unity and the stable community that our society yearns for. I've read lots of Christian books that have great content, but mediocre literary presentation, and the fact that you enjoyed this book so much suggests it to be a cut above. Thanks for the great review!
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Post by EvaDar »

I recall nearly choosing this book to review. I am always interested in diverse religious and spiritual beliefs. It sounds like you really ended up loving the book. I enjoyed your review. Thanks for the introduction to this book.
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Post by Kristy Khem »

This sounds like a wonderful, spiritual book. I am amazed at Mannaseh's story from your review. God is truly the master healer. I could tell from reading your review that you enjoyed this book. Thank you for reviewing it so well!
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Post by Jgideon »

Britty01 wrote: 11 Oct 2018, 12:47 I enjoyed reading the thoughtful and insightful review for this book. The cover page grabbed my attention. I know a little about the LDS but I expect that this book would offer more information. I am sure I would enjoy reading about Manasseh.
Thank you. It really taught me a lot about the LDS church
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Jgideon
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Post by Jgideon »

KristyKhem wrote: 12 Oct 2018, 22:00 This sounds like a wonderful, spiritual book. I am amazed at Mannaseh's story from your review. God is truly the master healer. I could tell from reading your review that you enjoyed this book. Thank you for reviewing it so well!
God is indeed the master healer. Thanks for dropping by :D
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Post by Jgideon »

Eva Darrington wrote: 11 Oct 2018, 21:10 I recall nearly choosing this book to review. I am always interested in diverse religious and spiritual beliefs. It sounds like you really ended up loving the book. I enjoyed your review. Thanks for the introduction to this book.
Same here...I always seek to find out more about the diverse religions and spiritual beliefs. Thank you
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Post by Jgideon »

Caylie_Cat wrote: 11 Oct 2018, 18:32 I know very little about the Church of LDS and this book seems to be a great advertisement for the unity and the stable community that our society yearns for. I've read lots of Christian books that have great content, but mediocre literary presentation, and the fact that you enjoyed this book so much suggests it to be a cut above. Thanks for the great review!
Thanks for your comment
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Jgideon
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Post by Jgideon »

BookReader+6 wrote: 11 Oct 2018, 10:28
My favorite character was Manasseh. When he was a young child, he had an accident that prompted the doctors to remove part of his skull to allow his brain to heal. Through the miraculous works of God, the cranial bone kept growing until the skull was complete again.
This fact amazes me! I'm glad you enjoyed the book, but I don't think it's for me. I did enjoy reading your review though!
Manasseh's story is truly amazing. Thanks :D
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Post by Jgideon »

Britty01 wrote: 11 Oct 2018, 12:47 I enjoyed reading the thoughtful and insightful review for this book. The cover page grabbed my attention. I know a little about the LDS but I expect that this book would offer more information. I am sure I would enjoy reading about Manasseh.
The book will definitely give you more information about LDS.
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Post by kandscreeley »

My beliefs differ from those of the Latter Day Saints. Therefore, I will not be reading this book. I'm glad you enjoyed it, but it's just not for me. Thanks.
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Post by ea_anthony »

This is a well-written review, nice job! I know very little about the LDS asides that the two branches in my town (Lagos, Nigeria) both have basket ball courts, just a random thing I noticed. I believe this book should be quite informative on the LDS and the growth in New Zealand. It also seems to be a well-written book. I believe the only way I could get to read this book is if I chose to review or find myself wanting to travel to New Zealand for more than a short holiday.
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Post by Espie »

Like you, I could also welcome a well-written, informative, insightful, values-filled, and uplifting piece like what you've made this book seem to be, regardless of denomination or sect that it may have come from. Thank you for your descriptive review.
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