In The Company of Angels by David Farland

In The Company of Angels by David Farland

As I have two ancestors from the Willie and Martin Handcart Companies, I was excited to read David's manuscript of this horrifying, yet courageous and heartbreaking story. With the early Saints selling their homes to come to Zion in 1856, there were some that had to come by handcart. Due to unforeseen delays, mostly caused b y the Crimean War that caused delays in ships to sail from England, that when they arrived in Iowa, they found no handcarts made. This delayed the Saints even more. One of the sub-captains of The Willie Company attempted to get the Saints to wait for a season to embark on such a long and hard journey, especially with the late start. The main body trusted Captain James Willie, mostly because he'd traveled the trail fifty times.

I liked how David had the three main Saints telling their story in each chapter, bringing it more up close and personal. Eliza Gadd, a proud English 41 year old, was the only non Mormon in The Company, though her husband, Samuel, and their older children were. Due to her father being seduced by fakirs and spiritualists, she didn't believe in God. She felt during the trek that all the Saints were fools. Since she was apparantly the only nurse in the Company, she attended to everyone's needs.

Captain Willie tried to keep the Saints together and healthy. He was a very compassionate man, praying to God for guidance all along the way. He totally had his people at heart, only thinking of them and their welfare. He did start having his doubts that God was listening to his prayers, but he never gave up, even assisting several children and women across a freezing creek when his own legs were frozen.

Baline Mortenson, a young ten year old Danish girl, did all she could to keep up the spirits of everyone in The Company. She assisted approx 20 children several miles up Rocky Ridge, even so much as pulling a handcart herself. Her parents had sent her alone to make the trek, but then, some parents did just that, to save money, until the rest of the family could come later.

This is a huge faith-promoting story, filled with faith, love and hope and a strong Testimony of The Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. The Willie Handcart Company had to weather storms we couldn't even fathom or dream of, such as sub-zero temperatures, Indians, floods, buffalo stampedes, utter starvation, blizzards, etc, I can't recommend this historical novel enough. It is a wonderful, heartbreaking, faith-promoting, Testimony building true masterpiece!!!! You'll need a ton of Kleenex, so be prepared. And, this is my kind of book to read, especially since this happened and it happened to two of my ancestors. This book is due out on 1 Sep, so you'll need to go to www.inthecompanyofangels.net and order your copy. I plan to, as I want my own special hardbound copy.

Forever Friends Rating A VERY HUGE 5 Stars by Teri
Until Next Time, See You Around The Book Nook.

Published Sep 2009 by David Farland
0615300537 (isbn13: 9780615300535)
448pp
Hardbound