River: Where Faith and Consecration Converge

Muddy

by Dean Hughes

When the settlers from the Muddy River Mission, including the Davis Family, move to Long Valley in Utah, they establish the town of Orderville, the most successful and longest-lasting attempt at living the United Order. River is the story of these idealistic settlers who devoted themselves to living this order with "no rich or poor among them." As they strive to live this order, however, Morgan, Angeline, Ruth, and the other settlers struggle to balance individual freedom with community cooperation.

On top of this challenge and the struggles of settling a new town, Morgan and his wives must face the increasing demands of living the principle of plural marriage as their family expands and anti-polygamy pressure from the U.S. Government becomes intense. How will the Davis family face these new pressures and challenges? They're about to find out.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Lds, Fiction, Lds Fiction, Religion, Audiobook, Church

384 pages, Unknown Binding

First published March 1, 2020

About the author

Dean Hughes is the author of more than eighty books for young readers, including the popular sports series Angel Park All-Stars, the Scrappers series, the Nutty series, the widely acclaimed companion novels Family Pose and Team Picture, and Search and Destroy. Soldier Boys was selected for the 2001 New York Public Library Books for the Teen Age list. Dean Hughes and his wife, Kathleen, have three children and six grandchildren. They live in Midway, Utah.

Reviews

[Ashlee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think I liked this book even better than the first one. The topic of both the United Order and polygamy are so foreign to modern life that it is hard to read without a gamut of conflicting feelings. I appreciate that it made me look at both of these aspects in history with new eyes and appreciation for those who truly tried to live that way to the best of their ability. It also made me more thankful for my relatively uncomplicated marriage and abundant personal possessions! I would recommend this and Muddy to anyone who likes reading historical fiction and church history--just be ready for an emotional read.

[Andrew Hall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dean Hughes is a great storyteller, and he loves to tell difficult stories. Here he tells the story of a family in Orderville in the 1870s-90s, the town in the Long Valley of Southern Utah which lived the communitarian United Order longer than any other Mormon community. No one has done better at using literature to get inside the experience of the 19th century Latter-day Saints, particularly the difficult issues of polygamy and communitarian living. The husband, Morgan, is perhaps a little too ideal, but it is the stories of the wives where it really gets interesting.

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

You should definitely read Muddy before this book. It's not very often that I get so attached to a character that I cry, but this book got me there. I feel like Dean took us into their lives as best as he could.

[Sue · Rating 3 out of 5]

I still like this author even though I didn't like this topic. I could not believe how naive the main character was. He did whatever the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints asked of him even when he did not agree with the action. The "United Order" took an individual's ability to succeed away. All work was done for the good of the community. In the end forcing people to dress the same, give up their individual property , and work only on assigned tasks for the good of the whole did not work. I gained an understanding of what these early pioneers endured as they entered into polygamy often against their will and tried to live the United Order. I am grateful I did not live in that period of history.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about my home town. My 3rd great grandfather, Israel Hoyt, was the president of the United Order so it was interesting to read this book. Morgan’s life sounded a little bit like my Grandfathers. In the Orderville church house there is still a huge painting in the foyer of the settlement. I’ve grown up knowing a little bit about the history of our little town but it was fun to read a book that brought it to life. This book also brought life to polygamy in a way I had never thought of. I really enjoyed this read and Orderville is still a great place to live!

[Irene Anderson]

An uncomfortable read for me. Consecration and plural wives as depicted in the book left me unsettled.

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

You can’t go wrong when you pick up a historical fiction book by Dean Hughes! I knew when I read Muddy last year, that I’d need to read River this year. And I’m glad I did. This book is set in a really turbulent period of history for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. And it’s kind of important to me to learn more about it.

I love the characters in this book. They’re familiar and beloved from Muddy. Angeline, Morgan and Ruth. Now they live in Orderville and they’re helping establish a town of order. But…sometimes when things are so tightly regimented there are problems. And that’s the case with Orderville. Some things worked really well. And some things worked not so well. That’s when the community had to band together and figure out just what would work for them.

I’m not sure I would have wanted to live the way they do in this book. Polygamy would have been hard. The United Order where they shared everything would have been even harder. It’s really interesting to me to see how things would have been. I had ancestors in Orderville and they would have lived this way. I wonder how they did it. How they made everything work and were happy with their lot in life. That’s why historical fiction is so interesting to me. I like to know how people tick.

This is a great book! I loved it.

I bought my own copy of River: Where Faith and Consecration Converge. All opinions are my own.

[Alice-Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I applaud Dean Hughes for tackling such a heavy part of my religion’s history, specifically plural marriage and trying to live the Law of Consecration (through the United Order.) Both Muddy and River made me very uncomfortable at times with many conflicting feelings. But it also made me understand and even feel better about the this practice as I saw it through the characters lives. (As Hughes said was his hope in the authors note.) I definitely see it all with new eyes and I am grateful for that. But wow, what a hard time this was for the early pioneers and I admire them even more for their incredible sacrifices to follow their leaders and their God. I, too, have ancestors who lived this law and had to be on the run or move to Mexico to avoid the government coming after them for practicing polygamy and hearing about this period in this book (the ending of polygamy) made their experiences more real to me and poignant. I realized I also knew little about the United order and I learned so much more through this book. Over all: Well done series, but emotional read.

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this quick read - a sequel to Muddy. The story continues with Morgan, Angeline, Ruth, and the children - as they have moved to Long Valley. The United Order is the focus - as well as "the principle." The characters are well written and believable, the story compelling, and the emotions poignant. I finished reading with an increased appreciation for those who lived this difficult way of life - even when many in the church were unsupportive. I admired the faith of those who accepted the call of a prophet. Their blessings were great despite their challenges. I'm glad I wasn't faced with the choices they had to make. Thank you Dean Hughes for writing so many wonderful historical fiction books that have blessed my life and helped me to better understand time periods that I didn't live through.

[Cherie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a continuation of Dean Hughes, MUDDY. In RIVER, the Mormon settlers from the barren land in MUDDY, move to a much more hospitable location where they establish a new town, grow crops and establish more profitable farms, build better homes and start to enjoy some "nicer" things of life. Just when everything is going along well, they are asked by the leaders of their church to live the "United Order," where all property and funds are turned over to the community and everyone live in complete equality. Individuals are assigned certain jobs such as cooks, livestock, carpenters, teachers etc. Dining becomes communal. Home size is determined by the size of a family. This way of living certainly took much adjusting and humility. It was hard to accept for some, and many left the community. The novel realistically tells of hard times and problems, but also tells of many wonderful experiences. I think I learned a a lot about how these early saints tried to follow the instructions given them and tried to live as they believed the Lord had asked of them.

[Mariah Critchfield · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was cool to get an in-depth look at what it could have been like to try to establish a united order community. I didn't like this book quite as much as Muddy, but I actually really appreciated the ambiguousness/incompleteness of the ending. I felt like there wasn't as much POV from the female characters at the beginning of the book as I would have liked, but that balanced out by the end. These people were incredible. I cannot imagine facing challenges of such variety, depth, and consistency. I definitely valued the author's note from Dean Hughes at the end.

[Jess · Rating 4 out of 5]

I gave 4 stars though I loved the book because plural marriage seemed so complicated and frustrating to the Saints. I often wonder why the government harassed the church for taking care of their families while other men cheated on their wives and were cruel to their wives and children. I also loved the book Muddy.

[Rachel Robins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Powerful read about the early settlers who settled the Muddy then migrated to Orderville. Hughes represented the time period beautifully as well as the challenges and diverse perspectives of the time. I won't lie, polygamy makes me horribly uncomfortable, but Hughes approaches it in a matter-of-fact way, I'm sure based on first hand accounts. I like that he shows the sisterhood that existed between wives as well as the marriage dynamic and problems it could bring too. I'm just really grateful it wasn't my lot in life. I feel like I have to power through these passages, but it helps me understand something I do not, which is a good thing. It was a fantastic read--wonderful series. Don't miss this one!

[Gayle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a great read! The story told the truth about polygamy, and portrayed the hardships of that kind of life. It told the history of Orderville, Utah and how difficult it was to build a united order there, and why mere mortals just can’t sustain that kind of life here on earth. It’s the sequel book after “Muddy” and has a lot of the same characters. I didn’t like any of the characters in the book but that’s just a personality thing. It’s so worth reading!

[Loni · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Muddy, but I didn't feel the same connection to it's sequel. This novel spans a decade of time, covering the period when many Mormons entered the United Order. For me, it was a difficult read because it was lacked momentum and the majority of the book was spent with each character complaining constantly about their lives in polygamy as well as part of the order.

I really wish that there would have been a focus on the establishment of the order and what was happening with the family, and then we come back to look at them again several years down the road. The in-between years were frustrating to read, slow going, and just lacked interest.

The characters were interesting and dynamic and the introduction of another wife in Mattie was one of the most successful parts of the book. Although this book focus primarily on the United order, it felt like polygamy was still at the heart of the book and probably should have been what the book was focused on. The end of the book where government agents are tracking down polygamists was one of the most interesting parts of the entire book.

[Amanda Jeffs · Rating 3 out of 5]

The setting and time period are interesting. The author definitely did his research on Orderville and the United Order. He continues the polygamy theme from his previous book Muddy, and I think he does a good job covering it from multiple perspectives. It fills the void of recent LDS historical fiction of this time period.

It's a good historical fiction novel, but the main characters are too saintly, too good to be true. Not much character development going on. I think Muddy is the better novel of the two.

[Michelle Llewellyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

It would be a good idea to read the first book, "Muddy" before picking up this one so the reader will understand why a group of Latter-day saints in the the late 1800's decided to relocate to a place called Long Valley where the current-day town of Orderville, Utah is now located. It would also be a good idea to be familiar with the characters of the fictional Davis family as they face new challenges of living the Law of Consecration and Sacrifice along with the foreshadowing that Morgan might just take a third wife and the character arcs this will create that this author is so good at writing.

I loved reading this book. The fact that a family member loaned it to me during the COVID lockdown when nearly everything was closed and I literally had nothing to read...well, this book saved my life. The shout-outs in the narration to the towns of Hurricane and Toquerville were especially fun to read as I spent part of my life in those areas (Hurricane High class of '93) and wished I could step into these pages of history and see what the area looked like during these "ancient times" as Morgan was passing through on his way to St. George to sell goods and foodstuffs for profit which was then shared with his community and did not have a Utah State Route 9 to travel on.

I knew the story of the "Orderville Pants Rebellion" would be in here (chapter 15) as I had read it somewhere before. The story goes that while everyone had to share everything equally, including obeying a dress code, a young, enterprising young man, figured out a way to make some extra money to purchase his own pair of machine-made pants, like the boys in other towns were wearing. This caused quite a stir among the young folks in Orderville. Morgan is on the disciplinary council for this young man and his pants and it is quickly becoming apparent, this way of living can't last forever.

The subject of polygamy continues to be developed and the questions Dean Hughes forces us to ask ourselves as we read about the enforcing of the Edmonds-Tucker Act (read "Saints Vol II" also!) is another reason I enjoyed this sequel. There is a scene in chapter 14 where Morgan takes two of his sons, ages sixteen and twelve, to a town meeting to discuss how they will handle the enforcement of the new law. On the walk home, his sons question why non-members and government leaders back east have such a problem with their way of living. The children are all being cared, provided for and loved, each wife is treated equally and, at least for their family, they are all one big happy family-almost Celestial. What's the big deal? They are not hurting anyone.
WOW
Just wait about a hundred years, boys, and see how much everything gets turned on its head as evil is now called good and good evil!

As a child of divorce now grown and still single, with parents who married in the temple, it is fascinating from a sociological standpoint to read in fiction about a different kind of dissolving of these "unnatural family units" and today's utter lack of family formation. Are today's family units really more successful than the ones portrayed in this book? I liked how a bishop explains it to Morgan in chapter 11: he and HIS three wives do their best to have "three marriages in one" but, as Morgan's wife Angie continues to point out to her husband, as First Wife, living the principle is just plain DIFFICULT for women while the men have it easy (And she's right, just look at any singles ward in the church today!) no matter how much these married men whine over how to divide their time equally between their wives it is still the women who must make the greater sacrifice.

This author isn't afraid to tackle such delicate subjects.

It leaves a reader like me asking, "If I had to choose between living in a community where divorce and monogamous adultery was nonexistent with all children growing up in homes with a first-time married mother, a committed father (and one or two more surrogate mothers) with everyone united, pulling together so they can work it out, always there for each other, nobody alone (you just can't make it), everyone living the principles of the gospel, raising their children to be kind and unselfish, but with no modern conveniences, versus the world we live in today with all its luxury and 21st century living but with singles wards: men (and women) who are lovers of their own selves, the competition, the lack of sacrifice, all the broken homes. Would I truly want to live alone, single, with all our modern luxuries of electricity and air conditioning and the internet, knowing I must continue to wait for some future mysterious day in some other future existence where I will, at last, have that opportunity to create an eternal family of my own and raise up children in righteousness?
Which way of living would YOU prefer?
Isn't it too bad we can't have both.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

First, the author did an excellent job in both of the books in this series of tackling difficult questions in LDS history. The characters aren't very complex, but the situations certainly are with both polygamy and the United Order, plus the human failings of church members and leaders. And it was interesting to see hints of the problems with modern splinter polygamous communities in the book - especially the "lost boys." I know some women wanted to marry into polygamy and some didn't, but it made me curious about how much it was a problem for young men looking for a wife. I've read a good deal about Utah and LDS history and hadn't come across much about that before, so now I want to know more. Maybe that was another of the reasons polygamy needed to end when it did (and thank goodness we don't have to deal with it today!). I also wondered if "the priesthood" was actually used incorrectly back then to refer to male members of the church as the author portrayed (with an obvious awareness on his part that it is being used incorrectly that way). I don't remember coming across that before modern times, but that doesn't mean it doesn't have a history that goes back that far. So, the book taught me some things and gave me a lot to think about.

Parts of the book dragged a bit for me, and some of the characters irritated me (I liked Muddy better on both counts), but the thing that got me the most was the author's note at the end where he said we were probably all really worried about Mattie. Nope! I never really liked her and figured if she wanted to go and selfishly throw herself into a relationship without thinking about how it would affect everyone else involved - and the way she enjoyed lording her attractiveness over the other wives - she could deal with the consequences of her "prize." I did have some pity for Mattie at the end, but Ruth was the one I was left feeling the most sorry for/worried about. She's just like, "Well, I was never more than second best. I should just be glad I had a nice, safe home. I'll just go be old and sad and wait to die now." Poor Ruth deserved way better than she ever got!

[Patti · Rating 4 out of 5]

My good friend Pam brought over two books by author Dean Hughes’ ‘Muddy” and ‘River” and told me to read them! They sat on the pile for a couple months before I got around to starting ‘Muddy”. It is a historical fiction saga about the Latter-Day Saints and how polygamy was practiced, and why. The main characters are fictional, but many leaders were real people. It’s part of LDS history that I am familiar with but have no direct connection to.

‘River’ continues the saga of Morgan Davis and his first wife Angeline, and the inclusion of second wife, Ruth. I had just about resigned myself to their situation and reached neutrality as a semi-curious reader as this sequel began. Everything was going along swimmingly until Mattie stepped back in the picture. It was then I felt my anxiety rise…

My curiosity in completing both books, with as open a mind as I could conjure up, was finding out how this all would play out since I know that the Church rescinded polygamy after several years.

I finished ‘River’ in two days. What a fascinating ending! Nobody should read 'Muddy' and stop there. Seeing the whole historical story play out to its end gives us readers a finality with at least a measure of understanding. Instead of stopping & fueling the negativity or opposition of polygamy, at least I felt compassion for those saints that had to deal with what happens ‘after’. I repeat here: I couldn’t have endured participating. I gratefully would rather take 20th & 21st century challenges!! 'River' gets 4 1/2 stars from this reader.

This is not my first reading experience by Dean Hughes. He is an excellent author! I loved, and highly recommend ‘Children of the Promise’ series!

[Mandy Montgomery · Rating 2 out of 5]

I will say Dean Hughes is a phenomenal story teller - I was drawn into the story and would recommend reading it. The polygamy topic itself is just hard and broke my heart.

But ick.

I just couldn't forgive Morgan for marrying Mattie. I could understand him marrying Ruth to care for her and her son, but Mattie had other options. Mattie was 12 years younger than Morgan, making her 14 years younger than Angie and 20 years younger than poor Ruth. It would be like Angie adopting a teenage daughter that would sleep with her husband. The fact Mattie went out of her way to flirt with a married man and that being "okay" because of "the principle" didn't sit right with me. And from my 2024 lens, nothing about polygamy should feel right. I appreciate Dean Hughes being so forward about why we see polygamy as so icky and diving into the drama of a man sharing multiple sexual partners, all who live with each other. I loved that Angeline called Morgan out for his attraction to Mattie. It drove me nuts how Mattie's beauty was the focus of so much of the novel, but I think that's true of real life that a woman is judged by her physical appearance, and the devastation it would be to feel like the "ugly older wife".

It was fascinating to learn the mentality that some young women had during the polygamy era - an older man more established with wives already would be seen as more attractive than a young man their own age, leaving these younger men without marriage prospects. My heart broke for Angeline. And yet I could understand the confusion caused by the abrupt end of polygamy and I did feel bad for Mattie, but still feel so icky that Morgan even picked her.

Thank the Lord that polygamy era is over.

[Camille Hoffmann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wow this one was so hard to read! And so good. Dean Hughes is a fabulous author. Great character development, and the way he writes, I don't even think about the writing! I'm just sucked into the story.

He deals with some HEAVY topics in this one. I was brought to tears more than once. I just have so much respect for the early pioneers. I don't think I could have done what they did. Physical hardships, consecration, polygamy (this book was especially poignant for me), so much loss- they were a strong people, and I am so grateful for their stalwartness and faith.

This book was a little slower for me than the first one- there were some parts that felt rushed and I was wishing for more, and others that just seemed to kind of drag, but overall the story is a good one. But I hate where he left off! I know he explains why he left it the way he did, but I found it highly unsatisfactory all the same ;).

I definitely recommend this series (you need to read Muddy first!) if you want a greater understanding of polygamy and the law of consecration. These books portray very real people, who have their doubts and ask questions- but still remain faithful in the end. Highly recommend.

[Larsen · Rating 3 out of 5]

For enlightening understanding of history, both of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and of southern Utah, this book continues and should follow "Muddy." The descriptions of Long Valley are excellent, and traveling there now, you will still see the very same small towns. This is the first I have read of the story of Orderville although I have some vague memory of the readers' theater "The Order is Love" which I believe was once a suggested activity for YM/YWMIA. The United Order was not at all easy, but with the dedication of most participants it slowly succeeded beyond the capacity of Long Valley to contain it. The book presents the adult view of plural marriage quite thoroughly and introduces one point of view from female young adults. It was reassuring to me when it finally included the perspective of male young adults. The uneducated American opposition to plural marriage is well-presented. Fraught with challenges throughout, the ending of plural marriage was painfully difficult for many -- think of the "forced" separation of combined families, parents and children.

[Rachael · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this sequel to Muddy, the same fictional family struggles to establish themselves in a river valley that is much more hospitable than the previous one in terms of climate, but it is full of it's own challenges. Polygamy continues to be a struggle and a central subject, and they become part of the community of Orderville, which is the place that came nearest to making the United Order a viable reality, a place where "there were no rich nor poor among them for they had all things in common." Fascinating stuff, good characters, sensitive writing about delicate subjects. For me the most poignant part was the author getting inside the mind and heart of a woman who had lost her baby. Amazing insights. I loved the author's note at the end the book that says something like, it's about time that we stop trying to hide our LDS history (or trying to hide from it) and try to understand what life was really like for early Saints from their perspective. We don't want to do everything they did, but we can acknowledge that they were good people trying to live the will of God, and we can learn from their experiences.

[Angie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really interesting. I didn’t know much of this period and area, so I learned a lot about this particular piece of Church history. Leadership back then was so different, and I feel fortunate that I am living now rather than back then. Lots of really uncomfortable themes, especially in regards to polygamy and the things that go along with it. Your husband was never “off the market!” Sounds just awful. The Orderville concept was interesting, but also felt misguided as a way to replicate the “no rich or poor among them” Zionistic societies of Enoch and of the Nephites in the generations after Christ’s visit. I have a feeling those societies achieved their lives of consecration in a more personal choice way rather than “signing on” to a community run by committee. It felt more Socialist than Zionist. Interesting that in those days they referred to it as living a higher law, but today, we talk about the new way to more personally serve our ministering families without the reporting and monthly lessons as living a higher law.

[Gail · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow - I loved this story - so sad to see it end - when a series dies it's like losing family...but listening to the challenges the Saints endured during that time period warms my heart regarding their diligence, desire to obey and please the Lord and strive to be more like the Savior. Seeing the pros and cons to the Law of Consecration has me wondering how would I have fared if I lived during that time period and what do I need to do to prepare myself for the future and its challenges of our time. The great faith they showed in trusting the Lord regarding living the laws that the Lord/Church had asked them to do and the women who supported that event though they all know how difficult it was, they worked hard at doing the right thing for the right reason and found their hearts followed. I have finished "Saints - No Unhallowed Hand" recently and it tied in nicely to this story and time period. So grateful for the early members of the Church and their example.

[Jimlaudie · Rating 4 out of 5]

These two books have been a paradigm shift for me on polygamy. Very insightful. I didn’t like how Morgan decided how the wives’ relationships with him would work in the immediate aftermath of the Manifesto and his incarceration. I think he would have waited for some further clarity from the church leaders before deciding how to proceed. But I can’t even fathom how hard it would have been for those polygamous families to break up after the announcement. Probably way harder than to enter into polygamy in the first place. But the author’s final note did provide some clarity. What stood out the most to me was the message that those who loved polygamy, my relatives included, did it because the Lord called them to live it. And they answered the call. And we can’t look at it through modern eyes and understand it according to modern narratives. I’m grateful for and honored to be a descendant of such fine people.

[Bonnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent sequel and conclusion to "Muddy". It covers two important parts of Latter-Day Saint history: Orderville and polygamy and the end of both of these episodes. The characters are interesting and at times surprising. I really didn't like one character when she was introduced, but came to like her quite a bit. The story ends with a real-life dilemma faced by the characters as well as the real people that they represent.

I have always winced when the subject of polygamy comes up and have always wished it had never happened. However, I had a bit of an epiphany while I was thinking about what I heard in the audiobook. The motivation behind polygamy (as I understand it) was to "grow" Church membership. I know I have at least one, maybe more polygamous families as forbears. I am grateful to have been born into the family I have and perhaps that wouldn't have been the case without polygamy.

[Beth Given · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book (and the companion book, Muddy, that comes first in the series) really brought to life a period of Church history that most of us would rather forget or ignore: the era of polygamy. Dean Hughes really does a good job of examining the complex thoughts and feelings that faithful saints might have had about polygamous relationships, as well the feelings regarding other commandments from Church leaders such as colonizing the West (even the harshest climates) or living the law of consecration.

I feel like both Muddy and River are mostly sad, heavy books, so maybe four stars isn’t quite the right rating. But both books had me thinking and feeling right along with Morgan, Angeline, and the others, and ultimately I’m really glad for that.

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the continuing story of the Muddy pioneers. The Muddy missionary pioneers were released from that mission and continued their journey to southern Utah for a new mission.

Interesting historical fiction book about polygamy and living the United Order. The ups and downs of both. The struggles they went through in living these laws. There is so much that went into living this way. It wasn't easy. The end of the book tells of the ending of both the United Order and polygamy. Tells of the struggles of how that was dealt with too. Both ways were hard but these pioneers got through all of it. You would have to have a strong testimony and a lot of faith to endure hardships of every kind. Thankful for the pioneers that paved the way for me.

[Shellie · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you have any curiosity about polygamy or the united order this (and Muddy) book(s) will help you with some of your questions and concerns. The story told in these two books is heartwarming, difficult, beautiful, confusing, love-filled, and so much more.

If you have ever been asked to do something hard I’m guessing it might not have been as difficult as what these folks were asked to do. This might soften your heart if you need. Or it will bolster your bits of faith, if that’s what you need.

These are not easy topics and should not be handled with ease. But be aware that these fictional folks represent very real people who did actually do these very difficult things.

Respect the decisions and feelings.