A Place to Belong: Reflections from Modern Latter-day Saint Women

by Hollie Rhees Fluhman, Camille Fronk Olson

In our complex world, it’s easy for modern Latter-day Saint women to feel they don’t fit the mold, especially in a culture that often focuses on traditional values and picture-perfect families. A Place to Belong is filled with distinctive stories written by more than twenty-five modern women of faith who show there’s more than one way to be a believing and contributing woman in the Church. This collection celebrates the diverse lives that women lead, and it shares how they navigate their twin commitments to both women’s issues and faith. For some people, faith and feminism seem incompatible, yet A Place to Belong illustrates how they can actually complement one another.

The women within this book, some well-known and others lesser-known, address a variety of topics, including

finding their testimonies; balancing faith, family, and career; finding love and belonging as women within a culture that sometimes seems to misunderstand women’s issues; grappling with our history in a way that strengthens faith; faithfully dealing with “hard sayings” that can challenge testimonies; navigating an ethnic or cultural background that doesn’t seem to fit within the cultural core of the Church; and more.

Genres: Lds

221 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 30, 2019

Reviews

[Greg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Since reading this book, my wife and I have gifted copies to several people, including our oldest daughter. That's how much we loved it. It's a collection of 33 different stories, reflections, and testimonies of very different women. Their lives and experiences are so different from the cookie-cutter happiness many of us in the Church grow up expecting. In fact, twenty years ago some of their stories and opinions might have been seen as wayward or even heretical. Today, I think they're breath-takingly empowering. There are stories about racism and abuse and depression and sexism and cancer and what it means to be a feminist. And every one of them testifies about the role of the Lord in her life. Every story makes me think, "This woman knows how to rely on her God to get through hard things."

Hollie and I were friends in high school. She was kind enough to sign some of the copies we gave away as gifts. It's always fun to see old friends do amazing things.

READ IT IF: You're a member of this faith and want to build empathy and understanding for others.

[Ginny · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to this book which may have affected my perceptions and reception of the content.

I am not the norm for a woman who is a member of the church in a variety of ways. Listening to many other outliers thoughts and experiences was a unique and welcome experience for me.

I grew up in a different church (several actually but all fundamentalist evangelical Christianity) and explored even more in my 20s and early 30s. I have attended at least 40 denominations in my lifetime, oddly never being a member of any of them, which my mother often reminded me was an important step, until I joined the church.

I am outside the norm for women as a whole, and statistically I should be dead. As such is often hard to feel connected in general and even more so in the church.

I greatly enjoyed hearing perspectives of those who were always members, those who are also outliers but in more common ways than I, and seeing how others find ways to connect within the church.

[Julia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Where have these essays been all my life? I learned so much from the wisdom of these women who are in various stages of life. They taught me more about creating a culture of Christ rather than trying to fit a prescribed Church mold. The book can be summed up with Julie B. Beck’s quote (which was used so often): “The ability to qualify for, receive, and act on personal revelation is the single most important skill that can be acquired in this life.”

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautiful collection of stories from women with different faith journeys and backgrounds. I loved the tone throughout—it is genuine and honest about struggles but with a strong sense of hope and peace too. I felt uplifted and empowered to own and live my own story and my own faith rather than try to fit ANY one mold.

[Clayton Chase · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chronicling their heartfelt and often poignant journeys whilst navigating sister sainthood in the latter days, these stories leave one encouraged that there’s no one right way and buoyed by hope that we’re at least moving in the right direction as a church, culture, and community of Christ.

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of wonderful stories from Latter-day Saint women from all walks of life.

[Heidi · Rating 5 out of 5]

A timely collection of modern, progressive thought on women within the Latter-day Saint religion.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

A diverse set of essays from incredible women of the LDS faith. It is essential to realize there are many ways to do things right. There isn't one cookie-cutter way to be a woman of faith.

[Greta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved reading so many different and nuanced stories from LDS women. I felt inspired and uplifted by their stories and testimonies. Women are truly incredible and we have so much to learn from one another.