Bodyguard to the Prophet

by Larry Mullins

His was a secret calling until now. When Larry Mullins was tasked with developing a security program to protect the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, he was instructed to tell no one except his wife. But decades later when President Hinckley's televised funeral brought the role of prophets' bodyguards into the public eye, Larry knew the time had finally come to tell his story. In this remarkable volume, he shares the unique insights he gained while serving alongside the beloved prophet Spencer W. Kimball. See the prophet from a whole new perspective, and learn all about the man behind the mantle.

Genres: Religion

99 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2010

Reviews

[David Peterson · Rating 3 out of 5]

It really liked the personal stories about the prophets lives he shared in the book. Also, I enjoyed reading about his personal experiences working along side the prophet Spencer W. Kimball. Pretty easy read.

[Linda Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a small book, that could use some editing, but it opened my eyes to the danger religious leaders are in.

[Beth Pearson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book had some interesting tidbits of the general unseen security surrounding the president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I enjoyed hearing the history of this job, how it developed, those who thought it important and those who didn't, as well as experiences they've had. Details of some of the riskier situations were eye opening. I can only assume the risk from those wishing to harm the prophet have only increased as years have gone by. Spencer W. Kimball was the prophet of my childhood so I enjoyed reading details of him "behind the scenes".

I would have rated this book higher except for all the tributes to people we don't know, and didn't particularly care about. I liked hearing about the inner workings of the First Presidency and how the president's secretary, D. Arthur Haycock, was the man behind the scenes. I could understand the responsibility and power given to him as the last defense before talking to the Prophet. I was o.k. with a small chapter being devoted to him. I wasn't so interested in the tributes to others though. People's names, family histories, and their importance behind the scenes really didn't mean much to me. I would have rather heard of another dangerous, endearing, or personal experience with the prophet.

The book ends with Larry Mullins end of service to the prophet. I found it extremely sudden. It's abruptness left more questions than answers. Overall, I found this less than 100 page account of worth and interest.

[Sophia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book.
There were more typos than I liked; you could tell the author was not really a writing/language guy.
But I still liked it.

I thought that some seriously interesting insight was put forth on the day-to-day life of the prophet and his bodyguard. It shifted my perspective on so many aspects of prophet-ness...like traveling, being a dad and husband, being a citizen....but still being a prophet.
Four stars because this book has stuck with me, and comes to mind when I watch general conference, or go to large firesides, etc; down from the five I wanted to give it for all the confounded typos.

[Tara · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a short, quick read and not exactly what I thought it would be. It was obvious that this was the author's first book by the writing. I had expected more stories about actual threats or situations, but it was really more about the people involved and around President Kimball. Not a bad book but just not overly exciting. There were some interesting 'behind the scenes' stories that I enjoyed.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a little textbookie! I enjoyed the information, but you can tell that he was a bodyguard and not a writer. I loved how much he loved the prophet. I learned things I didn't know, like that the prophet is never alone without a bodyguard and that they are always driving new ways home. I am grateful for great men that serve with their lives. Worth the time to read.

[Cathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got this book because I thought the author might be a relative, but probably not. I gave this book a 3 for content not writing ability. He really needed a good editor, but I enjoyed his stories about President Kimball.

[Dorry Lou · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this book interesting and I learned a thing or two. I would have liked something about a time or 2 when the prophet needed protecting. It was a lot about how Larry (author) was trained to become a bodyguard and did touch on why a prophet should have a bodyguard.

[Dora · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was just okay. I thought there would be more to it. He told a few experiences, but was mostly just talking about his feelings about the prophet and other people he associated with.

[melinda · Rating 4 out of 5]

i really like this book, very interesting and knowledgable, you find out things about crazy people and the behind the scenes of the prophet, pretty exciting!

[Bridget Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good book and a fun read. There wasn't anything you wouldn't expect, but it was inspiring. :)

[Joshua · Rating 1 out of 5]

I wouldn't recommend this book.

[Christopher · Rating 2 out of 5]

very interesting subject from a unique perspective