Guest Author - Terrie Lynn Bittner

Every Good Gift
Author: Gary L. Davis
Publisher: Bonneville Books, a division of Cedar Fort

Gary L. Davis’ new novel follows the life of the newly called Bishop Bishop. As he copes with Sacrament Meeting programs filled with funny (or embarrassing) typos and spelling errors, an investigator who won’t come to church but does want a telephone call from the bishop each week, a little inspired matchmaking, and missionary work on the most improbable people, he gains a greater understanding of the charge to lead his flock.

The book moves between the storylines of a number of ward members. While it is occasionally difficult to keep track of who everyone is, the major players are well-drawn and realistic. The plots of each smaller story demonstrate the often hidden complexities a bishop faces in helping a diverse group of members survive mortality.

I particularly enjoyed the storyline following Clay Brimhall, who left the church after his wife, who pretended to convert for his benefit, made it difficult for him to remain a member. While the marriage was a disaster, he was devoted to the child he had wanted and his wife hadn’t. When the marriage ended, he returned to his hometown with his grown daughter. His daughter began to investigate the church, and he began to remember his life as a Latter-day Saint. Does he want it back?

I had a concern about one storyline. It was captivating, and well-done, featuring Tom, who is asked by the bishop to befriend a recently-blinded woman named Kylee. A romance develops and he helps her to gain confidence in herself. However, one scene troubled me. Andrew, the bishop, is meeting with Tom. The bishop tells Tom that marrying a woman who can’t see is a big responsibility because there is so much a blind person can’t do. Tom protests, saying she can do many things. Andrew agrees, but adds, “…I don’t see how a blind person could shop or clean or even cook dinner.” Tom says she can cook, (there was an earlier scene in which she made a sandwich) but nothing else is dealt with and Andrew never realizes he’s wrong. Even though this is a common misconception, when a statement like that is made, the author has a responsibility to completely correct it through the growth of the person making the statement. The author’s portrayal of someone with a disability isn’t as realistic or positive as I would have expected. While it’s true that Kylee herself hasn’t entirely come to terms with this, I feel the storyline either needed its own book so it could be dealt with more completely, or a different approach should have been taken. Readers who don’t know better might presume the bishop’s assessment is true.

With this exception, I enjoyed reading the book and feel that the author has a real knack for creating well-rounded, believable characters.