Hannah's Treasure From the series: Latter-day Daughters By Launi K. Anderson Deseret Book. ISBN: 1-57345-297-1 Suggested retail price: $4.95 (US)
Reviewed by: Jacki Friedmann

I enjoyed this book immensely.

While obviously written primarily for young women, as a grown woman, I enjoyed the book and it touched my heart. A gentle lesson was to be learned that is invaluable to anyone at any age.

The book is set in 1840 in Pennsylvania. Reminiscent of Little House on the Prairie, but with a religious undertone, the book shows of simple values with love as the basis.

Hannah, and her father take a journey from their small 2 room home where the entire family lives, to the large city of Philadelphia. They travel by horse and cart and the trip takes several days. They are going there to sell their crops and earn some money for simple supplies like sugar and flour.

While in Philadelphia they are met up with Missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. All his life, Hannah's father had been searching for something, though he was not sure what. Their family worshipped Jesus Christ but felt that something was not quite right. That perhaps they didn't have the whole truth. During their overnight stay in Philly, he is touched by the spirit to give his small earnings to the missionaries instead of bringing home the supplies his family so desperately needs.

When Hannah gives the missionaries the money, they give her a Book of Mormon. Hannah takes the book and knowing that they have sacrified their supplies, trades it for the sugar, flour and things they need.

In the meantime, her father is overwhelmed with good feelings for what he has done. He tells Hannah that he knows the missionaries have something for him. Hannah who has sold some of her own apples had traded her earnings for small treasures from the local store there to bring back gifts for her mother and family. When she hears that her father is "searching" for something from the missionaries, she flees down to the store to trade in her family's gifts for the Book of Mormon.

Her father seeing she did this, sold the watch he had purchased for himself, to retrieve Hannah's treasures.

The story is somewhat along the lines of Gift of Magi. Each one selling something precious to give to someone else. Unselfish love for one another.

Hannah and her family live in a small home with two rooms only. They have no toys, little furniture, few clothes and one hairbrush that they share. But they have learned the important things in life, are not actually things. But feelings for one another. Hannah felt joy in the "treasures" she brought back home for her family.

The real "treasure" in the story is the Book of Mormon. Upon their arrival home, Hannah's father presents the book to her mother. Little is said of this presentation, other than they hug each other and cry. Obviously what they had both been searching for is now here for them.

Hannah' s family has been given a real treasure; the words of the prophets, the words of Heavenly Father, and the teachings of Christ. They have learned from their trip the true meaning of love for one another in their unselfish acts. The true treasure was not the gifts purchased, or the supplies brought back, or even the Book of Mormon itself, but the treasure of love.

I recommend the book to all young women, to all young men, and to anyone who wants to be reminded of the simple, yet most important treasure in our lives.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Jacki Friedmann
email: JackiKF@worldnet.att.net
homepage: http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/8163
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _