Mary, Martha and Me is a very well written book about finding the One Thing That is Needful in our lives. Olson begins her book by comparing her grandmother, who was a hard working, service oriented woman with Martha. Her grandmother spent her life devoted to caring for others until near the end when she changed and began to more thoroughly study the gospel especially the plan of salvation. Olson also quotes from Proverbs 31 about the virtuous woman who takes care of and serves her household.

Many Relief Society sisters and Young Women are taught to be like the virtuous woman in Proverbs 31 but when Martha complained to Jesus about Mary not helping her in Luke 10:38 - 42, Jesus told her, "Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her." This sounds like a mixed message and maybe it was to Martha, too, but by reading the book we learn that the one needful thing is to have a Christ centered life which will make all other things fall into place.

This is a very short book and a good read for anyone who is interested. In reading it I felt that I can be both a Mary and a Martha but what is really important is to make Christ the center of my life. Personally, I would rather read a good book or work on a sewing project then do housework but I have to have my home clean to be able to feel the Spirit in it. I don't believe that this book should just be limited to women. I think that men would benefit from reading it too. I feel that we can have the characteristics of both Mary and Martha and that we need to seek out the One thing that is needful and that is the Savior.

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Marilee McQuarrie
May 17, 2006