Mormons in Flanders, part 1

I have just finished reading part 1 of the series “Mormons in Flanders” by George Tuffin. I can recommend it to my Mormon brothers and sisters.

Please do not expect an extensive academic work. George writes with his heart and that makes the book pleasant to read. Most of the news is about the Antwerp congregation, the place where George grew up, but he also tries to provide news about other places in Flanders.

I went through the book smoothly. It is partly a reference work, as it is extremely detailed with all transfers of missionaries, callings, etc… You can read those parts very quickly, if you wish, because they are more historical details.

The fun parts are in the stories that emerge in between, mainly about the work of the missionaries, the first investigators, and the first members.

This gave me a good idea of how difficult it was for the church to gain a foothold in our regions. Another observation is that there were fantastic pioneers in those early years, but perseverance until the end remains a challenge that remains difficult in all decades.

As a Mormon, it's really worth its money. You can order it from brother Tuffin himself, but I just ordered it online from Lulu.com for 10.55 euros plus shipping costs. A few days later, the freshly printed book (because it's print-to-order) arrives in your mailbox and you can start browsing through the early history of our church.

And now just wait for the next parts.