More Than The Tattooed Mormon

**I received a free copy of this book from Cedar Forts Publishing, Inc in exchange for a review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

I can't remember when I first heard of The Tattooed Mormon or when I first started following Al Fox Carraway's blog or Instagram. But, I was enraptured. Currently, Al is an active Mormon who travels around the West giving spiritual and uplifting talks and devotionals to different groups of Mormons. Her spirit is so bright and contagious. She truly has a love for Christ and Heavenly Father and very easily shares His light and love with everyone she meets.

Via

In her book Al describes how she first was introduced to the LDS Church and her conversion story. Her family wasn't supportive, especially her dad who basically disowned her. However, she believed that the Mormon Church was true, and tried to do as Christ would live. After praying to see if God wanted her to serve a mission, she received personal revelation that she was to move to Utah. She knew no one there, had no place to live, no job, no money. But, she left New York anyway and went where God told her. In Utah, she experienced a lot of prejudice due to her tattoos from before she was LDS, but didn't let that discourage her from the Gospel. She eventually met her husband, married in the temple, and currently has a little toddler girl. Al focuses on her and everyone's individual worth in God and how we should all share the Gospel because we love it. She is very uplifting and loving. A true Christian.

There were definitely a few quotes that I absolutely loved!

"And I thought, What happened right before those miracles came? Well, Christ prayed, right? But they were prayers of gratitude. And I thought, Wow, what an incredible example. Not only did Christ know Heavenly Father was in fact there, but He also was aware of what He needed. And Christ, He had such great faith—perfect faith—that He didn’t even ask for help but instead gave thanks before knowing that Heavenly Father would bless Him. It’s easy to feel like we have enough faith to receive blessings and miracles now and that answers really can come in the exact second we want them. But sometimes the true test of faith is waiting for blessings to come when you have faith that they will come quickly." (page 52)

"I remember having to make a decision. It’s a decision I had to make and continue to make; it’s a decision you have to make every single day: choose to get mad, choose to get bothered or offended,

or choose to not. Choose to keep going, choose to trust, choose to have faith—or not. What it came down to and what it will always come down to is this: choose God or don’t. So I had to re-decide who I wanted to follow." (page 69)

"Our lack of efforts or knowledge should never lead to anger or doubts toward God’s existence. Don’t stop living the gospel to find out if it’s completely true—live it more fully to more fully know. The more you learn about the gospel, try in church, and make your testimony and relationship with your Father in Heaven stronger, then the more your desire to change will increase, and it will become easier to do so. Not easy, but easier." (page 89)

"Love where you are—a perfect reminder for when things are hard. Don’t spend your time looking ahead, pleading for things to be over and things to be different. Just stop. Stop looking backward. Stop yearning for the future. Today, where you are right now, is a joy. Today, right now, is the best place to be. Happiness does await us in this day. His blessings and promises are here, right now. He will not withhold His love and blessings from us just because we are at a different phase of our life. They are not withheld from us if sometimes we are not as strong or as good as we could be. No matter what we have or don’t have—no matter what we can or can’t do—good times or bad, joy comes now. Happiness is in today. God is always mindful of us, there for us, waiting for us, loving us. Even in hard times, life is oh so good. “His hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it back?”

(2 Nephi 24:27). (page 108-109)

.For more information on Al Fox Carraway:

blog // LDS Living article

To purchase this book:

Barnes & Noble // Seagull Books // Deseret Books // Amazon

Would you be interested in this book? Why?