In my research for one of my magazine articles, I came across the book titled Kindness to Animals and Caring for the Earth by Richard D. Stratton.* Of course, I was immediately intrigued, checked out the website and found out that it is an LDS book! I emailed the author and inquired if I could ask him a few questions for my article. He replied and told me that his Alma Mater is USU, that he works for the Forest Service (who knew we would have a few things in common?), and that he would send me a copy of the book. I was elated.
I received my book today and WOW. It is amazing. There are so many quotes and stories from prophets that I had never heard before. I haven't finished it yet, but I would definitely recommend reading this book. It gives a whole new light on what it means to be sacred stewards of what our Heavenly Father has given us. (By the way, I love the picture on the cover.)
Here are a few sample quotes:
"The simple answer is that animals do have spirits and that through the redemption made by our Savior they will come forth in the resurrection to enjoy the blessing of immortal life." (IE 40:16, Jan. 1958) --Joseph Fielding Smith
"It is terribly important that we preserve and improve the great natural resources with which the God of heaven has so richly blessed us, that we may not follow the experience of some other nations that have come and gone because of the mismanagement of their natural and God-given resources." (TETB, p. 645) --Ezra Taft Benson
"We should by every means in our power impress upon the rising generation the value of life, and how dreadful a sin it is to take life. The lives of animals even should be held far more sacred than they are. Young people should be taught to be very merciful to the brute creation and not to take life wantonly for sport. The practice of hunting and killing game merely for spot should be frowned upon and not encouraged among us. God has created the fowls and the beasts for man's convenience and comfort, and for his consumption at proper times and under proper circumstances; but he does not justify men in wantonly killing those creatures which He has made and with which He has supplied the earth." (JI 31:218-219, April 1, 1896)
--George Q. Cannon
"Satan, spitefully determined to destroy everything that God has commanded to live and muliply, began his earthly career by making war on the birds and fishes and systematically destroying the animals and trees. This, we are told, was because he was envious of the beautiful rapport that existed between Adam and the animals." (NE, p. 52, Jan-Feb. 1981) --Hugh Nibley
I am so impressed with how much research Richard D. Stratton did to get all these quotes and anecdotes and so thankful that I came across this book. It is such a testimony builder to hear words from LDS Church leaders on a subject that I care so much about, but doesn't get very much attention in our church.
Thanks so much, Richard.
* Richard has a website, but at the time of this posting, was not working for some reason. I posted the link at the top of the post to Google Book Search instead.
If you care to buy the book, you can find it on Amazon.
