Fiction Books
by Lawrence Gardner
Free To Love is the first book in the series The Road To Zion’s Gate. It is a religious novel set in the future before the second coming of Christ.
The collapse of civilization seems to have stripped every one of their moral fiber. America is swarming with marauding gangs. The Mormons, in the intermountain west, have become a safe haven for those who don’t want to take up arms. Adam and his lifelong friend, Matt, have been called by the Church to leave their home and wives to go to Wisconsin to recover a group of members. Although both are true to their convictions, to Adam’s analytical mind, there are questions his religion has been unable to answer. His inner faith has become simply a spiritual search for truth and now, faced with the harsh realities of the day, truth has become the anchor that keeps his soul from drifting into lunacy.
The story chronicles their daily struggles to survive in a world that has gone mad. Will they see their mission completed? Will they save the members in Wisconsin or lose their own lives along the way; or worse yet, their souls? On their terrible, yet wonderful adventure, laced with humor, romance, suspense, and human drama, Adam learns about love and the Higher Gospel of Christ that his Church has never taught him. It is a gospel of miracles, power, and truth beyond his wildest imagination.
Springtown, Utah (now Spring City) gets its name from the more than thirty springs that once graced its boundaries. Many colorful characters have walked the streets of this small Mormon pioneer farm and sheep community. Tales From Springtown is the first book in a series of short stories taken from the “old time radio show,” Life Under The Horseshoe. The show was produced before a live audience and broadcast from Victory Hall, a restored 100 year old vaudeville theatre. It featured musical guest artists, poems, jokes, and old time radio dramas with sound effects. Most of the stories have a fictitious element but nearly all are inspired by true events. With a Mark Twain style, the author, in a lighthearted way, has utilized the rich Mormon pioneer legacy depicting events that did or might have occurred as a result of that particular way of life. Springtown (City) is a real place that you can visit and when you do, be sure to stop at the corner spring and fill your canteen with the best spring water that will ever caress your tongue.
You are sure to be captivated, charmed, and amused by the wide variety of mysteries, enchanting romances, and humorous accounts of life in Springtown. As you are transported back to a simpler time, you are sure to discover that although much has changed, some things remain the same, people.
PurchaseNon-Fiction Books
by Lawrence Gardner
This series, Best Kept Secrets of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, is a non-fiction doctrinal work inspired by a religion professor at Brigham Young University who would often ask, “What is the best kept secret of the Mormon Church?” After declaring all answers amiss, he would say, “It is the Gospel of Jesus Christ.” Having taught Gospel Doctrine and Priesthood classes in the LDS Church for many years, Lawrence has discovered his professor’s statement to be all too true. Despite the abundance of scriptural resources and the revealed word through modern revelation, many members do not understand some of the most fundamental and extremely important principles of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In short, the members of the LDS Church do not know their own religion!
Celestial Concepts in a Telestial World is the first book in this series. It digs deeper into fundamental concepts such as truth, love, stewardships, attributes of God, the need of suffering, and the oneness of the Gods. The Apostle Paul said, “...[though] ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. For everyone that useth milk is unskillful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil,” (Hebrews 5:12–14). Unfortunately, we are still drinking milk. Because our study of the gospel is cursory, we do not understand even the basics leaving us completely unaware that there is a “meat of the gospel,” a Higher Gospel. Consequently, we are left floundering in the ignorance and guilt of the Lesser Gospel of Carnal Commandments and Performances thinking that obedience to it will yield salvation from our fallen state, it will not. A greater understanding of these simple basic principles will impact our ability to comprehend and move up to the Higher Gospel of Christ.
Quantum Leap is the second book in this series. It teaches us that there are two gospels (see Doctrine and Covenants, section 84) each having their own priesthood, keys of knowledge, and blessings attached to them. Notwithstanding its prevalence in the revealed word, especially modern revelations, most members are completely unaware that there is a Higher Gospel. Because only the Lesser Gospel of Carnal Commandment and Performances is taught within the walls of the LDS Church, we are led to believe that strict obedience to it will save us from our fallen state. It will not! Once we understand the Higher Gospel, the true meaning of being Born Again and receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost, we are prepared to make the quantum leap up to it. This is the heart of the Gospel of Christ that was revealed to Adam, Enoch, and every prophet down through time. It should not be kept secret! Nevertheless, an understanding of it does require a more than superficial study of the revealed word. Quantum Leap is calculated to help the reader with that study. It is a book specifically about the Higher Gospel, how to receive the mysteries of heaven, the knowledge of God, and be endowed with unspeakable power through a face-to-face relationship with Christ our Savior. If one can only read one book, this is it!
The Book of Mormon has rightly been declared the “keystone” of the LDS (Mormon) religion. It claims to be the history of two American civilizations, having spawned millions of people and existing over 3,000 years. It also alleges that Christ the Savior visited those ancient societies making it an even more important document, if it is true. It seems incomprehensible, even impossible, that such cultures could have endured all that time without leaving a huge amount of physical evidence and irrefutable proof settling the question of the book’s authenticity once and for all. The absence of such proof has given adversaries of the Church reason to scoff as well as caused many avid followers to lose their faith altogether. How Stupid Can We Be? presents an innovative compelling case for an all-inclusive Western Hemisphere geography model that rebuts other highly speculative theories. It discloses some overlooked information vital to understanding the DNA of these ancient inhabitants. It also introduces the mysterious “Righteous Branch” who are destine to play a major role in the establishment of the latter-day New Jerusalem.
Perhaps more importantly, How Stupid Can We Be? philosophically strikes at the very root and core of why we have chosen to believe many of our erroneous notions and traditions. The principle of knowledge VS belief presented is sure to inspire the reader to re-examine his or her own belief choices, not only of Book of Mormon geography, but of truth itself.
About The Author Lawrence Gardner
The son of an Air Force career pilot, Lawrence has traveled and live in many places. He served as a Military Intelligence Agent during the Vietnam War, holds a BA degree in Art from Brigham Young University, studied filmmaking at California State University, worked as a CBS network news cameraman, and owned a motion picture production company producing award winning TV spots and documentaries. He has written, produced, and directed a full-length feature film, Jump Cut, and an “old time” radio program, Life Under The Horseshoe. He considers his greatest accomplishments to be, somehow keeping the same amazing woman married to him for fifty-three years, having five incredible children, and seventeen wonderful grandchildren.
Testimonials
David Tuttle, PhD
Founder CliffRose Mesa Publishers
The two missionaries, Adam and Matt, both married with children, are called to travel from Preston, Idaho to Wausau to discover what became of them.
The scenes are sometimes brutal, but realistic in the context of general anarchy, lawlessness, and desperation. Periodically, the two missionaries experience genuine miracles (much like the John Pontius novels), help from an angel named Martin (a translated being who provides friends at opportune times, including a coyote who follows them on their journey). They even meet a group of Baptists who are "Zion seekers," having learned of a place of peace somewhere out west.
I was moved to tears.
Jeremy T.
NY Times Reporter
Although harsh at times, Free To Love is written in a comfortable style with extremely imaginative and captivating episodes. It is a true “page turner.”
Jena Karlis
Someone Else
This is where someone would say something about one of the books
Read Chapter 1 of Free To Love Today!
"The two missionaries, Adam and Matt, both married with children, are called to travel from Preston, Idaho to Wausau to discover what became of them.
The scenes are sometimes brutal, but realistic in the context of general anarchy, lawlessness, and desperation.
Periodically, they experience genuine miracles (much like the John Pontius novels), help from an angel named Martin
(a translated being who provides friends at opportune times, including a coyote who follows them on their journey).
They even meet a group of Baptists who are "Zion seekers," having learned of a place of peace somewhere out west.
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