Crucible of Faith

A pioneer family struggles against natural and man-made obstacles on a torturous, adventure-filled trek in the mid-1800s. Idealism motivated the Weston family to join Joseph Smith and the Mormons in Nauvoo, Illinois. Realism-mostly, threats of annihilation-made them leave Nauvoo. The father of the family, James, faces challenges beyond his expectations. The mother, Amanda, recognizes the good qualities of the believers but is constantly at odds with the idealism and inconsistencies in the Church, as she strives desperately to protect her children. Their children also face many obstacles. Jeremy, the teenage son, seeks companionship and consolation outside the Church by befriending a bullmastiff dog, the prophet's son, a gunfighter, an Indian boy, and a Quaker girl. Clara feels the weight of the world on her shoulders while the younger Christine takes everything in stride. Get ready to revel in an accurate historical novel that portrays the struggles and escapades of these hardy and oppressed people during one of the largest migrations in American history. The journey is, indeed, a Crucible of Faith.