Title: I Need Thee Every Hour: Applying the Atonement in Everyday Life
Author: David P. Vandagriff
Pages: 180
Rating: 5/5

This is not a spoiler free blog.

It’s a little bit of a funny story how I came about reading this book.

At the beginning of the semester, one of my roommates said she needed help finding a book about the Atonement to read for her Book of Mormon class. Reading isn’t her favorite thing to do, so she wanted the shortest book possible. I love helping people find books to read, so I offered to help. I did my research, found this title, and suggested it.

Come Sunday, my roommate was on page 36 of this book and her book report was due Wednesday [today]. This roommate pays attention much better when people read to her, so Sunday, Monday, and yesterday I sat down with her and read the rest of the book out loud. Then I went back and read the 36 pages at the beginning I’d missed.

Though this book is very short, it’s powerful. I love Vandagriff’s simple way of explaining the beauty and power of the Atonement. All of the stories he used to illustrate points were wonderful.

I especially loved his section on depression and the Atonement. His wife, G.G., suffered from severely debilitating depression for 25 years. Though a quarter of a century is a pretty long time, she was eventually able to find the correct treatment she needed. I don’t suffer from severe depression, but that section gave me so much hope. Vandagriff quoted some of his wife’s words about the deep darkness of depression and she hit it right on the head. I was left in awe at how accurately she painted that portrait. It gave me hope and courage to always, constantly rely on my Savior.

If anything, I walked away from this book with a better understanding of how to utilize the Atonement in my life. The way Vandagriff writes is very motivating and he really makes you feel like you can do everything he suggests! One of the greatest answers I received was how to use the Atonement when things are going well in my life. When I’m not going through a trial, how do I still rely on the Savior? One answer: service. When we serve others, we feel the Holy Ghost, and feeling the Holy Ghost means the Atonement is working in our lives.

I highly recommend that everyone read this book and add it to their collection. It’s a very great, informative, and inspiring book about the beauty of Christ’s Atonement. I plan on buying my own copy so I can mark it up.