The Work and the Glory Books in Order
Part ofGerald Lund Books in OrderBrowse the Work and the Glory series by Gerald Lund in order, with each volume listed, short plot summaries, background on the Steed family and early Church history and suggestions on where new readers should begin.
Last updated: December 25, 2025
As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases (at no extra cost to you).
Publication Order
9 books
All Is Well
by Gerald Lund
1998
The concluding Work and the Glory volume covers the exodus from Nauvoo, winter quarters on the Missouri River and the first trek toward the Salt Lake Valley. Different branches of the Steed family march, sail or labor west, hoping to be reunited in a promised refuge.
So Great a Cause
by Gerald Lund
1997
Set in 1846, this book follows the Steeds as most of the family trudges across muddy Iowa while others sail on the ship Brooklyn or join the ill fated Donner party. Against sweeping western migration, personal loyalties and long held secrets are tested.
No Unhallowed Hand
by Gerald Lund
1996
Beginning after the martyrdom at Carthage, this volume traces the Saints' grief, leadership struggles in Nauvoo and renewed persecution that forces them to plan an exodus. The Steeds must choose whether to go west or stay behind in a hostile Illinois.
Praise to the Man
by Gerald Lund
1995
Covering 1841 to 1844, this installment shows Nauvoo's growth, the founding of the Relief Society and the introduction of temple ordinances, even as opposition to Joseph Smith intensifies. Within the Steed family, questions about plural marriage and loyalty create deep, personal trials of faith.
Pillar of Light
by Gerald Lund
1994
The series opens as the Steeds move from Vermont to Palmyra, New York, hire the Smith brothers and find themselves swept into controversy over visions, golden plates and a new church. Family divisions over Joseph's claims set the course for all that follows.
A Season of Joy
by Gerald Lund
1994
After the Missouri persecutions, the Saints build Nauvoo on the Mississippi and enjoy a brief season of growth and miracles. Members of the Steed family serve missions in England, confront lingering losses and discover new reasons to hope despite looming tensions.
Thy Gold to Refine
by Gerald Lund
1993
This volume plunges the Steeds into the violent Missouri conflicts of 1838 and 1839, from Gallatin and Haun's Mill to the governor's extermination order. Their faith is refined as they face betrayal, imprisonment and expulsion alongside the broader Latter-day Saint community.
Truth Will Prevail
by Gerald Lund
1992
Set in the late 1830s, this book follows missions to Canada and the first efforts to take the restored gospel overseas, even as financial strain and apostasy shake Kirtland. The Steeds wrestle with loyalty when friends and leaders stumble under pressure.
Like a Fire Burning
by Gerald Lund
1991
Covering the years 1830 to 1836, this volume sees the Church organized, the Kirtland Temple rise and mob violence spread into Ohio and Missouri. The Steeds experience miracles, marriages and heartbreaking choices as the work of restoration begins to burn across the frontier.
Series background & context
The Work and the Glory series is a nine-volume family saga that tracks the early history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1827 to 1847, always through the eyes of the fictional Steed family.
The story opens in upstate New York, where Benjamin and Mary Ann Steed move their large family in search of better land. There they meet young Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum, hire them to help clear fields and quickly discover that their new neighbors are at the center of a religious storm.
As rumors of golden plates and visions spread, each member of the Steed family reacts differently. Some are drawn to Joseph's message, others feel betrayed or embarrassed, and still others simply want to avoid trouble. Those choices determine where they stand when mobs gather, churches split and new scripture is published.
Across the series, the Steeds travel the same road as the early Saints, from Palmyra to Kirtland, Missouri and Nauvoo, then on toward the West. Real events such as the building of the Kirtland Temple, the Missouri persecutions, the founding of Nauvoo and the martyrdom in Carthage anchor the family's quieter moments of courtship, parenting and private doubt.
Lund deliberately uses everyday scenes, from farm work and school lessons to Relief Society meetings and missionary farewells, to make large historical movements feel personal.
Later volumes follow the Saints as they are driven from Illinois, cross Iowa in mud and snow, travel by ship around South America or join the Mormon Battalion and finally begin to settle in the Rocky Mountains. Through it all, the question of how ordinary people cling to faith when institutions falter or leaders are attacked sits at the center.
For many readers, The Work and the Glory functions both as an introduction to Church history and as a reminder that behind every date and place were families trying to love each other well while choosing for themselves what they believed God was asking them to do.
Edited by
Software engineer whose passion for tracking book recommendations from podcasts inspired the creation of MRB.
Lead investor at 3one4 Capital whose startup expertise and love for books helped shaped MRB and its growth.
Comments
Did we miss something? Have feedback?
Help us improve this page by sharing your thoughts