Finding Faith in the Desert

by Anthony W. Horton

n May 2003, Captain Anthony Horton of the 1st Military Intelligence Battalion received a phone call that would change his life. He was told to pack his bags; he was being reassigned to a unit that had just deployed to Iraq, and the group needed a Chaplain. He soon took a flight straight to Baghdad International Airport and began an emotional spiritual adventure, ministering to American soldiers and to the people of Baghdad, Iraq. Chaplain Horton quickly met Iraqi families who claimed ancestral lineage to the ancient Chaldeans and Assyrians. One particular group he became familiar with was a group of people claiming to be the original Iraqis, a remnant of those ancient people of Ur, where Abraham dwelt. This group calls themselves the Mandaeans and practice a religion they believe was handed down from Adam to Abraham to John the Baptist. Wherever Chaplain Horton traveled in Iraq, he spent time among the people, discussing religion and God’s plan of happiness for all of His children. In some of these communities, Chaplain Horton became close friends with the people, being invited into their humble homes to eat from their tables or floors. After his arrival in the Mideast, Chaplain Horton was also set apart by the Arabian Peninsula Stake President in Kuwait to serve as the 13th member of that Stake High Council, giving him ecclesiastical authority to organize Servicemen’s Groups and to lead soldiers in weekly sacrament services, not to mention the many hours spent providing counsel and advice to many U.S. soldiers—both LDS and non-LDS—from the various units stationed in Iraq. His account of the many individual miracles among the U.S. soldiers is truly inspirational. This account and accompanying photos give readers a better understanding of the conditions and struggles the Iraqi people are enduring. Chaplain Horton and other soldiers have been participants in the miraculous opening of the minds and hearts of the Iraqi people, preparing them for the message of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.

Genres: Nonfiction

248 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2004

Reviews

[Hank Hoeft · Rating 4 out of 5]

Capt. Anthony W. Horton is a U.S. Army chaplain and a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I also am a Latter-day Saint, but as an Army chaplain, Elder Horton is called upon to minister not only to Christian of all creeds, but also to Jews and Muslims as well. Accordingly, Finding Faith in the Desert is inspirational not only to "Mormons" and all Christians, but also to all People of the Book. This is illustrated in Horton's experiences with the John the Baptists who do not consider themselves Christian or Jewish or Muslim, but who nonetheless were excited to meet and interact with Chaplain Horton.

A caveat: I started reading Finding Faith in the Desert expecting a linear narrative. But while Horton writes in first person and relates all his spiritual insights through his experiences (mostly, not entirely) in Iraq, the book's structure is anecdotal but not linear. It took me a few chapters to get used to this structure. It's not a fault--it's just not what I had expected. Rather than a linear narrative--that is, a conventional story--the book is full of spiritual insights that occurred to Chaplain Horton, but are presented in no particular order. The book's value is in these spiritual truths and insights rather than in the story of Horton's life. As such, I think Finding Faith in the Desert is a book I'll be going back to and rereading in the future.

[Mother Of · Rating 1 out of 5]

Incredibly biased and also hypocritical. As someone who served directly with Chaplain Horton I can say he is a fraud and a liar. He married a woman in Kuwait secretly while he had a wife and multiple children in the US. Poor family. What a liar and a fake.

[Philip Mowrer · Rating 1 out of 5]

Probably a decent book if you're a part of the LDS church, but incredibly biased and heavy-handed in how he talks about religion and life in general if you're not.

[Mark Humphrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Found to be timely and encouraging.

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

I confess, my motivation for reading this book was my personal interactions with the author. Tony Horton is an amazing Army chaplain, father, friend, husband, soldier, priesthood holder, and author. The book wasn't at all what I expected. Threaded throughout his personal experiences in Iraq is a fascinating religious history of the Iraqis one has to experience first hand to know. Thanks for sharing it with us, Tony.

[Dee Toomey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chaplain Tony, an lds military chaplain, is called into service from Germany to Iraq. While serving in Iraq, Anthony W. Horton learns and shares what it is to be more Christ-like. He grows to love his fellow man, not only those in the US Army, but also the Iraqis. With prayer and faith he leads and loves those he serves. There were many "a-ha!" moments for me while reading this book; as in "a-ha!", that is what Christ would have me to do! Good book1!

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book not easily forgotten. It was short-lived on the shelves, though. Perhaps because of the typos. I wish Bro. Horton could have contributed to Faith in the Service by Chad Hawkins. He has some amazing stories.

[Camille Robison · Rating 2 out of 5]

Slow reading. Church book. Good pictures.