Every Man a Prophet

Stephen C. LeSueur

Mar 2025 · Greg Kofford Books

About this ebook

Every Man a Prophet by Stephen C. LeSueur is a powerful exploration of faith, love, and self-discovery set within the framework of missionary life in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Eddie Pedersen and Orrin Tanner, two missionaries serving in Norway, each grapple with the weight of expectation, personal desires, and the search for their true selves. Eddie struggles to reconcile his faith with feelings he has been taught to suppress, while Orrin’s relentless pursuit of perfection masks a deep fear of failure. Together, they navigate a land of cold landscapes and colder hearts, striving to find meaning and connection in their spiritual calling.

Through Eddie and Orrin’s intertwined journeys, LeSueur crafts a deeply human story of vulnerability and resilience. The novel delves into the complexities of identity, faith, and the universal longing to belong. As the two men confront the rigid doctrines of their religion and the unyielding truths of their own hearts, readers are drawn into an unforgettable narrative of courage and redemption. Every Man a Prophet is a profound tale of the sacrifices we make for faith and the truths we uncover about ourselves along the way.

Ratings and reviews

This was a wonderful coming of age story! The two main characters have depth and vulnerability, while still feeling engaging and entertaining. I found myself rooting for them as the story progressed. I really enjoyed the writing in this novel, it contains some very well-worded passages that really help accentuate what I found to be a great story. It does such a great job of evoking the poignancy and bittersweet nature like the best coming of age stories. I highly recommend it!

About the author

Stephen C. LeSueur is a former journalist and magazine editor. His first book, The 1838 Mormon War in Missouri (University of Missouri Press) won the 1987 Best Book award from the John Whitmer Historical Association. More recently, he wrote Life and Death on the Mormon Frontier: The Murders of Frank LeSueur and Gus Gibbons by the Wild Bunch (Greg Kofford Books, 2023). His essays and articles on Mormon history have been published in numerous journals and books. While a college student, Steve served as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Norway from 1972 to 1974. He worked in five different cities and served as an assistant to the mission president at the mission headquarters in Oslo. He and his wife, Kathy, live in Arlington, Virginia.