Sunday Thoughts — Recording For Our Posterity

Why is it important to keep a journal?

On keeping records of our individual kingdoms, Elder John A. Widtsoe wrote:

“As I view it, in every family a record should be kept of the immediate family: the father, the grandfather, the great-grandfather—at least of those of whom we have a memory. That record should be the first stone, if you choose, in the family altar. It should be a book known and used in the family circle; and when the child reaches maturity and gets out to make another household, one of the first things that the young couple should take along should be the records of their families, to be extended by them as life goes on. It does no harm if there is duplication. There is a strength, an inspiration, and a joy in having such a record near at hand, to be used frequently, the story of our ancestors, their names, the times in which they lived, and something about their lives and accomplishments. Each one of us carries, individually, the responsibility of record keeping, and we should assume it.” (Church News, Oct. 31, 1942.)

In the October 1975 New Era, President Spencer W. Kimball emphasized to the youth of the Church the importance of keeping a journal. After carefully explaining what a journal should contain, he summarized in this way:
“Get a notebook, my young folks, a journal that will last through all time, and maybe the angels may quote from it for eternity. Begin today and write in it your goings and comings, your deepest thoughts, your achievements and your failures, your associations and your triumphs, your impressions and your testimonies. Remember, the Savior chastised those who failed to record important events.” (Pp. 4–5; see also 3 Ne. 23:7–13.)

This is only one of several recent reminders to keep records of our lives. In stake conferences for the first half of 1976, emphasis was given to the importance of preparing and keeping another kind of record—a personal history. Many of us have tried to find written material on our parents, grandparents, great-grandparents, and so on. Generally, the earlier the generation, the less information about their lives we can find. Will our posterity meet with the same frustrations we have experienced when they search out information about our lives?

Do we want our posterity to make the same mistakes we have? Or do we want them to know of the testimonies we have of the gospel and what experiences gave us those testimonies?

We already have much of the information needed to begin compiling our personal history. We may have such things as a personal journal or diary, annual calendar books, a written history or biography compiled earlier, scrapbooks, photographs, tape recordings, records of Church activity, letters, and much, much more. All we have now been asked to do is to organize this material and write a history of our life that summarizes all the important events in our lives, especially those events which would be of use in teaching our posterity. When the writing of this personal history is completed to the present, then it only remains for us to review and update it regularly (perhaps every two to three years).

In some cases, it may be easier to tape record a personal history, rather than write it, since not all persons are adept at writing. Perhaps a child or spouse or someone else could transcribe it later.

The purposes behind record-keeping in both are, after all, somewhat the same. Nephi declared that the people needed the records in order to keep the commandments of God; without them, they would “dwindle and perish in unbelief.” (1 Ne. 4:13.)

President Spencer W. Kimball reiterated Nephi’s declarations when he said that “those who keep a book of remembrance are more likely to keep the Lord in remembrance in their daily lives.” (Ensign, May 1978, p. 77.)

By contrast, I find an arresting thought in Chemish’s summary of the record-keeping practices recorded in the book of Omni. All four of the first four record-keepers recorded very little on the small plates of the religious events that occurred during their lifetimes. In fact, Chemish makes it clear that his brother Amaron recorded his five verses on the very day that he turned the records over to his successor: “And after this manner we keep the records.” (Omni 1:9.)

Perhaps the day will come that the Savior will point out the experiences of my life and ask, “Wasn’t that important? Significant? Sacred?” And when I agree, perhaps he will say, “Why are these things not recorded in your journal?”

With all the inspiration that the Book of Mormon has given me over the years, it has now also become a prime motivator for me to keep a personal journal. Besides enjoying the soul-satisfying feeling of doing what I have been asked to do, I have felt a constant spiritual witness that what I am recording is important not just for me, but especially for my children. I have found great comfort in President Kimball’s words:

“What could you do better for your children and your children’s children than to record the story of your life, your triumphs over adversity, your recovery after a fall, your progress when all seemed black, your rejoicing when you had finally achieved?

“Some of what you write may be humdrum dates and places, but there will also be rich passages that will be quoted by your posterity.

“Get a notebook … a journal … and maybe the angels may quote from it for eternity.” (New Era, Oct. 1975, p. 5.)

“Having had a great knowledge of the goodness and the mysteries of God, therefore I make a record of my proceedings in my days.

“And I know that the record which I make is true; and I make it with mine own hand; and I make it according to my knowledge.” (1 Ne. 1:1, 3.)

Wilford Woodruff—“There is one subject I wish to speak upon and that is the keeping of a journal. … When the Prophet Joseph organized the Quorum of the Twelve, he counseled them to keep a history of their lives. … I have had this spirit and calling upon me since I first entered this Church. I made a record from the first sermon I heard, and from that day until now I have kept a daily journal.” (Wilford Woodruff, pages 476–477.)

Joseph Fielding Smith—“Every important event in our lives should be placed in a record, by us individually. … If you have accomplished something worth while during the day, put it down; it may be of use to posterity.” (Doctrines of Salvation, 2:204.)

Gordon B. Hinckley—“May I suggest that you write, that you keep journals, that you express your thoughts on paper. … You will bless the lives of many—your families and others—now and in the years to come.” (Ensign, November 1984, page 91.)

John H. Groberg—“There is something eternal in the very nature of writing, as is so graphically illustrated by the scriptures themselves. In a very real sense, our properly written histories are a very important part of our family scripture and become a great source of spiritual strength to us and to our posterity” (Ensign, May 1980, page 48).

Hartman Rector, Jr.—“I personally believe that the writing of personal and family histories will do more to turn the hearts of the children to the fathers and the fathers to children than almost anything we can do” (Ensign, May 1981, page 74).

Spencer W. Kimball—“Your story should be written now while it is fresh and while the true details are available. …

“Write [about] your goings and your comings, your deeper thoughts, your achievements and your failures, your associations and your triumphs, your impressions and your testimonies. …

“Those who keep a personal journal are more likely to keep the Lord in remembrance in their daily lives.”

I leave you with my strong belief that Journals are SO important. They are vital to our posterity’s life in helping them find themselves through life and to learn from our past mistakes and our learning and revelations! If our past ancestors didn’t believe that Journal keeping was important – where would be today? Just because it has been SO many years down the road- it doesn’t make it any less important to keep a record of our lives.

Here are some ideas to get started on record keeping:

• Blog. It’s both a form of journaling and socializing while keeping in touch with Friends & Family
• If you prefer to write in a book: start with 1 paragraph a day and build up from there. Don’t overwhelm yourself with feeling you have to write your whole life in 1 day. 
• If you’re not interested in blogging, don’t like writing in a book, try using a Word Program on your computer and keep your journal digitally (A safer way of keeping historical documents in my opinion – as long as you back up your documents on a CD/DVD)
• If you dislike both computers & books, there’s always audio recording available. 

Also, home videos & taking pictures are ultra important. For instance, Clark and I want to remember these sweet moments of our Kitties:

If in life, it’s too hard to pick things up… lay on them! :

 

Life gets stressful at times, and we miss our Mommy’s… there’s no shame in ‘kneading’ something/someone to hold onto:

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