Do the personal histories that we leave for our posterity bear witness of Christ? Do we leave for our children a record of daily events that testify of Christ through our daily experiences?

The Words of Mormon:   vs. 3 ....I searched among the records which had been delivered into my hands, ....

Do we search the records of our ancestors and include a story or event in their lives that may teach something to our children to come unto Christ? Do we bear witness of the power and truth of the Book of Mormon....not only a verbal record to our children, but a written record for our grand children and great grandchildren?

Jarom :I laughed when I realized I could relate to Jarom vs. l ...write a few words...Only l5 verses to cover 60 years. My own record keeping has a lot to be desired. I start a journal - write for a week or so and then nothing for months and then years. I have about 9 journals and almost every journal says "I'm going to do better at this journal writing business" My children are going to say, "Mom didn't do very well in her goal, did she" "I wonder what she was trying to say here when she stopped in the middle of a sentence and never came back to finish it."

Joseph Smith said, "If I had in my possession, every decision which had been had upon important items of doctrine and duties since the commencement of this work, I would not part with them for any sum of money; but we have neglected to take minutes of such things, thinking, perhaps, that they would never benefit us afterwards; which if we had them now, would decide almost every point of doctrine which might be agitated. But this had been neglected, and now we cannot bear record to the manifestations which have been made to us with that degree of power and authority we otherwise could,..."

I know I am not recording doctrine but I have had many experiences that I know that I should be recording for my posterity. When my boys were younger I was very good at record keeping, but as they have become more work (the boys & records) °Ü° I would get a "D". This is a good reminder to keep records.

Have you ever had a dream that seemed to have specific meaning and you wake up and think "Wow! When I get up in the morning I'm going to write that down!" and then in the morning you can't remember a thing! That has happened to me two times that I can remember and it drives me crazy to think I can't remember what I was dreaming. The next time this happens I'm getting up and writing down a few notes so I can remember! The funny thing is that there have been a few times when I been somewhere doing something and the thought pops into my head, "remember that dream?" but of coarse I can't....scary! I keep thinking I've missed something important.

After reading Alma Chapter 37 - here are some more thoughts regarding Journal Keeping.

I feel so inadequate and unworthy when I read of the dedication of so many of the Lord's trusted servants. I feel such gratitude for those who were obedient and kept the commandment to keep records "for a wise purpose".  I've gained a greater appreciation of record keeping and understand the value our own records can be to our posterity ..."kept and handed down from one generation to another.." (vs 4).

I understand the scripture that teaches, "they have enlarged the memory of this people". As my husband and I have traveled I have kept a travel log of daily events. We have enjoyed many evenings re-living some of our experiences through those records. We remember things we'd forgotten, but the record brings back the smells, sounds, and emotions of the day.

I also take a lot of photos. They too are a record of our adventures. My children love to go through the albums and have me tell them the stories. Someday they will sit with their children and tell them the stories and many things can be learned from "our" record.

How grateful I am for those who shared and preserved the good and the bad times. I have a tendency to only record the good, but I'm seeing the value in recording some of the struggles and how they were resolved, or where we went for help....to our Heavenly Father. As our posterity learns of us and the struggles we faced we can leave them a record of our testimony. We can tell them how we faced certain situations and how grateful we have been for the trials we've experienced because of the strength that also came. We can bear witness of the truthfulness of the gospel and the happiness and joy that come from living as righteously as possible. We can let them know we were not perfect but we never gave up and that we don't want them to either.  These latter-days are going to become much tougher! Our children and their children will need our testimony to strengthen theirs.

President Ezra Taft Benson left this message for us, "There is a real sifting going on in the church, and it is going to become more pronounced with the passing of time. It will sift the wheat from the tares, because we face some difficult days, the like of which we have never experienced in our lives. And those days are going to require faith and testimony and family unity, the like of which we have never had." (Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson)

In leaving our records we have the opportunity help our posterity in the sifting process - to teach unconditional love, where to find peace, what to do for a wayward child or spouse. How to teach repentance, how to treat our enemies, and even how to teach about sensitive matters. How, when, and where to pray. How to obtain blessings. This list is endless - what would you included?

I've heard many ask, "Where is the owner's manual for this child?" The scriptures are the manual we can references for almost any topic.

And most important - the scriptures and our own records can be used for missionary work. Ammon and his brothers were able to use the records that had been handed down from generation to generation to teach the Lamanites that the traditions of "their fathers" were not foolish. The testimonies of the record became a tool to teach and many were converted to the truthfulness of the gospel.

I leave you my testimony that I know the church is true, that we have the opportunity to leave behind a physical resource for our children in our personal histories and daily journals. So get busy and write my friends!

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