Sunday, March 1, 2009

Writing Life Stories #4

Here are some more odds and ends about writing your life story:

Sacred experiences gain validity by being recorded.

If a man keeps no diary, the path crumbles away behind him as his feet leave it; and days gone by are but little more than a blank, broken by a few distorted shadows. His life is all confined within the limits of today…
Deseret News, July 16, 1862.

Every man is a diary in which he means to write one story and writes another, and his humblest hour is when he compares the volume as it is with what he vowed to make it.
James M. Barrie


Orson Pratt said, “How many people have been miraculously healed, and yet no one has recorded the circumstances? How many personal revelations have been received or prophecies given by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost , but not recorded…Every case of healing and every miracle which Jesus shall perform through any of his children should be faithfully recorded.”

Wilford Woodruff said, “If the power and blessings of God are made manifest…you should make a record of it. Keep an account of the dealings of God with you daily. I have written all the blessings I have received and I would not take gold for them.
Wilford Woodruff diary, 6 Sept. 1856.

People often use the excuse that their lives are uneventful and nobody would be interested in what they have done. But I promise you that if you will keep your journals and records they will indeed be a source of great inspiration to your families, to your children, your grandchildren, and others, on through the generations.
--President Spencer W. Kimball


What would you want your children to know about you? Major Jay Hess, who spent 5 ½ years as a prisoner of war in Vietnam, was only allowed to write six lines to his family. His first letter home said, “Above all I seek for eternal life for all of you. These are important: temple marriage, missionary, college. Press on.”

Jesus said to record the prophecy of Samuel the Lamanite 3 Nephi 23: 7-13. How would you feel if the Savior saw your record?

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