2 And he gave me, Jacob, a commandment that I should write upon these plates a few of the things which I considered to be most precious; that I should not touch, save it were lightly, concerning the history of this people which are called the people of Nephi.
3 For he said that the history of his people should be engraven upon his other plates, and that I should preserve these plates and hand them down unto my seed, from generation to generation.
4 And if there were preaching which was sacred, or revelation which was great, or prophesying, that I should engraven the heads of them upon these plates, and touch upon them as much as it were possible, for Christ’s sake, and for the sake of our people.
Why have Church leaders encouraged us to keep journals? One reason is so that we will notice and be grateful for the blessings we receive each day. In the process of writing, we look at our experiences more objectively and see things with a broader perspective. As we determine which of the day’s events to write about, our eyes can be opened, and we can more easily see the hand of the Lord in our lives. It can be an experience which builds testimony and gratitude, both in our own hearts and in the hearts of our children.
President Eyring said the following about his experience with keeping a journal:
As I would cast my mind over the day, I would see evidence of what God had done for one of us that I had not recognized in the busy moments of the day. As that happened, and it happened often, I realized that trying to remember had allowed God to show me what He had done. (“O Remember, Remember,” General Conference, October 2007)
Today, as I write in my journal, I will look for evidence of the Lord’s hand in my life. As I record my experiences, I will make a particular effort to highlight the ways that I have been guided, sustained, and taught by my Heavenly Father.
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