When I was in high school, I discovered something about note-taking. When I write something down, I remember it. I retain new information better when I carefully record it, even if I never look at my notes again.
We write for many reasons, including to connect with other people, to share important information, and to remind ourselves of goals, tasks, and appointments. But we may neglect other potential purposes of writing: to process information and update our thought patterns, to increase our gratitude, and to preserve important events and learnings, not just on the page, but in our own minds.
Jesus cared about what Nephi chose to record. Nephi was responsible for preserving the records of his people and for keeping a record of some of the most significant events in Nephite history. (See 3 Nephi 1:1-3, 3 Nephi 5:9-10.) He was conscientious in fulfilling this responsibility. (See 3 Nephi 8:1.) Still, Jesus identified a significant omission and asked Nephi to correct it:
He said unto Nephi: Bring forth the record which ye have kept.
And when Nephi had brought forth the records, and laid them before him, he cast his eyes upon them and said:
Verily I say unto you, I commanded my servant Samuel, the Lamanite, that he should testify unto this people, that at the day that the Father should glorify his name in me that there were many saints who should arise from the dead, and should appear unto many, and should minister unto them. And he said unto them: Was it not so?
And his disciples answered him and said: Yea, Lord, Samuel did prophesy according to thy words, and they were all fulfilled.
And Jesus said unto them: How be it that ye have not written this thing, that many saints did arise and appear unto many and did minister unto them?
And it came to pass that Nephi remembered that this thing had not been written.
And it came to pass that Jesus commanded that it should be written; therefore it was written according as he commanded.
3 Nephi 23:7-13
Immediately after, Jesus quoted a passage from the book of Malachi in which a “book of remembrance” helps people regain perspective and overcome fallacious thinking. (See 3 Nephi 24:16, Malachi 3:16).
I realize that people learn in many different ways, but I suspect that we would all benefit from writing about the most important events in our lives and what we have learned from them. Jesus said:
Write the works of this people….
For behold, out of the books which have been written, and which shall be written, shall this people be judged.
3 Nephi 27:23-24
How can that be, since presumably every earthly book will decay or be destroyed by the time we are judged? Maybe it’s because the act of writing them on the page changes us and records those events more impactfully in our minds.
Today, I will write in my journal. I will think about which recent events in my life are most important and which ones the Lord would like me to record. I’ll take the time to write thoughtfully about why those events are significant to me and why I’m grateful for them.
This post and set of verses remind me of when I read “Write For Your Life” by Anna Quindlen earlier this year. Or was it last year? I was inspired to start journaling again. But… that keeps falling by the wayside. I *really* need to get back into it.
That sounds like a very interesting book. I certainly like the title! I think when I fall behind, I sometimes get intimidated by all the “catching up” I need to do. It’s usually best to set aside that pressure and write about something. I’m finding that it’s better to be thorough about some things than to try to cover everything.
Happy writing!