Records, Reason, and Revelation
After reading Section 128 of the Doctrine and Covenants, I observed how the Prophet Joseph Smith employed reason to lead to revelation concerning record-keeping. I encourage you to read the entire section on your own to see how I come to this conclusion.
The first thing I want to do is explain why I believe writing down significant events and personal revelations is so essential. “You will discover in this quotation that the books were opened; and another book was opened, which was the book of life; but the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works; consequently, the books spoken of must be the books which contained the record of their works, and refer to the records which are kept on the earth. And the book which was the book of life is the record which is kept in heaven; the principle agreeing precisely with the doctrine which is commanded you in the revelation contained in the letter which I wrote to you previous to my leaving my place—that in all your recordings it may be recorded in heaven.” (Doctrine and Covenants, 128:7)
This is the process of making our entries into the Book of Life. If you do not create family and personal records, they will not be part of the heavenly record. I do not know the process of submitting our personal writings to heaven. I hope they will accept digital copies.
Another reason to create a “faithful record” is for the sake of your posterity. They need to know what and why you live your life in the manner you do. They need to read your testimony of the truth as you understand it. The written histories of my grandparents have a profound impact on my commitment to living the gospel of Jesus Christ. When I read of the sacrifices they made to live the gospel, I can’t let them be for nought.
Back to Section 128. When you read the way Joseph Smith reasons out his thoughts using the scriptures he has come to understand through revelation, you will see a pattern that you can follow to develop and articulate the spiritual insights you are given. It is essential to note that we should rarely draw conclusions regarding doctrines. Essential doctrines are not independent of others. An incomplete understanding of one thing will skew another. As you come to understand more, you will change your previous thoughts.
With the tools offered by digital technology, we can look back and see how our thinking changes over time; not only should we write, but we should also re-read our work. If our records are to become part of the Book of Life, we should ensure they are as accurate as possible.
Again, I encourage you to read Section 128 and see how you can use reason and your records to receive revelation.