Why is Journaling so Important?

As members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, it has long been encouraged to keep journals, or some type of personal history. 

We have seen the benefits of this in church history and in discovering our ancestral stories. There are so many faith-inspiring stories and miraculous events that would not have been remembered had it not been for the faithful journal-keeping of Saints throughout the years.

Even the scriptures themselves are a result of people keeping records and preserving those records for later generations.

And in 3 Nephi 23, when the Savior is amongst those in the Americas, He lovingly rebuked and reminded the people that records needed to be kept and asked why the words of Samuel the Lamanite had not yet been written nor added to their records. So the people did as He asked and wrote what He commanded to be written.

Knowing all of these important examples, sometimes we might still wonder – Why is journal keeping still important? We have social media, pictures and videos on our phones, and plenty of other avenues that records are kept these days.

But, something that may be hard to capture amidst all these that we often overlook are the spiritual impressions, experiences and events that shape our testimonies and who we ultimately become.

We may post on Instagram every day and have a “record” of what life looked like during that time of our lives. But what of the simple whispering of the Spirit that helped us to reach out to someone in need? What about those moments that we looked like we had it all together, but deep inside we were hurting – and the Lord sent an angel in the form of a friend, family member or ministering sister or brother? What about those moments we spent in the scriptures and felt a verse touch us so deeply that it profoundly changed our outlook on our lives? Do we write about that on social media? Or do we just see all the effects of these deep soul-impacting, quiet moments?

Journal keeping is great to remember what life is like, yes. But it is ultimately more important in the aspect of recognizing the Lord’s hand in our lives. In remembering when and how He was there for us, so we can trust Him to be there again in the future when we need Him. And when we have doubts, however small they may be, going back and rereading our testimony strengthening experiences can help us hold onto the faith and reassurances that we do have and use those as stepping stones to keep moving forward – trusting that more will come a we seek them – and as we seek the Lord.

I have seen the benefits of journaling countless times in my life, in countless ways. I receive revelation easier as I journal. It’s a time for me to be still, ponder, and really listen for the Lord’s voice. It invites me to focus on a mind shift and look at life through the lens of hope, faith and gratitude when it feels overwhelming. It gives me a space to write down every worry, fear, anxiety, hope, dream and goal in a way that allows me to sort out my feelings and then know how to approach my Father in Heaven about what I’m feeling. 

Journaling truly does bless our lives. And not only our lives – but the lives of our posterity. As they look read (or hear) about our lives, the lessons we learned and our faith – they will be strengthened and motivated to seek the hand of the Lord in their own lives.