Thinking about Records

Mosiah 8
Ammon teaches the people of Limhi—He learns of the twenty-four Jaredite plates—Ancient records can be translated by seers—The gift of seership exceeds all others. About 121 B.C.


I had to read this chapter twice. The first time, I was sort of lost amongst all the historical details. Then I reread it with Travis and I had a little more clarity. It's interesting that the theme of this chapter is records. Travis said that the ruins talked about in this chapter were from the Jaredites. Which struck me as interesting. Of course I know about the Jaredites and their glowing rocks and how they came across the sea after the tower of Babel. But, I never really thought about them. About how they had records. And on these records they had scripture. How many other people in the Americas or other places were scattered like the Jaredites and the Nephites? What other records are out there waiting to be revealed? That's not a new thought for me, but for some reason it struck me this morning.

Now, something new I learned was that to be a seer is the greatest gift a man can have. Second only to have the power of God. I never knew that. The Jaredites records needed to be translated, to be understood, and that could only be done by a seer.

"But a seer can know of things which are past, and also of things which are to come, and by them shall all things be revealed, or, rather, shall secret things be made manifest, and hidden things shall come to light, and things which are not known shall be made known by them, and also things shall be made known by them which otherwise could not be known."

I think when we're living right, we want to record our lives. Once we die, we're gone from this earth, time's up. I don't know anything about my great grandparents, because I never met them and no records were left. Even though we live on after this life, I would like to leave some kind of footprint here. Not just live my life and then disappear to my posterity. Keeping records makes my life somewhat permanent and more real. Touchable and readable, forever.