Journal of thanks

“O remember, remember,” Book of Mormon prophets often implored. My point is to urge you to find ways to recognize and remember God’s kindness.

Elder Eyring

I remember when Elder Eyring gave this talk in General Conference in 2007. I was on my mission and I got a notebook and started doing the journal of thanks.    As a missionary I especially needed this daily reminder of Gods kindness to me as a missionary.   Some days were very hard and didn't feel like we had any success but as I took a minute to think about my day I always had something that God had sent to remind me of how blessed I was.  

I took a quote from his talk and glued it in the front of the journal to remind me what the real purpose was of writing. 

There were some days that I took a page and a half to express my thanks 

 Then some days I just wrote a few lines but that was sufficient to remind me of those feelings.  Its amazing reading back on those memories, I remember very clearly how that day went and how I felt writing those words down.

He talks about how no matter late he would always take a few minutes to write something.  I am no where near that good.  Sometimes I will do two days at a time.  I will write down a small word to remind me of the experience that day.   Then there are the times I forget about it for months and then I see the journal again and I realize its been 6 months since I wrote.  I try to keep it on my night stand all the time so I will see it.  Then I put my book I'm reading on top and it gets lost.  

Elder Eyring also talks about how he made copies and gave them to all of his kids and they read them and relate them to their lives and it helps them see the hand of the Lord in their lives as well.  

I really love doing this and need to remember to keep this journal on top of my scriptures and reading books.  I love reading back through and I know that I need that daily reminder of Gods love for me.