tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7139169.post116714786923669255..comments2023-11-02T07:25:45.884-05:00Comments on Mormanity - a blog for those interested in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: Best Christmas Ever: The Sacred Blessing of Journals!Jeff Lindsayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08776493593387402607noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7139169.post-1167314901434485352006-12-28T08:08:00.000-06:002006-12-28T08:08:00.000-06:00Take the Book of Mormon as an example. The suns...Take the Book of Mormon as an example. The sunshine and lollipops era of 200 years gets a couple pages. The grit and nastiness of mortality gets all the press. <BR/><BR/>Of course, we don't learn much about the mistakes made by the writers. Maybe Nephi was a real pain growing up and has glossed over how much he annoyed Laman and Lemuel. But it's rare for humans to see themselves from someone else's perspective.Jeff Lindsayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08776493593387402607noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7139169.post-1167232885437825232006-12-27T09:21:00.000-06:002006-12-27T09:21:00.000-06:00But I think its important to record bad stuff in y...But I think its important to record bad stuff in your journal. If it is supposed to be an honest record of your life, you need to have the stuff you would rather forget. It is intellectually dishonest to portray life as sunshine and lollipos.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7139169.post-1167229853202893682006-12-27T08:30:00.000-06:002006-12-27T08:30:00.000-06:00What a wonderful and precious gift!What a wonderful and precious gift!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7139169.post-1167199636021304152006-12-27T00:07:00.000-06:002006-12-27T00:07:00.000-06:00Even when I choose to keep some of the "ugly" out ...Even when I choose to keep some of the "ugly" out of my journal, daily writing helps me realize what is important and where my focus should be. While writing in my journal I find myself meditating and reviewing the day in my mind. I may not record a particular sin or trangression, but when I am writing in my journal those mistakes come to mind and I feel inspired to improve. <BR/><BR/>I definately agree that keeping a journal helps you realize the importance of making right choices.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7139169.post-1167172258234564752006-12-26T16:30:00.000-06:002006-12-26T16:30:00.000-06:00Fascinating.I've never kept a real, honest to good...Fascinating.<BR/><BR/>I've never kept a real, honest to goodness journal. Goofy blog posts on myspace will have to suffice, I suppose.<BR/><BR/>anonymous, you can always keep two journals. One can be "raw and uncut", the other can be a spiritual log of sorts. Or you can take your bishop's advice as a nice but misguided suggestion and continue your journal as is. I'm sure in a generation or two, your kids and grandkids will love reading about your experiences--even if some of those experiences aren't the most faith-promoting. <BR/><BR/>That's it. I've convinced myself. Time to start a real journal.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7139169.post-1167167211628987882006-12-26T15:06:00.000-06:002006-12-26T15:06:00.000-06:00But the journals need to be honest. I had been kee...But the journals need to be honest. I had been keeping a journal since a high-school creative writing class where it was an assignment. My teacher said that EVERYTHING should go into a journal: good, bad and ugly. She also said that you can have that freedom since nobody should ever see your journal.<BR/><BR/>After I joined the church, my bishop asked about me and I mentioned I had a journal. He said that I should only write faith-promoting stuff in there, since I was obligated to share it with others. Huh? The dichotomy was too much for me, and I stopped writing.<BR/><BR/>But, in my opinion there is nothing wrong with writing down all manner of material. It should be private. Personal thoughts and experiences are just that: personal.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7139169.post-1167164256367147162006-12-26T14:17:00.000-06:002006-12-26T14:17:00.000-06:00Likewise, one of the best gifts I received was a p...Likewise, one of the best gifts I received was a printed and bound copy of my grandparents' mission journal. Their mission was 30 years ago. I'm looking forward to reading about it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com