Spiritual Sunday: Journaling

Something I have gotten into the habit of doing lately is journaling.

Now when I was younger (8 or so) I journaled regularly as an obligation to my grandmother/ parents. My grandma gave me a journal and told me to keep it and I did, until I didn’t. It was a couple years later when I was 12 or so that I started journaling again and I found a couple of things happened.

I got better at writing

I got better at remembering important things to do throughout the day

I remembered people's names and their connection to me better.

But the best part was that  I found I was able to see where my blessings came from. An event would happen one day but then I find that the connection to that event happened several months earlier when I re-read my journal. I understood how I grew as a person and how my hopes and fears ended up.

When I moved out on my own I found it difficult to continue writing regularly with several attempts going on and off. I have found that writing in a journal needs to be a daily thing as well as praying and studying scriptures, otherwise it will fall by the wayside.

my journal page for new years eve. I reserve the right to make my journal this way, and so do you!

President Henry B. Eyring, the first counselor of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, is a big advocate of journaling. He has stated that as he started journaling “More than gratitude began to grow in my heart. Testimony grew. I became ever more certain that our Heavenly Father hears and answers prayers. I felt more gratitude for the softening and refining that come because of the Atonement of the Savior Jesus Christ. And I grew more confident that the Holy Ghost can bring all things to our remembrance—even things we did not notice or pay attention to when they happened” (“O Remember, Remember,” Oct. 2007 general conference).

My challenge to you is to take a notebook, grab a pencil, and start journaling today. Do it however you want! Record numbers of activities you have done, write a poem about your day. I draw a comic book page every day. Whatever you do, make it personal and make it regularly. If you do I know you will be surprised at what happens in your life and the little details that go forgotten yet make you the person you are.

Thank you for your support and I hope you have a great week.

For more information on Journaling, I would suggest this article and this conference talk.