2.217 Keep a History

In Matthew 5:13, Jesus calls us the salt of the earth, a bold reminder that our lives are meant to carry his flavor, his truth, and his love to the world. Join me each day to explore one verse of scripture and one thought, striving to stay full of savor and truly live as savory salt. Hello, my friends, it's great to have you with me.

Today, let's be anxiously engaged in a good cause and bring to pass much righteousness. Have you ever heard the "Greatest Story Ever Told"? We are reading this week from Doctrine and Covenants sections 85–87 as well as Alma chapters 43–47.

We started the week off here in Alma chapter 43 with Alma having success with his son and being able to declare the word of God. Side by side, I love that story. That's such a great one.

We're going to shift gears into Doctrine and Covenants Section 85 today. The counsel in 85 is specific to the Lord's clerk and specific to land that was, you know, dealing with inheritances inside of the Law of Consecration and whatnot. But I think the counsel inside 85 can be applied to each one of us.

We talked about it in the past, but I think this one got a little bit different lens for us. Our verse for today is Doctrine and Covenants Section 85, verse 1. Although 1 and 2 together really could be a power verse of sorts.

Verse 1 says, 'It is the duty of the Lord's clerk, whom he has appointed, to keep a history and a general church record of all things that transpire in Zion, and of all those who consecrate properties and receive inheritances legally from the bishop.' And then it continues in verse 2, I should say, to talk about their life, their faith, their works, all the things. So this concept of 'keep a history' is not one that's new to us in Savory Salt. We have talked about journal keeping, and we've talked about recording your testimony and those types of ideas.

But I thought, you know what I've never shared, is the 'Greatest Story Ever Told'. This is a tradition that we've used in my family. Each one of my girls, as well as my wife, has one of these gifted from me.

And it's not even what it is that is so great about it. It's what's inside. John Maxwell once had a secretary gift him a book that was titled 'The Greatest Story Ever Told.' When he opened the pages, the entire book was completely blank.

Simply lines. These journals are something that I gifted my girls and my wife, as I mentioned, and I've used several times in my life as well. I'm not telling you to go and buy the 'Greatest Story Ever Told' journal.

What I do want to read is the front of it and give you, perhaps, a different lens with which to consider recording and keeping a history in your own life. In the front, there's a letter from John Maxwell to each person that has these journals. It says, 'Dear friend, the 'Greatest Story Ever Told' can only be written by you.

I want you to fill these blank pages with intentional acts of kindness that add value to people. Every day, let your words be a record of how you are making a positive difference in the lives of others. Start now and intentionally make a great story with your life.

Your friend, John C. Maxwell.' Now, as I mentioned, the cool thing about that book is that it's just empty pages, and yet the title of it puts a completely different lens on things. My friends, you and I each have the 'Greatest Story Ever Told' in our own lives, and we have an opportunity to keep a history—to record the intentional acts of kindness, to record the moments that we've been prompted by the Spirit, to record the miracles in our lives, in our family lives, to record our testimony of Jesus Christ.

May that record and history be used not just as a place for us to record, but as a place for our loved ones after us, and ultimately, perhaps even on the day of reckoning with the Lord, that we can hold them before Him and say, 'These are the things I've recorded in my life. These are the ways that I have tried to be my best self and to be a light to the world.' I'm grateful for the opportunity to record, to keep a history. I hope that you find whatever that looks like in your life and start now, if you haven't started, to create the 'Greatest Story Ever Told'.

That's all for today, my friends. Lift up your hearts and rejoice. Cleave unto the covenants you have made, and together we will be savory salt.