TheDiscipleMD
I have been telling personal stories my whole life. That may not seem significant, but I have found that family stories are essential in keeping “binds that tie.” I guess it can be said that a message is sent by telling personal stories repeatedly. The message is that the history of our lives and the lessons learned should not be forgotten.
Many summers ago, I wrote down a childhood story that, for me, had a moral. After writing it down, I walked out of my office and to the front desk where one of my sons was working. I said to him, “Hey, have I ever told you the story…” Shortly into it He gave me a roll of the eyes and said, “Yes, Dad, only a thousand times!” I thought, “Good, he will remember when I’m dead and gone!” I’m not dead; I’m not gone. But someday, I will be. I pray my life experiences will benefit my posterity and help them dodge some pitfalls.
All of my kids have been given family names in hopes, as did Helaman of old, that “… this I have done that when you remember your names, ye may remember them; and when ye remember them ye may remember their works; and when ye remember their works ye may know how that it is said, and also written, that they were good”. (Helaman 5: 6) Much of the scriptures contain compilations of stories passed down from one generation to the next.
And so it is with telling stories of life’s lessons learned. We should tell them often so that when our posterity remembers them, they will remember us; and when they remember us, they may remember our works, and when they remember our works, they can remember that they were good. Or so…we hope!