There are many types of personal and family history—letter collections, audio recordings, personal memoirs—and much more. I must confess, however, that I am most drawn to accounts of spiritual experiences, small encounters with the Divine, that shape the life of an individual. Let’s talk about recording a spiritual family history.
Great Questions and Spiritual Family History
If you have ever read Chapter 5 in the Book of Alma, in the Book of Mormon, it is memorable because a penetrating series of spiritual questions is asked of the reader. The prophet Alma poses these questions, and I have to say, some of them relate to the concept of family history and our awareness of it.
For example, in verse 6, Alma asks: “And now behold, I say unto you, my brethren, you that belong to this church, have you sufficiently retained in remembrance the captivity of your fathers?” That is certainly a family history question! Alma wants them to remember not only that period of captivity, but God’s influence in delivering them out of captivity.
In verse 11, Alma asks: “Behold, I can tell you—did not my father Alma believe in the words which were delivered by the mouth of Abinadi? And was he not a holy prophet?” Great family history questions. Think about it as a question to ask – “Mom, Dad, Aunt Sarah, Grandpa J – do you recall a time when you heard words from a leader of God, a prophet or other spiritual leader, and you felt they were true? Or you acted on them and were blessed?”
We might go on, but essentially, I wish to make the point that this reminds us of what Nephi and other prophets in the Book of Mormon taught about recording our stories—do not neglect “the things of the soul.”
Recording Spiritual Experiences for Family History
For me, spiritual experiences can be varied and diverse. Truman Madsen, a former professor at Brigham Young University, has an enlightening talk called “20 Questions” that highlights many different types of spiritual experiences associated with prayer, the sacrament, priesthood blessings, temple activity, sharing testimony, and much more.
Building on this concept, many years ago I asked my father if he had any spiritual experiences he wanted to record. We had been given an audio cassette tape from his own father that consisted primarily of spiritual experiences from across his lifetime that he wished to share with his descendants. The stories included such items as being impressed by the Spirit of a calling that would come to him at age 25; his first experience in blessing an infant in church; a dream that he had which taught him about serving youth in the Church; a warning that was given to him by the Spirit that saved his life in an accident with his horse; and much more. These spiritual treasures prompted my question to my father, and so he began a list. We started with about five items to record. Then, as we visited and he reflected more upon the Lord’s blessings in his life, the list grew larger and passed ten items. We visited about his mission experiences and it grew—more than twenty items. By the time we were done, that list had grown to over 100 items and the resulting material that came from his recollections had grown into a family history book of its own.
In putting together each vignette, I took time to visit with my father and write a small preface that explained the time, context, and value of each experience recorded. If he had previously shared something about the experience, such as in a letter to family members or a talk, then I took time to study that material and draw upon it in writing the preface so that there was greater understanding of the experience.
Spiritual Experiences You Might Record
A listing of potential items you might ask questions about pertaining to spiritual experiences and memories might include:
- Spiritual lessons and experiences in childhood and youth – baptism; giving a first talk in church; feeling the Spirit; learning to pray; heeding a spiritual warning; receiving a patriarchal blessing
- Spiritual lessons and experiences during missionary service – receiving a call to serve; blessings and lessons in sharing the gospel; service with companions
- Spiritual lessons and experiences in family life – guidance from parents or grandparents; finding a companion; having a child; service to family members
- Spiritual lessons and experiences in church service – guidance from teachers or leaders; serving in church assignments; testimonies gained in church experience; inspiration received in giving service
- Spiritual lessons and experiences in work, travel, etc. – guidance in work activities; lessons learned in work or in travel; visits to spiritual places
- Spiritual experiences with loss, death, the afterlife – comfort or experiences in losing a loved one; interactions with loved ones across the veil
- Spiritual experiences with life challenges – blessings received in times of physical or emotional difficulty; service to others with struggles
- Spiritual experiences with gospel ordinances, temple or family history activity
- Spiritual experiences with church leaders – testimonies of spiritual leaders; inspiration or guidance from spiritual leaders
Again, experiences can be quite diverse and different for individuals. Personal and family history is not about exalting some experiences over others, but rather about gathering and learning from each type of experience with our Heavenly Father that instructs, guides or comforts.
An Example – “Counsel on Teaching Youth in the Church”
Let me share a single example from my father’s record of spiritual experiences. In this account, he had moved to Ames, Iowa for graduate school in the 1960s, and soon received the assignment in a small branch there to be a teacher of young men in the Aaronic Priesthood. At first, he was frustrated, but a wise leader provided counsel that gave him needed guidance. Here is his account:
“I hadn’t been in the branch in Ames, Iowa more than two months and I saw the branch presidency visiting and knew that they were finally going to give me a calling. They asked me to be the Aaronic Priesthood teacher. We had three deacons, half a dozen teachers and a couple of priests, so in total there were about thirteen or fourteen kids. They were shy on adults who would teach that group of kids, so I said that I’d be glad to do it.
I will never forget the first Sunday that I went to teach those young men and they were just bouncing off of every wall. It was absolutely a hideous experience! Those of you who have taught any of those age groups know what I am talking about. They were the most squirrelly, fidgety bunch of kids, but I was ready to quit after about two months. I did not know what to do. There just seemed to be no way to control them or even get them interested. There was almost no chance to deliver a lesson and it just seemed like a lost cause.
I thought to myself that I didn’t have time for this. I was getting a Ph.D. to be a teacher, but this was not going to train me very well. I went to the district president, who was one of our teachers on campus at Iowa State, a man named Don Woolley who was very wise. He taught me a principle and I think that it bears out more than any other single thing I have learned in teaching. He said, “Jack, when you are teaching those boys, why don’t you give them five minutes of lesson and forty-five minutes worth of love.”
That was an interesting experience. He said that they did not have an attention span broad enough in the first place to get much more than five minutes of lesson time in, and he encouraged me to teach just one principle per Sunday so that at the end of a year I’d have taught them fifty-two principles. That would be a lot better than fighting with them the whole time so that all you accomplished was getting them to hate the experience and you, among other things, and giving them the challenge to run you out of the class. I did that and within about six or eight months we had a whole different atmosphere among those young men.
In teaching and supporting those who are teaching, practice this one approach—love, love, love. You will turn their hearts to the gospel. Combat never works in a Sunday School. But, love can work miracles.”
An Invitation to Record Your Own Spiritual Experiences
I encourage you to make your own list of spiritual experiences to record or ask reflective questions about, beginning with just one item, or help a person you love to begin their own list. Add to it over time and record your experiences in a format that you feel will best fit for you and those you love.
Can you think of what you might like to pass along to those you love about your testimony? Your experiences that have comforted you, uplifted you, or strengthened you spiritually?
Begin with listing just one item. Then two. See if you can get to five items. Then, perhaps ten. When I began my own list, it took some time for the Spirit to assist me and to recall things to my mind that had been important spiritual moments of learning, growth or inspiration.
I am grateful that my grandfather recorded his experiences, and then we did so with my father, and now I might record some things for my family. I am grateful, too, for the example that we have in the scriptures of so many prophets and spiritual leaders recording their personal encounters with the Lord and the messages and experiences that God has bestowed on them. Again, I invite you to begin your record today and leave a spiritual testament for your loved ones.
