My family was having fun with an email thread about keeping a journal and the different ways to do it. My sister, Becky, has a lesson on Sunday and was asking for input. Another sister, Emily, sent us some journal entries from our Grandfather. It is really great to read the journal entries from him. They are a log of costs of things and actual events. Everyone keeps journals or family histories a little differently.
Some ideas from our emails:
Keep a steno pad by your bed for each child so that you can write down the events for them or your thoughts about them.
Keep photo albums and add some comments about the pictures and events.
Keep a family blog.
Take your pictures and entries from your blog and publish them in a family book.
Make videos of events and then put them on disks or keep them for the family.
Keep your own journal and record things in there about family events and your feelings and thoughts about the people in your life.
Make mini photo albums for children to see their grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, siblings, etc. You can take that in the car or to church or wherever and you have a great memory maker for them early on.
Keep a journal next to your scriptures and books you're reading so that you can record your thoughts as you read certain things that influence your life and impress you.
Our brother, Jonathan, got into the terms "journaling" and "scrapbooking" and stuff so we had some fun with the words. I loved the play on Journaling that they did in the emails. It made the word "Journey" come to my mind. Now I think I have a whole new perspective. I think that the word must come from keeping track of journeys. So that being the case or at least for me, I can see that keeping a record of my journey (including events and opinions, feelings and inspirations) and the early journeys of my kids is worth a lot to someone, even if it's my children and their children and not me. I really find a huge amount of value in the journal entries that my Mom and Grandparents had. It shows their style of writing and their thoughts and exposes their character traits. I'd do that for my children and theirs out of love and respect for them and their need for an understanding of where they came from and who they are. I know it's a priceless gift because these things are priceless to me.
New saying:
Record the journey. . . the treasure of time.

There are many kinds of ways that we can be brought into captivity or bondage. One is the captivity from leaders of lands. There are many who would like to have the power over a group of people just for the sole purpose of exercising control and gaining accolades even if they come fraudulently because they are demanded.

The two groups that handled similar situations of captivity almost simultaneously were the people of Limhi and the people of Alma in the Book of Mormon. Their stories are very interesting and leave some real room for thought.

Mosiah sent 16 men, one of which was Ammon to try to find the people of Zeniff that had left Zerahemla, the capitol, in search of the original land where Nephi and Lehi and their families has been. Because the people of Zarahemla hadn't seen or heard from the people that went with Zeniff, they pressed to have some answers.

Ammon found Limhi and his people who were from the group that left with Zeniff. Here is a little background:
"21 And ye all are witnesses this day, that Zeniff, who was made king over this people, he being ^aover-zealous to inherit the land of his fathers, therefore being deceived by the cunning and craftiness of king Laman, who having entered into a treaty with king Zeniff, and having yielded up into his hands the possessions of a part of the land, or even the city of Lehi-Nephi, and the city of Shilom; and the land round about—

22 And all this he did, for the sole purpose of ^abringing this people into subjection or into bondage. And behold, we at this time do pay ^btribute to the king of the Lamanites, to the amount of one half of our corn, and our barley, and even all our grain of every kind, and one half of the increase of our flocks and our herds; and even one half of all we have or possess the king of the Lamanites doth exact of us, or our lives.

23 And now, is not this grievous to be borne? And is not this, our affliction, great? Now behold, how great reason we have to ^amourn." (Mosaih 7:21-23)

What happened in Mosiah 9-18 tells us that Zeniff ruled well and battled the Lamanites with success and then passed the leadership to his son, Noah, who was all about the party and the money and the power and not about ruling the people righteously. He sent his armies to battle because they (Noah's Nephites) were attacked on the outskirts by Lamanites and killed. That battle was won by the Nephites. They got really proud. This is where we have the split and we have the two examples of how to handle our challenges, in this case, bondage or captivity.

Abinadi, the prophet came to warn the people. Noah and all but one of his priests had Abinadi burned to death for teaching about the Savior and calling on them to repent. Alma, the one priest who listened and believed Abinadi, fled for his life and then started to teach whoever was interested about the gospel.

"1 And now, it came to pass that Alma, who had fled from the servants of king Noah, ^arepented of his sins and iniquities, and went about privately among the people, and began to teach the words of Abinadi—

2 Yea, concerning that which was to come, and also concerning the resurrection of the dead, and the ^aredemption of the people, which was to be brought to pass through the power, and sufferings, and ^bdeath of Christ, and his resurrection and ascension into heaven.

3 And as many as would hear his word he did teach. And he taught them privately, that it might not come to the knowledge of the king. And many did believe his words.

4 And it came to pass that as many as did believe him did go forth to a ^aplace which was called Mormon, having received its name from the king, being in the ^bborders of the land having been infested, by times or at seasons, by wild beasts.

5 Now, there was in Mormon a fountain of pure water, and Alma resorted thither, there being near the water a thicket of small trees, where he did hide himself in the daytime from the searches of the king.

6 And it came to pass that as many as believed him went thither to hear his words.

7 And it came to pass *after many days there were a goodly number gathered together at the place of Mormon, to hear the words of Alma. Yea, all were gathered together that believed on his word, to hear him. And he did ^ateach them, and did preach unto them repentance, and redemption, and faith on the Lord" (Mosiah 18:1-7)

Once the King caught wind of the things that Alma was doing, he was very angry and ordered that he be killed:

"32 But behold, it came to pass that the king, having discovered a movement among the people, sent his servants to watch them. Therefore on the day that they were assembling themselves together to hear the word of the Lord they were discovered unto the king.

33 And now the king said that Alma was stirring up the people to rebellion against him; therefore he sent his ^aarmy to destroy them.

34 And it came to pass that Alma and the people of the Lord were ^aapprised of the coming of the king’s army; therefore they took their tents and their families and ^bdeparted into the wilderness.

35 And they were in number about ^afour hundred and fifty souls."(Mosiah 18:32-35)

So there goes that first group. They were with Alma, a former leader and now believer in Jesus Christ.

The second group is actually led by King Noah's son, Limhi. King Noah was killed by some of his own people for his cowardess while in battle against the Lamanites.


"25 And it came to pass that the king of the Lamanites made an ^aoath unto them, that his people should not slay them.

26 And also Limhi, being the son of the king, having the kingdom conferred upon him ^aby the people, made ^boath unto the king of the Lamanites that his people should pay ^ctribute unto him, even one half of all they possessed.

27 And it came to pass that Limhi began to establish the kingdom and to establish ^apeace among his people.

28 And the king of the Lamanites set ^aguards round about the land, that he might ^bkeep the people of Limhi in the land, that they might not depart into the wilderness; and he did support his guards out of the tribute which he did receive from the Nephites.

29 And now king Limhi did have continual peace in his kingdom for the space of two years, that the Lamanites did not molest them nor seek to destroy them." (Mosiah 19: 25-29)

For a little while but really not long, the Nephites of Limhi were able to pay their taxes/tributes and all was well. But there were some real problems because the Lamanites inherently hated the Nephite because of the relationship dating all of the way back to Nephi's relationship with his brothers, Laman and Lemuel. Things started to be really difficult:


"3 Now they [Lamanites] durst not slay them, because of the ^aoath which their king had made unto Limhi; but they would smite them on their ^bcheeks, and exercise authority over them; and began to put heavy ^cburdens upon their backs, and drive them as they would a dumb ass—

4 Yea, all this was done that the ^aword of the Lord might be ^bfulfilled.

5 And now the afflictions of the Nephites were great, and there was no way that they could deliver themselves out of their hands, for the Lamanites had ^asurrounded them on every side." (Mosiah 21:3-5)

Here is a very tough situation. Limhi's people, as you read further, really get angry and put on their armor to go fight the Lamanites. The Lamanites are so numerous that Limhi's people are driven back and things just get worse. Limhi's people went to war 3 times! They wouldn't back down. They were evidently so feisty and angry that they thought that they could fight their way free. The Lord had other plans.

Finally they became humble.

"13 And they did humble themselves even to the dust, subjecting themselves to the ^ayoke of bondage, ^bsubmitting themselves to be smitten, and to be driven to and fro, and burdened, according to the desires of their enemies.

14 And they did ^ahumble themselves even in the depths of humility; and they did cry mightily to God; yea, even all the day long did they cry unto their God that he would ^bdeliver them out of their afflictions.

15 And now the Lord was slow to ^ahear their cry because of their iniquities; nevertheless the Lord did hear their ^bcries, and began to soften the hearts of the Lamanites that they began to ease their burdens; yet the Lord did not see fit to deliver them out of bondage.

16 And it came to pass that they began to prosper by degrees in the land, and began to raise grain more abundantly, and flocks, and herds, that they did not suffer with hunger.

17 Now there was a great number of women, more than there was of men; therefore king Limhi commanded that every man should ^aimpart to the support of the ^bwidows and their children, that they might not perish with hunger; and this they did because of the greatness of their number that had been slain.

18 Now the people of Limhi kept together in a body as much as it was possible, and secured their grain and their flocks;

19 And the king himself did not trust his person without the walls of the city, unless he took his guards with him, fearing that he might by some means fall into the hands of the Lamanites." (Mosiah 21:13-19)

This is about the time that Ammon came into the picture. Remember, he was sent to see what he could find out for the people of Zarahemla in regards to Zeniff and the people that left with him.

Once Limhi and his people found out who Ammon was, they were so happy "And now all the study of Ammon and ^ahis people, and king Limhi and his people, was to deliver themselves out of the hands of the Lamanites and from ^bbondage." (Mosiah 21:35) The people were able to come up with a plan, Gideon being the one who devised it, and were able to escape from the Lamanites' control.

Alma and his people faced bondage from the Lamanites, too. They had fled from their own people in order to exercise their religious freedoms and found a place that they thought would be a good place to settle and live a place that they called, Helem. The people, being accustomed to kings, asked Alma to be their king. He refused. He said that it wasn't right to have a king because a king could influence the wickedness or righteousness of the people too much. The wrong king would be horrible like King Noah-issuing high taxes, causing the people to forget their God, and making it impossible to live freely without persecution. So Alma was the High Priest and helped the people spiritually.
When looking back at the story of King Noah, we remember that King Noah and his priests had to flee for their lives because the Nephites were angry with their leaders. Well, King Noah was captured and burned to death (fulfilling Abinadi's prophecy) and the other priests got away. These wicked men saw some of the Lamanite daughters, captured them and then took them to wife in the wilderness. The Lamanites then found them all and didn't kill the priests because they saw that the women were with them at that point.
The problem is that Amulon, the leader of these priests, and former associate of Alma, was with the Lamanites when they, the Lamanites, found the city of Helem in their search for Limhi's people. Amulon (Mosiah 24:9) hated Alma and so things got very trying when "the Lamanites promised unto Alma and his brethren, that if they would show them the ^away which led to the land of Nephi that they would grant unto them their lives and their liberty.

37 But after Alma had shown them the way that led to the land of Nephi the Lamanites would not keep their promise; but they set ^aguards round about the land of Helam, over Alma and his brethren.

38 And the remainder of them went to the land of Nephi; and a part of them returned to the land of Helam, and also brought with them the wives and the children of the guards who had been left in the land.

39 And the king of the Lamanites had granted unto Amulon that he should be a king and a ruler over his people, who were in the land of Helam; nevertheless he should have no power to do anything contrary to the will of the king of the Lamanites."(Mosiah 36-29)

Amulon "exercised authority over them, and put ^btasks upon them, and put ^ctask-masters over them."(Mosiah 24:9)

Things were so hard that the people began to pray and "cry unto the Lord" for help. But Amulon "commanded them that they should stop their cries; and he ^aput guards over them to watch them, that whosoever should be found calling upon God should be put to death.(Mosiah 24:11)

So the people, instead of fighting openly, prayed in their hearts. And the Lord heard their prayers.

We read in Mosiah 24:13-23:

And it ^acame to pass that the voice of the Lord came to them in their afflictions, saying: Lift up your heads and be of good comfort, for I know of the covenant which ye have made unto me; and I will covenant with my people and deliver them out of bondage.

14 And I will also ease the ^aburdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs, even while you are in bondage; and this will I do that ye may stand as ^bwitnesses for me hereafter, and that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their ^cafflictions.

15 And now it came to pass that the burdens which were laid upon Alma and his brethren were made light; yea, the Lord did ^astrengthen them that they could bear up their ^bburdens with ease, and they did submit cheerfully and with ^cpatience to all the will of the Lord.

16 And it came to pass that so great was their faith and their patience that the voice of the Lord came unto them again, saying: Be of good comfort, for on the morrow I will deliver you out of bondage.

17 And he said unto Alma: Thou shalt go before this people, and I will go ^awith thee and deliver this people out of ^bbondage.

18 Now it came to pass that Alma and his people in the night-time gathered their flocks together, and also of their grain; yea, even all the night-time were they gathering their flocks together.

19 And in the morning the Lord caused a ^adeep sleep to come upon the Lamanites, yea, and all their task-masters were in a profound sleep.

20 And Alma and his people departed into the wilderness; and when they had traveled all day they pitched their tents in a valley, and they called the valley Alma, because he led their way in the wilderness.

21 Yea, and in the valley of Alma they poured out their ^athanks to God because he had been merciful unto them, and eased their ^bburdens, and had delivered them out of bondage; for they were in bondage, and none could deliver them except it were the Lord their God.

22 And they gave ^athanks to God, yea, all their men and all their women and all their children that could speak lifted their voices in the praises of their God.

23 And now the Lord said unto Alma: Haste thee and get thou and this people out of this land, for the Lamanites have awakened and do pursue thee; therefore get thee out of this land, and I will stop the Lamanites in this valley that they come no further in pursuit of this people"

What a huge difference in the two groups of people and their reactions to dealing with unjust captivity. Both were subject to evil, mean groups of people. Both groups had to pay the people that were over them or work for them. Both had the gospel of Jesus Christ. Both wanted their freedom.
Yet one went on the offensive 3 times without the support of the Lord. They were beaten back and compelled to be humble. While the other group, when faced with bondage, went peacefully and prayerfully through their trials and waited on the Lord's time for their certain deliverance.

The contrasts are stark and cause me to stand back and think about my life. I wonder if at times, I am too prone to have "knee jerk" reactions to problems or am I slower and more steady in dealing with them. As my life has gone on, I find that the best way to beat the wickedness out of my life is through fasting and prayer. The power that comes from "being still" and knowing that the Savior is the I AM and will deliver me on His terms, is completely humbling. This knowledge causes deep gratitude.

I know that He knows me. I know that He knows my loved ones and friend. I know that He has only our best interests in mind during our mortal probation. And with this knowledge, I can calm down in the middle of the storms that rage. I think that is what I love about this saying:

"Sometimes the Lord Calms the storm.
Sometime the Lord lets the storm rage
and calms His children"
Author Unknown"

How will we handle our captivity?

"When you are filled with the Spirit of God, and the Holy Ghost rests upon you . . . do you have any trials? I do not think you do. For that satisfies and fills up every longing of the human heart, and fills up every vacuum. When I am filled with that spirit my soul is satisfied; and I can say in good earnest, that the trifling things of the day do not seem to stand in my way at all. But just let me lose my hold on that spirit and power of the Gospel, and partake of the spirit of the world, in the slightest degree, and trouble comes; there is something wrong . . . And is it not our privilege to so live that we can have this constantly flowing into our souls?" (Eliza R. Snow, September 1873)