A Record of the People

I was thinking about how Nephi was commanded to keep a record of the people. Most of the scriptures, especially the Book of Mormon are just that: a record of the Lord's people. If the Lord commanded his prophets of old to keep a record of his people, why wouldn't he do that today as well?

We have General Conference, so a record is kept of the counsel given to the Saints. I have been listening to some of President Hinckley's General Conference addresses and he references his journal entries in several of his talks.

If the prophet keeps a spiritual record of the Lord's people on Earth today, what would it say?

Are we like the people who lived in the City of Enoch fully converted to the Gospel of Christ. Willing to sacrifice for one another, always bearing each others' burdens and caring for the less fortunate? Are we able to live the law of Consecration as it was intended? Are we worthy to be translated?

Are we like the Zoramites in Alma 31 who gathered one day a week to worship their God. They abandoned the traditions of their fathers and thanked Him that they were a chosen and a holy people. After thanking their God they returned to their homes never to speak of God again until the next week when they returned to worship.

Are we like the people Moses led into the wilderness for years and years? Those who claimed to be God's chosen people, but didn't have the faith to follow to be healed by the serpent's bite by simply looking upon his staff? Do we insist the prophet's counsel is too simple, too old fashioned, or do we doubt the counsel is actually coming from the Lord and so insist on making our own way or waiting for some great revelation before we are motivated to obey?

Most prophets have felt like they have been ignored. Lehi, Noah, Abinidi, Moses, Joseph Smith... Some may have a small following, but even amongst those there are some that murmur, complain, or eventually come up with their own philosophies that eventually lead away the believers who weren't fully converted.

We know that the parable of the 10 virgins was a parable for the members of the church. Am I one of the 5 wise or 5 foolish? Am I a wheat or a tare?

From a quick search among General Conference addresses at lds.org, The word "casual" seems to be a common theme in General Conference: "Casual study is also not enough."(Uchtdorf, 2006) "If we were to become casual in partaking of the sacrament, we would lose the opportunity for spiritual growth." (Perry, 2006) "Because families are eternal, we cannot afford to be casual or complacent about those relationships." (Beck, 2007) "We simply cannot afford to be casual or get too close to the edge." (Dalton, 2007) "Sometimes people get casual about repenting." (Beck, 2007) "Some rationalize that they can casually view pornography without suffering its adverse effects." (Clayton, 2007) "When we become hurried, repetitive, casual, or forgetful in our prayers, we tend to lose the closeness of the Spirit..." (Staheli, 2004) "I find that when I get casual in my relationships with divinity and when it seems … no divine voice is speaking" (Staheli, 2004).

I think we can know what our Prophet would write about us as a people. I think we can listen to General Conference and find trends such as this. I can't change what we as a people do, but what I can do is repent and make sure that I am not casual about my worship, my relationships, or my gospel study and prayer. I can also teach my children and influence those I have stewardship over.