Labor of Love

When I recently read this scripture, I thought of our family's records and all that's being done to preserve them and make them accessible. 

Now behold, it came to pass that I, Jacob, having ministered much unto my people in word, (and I cannot write but a little of my words, because of the difficulty of engraving our words upon plates) and we know that the things which we write upon plates must remain;

But whatsoever things we write upon anything save it be upon plates must perish and vanish away; but we can write a few words upon plates, which will give our children, and also our beloved brethren, a small degree of knowledge concerning us, or concerning their fathers—

Now in this thing we do rejoice; and we labor diligently to engraven these words upon plates, hoping that our beloved brethren and our children will receive them with thankful hearts, and look upon them that they may learn with joy and not with sorrow, neither with contempt, concerning their first parents.  (Jacob 4: 1-3)

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Jacob speaks the truth about making records. Jacob is making records on metal plates. The challenges are much the same today with paper and electronic versions. Difficulty. Write on material that will remain. Why do we do this? So our children and friends have a "small degree of knowledge" about their ancestors. We rejoice as we do this work. We labor diligently. We live in hope that our children will receive them with thankful hearts - and learn with joy about their ancestors. 

This is truly a labor of love. A gift to our posterity.