“A Book of Remembrance Was Written Before Him for Them That Feared the Lord”

Bryan Richards

Joseph Fielding Smith

"By these words of Malachi we are instructed and shown the importance of assembling often to hear of the Lord and to worship him. The ancient saints 'spake often, one to another' and they 'thought upon his name.' For this righteousness they were not to be forsaken, and were to be spared as a 'man spareth his own son that serveth him. (v. 17)' What a lesson is here for us to learn! Are we not trying to make our meetings easy for the people because they do not like to assemble 'often,' to speak one to another and to be instructed and to think upon the name of the Lord? Let us take warning, lest our names be not found in the Lamb's 'Book of Life,' which is the book of remembrance. It is 'he that overcometh' who shall be found worthy (Rev 3:5). Moreover, the Lord said to the Prophet Joseph Smith:

'And all they who are not found written in the book of remembrance shall find none inheritance in that day, but they shall be cut asunder, and their portion shall be appointed them among unbelievers, where are wailing and gnashing of teeth.'-D.C. 85:9.

"Joseph Smith kept a book of remembrance, called the 'Book of the Law of the Lord,' in which he recorded the names of those who had proved valiant in the testimony of Jesus. It is a most important thing for us, as members of the Church, to have our names enrolled in the Lamb's 'Book of Life,' or the book of remembrance, as being worthy of honor, glory and eternal life. Out of the books we are to be judged. 'Write the works of this people, which shall be, even as hath been written, of that which hath been,' said the Savior to the Nephites, 'For behold, out of the books which have been written, and which shall be written, shall this people be judged, for by them shall their works be known unto men. And behold, all things are written by the Father; therefore out of the books which shall be written shall the world be judged.' (3 Nephi 27:24-26.) How necessary it is that the records kept on earth shall correspond to the records kept in heaven! I pray you, let each of us see to it that our names are found in the Father's Book of Remembrance among those who shall be found worthy at the day of the coming of Christ." (The Way to Perfection, p. 82-3)

GospelDoctrine.Com

References