Start writing

While I was attending the University of Utah, I overheard an interesting conversation between a student and a professor. The student was a graduate student and began explaining his idea. The conversation that followed was interesting and captivating. Then the professor asked how much time the graduate student had in his program. After the student reported his time left, the professor gave him this advice: “Start writing.”

I could hear the tone of his voice. He said it with a sense of urgency and caution. As a student myself, I knew the pitfalls of not putting ideas on paper. Ideas might germinate in the mind, but they grow into mathematical facts on paper. This is due to the writer having to think through the idea and truly show what they have learned.

This idea of ‘start writing’ is also true for addiction recovery - especially during the moral inventory. The mind doesn’t forget anything, but its recall power can be light sometimes. This is where the power of writing comes into play. By writing down recent events, the mind can focus more on the past and bring them to the forefront of the mind.

Something else, even more powerful, is also going on as well. As items are written down, the Holy Ghost teaches what needs to be written down. The Savior taught, “But the comforter, which is the bHoly Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.” (John 14:26) This promise is something I have come to love. As I wrote my moral inventory, memories of the past came flooding back into my mind. Memories I had worked very hard to suppress. Memories that made me feel uncomfortable but I knew needed to be addressed. The Holy Ghost truly helped me ‘remember’ my past and write it down.

In addition to being taught the truth, the Holy Ghost can help sort through what actually happened and what we thought happened. The mind, as powerful as it is, can play tricks. The mind, at times, can think something truly happened when it did not. This is another reason why writing with the Holy Ghost is important. The Lord, through Joseph Smith, taught Oliver Cowdrey “Yea, behold, I will tell you in your mind and in your heart, by the Holy Ghost, which shall come upon you and which shall dwell in your heart.” (D&C 8:2) There were so many times I fell into the trap of thinking something was real but wasn’t. As I learned to rely on the Holy Ghost, I learned to listen with my mind and my heart. This way, the Holy Ghost could teach me the difference between what actually happened and what I thought happened.

Writing a moral inventory can be daunting and scary. Don’t let fear win. Pray for help to write your moral inventory. Then, after your prayer, start writing. Let the Holy Ghost guide you and teach you. I promise the Holy Ghost will help you while you write. The Holy Ghost will teach you about your past and what steps you need to take to change!