Jacob 4

Jacob 4:2 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. they were very concerned that the things they wrote should be kept and presered. Remember Enos, when he had received a remission of his sins, he prayed that the records could be kept and used someday to bring their posterity back to a remembrance of the truth. I wonder if that is something that happens to all old people—this desire to have your words kept and handed down to your unknown posterity or if it was something particular to these Nephites. It's hard for me to imagine that among the first things I would pray for if I happened to have an amazing spiritual interaction with the voice of the lord, telling me my sins were forgiven and asking what I wanted would be that a thousand years from now, my words would still be around and be used to convert people to the truth.

Jacob 4:4 For, for this intent have we written these things, that they may know that we knew of Christ, and we had a hope of his glory many hundred years before his coming; and not only we ourselves had a hope of his glory, but also all the holy prophets which were before us. Did the Nephite prophets tell the general population why they were keeping the records on plates? Did the general population even know they were making a record? Are our prophets today making records that they intend for the benefit of people who will not see them for a thousand years? We have no idea what they are doing in relation to visions of the future they have received.