If Enos already knew his fathers had prayed for the preservation of the record, why did he also pray for it? Enos 1:18

If Enos already knew his fathers had prayed for the preservation of the record, why did he also pray for it? Enos 1:18

Enos is one of the shortest books in the Book of Mormon. In this book, we read about this man Enos who prayed long and hard and received a remission of his sins and the promise that whatever he asked would be given to him.

We asked this question to our children. If you were promised to receive just one thing, what would you pray for? The answers varied a lot, and it was fun. I don't remember what they were, but some were pretty glib. Probably Danny's was the glibbest, haha.

My answer was to find records which would bridge the 1785-1835 gap of Czech records for my direct line ancestors so that I would be able to do their temple work. If it were a genie granting this wish he would probably say, "Done!" and nothing would have changed. Meaning, I have pretty strong confidence that somehow, we will find a way to solve this genealogy problem. It might take a thousand Czech men spitting into little DNA test vials, but we will find a way to figure out where the Vasiceks really came from.

The thing that he prayed for was that the revelations and word of God written on the plates of Nephi would be preserved and one day shared with the Lamanites. We know that Enos knew that this was promised

Parley P. Pratt - another really cool Latter-day Saint rock-star, who I personally really love - referenced this verse in his 1856 talk with the catchy title: "Progress of the Latter-Day Church—The Saints of All Ages Cooperating for the Success of the Kingdom of God on the Earth."

To sinners He has never made any promise, but that they shall be rewarded according to their works; but to the Saints that keep the commandments and abide in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and to them that do believe and know His will, He has made these; but those who have known Him and in the day of tribulation forsaken His laws will be beaten with many stripes.To all those who stand firm and steadfast when the love of many shall wax cold because of the famine and pestilence, and great trials with which the Saints of God are to be tried before the judgments pass from the house of God to the wicked, to all such He has made precious promises, and they will be fulfilled; and the promises concerning things to the house of Israel as well as to the Saints of the Most High will surely be fulfilled, for those promises hold good to the other side of the veil; for although the remnants of Israel are not yet in the Church, although not in the covenant, yet they are beloved for their father's sake, and the promises have claim on them because of the promises made to their fathers; and though these their children do not understand it, and though they are in a state of ignorance, not knowing the Lord, ignorant in relation to the promises obtained by the obedience of their fathers, yet the promises extend to them as well as to us Latter-day Saints.

Do you suppose these promises will be fulfilled? I know they will. I knew they would twenty-six years ago this summer; I knew it then, I have testified to it ever since; I know it now, and though heaven and earth should pass away, yet not one jot nor one tittle of the promises of God concerning the Latter-day Saints, concerning Zion, concerning Jerusalem, concerning the Jews, concerning the Lamanites, concerning the remnants of Joseph, concerning the seed of Lehi, or concerning the ten tribes of Israel, or any of the branches thereof—not one will fail, but they all will be fulfilled in their time and in their season.

Answer:
Enos was granted the ability to receive whatever he truly wanted because what he wanted was perfectly in line with what God already had planned and wanted. Enos begged God that the Book of Mormon would eventually be published and shared with the descendants of the Lamanites, which include some Native Americans (I don't even want to think about which ones, how many, etc. That's like, prime territory for anti-church discourse and mostly, it doesn't matter that much to me in terms of what I believe. It's interesting to me how this stance of how the Native Americans fit into this story of the Book of Mormon has changed over time, during my lifetime even - but I digress...)

Because Enos really loved his family, and considered the Lamanites to be his family, he wanted more than anything to share the gospel with them, and if not them, then their future descendants.