It occurs to me that at least one of our major, and most important, prophets left no book that he authored.  I think that unusual.  I refer to Elijah.  Every other major prophet was commanded to write, and left inspired words to guide and teach us.

Even Adam and the patriarchs who followed him were taught how to, and were commanded to, write.  (Moses 6:5).

Why didn't Elijah?  Did he write, and his book not survive?  Did he write, and the Lord chose to keep his writings under wraps until some future time?  There are many inspiring stories about Elijah and his ministry in the Old Testament, but they weren't written by Elijah.  Who wrote them?

The book of remembrance that Adam started was passed from one patriarch to another, and was added to by each.  Abraham, the 20^th from Adam, stated that “the records of the fathers … the Lord my God preserved in mine own hands.”  (Abr. 1:31).  He had them.  What a treasure.  What a privilege.  Just think of the knowledge, mysteries, and inspiration that the book contained.

Abraham doubtless added his own words, and would have passed the records to Isaac.  Isaac would have passed them to Jacob, and Jacob would have passed them to Joseph, unless the Lord might have told one of them to hide the record.

My own theory is that Joseph passed the record to his eldest son, Manasseh, and that Manasseh's descendants cared for the records along with Joseph's embalmed body until the Exodus.  Both Joseph's body and the records would have accompanied the children of Israel to Palestine.  I suspect that the brass plates that Lehi brought to the promised land were actually the record begun by Adam.  Laban and Lehi were both descendants of Manasseh.  Laban inherited the responsibility of taking care of the record from his fathers, but he was unworthy.  Jerusalem was about to be destroyed, and to keep the records from being destroyed, also, the Lord placed them into the hands of Lehi.

The record that is on the brass plates is to go to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people.  How will the Lord reveal it?  When will it be done?  The time is not far distant.  How I would like to be able to read that record!

I have read all of our standard works many, many times.  I'm longing to have more.  I once prayed to have more, and a voice said, “You have enough.”  We have enough to enable us to achieve salvation and exaltation, but more has been promised.  It may not happen until the Millennium, but more is coming.

What about Elijah?  Why does he not have a book?  I can't think of any other major prophet who didn't leave some writings.  I thought of Noah, Melchizedek, and Shem, but their writings are probably on the record begun by Adam.  That record would have passed through their hands, and they would have written, too.  The same goes for Joseph.  We know that he wrote.  His writings are on the Brass Plates (2 Nephi 4:1-2).  We also know that one of the scrolls found on the Egyptian mummies was a lengthy record written by Joseph.

Elijah is a pivotal figure in religious history.  He had important things to do.  It was necessary for him to be in his mortal body to do some of those things.  He needed to still be embodied when he appeared on the Mount of Transfiguration to Peter, James, and John.  It was necessary for him to there be able to lay his hands on their heads and to give them keys.

For that reason Elijah never died.  He was taken up in a chariot of fire, as witnessed by Elisha.  (There's another prophet about whom there are many stories, but by whom no book was written).

Elijah is one of only eight people that we know of who never tasted of death.  Those include Moses, Elijah, the three Nephites, John, and probably Alma and the Nephi who was prophet just before Christ's birth.

Elijah is an interesting person.  I'd love to be able to have him teach me through his writings.