Families are Forever

I have always had a love for family history, but I have never produced a family file name. However, I have participated in family history in other ways.

When I was young I lived close to both sets of my grandparents and to 3 sets of my great grandparents, and got many opportunities to visit with them on regular basis. I loved to hear them tell stories of when they were younger.

Growing up every summer my family would go to one of two family reunions, there I also loved to listen to my great aunts and uncles and older cousins tell family stories.  You can learn a lot when you sit and listen to others tell their stories.  Also through these family reunions I got to know my second and third cousins and we became good friends.  

Elder Nielson said “We have a natural yearning to connect with our ancestors. When our hearts turn to our ancestors, something changes inside us.  We feel a part of something greater than ourselves.  Our inborn yearnings for family connections are fulfilled when we are linked to our ancestors…” end quote

When I turned twelve I had a great aunt who was very involved in researching family names and getting them ready for the temple.  I would go to the St. George temple with my dad, siblings, and cousins every other Saturday for four years to do baptisms for our ancestors.  We did thousands of names.  I gained several things from this experience.

First – I learned that my dad had a testimony of temple work and that he believed that families are forever.

Second- As I would stand in the font and be baptized for hundreds of ancestors over the years I could feel the excitement of those I was being baptized for.   I gained my own testimony of temple work and that families are forever. 

Third- It got me in the habit of regularly attending the temple and that has carried with me into my adult life.

Another way that I have been able to participate in family history is by reading stories of my ancestors. I’m lucky enough that when I google the name of one of my ancestors I can usually find a brief history and a picture of them. By reading their stories of conversion and the sacrifices that they made so that I can have the gospel it causes me to have the desire to keep my covenants and to continue to press forward with faith.  I do not want to be the weak link in my family chain.

 Elder Haight said “I would hope and pray that in our own families, all of us, that we would have a desire to be a strong link in our own family chain, in our posterity, so that the eternal blessings that are part of the gospel, the blessings of the temple and the eternities, will be taught to our families in such a way that they will go on and on forever to affect many, many people. Be sure that those links are strong in your chain and that you pass the testimony that you have, the devotion that you have to future generations.” End quote.

Then, last October with the push to do temple work, my son Christopher was able to find close to 200 names for our family to do.  I am grateful for the opportunity to once again to do family names.  I love performing the scared temple work for my ancestors. I am grateful for the peace I feel to that comes with the knowledge that I am linking my family together through the eternities. Elder Christofferson said “The vicarious ordinances we perform in temples, beginning with baptism, make possible an eternal welding link between generations that fulfills the purpose of the earth’s creation. Without this, “the whole earth would be utterly wasted at [Christ’s] coming.” Close quote.

On lds.org it list nine ways that we can participate in Family history and I added a few extra.

Interview family members, write and share their stories

Take and share photos                 

Prepare names to take to the temple

Indexing

Start a family blog

Create a digital scrap book of your ancestors

Create a scrap book for yourself and for your family

Plan and attend Family reunions

Learn the stories of your ancestors

Print your family fan chart

Help others with their family history whether it’s by teaching them to search names or helping them with temple work

Journaling.

Elder Cook in this last conference said “The doctrine of the family in relation to family history and temple work is clear. The Lord in initial revelatory instructions referred to “baptism for your dead.” Our doctrinal obligation is to our own ancestors. This is because the celestial organization of heaven is based on families. The First Presidency has encouraged members, especially youth and young single adults, to emphasize family history work and ordinances for their own family… We need to be connected to both our roots and branches… Don’t underestimate the influence of the deceased in assisting your efforts and the joy of ultimately meeting those you serve. The eternally significant blessing of uniting our own families is almost beyond comprehension.

Elder Bednar and Elder Scott have promised the following blessings you can receive if you will participate in Family History.

Your conversion to the Savior will become deeper

You will receive light and knowledge through the Holy Ghost

Your testimonies will be strengthened

Your patriarchal blessing will become more meaningful

Your Love and gratitude for your ancestors will grow

You will receive greater opportunities to serve

And your Service in the temple will become more sacred.

I can testify that these promises are true, for I have received or have felt each of these blessing in my life as I have participated in family history throughout my life. I would like to bare my testimony that I know that our Savior lives, and I am grateful for my knowledge that families are forever.   In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.