Position Statement:
Family
history is for everyone. We need to get
passed this view of it being difficult and only for the older generation. The church has made family history remarkably
easy and fast. The work is exploding,
just as missionary work is exploding.
The time is now. The day has come
to do the work. The veil is thin as you
do this work, and I have felt their hands guide me as I find names and do their
work in the temple. If you want to truly
feel like you have a purpose and meaning, do family history work and find your
inspiration! Teaching our children about their ancestors and getting them
excited is easier than I thought! It’s an exciting time!
Living
Prophets & Apostles:
1. As you respond in faith to this invitation, your hearts
shall turn to the fathers. The promises made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob will
be implanted in your hearts. Your patriarchal blessing, with its declaration of
lineage, will link you to these fathers and be more meaningful to you. Your
love and gratitude for your
ancestors will increase. Your testimony of and conversion to the Savior will
become deep and abiding. And I promise you will be protected against the
intensifying influence of the adversary. As you participate in and love this
holy work, you will be safeguarded in your youth and throughout your lives.
2. It is no coincidence that FamilySearch and other tools
have come forth at a time when young people are so familiar with a wide range
of information and communication technologies. Your fingers have been trained
to text and tweet to accelerate and advance the work of the Lord—not just to
communicate quickly with your friends. The skills and aptitude evident among
many young people today are a preparation to contribute to the work of
salvation.
3. “I have learned that those who engage
in family history research and then perform the temple ordinance work for those
whose names they have found will know the additional joy of receiving both
halves of the blessing.” Father in Heaven wants each of us to
receive both parts of the blessing of this vital vicarious work. He has led
others to show us how to qualify. It is up to you and me to claim those
blessings.
4. I testify that the Spirit of Elijah is
touching the hearts of many of Father’s children throughout the world, causing
the work for the dead to accelerate at an unprecedented pace. But what about
you? Have you prayed about your own ancestors’ work? Set aside those things in
your life that don’t really matter. Decide to do something that will have
eternal consequences.
5. Family
love is wonderful. Nothing is as specific as the love of a baby for its mother.
Nothing is as predictable as the love of children for their parents or the love
of parents for their children. Today we are reaping a harvest of family love
from seeds sown years ago. Preparations to strengthen family ties came in 1823,
when the angel Moroni first appeared to the Prophet Joseph Smith. Moroni announced the coming
of Elijah, who would cause the hearts of children to be turned to their
fathers.
6. President Wilford Woodruff was so concerned that he made
the issue a matter of fervent prayer. Then, at April 1894 general conference,
12 he presented a
revelation to the membership of the Church. From it I quote: “We want the
Latter-day Saints from this time to trace their genealogies as far as they can,
and to be sealed to their fathers and mothers. Have children sealed to their
parents, and run this chain through as far as you can get it. … This is the
will of the Lord to his people.”
Any
Prophet, Apostle, or General Conference Address:
7. Remember that living Apostles have also promised that as
we search out our ancestors and prepare our own family names for the temple, we
will be protected now and throughout our lives as we keep ourselves worthy of a
temple recommend.5 What promises!
8. What a great time to be alive. This is the last
dispensation, and we can feel the hastening of the work of salvation in every
area where a saving ordinance is involved.19
We now have temples across much of the world to provide these saving
ordinances.
9. Hastening family history and temple work in our day is
essential for the salvation and exaltation of families.
10. Each of us will be greatly blessed if we know the
stories of faith and sacrifice that led our forefathers to join the Lord’s
Church. It is the desire of my heart
that, along with my children and grandchildren, we will honor the legacy of our
righteous forefathers
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