I recently gave a talk in my ward about Family History centers being in the home, as well as the doctrine and purpose of doing family history and temple work. I felt uniquely prepared for this talk because of the many conference talks I studied from April 2019 general conference. There are many beautiful talks and they are rich with information about preparing for the second coming of Jesus Christ. I also felt prepared because of my now 8 years of experience in redeeming the dead. I wanted to share with you my thoughts because there is so much to say and it means a lot to me. So here is some of that talk:
In the recent General Conference, Elder Bednar said- “Family History Centers now are in our homes. Supplemental support for our family history research work also is available in our meetinghouses. Vital temple preparation classes occur in our homes; Making our homes sanctuaries wherein we can “stand in holy places” is essential in these latter days,” and “it will be even more vital in the future.”
So no longer is temple preparation or family history learning happening at church, but rather in our homes. Home centered Family history learning can look like many things. For example you can bring a family history consultant into your home to teach your entire family. Parents can plan activities as a family to teach and learn alongside their children. It also means downloading the familysearch app to every device in your home and using it refularly. The family history committees in our wards are made to support this effort, just as Elder Bednar says, and resources are available at the church for your use. But, ultimately, the learning and growing of testimonies should be happening at home with children present.
In the updated Church Handbook, it states “Under the direction of the bishop, the ward council develops a ward temple and family history plan that is brief, simple, and specific. The plan helps ward members gain a vision of temple and family history work.”
The inspired plan from (my) Bishop has been to encourage each individual and family to “Take a Step Forward” in Family History and Temple work. 4 times a year, each quarter, we hand out a list of ideas for how you can take a step forward. There are many options for everyone no matter where your comfort level is. Just doing one of these steps is following the direction of our Bishop. Also included on the handout is a list of committee members who you can invite into your home to help you.
There is also the encouragement for all parents, teachers and auxiliaries to include teaching and discussing family history and temple work in our homes, lessons, conversations, talks, and activities when possible. We have a ward Missionary committee that does the exact same thing to help our ward with missionary work. Our leaders, and Christ, want us to “gain a vision of temple and family history work.” He wants members to have an understanding and testimony of this work.
Elder Cook 2019- “Relief Society sisters and priesthood brethren can lovingly help fulfill their temple and family history responsibility individually and also by assisting and inspiring children and youth to gather Israel on the other side of the veil. This is particularly important in the home and on the Sabbath....The internet is a powerful tool; the home is now our primary family history center. Our young members are exceptionally skilled in family history research and are spiritually motivated to perform baptisms for their ancestors, whom they have learned to love and appreciate.”
-As a teenager I became interested in family history through the examples and testimonies of others. My grandparents were an example to me of temple work when they took me and my twin sister and my parents on a special temple trip after I turned 12. I still remember my Grandpa crying in the witness chair as I was baptized for his mother who had died the previous year. My grandparents were also temple workers and have always been an example to me of love for the temple. My Dad was also an example to me as he worked with his grandmother who was not a member to find his ancestors and do their work. I also had wonderful youth leaders who encouraged me and helped me create my online familysearch account. As a little girl my mom would tell me "mommy stories" about her childhood and ancestors, stories about spiritual experiences and building of testimonies.
-In Oct 2011 general conference, when I was a Senior in high school, Elder Bednar gave a talk that encouraged the youth to participate in family history work. He said “Many of you think family history is to be performed by older people. But I know of no age limit restricting this important service to mature adults. You are sons and daughters of God, children of the covenant, builders of the kingdom. 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. The skills and aptitude evident among many young people today are a preparation to contribute to the work of salvation.” He invited the youth to find our ancestors, perform their work in the temples, and help others identify their histories.
He then said to parents and leaders to “please help your children and youth to learn about and experience the Spirit of Elijah. But do not overly program this endeavor or provide too much detailed information and training. Invite young people to explore, to experiment, and to learn for themselves. Young people increasingly need to be learners who act and thereby receive additional light and knowledge by the power of the Holy Ghost, not merely passive students who primarily are acted upon.”
As a youth I was always invited to be a part of the work, and I had great examples who shared their testimony of it through their example, but I never felt pressured or forced to do it, and that gave me the freedom to learn, explore, and become an expert in my own way.
Everyone needs to be involved:
-As Elder Bednar said, Family History work is not limited to a certain age group. As the Family History center shifts to the Home, we can better learn together as families how to do this work, and completing the work is a family effort. Before I was endowed I would send my family name cards to my Grandmother across the country and she would complete the rest of the work. She still helps me with temple work, and I help her find her ancestors using online tools that she is unfamiliar with. I have 7 sisters, 6 of which are able to do family history right now. When we need help or have large projects we all help each other and have had some wonderful experiences together. I’ve also become closer to extended family members as we do research together and find photos and memories. My husband has helped me with my male ordinances, and so on. Temple and Family history work brings families together, and all of this can happen inside the home. If you’re unsure where to start, work with a member of the family history committee and invite one to your home to teach you alongside your family. This needs to be an “all hands on deck” effort as we learn the skills needed and build our testimonies together of the work of salvation.
Preparing for the Lord’s Return
-One of the blessings Elder Bednar mentioned in 2011 was that “As you respond in faith to this invitation, your hearts shall turn to the fathers. Your patriarchal blessing will be more meaningful to you.”
In my Patriarchal blessing, it mentions I will help “in preparing for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ”, and that my children will do so as well. For a while I didn’t really understand what that meant. However in April Elder Christofferson gave a talk titled “Preparing for the Lord’s Return.” This talk, and others from conference enlightened me as to what it means to truly prepare for Christ’s return.
Here is some of what Elder Christofferson said:
“First and crucial for the Lord’s return is the presence on the earth of a people prepared to receive Him at His coming. In ancient times God took the righteous city of Zion to Himself. By contrast, in the last days a new Zion will receive the Lord at His return.”
“This great and last dispensation is building steadily to its climax--Zion on earth being joined with Zion from above at the Savior’s glorious return. The Church of Jesus Christ is commissioned to prepare--and is preparing-- the world for that day.”
Elder Christofferson goes on to say: “What can we do to prepare now for (the second coming of Christ?). We can prepare ourselves as a people; we can gather the Lord’s covenant people; and we can help redeem the promise of salvation “made to the fathers” our ancestors. All of this must occur in some substantial measure before the Lord comes again.”
What does a people prepared to receive Christ look like? According to Elder Christofferson in order for Christ to return, he must have Zion, a covenant people, ready to receive Him. Christ is relying on us to be ready for him. How can we be ready? He mentioned three things:
- we must prepare ourselves,
- we can gather Zion through missionary work, and
- we can redeem those on the other side of the veil.
So why these three things? How does this prepare us for the second coming?
Under the church’s list of Gospel topics, under the word “Millenium.” it gives us a description of what the Millennium will be like:
In the Millennium, “Christ will reign personally upon the earth” for 1000 years. The Millennium will be a time of righteousness and peace on the earth.
During the Millennium, all people on the earth will be good and just, but many will not have received the fullness of the gospel. Consequently, members of the Church will participate in missionary work. Members of the Church will also participate in temple work during the Millennium. The Saints will continue to build temples and receive ordinances in behalf of their kindred dead. Guided by revelation, they will prepare records of their ancestors all the way back to Adam and Eve.”
Elder Ballard also recently stated “We’re building these temples not only for us in this moment of our history, but we’re building temples which will be used during the Millennium when this great work will be carried on in the house of the Lord … under the direction and supervision of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself,”
So in the Millennium we will be doing missionary work, temple work, and family history work, and we will be a righteous people living under Christ’s rule.
As Elder Christofferson said, in order for Christ to come, a covenant people needs to be already upon the earth prepared to be in his presence. They need to be prepared to do the work of salvation for 1000 years. A covenant people is not just a group of people who go to church, but a people who actively participate in the work of salvation, who have experience and knowledge in how to do so. The Church’s purpose is to prepare a people who are ready to do temple, family history, and missionary work for 1000 years. Not only should a covenant people know how to do these things, but they should also have a strong testimony of the work of salvation. If Christ were to come today and ask us to leave behind our free time, our retirement plans and "fun time," would we be prepared to not only do those things but would our hearts be changed enough that we wanted to? This is how we prepare for the second coming of Christ.
These committees that our wards have developed, the new Come Follow Me curriculum, they are all helping us prepare for the Millennium and for the work we will be doing every day after the Savior’s return. Each ward across the globe is increasing their efforts in the work of salvation in these three things because this is how we become a covenant people who are prepared to receive Christ.
One of the greatest blessings I continue to receive is feeling the love my ancestors have for me. My great great grandparents were named Emma and George Yoder. Their family of 10 children was one of the first families I worked on in 2011. Recently I became interested in finding photos of my ancestors. I found it really hard to find a photo of Emma and George, but I kept trying and asked my 89 year old great great aunt if she had any photos of her grandparents. She said she didn’t, but after a few times of looking with my other aunt, they found a photo of them in one of her albums! From the moment I saw their faces I knew they had helped me find their picture because they loved me and were grateful for the work I had done for them.
Another time I went through the effort of seeking permission to do a sealing to parents of a young baby who died. Her parents were my great great grandparents Florence and Oliver Fluegel. With my husband and my sister in the Nauvoo temple we did the sealing to parents, and while doing so I felt the happiness and joy that Florence felt in being sealed to her baby. Having gone through a similar loss prior to this experience, it was very healing and special to me. I felt closer to my grandmother Florence who I’ve never met and a greater love for my ancestors who are watching over me.
A lot of people ask what motivates people to do family history, Elder Cook says
“I know that Love of the Savior and love of our fellow men and women4 is the primary attribute and motive” in family history and missionary work.
With love as our motivation we can change our hearts to become ready for the second coming.
Here is one of my favorite scriptures about preparing for Christ’s return:
-Moroni 7:48 “Wherefore my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ; that ye may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear we shall be like him”
I'll close with my favorite Primary song about family history:
1.Fam’ly history—I am doing it,
My fam’ly history.
And the love I feel when I’m doing it
Is very sweet to me.
I learn stories of my progenitors;
I write their history.
I keep records of my loved ones
On my own fam’ly tree.
2. Fam’ly living now and the ones who’ve died
Can all be sealed to me,
And someday I’ll meet ev’ry one of them,
I’m sure as I can be.
Oh what joy we’ll have when they say to me, “We’re all a family.
I am yours and you are mine now,
Through all eternity.”
I know we can all be a part of the work of salvation, I know it is the most important and eternal thing we can do with our time, and say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
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