Family History Tip of the Week
An easy and effective way to get your ward interested in Family History is to include a "Family History Tip of the Week" in your weekly Ward bulletin. These short but informative messages include bits of Family History information that many ward members may not know. You can also include quotes from General Authorities on Family History and Temple Work.
Family History Tips
*New* 7/5/05 WHAT KIND OF ANCESTOR ARE YOU??
Do you remember how frustrated you felt to acquire a stack of family photos only to find no one had identified them? How sad were you that Grandpa Charles didn't leave a journal or a biographical sketch of his life? Do you wish someone in the family had archived all of the important documents you need to prove your research? Decide this summer to BE the kind of ancestor you wish you had. Make a goal to remember the Beverly Glen mantra: "Family History is do-able, half an hour a day, little by little." That's how we eat elephants. That's how we achieve family history goals. Go for it!
Contributed by Adele Austin, Family History Consultant, Las Vegas Beverly Glen Ward
*New* 7/5/05 Personal histories are do-able!! You can work on a "time-line" history a few minutes per day or 1 hr. per week. A time-line history takes your life year by year and includes a simple one-sentence statement of a major event along with the date of the event. It will serve to be a reminder when you get around to enlarging on the event in a longer history or - at the very least - it creates an outline history for your descendants even if nothing else ever gets written! Check out the following fun website which allows you to patch your own life's adventures into the happenings of the world around you. Go to http://ourtimelines.com and play around. You might just find yourself actually starting a personal history!!
Contributed by Adele Austin, Family History Consultant, Las Vegas Beverly Glen Ward
1/7/05 Which one of your ancestors touches your heart?
Is it a "father" or a "mother"? Did you have some life circumstances in common?
Did you have some family challenges in common? Do you share talents
or a similar health challenge? What can you find out about him/her today?
Check out www.familysearch.com or the Family History Center
Contributed by Jacque Whitehorn
1/7/05 Is there a Christmas story or journal entry from one
of your ancestors? If not, call your parents; they may know of one, or
may have one from their own lives that they could share. Have them write
it in a letter or email it. Put it in your family records, you may be
able to collect several. You never know, the Family History Center a
history on your family. Check out www.familysearch.com or the Family History Center.
Contributed by Jacque Whitehorn
1/7/05 How did your ancestors celebrate Christmas?
Wouldn't it be fun to bring some of those traditions to your own family?
Did they go to the woods to cut a Christmas tree? Did they hitch up the
buggy to go to Christmas mass? Did they go caroling? Did they play
Secret Santa? Call or write home to find out if someone in your
family knows specifically how YOUR family celebrated Christmas, It could
help your family identify with their heritage to make or buy Christmas
tree ornaments from your countries of origin. You could learn a Christmas
or winter song from there. A lot of Latin-American countries don't have
a Christmas tree; instead they make a very realistic nativity scene in
their living rooms. That would be a lovely thing to add to your family's
Christmas traditions.
You may want to check out these websites to see how people from your
ethnic heritage celebrate Christmas. http://gourmet.sympatico.ca/holidays/christmas/christmas.htm
http://www.portharbor.com/santa/xsatrad.php
http://www.amishnews.com/featurearticles/germanchristmas.htm
http://gosouthamerica.about.com/od/christmas/
Or, just type "ethnic Christmas traditions" into your favorite search engine.
You could probably get a fun Family Home Evening out of this, too.
Contributed by Jacque Whitehorn
1/7/05 We are all so busy this time of year, so
take some time, now, to fill out what you know about your family
on this 4 generation group sheet while you are waiting for the meeting
to begin. Then put it on your fridge so you and your family can fill it
up, and discuss your "grandparents". Check out www.familysearch.com
or the Family History Center.
Contributed by Jacque Whitehorn
1/7/05 Ginger Hamer, "Family Fun with Genealogy," Ensign, Sept. 1984, 64. If the suggestion "Let's do our genealogy" is met with glassy-eyed expressions at your house, why not try some of the following suggestions that can make genealogy fun?
Remember, the essence of genealogy is binding the past to the present. Only one facet involves huddling over a microfilm reader and searching through hard-to-read documents in a musty courthouse (activities, by the way, that some genealogists have a special liking for). There are countless other ways to acquaint your family members with their ancestors. Begin by analyzing your family's special skills and interests. Take into consideration their age levels. Then approach the activities you select with enthusiasm-and you will soon find your family members developing new talents and growing closer to each other as you learn and work together.
1. A family member with an artistic flair would probably enjoy designing
a family tree for your family-room or living-room wall. It could be done
in oils, acrylics, felt, or embroidery, and could be styled to reflect
your family's ethnic heritage.
2. Pool your musical talents and collaborate in writing a ballad-a
simple song-telling the story of a prominent (or not-so-prominent)
progenitor. If the song has a rousing chorus, it will quickly become
a theme song for the family, and new verses can be added over the years.
Family ballads are great for giving sparkle to family reunions.
3. Family dramatists can star on Sunday afternoons and at reunions
in skits based on family history. Even reenacting the day grandma
and grandpa met can be fun. Invite them to see the play and be sure
to give them a chance to tell the story the way it really happened.
4. Learn a heritage craft to gain a greater appreciation for the
life-style of your pioneer forefathers and mothers. Woodworking,
shingle-making, spinning, weaving, and quilting were important parts of their lives.
5. Turning the names and dates on a family group sheet into a
brief written history can be one of the most enlightening things
you and your family have ever done. Your family members can work
together almost like detectives to figure out the story behind the
dry facts on the chart. Writing out such histories will turn your
ancestors into real people. Putting names and dates into story form may
even make you realize things you didn't think of before. You may see
gaps in the research, and you may be prompted to complete the story by writing for information.
If you happen to have other stories from an oral history or a journal to round out the history, so much the better. But don't romanticize. Put down only what you know to be fact. If you include a family tradition, be sure to label it as such. When you are finished, have a family member type it up in an attractive, neat form and send copies to all of your cousins. They will love it."
This would be a wonderful Christmas "letter" for your family to receive. Who knows, it could even become a tradition, then your children would really get to know their "grandparents"! Check out www.familysearch.com or the Family History Center. Contributed by Jacque Whitehorn
1/7/05 We are all so busy this time of year, so take some
time, now, to fill out what you know about your family on this 4
generation group sheet while you are waiting for the meeting to begin.
Then put it on your fridge so you and your family can fill it up, and
discuss your "grandparents". Check out www.familysearch.com or the Family History Center.
Contributed by Jacque Whitehorn
1/7/05 Looking for a Sunday-appropriate activity for your family? Go to visit
Grandparents or other relatives who can tell you about your family. "Oral histories are natural family projects for Sunday afternoons. The younger generation seems to have a knack for getting grandparents and
great-grandparents to talk. Oldsters, sparked by a fresh audience, often
tell those old stories better than ever before. Remember when tape
recording to let the person being interviewed do the talking. Try not to interrupt.
Have a list of questions ready to ask in case there is a lull in the
conversation [Bro. & Sis. Whitehorn have 2 books full of those questions
and more are available on the internet], and take along some old photographs
for the person to identify and tell about." Ginger Hamer, "Family Fun with Genealogy," Ensign, Sept. 1984, 64.
Contributed by Jacque Whitehorn
The PAF 5 Genealogy Program can be downloaded free at www.familysearch.org
The Family History Center has Ancestry.com to use free of charge. They have many records available including all of the census images. They have indexes for most census records. (If your FHC doesn't have Ancestry.com and has the Internet, tell them they can get and to contact FHC Support for info)
You can now check ordinance dates online at www.familysearch.org. See the membership clerk to get your membership # and confirmation date to register online. These dates are current within 7 days or less.
www.familysearch.org has the 1880 census index online and the images are now linked to the index for logged in members of the church.
If you haven't checked the online IGI lately, check it out.
If you have family that came to the US after 1892, check the records at www.ellisislandrecords.org. These records are indexed and were extracted by the Church's Record Extraction Program. You can look at the actual images which contain a wealth of information.
You can view research resources online at www.familysearch.org. There are maps, wordlists, Research Outlines for most countries, forms and step-by-step research guidance.
Many states have state census records that were taken on the mid federal census years: 1885, 1875, etc. If your research is stuck between census records these may be just what you need.
Before submitting names for the Temple always check the online IGI, even if you are certain no one else is working on your line. You might be surprised to find someone else is working on it or that some names have been done through the extraction program.
Going to the Temple is much more satisfying when you are doing the work for your own ancestors. Contact the Ward Family History Consultant for help getting started. (Consultants, insert your name and telephone number here)
Identifying your ancestors and submitting their names for Temple work is easier than ever before. Contact your Ward Family History Consultant to learn how. (Consultants, insert your name and telephone number here)
Trying to research your ancestors from Germany, but don't know the German language. No Problem! You can find a German Genealogy Wordlist at www.familysearch.org. From the main page click on "View maps, forms, guides, and other research helps". Choose "Sorted by Document Type" and choose Wordlists. There are currently 15 different languages offered.
If you are visiting Salt Lake City, you can access many old journals, histories, blessings, and photos held at the Church Archives in the LDS Church Office Building.
Looking for photos and information about your pioneer ancestor. Try checking the local Historical Society for the area he settled in. Worried that the town was too small. Often historical societies in less populated areas are the most helpful, so don't give up.
Overwhelmed by the size of your PAF database. Trim to your main line or trim one line off and concentrate just on that. When you are done with that line you can choose another.
Do you want to learn more? BYU Independent Study has free online genealogy classes. http://ce.byu.edu/is/site/special_offers/freecourses.dhtm
To submit a Tip of the Week, send an email to FHC@ohanasoftware.com
Family History Quotes
by General Authorities
*NEW* 9/27/05 "You can fulfill your obligation to your kindred dead and to the Lord without forsaking your other Church callings. You can do it without abandoning your family responsibilities. You can do this work. You can do it without becoming a so-called "expert" in it." Boyd K. Packer, "Someone Up There Loves You," Ensign, Jan. 1977, 8.
*NEW* 9/27/05 "The process of finding our ancestors one by one can be challenging but also exciting and rewarding. We often feel spiritual guidance as we go to the sources which identify them. Because this is a very spiritual work, we can expect help from the other side of the veil. We feel a pull from our relatives who are waiting for us to find them so their ordinance work can be done. This is a Christlike service because we are doing something for them that they cannot do for themselves." James E. Faust, "The Phenomenon That Is You," Ensign, Nov. 2003, 53.
*NEW* 9/27/05 "The Lord will not tamper with our agency. If we want a testimony of family history and temple work, we must do something about that work." Boyd K. Packer, "Your Family History: Getting Started," Ensign, Aug. 2003, 12.
*NEW* 9/27/05 "Family history work has the power to do something for the dead. It has an equal power to do something to the living. Family history work of Church members has a refining, spiritualizing, tempering influence on those who are engaged in it. They understand that they are tying their family together, their living family here with those who have gone before." Boyd K. Packer, "Your Family History: Getting Started," Ensign, Aug. 2003, 12
*NEW* 9/27/05 "It does not matter whether your computer is able to compile all the family group sheets for everyone that ever lived on the earth, it remains the responsibility of each individual to know his kindred dead. . . Even if the work is done, then it is still each person’s responsibility to study and become acquainted with his ancestors." (Joseph Fielding Smith, Hearts Turned to the Fathers, page 184)
*NEW* 9/27/05 "To accomplish this work there will have to be not only one temple, but thousands of them, and thousands and tens of thousands of men and women will go into those temples and officiate for people who have lived as far back as the Lord shall reveal." -- Brigham Young, June 22, 1856 Journal of Discourses, 3:372
*NEW* 9/27/05 "Now, all you children, are you looking to the salvation of your fathers?.... For our fathers did obtain promises that their seed should not beforgotten. O ye children of the fathers, look at these things. You are to enter into the temples of the Lord and officiate for your forefathers." -- President Brigham Young J.D. 18:213, August 15, 1876
*NEW* 9/27/05 "Furthermore, the dead are anxiously waiting for the Latter-day Saints to search out their names and then go into the temples to officiate in their behalf, that they may be liberated from their prison house in the spirit world. All of us should find joy in this magnificent labor of love." Howard W. Hunter, "A Temple-Motivated People," Liahona, May 1995, 3.
*NEW* 9/27/05 "The gospel is now preached to the spirits in prison, and then the time comes for the servants of God to officiate for them, the name s of those who have received the gospel in the spirit will be revealed by the angels of God and the spirits of just men made perfect; also the places of their birth, the age in which they lived, and everything regarding them that is necessary to be recorded on earth, and they will then be saved so as to find admittance into the presence of God, with their relatives who have officiated for them." --President Brigham Young J.D. 9:317, July 13, 1862
*NEW* 9/27/05 "There are evidences that the dead are interested. If we will go forward with the research work the way will be opened on the right and on the left. You will be astonished to find avenues open. The dead know where their records are, so you are to search until you have gone as far as you can…
When you have done all you can do and have reached the limit, what will
happen? As always in the past, man’s extremity is god’s opportunity. The
Lord never helps us while we can help ourselves. This is our day. We don’t
expect Him to do miraculous things that we can do ourselves. When we have
done our utmost, then will come God’s opportunity. Don’t think for a moment
that the temples will close. They will go on all through the millennium.
Great hosts of the dead in the Spirit World are waiting for this work.
Should it nor stir us to do everything to relieve them of their distress? I
surely should. When we have done our utmost, then will come the day when
the authorities that preside on the other side will come and make known all
who have received the gospel in the Spirit World, and everyone entitled to
have their temple work done. That is the simplest thing in the world. When
the Lord is ready, it will be a very simple and very easy. We can speed
that day by doing now the work that we can do."
-Melvin J. Ballard, Council of the twelve, Discourse on "The Inspiration of
Temple Work." The Utah Genealogical and Historical Magazine, Vol. 23,
October, 1932, pp. 148-149
*NEW* 3/21/05 "Jesus had not finished his work when his body was slain, neither did he finish it after his resurrection from the dead; although he had accomplished the purpose for which he then came to the earth, he had not fulfilled all his work. And when will he? Not until he has redeemed and saved every son and daughter of our father Adam that have been or ever will be born upon this earth to the end of time, except the sons of perdition. That is his mission. We will not finish our work until we have saved ourselves, and then not until we shall have saved all depending upon us; for we are to become saviors upon Mount Zion, as well as Christ. We are called to this mission." Joseph F. Smith - New Era, March 2005
*NEW* 3/18/05 "Every thought or word or act we direct at this sacred work is pleasing to the Lord. Every hour spent on genealogical research, however unproductive it appears, is worthwhile. It is pleasing to the Lord. It is our testimony to Him that we accept the doctrine of the resurrection and the plan of salvation. It draws us close to those who have gone before. It welds eternal links in family associations and draws us closer to Him who is our Lord." Elder Boyd K. Packer - The Holy Temple p. 255
*NEW* 1/7/05 "I have a strong feeling that when this life is over,
our personal and family histories and the influence they wield will be of
much greater importance than we now think.
Brethren, this is the work of the Lord. I testify that he lives and that
he has great influence in our lives. May we have this understanding of
eternity and see and feel and record his influence in our lives,
I do humbly pray, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen." John H. Groberg,
"Writing Your Personal and Family History," Ensign, May 1980, 48
Contributed by Jacque Whitehorn
*NEW* 1/7/05 Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve said:
"In the work of redeeming the dead there are many tasks to be performed,
and ... all members should participate by prayerfully selecting those ways
that fit their personal circumstances at a particular time. ... Our effort
is not to compel everyone to do everything, but to encourage everyone to do
something" ("Family History: ‘In Wisdom and Order,' " Ensign, June 1989, 6).
Contributed by Jacque Whitehorn
*NEW* 1/7/05 "...by writing personal and family histories, we are helped
immeasurably in gaining a true, eternal perspective of life. ...Some people say,
"I don't have anything to record. Nothing spiritual happens to me." I say,
"Start recording, and spiritual things will happen. They are there all the
time, but we become more sensitive to them as we write." Writing our
histories will certainly help us keep our eyes on the most important
of all goals-even the goal of eternal life." John H. Groberg,
"Writing Your Personal and Family History," Ensign, May 1980, 48.
Contributed by Jacque Whitehorn
*NEW* 1/7/05 President Hugh B. Brown declared to a group of us when
the Priesthood Genealogy Committee was first organized that missionary work
is going forward in the spirit world at an accelerated pace, compared to
how it is going forward in our earthly existence...."Through our efforts
in their behalf their chains of bondage will fall from them, and the
darkness surrounding them will clear away, that light may shine upon
them and they shall hear in the spirit world of the work that has been
done for them by their children here, and will rejoice with you in your
performance of these duties." 3 Thomas S. Monson, "The Key of Faith," Ensign, Feb. 1994, 2.
Contributed by Jacque Whitehorn
*NEW* 1/7/05 "There is something eternal in the very nature
of writing, as is so graphically illustrated by the scriptures
themselves. In a very real sense, our properly written histories are
a very important part of our family scripture and become a great source
of spiritual strength to us and to our posterity." John H. Groberg,
"Writing Your Personal and Family History," Ensign, May 1980, 48.
Contributed by Jacque Whitehorn
*NEW* 1/7/05 "It was hard to get excited about genealogy work,
with its many rules and regulations about commas, periods, and capitalization.
The new family history service is quite another matter. It deals with loving,
caring, feeling ancestors beyond the veil. Now, Richard Talbot, John Dunkerson,
and Abraham Salee are not just names on a slip of paper for me to receive
their temple ordinances. These are ancestors I love through temple work.
They, in turn, have influenced my life. I find traits displayed in their
purposeful lives woven into the fabric of my own character. Begin this work,
and you will know why the Lord said, 'The hearts of the children shall turn
to their fathers.'" (D&C 2:2.) Richard G. Scott, "Redemption: The Harvest of Love," Ensign, Nov. 1990, 5.
Contributed by Jacque Whitehorn
*NEW* 1/7/05 "In the past, motivated by a deep conviction of the sanctity
of the work, individuals have valiantly faced a challenge that seemed like
singlehandedly endeavoring to harvest all the grain in Nebraska. Now, many
mighty combines are at work. Together we will accomplish the work. ...Perhaps
you have been prompted to look for ancestors but feel that you are not a
genealogist. Can you see that you don't have to be anymore? It all begins
with love and a sincere desire to help those who can't help themselves."
Richard G. Scott, "Redemption: The Harvest of Love," Ensign, Nov. 1990, 5.
Contributed by Jacque Whitehorn
*NEW* 1/7/05 President Boyd K. Packer of the Quorum of the Twelve:
"No work is more of a protection to this church than temple work and the
genealogical research that supports it. No work is more spiritually
refining. No work we do gives us more power" ("The Holy Temple," Ensign, Feb. 1995, 36).
Contributed by Jacque Whitehorn
*NEW* 1/7/05 "My grandfather's watch reminds me that our grandparents
watch-and wait-for us to identify them, be linked to them, and provide temple ordinances for them."
Russell M. Nelson, "A New Harvest Time," Ensign, May 1998, 34.
Contributed by Jacque Whitehorn
*NEW* 1/7/05 "... the Personal Ancestral File is a powerful, inexpensive,
easy-to-use resource available for home use that helps organize, analyze,
and print your family history. It reports what ordinance work is lacking
and allows electronic sharing of data." Richard G. Scott, "Redemption:
The Harvest of Love," Ensign, Nov. 1990, 5.
Contributed by Jacque Whitehorn
*NEW* 1/7/05 "Ordinances and covenants become our credentials
for admission into His presence. To worthily receive them is the quest
of a lifetime; to keep them thereafter is the challenge of mortality.
Once we have received them for ourselves and for our families, we are
obligated to provide these ordinances vicariously for our kindred dead,
indeed for the whole human family.
Now, there are those who scoff at the idea of vicarious ordinances performed
for the salvation of souls. They think it all to be very strange.
No thinking Christian should be surprised at such a doctrine. Was not
the sacrifice of Christ a vicarious offering for and in behalf of all
mankind? The very Atonement was wrought vicariously. The Lord did for
us what we could not do for ourselves. Is it not Christlike for us to
perform in the temples ordinances for and in behalf of those who cannot
do them for themselves?" Boyd K. Packer, "Covenants," Ensign, May 1987, 22.
Contributed by Jacque Whitehorn
*NEW* 1/7/05 "The Lord in his wisdom has provided a way for man
to be happy on this earth, and to continue that joy on through all
eternity; the greatest joy and happiness comes through the family unit.
It has been so through all mortality. Then why will it not be so in the
next life? This family unit is so important that the Lord has made it
known to us that all the families of the earth must be sealed together.
By the time of the end of the millennium, all of Adam's posterity who
accept the gospel must be sealed together as one family by the power
of the priesthood, which is the power to seal on earth, and it shall
be sealed in heaven, and to bind on earth, and it shall be bound
in heaven." Eldred G. Smith, "Family Research," Ensign, Nov. 1975, 106.
Contributed by Jacque Whitehorn
*NEW* 1/7/05 "Temple and genealogy work are visible testimonies
of our belief in the resurrection and atonement of the Lord Jesus
Christ. Should we doubt that we live again beyond the veil, what
reason would we have to do the things we are doing? This work is
our witness of the redemptive power of the sacrifice of the Lord
Jesus Christ." Boyd K. Packer, "Covenants," Ensign, May 1987, 22.
Contributed by Jacque Whitehorn
*NEW* 1/7/05 "All Church activity must be rooted in charity-a
deep, abiding love for all of God's children. The scriptures tell us
that "charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth
not; ... beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all
things, endureth all things." (1 Cor. 13:4, 7; see also Moro. 7:45.)
With this in mind, it is easy to put love and understanding
into all of our Church service, whether it be genealogy, home or
visiting teaching, or missionary work. This doesn't mean that we
instantly need to be everything to everybody all at once. .... Whether
we use our talents to help the living or the dead, it is the same work.
The key is to be "anxiously engaged" (D&C 58:27) in doing the Lord's
work. We begin where we are, and as we fulfill each task, our
talents expand and our charity increases." Roy B. Bennion, "Genealogy-Love That Transcends Time," Ensign, Aug. 1987, 11.
Contributed by Jacque Whitehorn
*NEW* 1/7/05 Elder Boyd K. Packer of the Quorum of the Twelve.... Thinking of our task
of saving the billions of souls who have lived on the earth, he said:
"One day while pondering prayerfully on this matter I came to
a realization that there is something that any one of us can do
for all who have died. I came to see that any one of us, by himself,
can care about them, all of them, and love them. That came as a great
inspiration, for then I knew there was a starting point." ("That They May Be Redeemed," Regional
Representatives' seminar, 1 April 1977.)
Contributed by Jacque Whitehorn
*NEW*12/10/03 "Those who give themselves with all their might and main to
this work receive help from the other side, and not merely in gathering
genealogies. Whoever seeks to help those on the other side receives help in return
in all the affairs of life." (John A. Widstoe, Utah Genealogical & Historical
Magazine July 1931 pg. 104)
Contributed by Ann Lewis who credits them to Lindsay Powell's FH class at the
UVSC Institute.
*NEW*12/10/03 "The Lord will bless us as we attend to the sacred ordinance work of the temples. Blessings there will not be limited to our temple service. We will be blessed in all our affairs. We will be eligible to have the Lord take an interest in our affairs both spiritually and temporal." (Elder Boyd K. Packer-The Holy Temple pg. 18) Contributed by Ann Lewis who credits them to Lindsay Powell's FH class at the UVSC Institute.
*NEW*12/10/03 "This work, unselfishly given in behalf of those on the other side,
comes nearer to the unparalled vicarious work of the Savior than any other of which I know....
by making available, to those in another sphere, those gospel ordinances required of all
if they are to move forward on the way of eternal life." (President Gordon B. Hinckley, November
Ensign 1985 pg. 60.)
Contributed by Ann Lewis who credits them to Lindsay Powell's
FH class at the UVSC Institute.
*NEW*12/10/03 "The responsibility of doing work for our dead rests with
equal force on all. It matters not else what we have been called to do, or what
position we may occupy, or how faithful in other ways we have labored in the church,
none is exempt from this great obligation.
It is required of the apostle as well as the humblest elder. Place,
distinction, or long service on the church, in the mission field, the Stakes of
Zion, or where or how else it may have been, will not entitle one to disregard
the salvation of one's dead." (President Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of
Salvation vol. 2 pg. 148-149.)
Contributed by Ann Lewis who credits them to Lindsay Powell's
FH class at the UVSC Institute.
". . . you also have ancestors who may very well be
assisting you. Elder Melvin J. Ballard described their involvement. 'Why is it
that sometimes only one of a city or household received the
Gospel? It was made known to me that it is because of the
righteous dead who had received the Gospel in the spirit world exercising
themselves, and in answer to their prayers elders of the Church were sent to
the homes of their posterity that the Gospel might be taught to them and
through their righteousness they might be privileged to have a descendant
in the flesh do the work for their dead kindred. I want to say to you that
it is with greater intensity that the hearts of the fathers and mothers
in the spirit world are turned to their children than that our hearts are
turned to them'
(Bryant S. Hinckley, Sermons and Missionary Services of
Melvin Joseph Ballard, 1949, p. 249)." from a talk by Camille Fronk, Associate Professor of Ancient
Scripture, Department of Religious Education, BYU
Contributed by Steve Mann
"As for the temple proxy service, Jacob Hamblin recorded: 'The
Prophet Joseph had told the people that the time had come which was spoken of
by the Prophet Malachi, . . . the Saints must seek for the spirit of this
great latter-day work [meaning the work of the temple] and that they must
pray for it until they received it.'"
Source: Truman G. Madsen "Joseph Smith the Prophet", Bookcraft ISBN 0-88494-704-01
Contributed by Richard L. Halliday
"Horace Cummings recorded: 'Concerning the work for the dead,
[Joseph] said that in the resurrection those who had been worked for would fall
at the feet of those who had done their work, kiss their feet, embrace their
knees and manifest the most exquisite gratitude.' The
Prophet added, 'We do not comprehend what a blessing to them these ordinances
are.'
Source: Truman G. Madsen "Joseph Smith the Prophet", p.
99, Bookcraft ISBN 0-88494-704-01 Contributed by Richard L. Halliday
You may be confident that your deceased people know where their records are, and you can obtain help through inspiration from them in locating these records. (Sermons and Missionary Services of Melvin Joseph Ballard, by Bryant S. Hinckley, pp.230-231) Contributed by Carrie Jensen
"I think that vicarious work for the dead more nearly approaches
the vicarious sacrifice of the Savior Himself than any other work
of which I know. It is given with love, without hope of compensation,
or repayment or anything of the kind. What a glorious principle"
(fireside in Birmingham, England, 29 Aug. 1995). President Hinckley
"Have you prayed about your own ancestors' work? Set aside those things that
don't really matter in your life. Decide to do something that will have eternal
consequences. Perhaps you have been prompted to look for ancestors but feel
that you are not a genealogist. Can you see that you don't have to be anymore?
It all begins with love and a sincere desire to help those who can't help themselves."
Richard G. Scott, "Redemption: The Harvest of Love," Ensign, Nov. 1990, page 5
"The greatest responsibility in this world that God has laid upon us
[as individuals] is to seek after our dead"
(Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, sel. Joseph Fielding Smith, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Company, 1938, p. 356).
Robert L. Simpson, "These Four Things," Ensign, May 1976, page 57
"What could you do better for your children and your children's children
than to record the story of your life, your triumphs over adversity, your
recovery after a fall, your progress when all seemed black, your rejoicing
when you had finally achieved?" said President Spencer W. Kimball. "Get a notebook. Begin today."
(New Era, Oct. 1975, pp. 4-5.)
"Some of us have had occasion to wait for someone or something for a
minute, an hour, a day, a week, or even a year. Can you imagine
how our progenitors must feel, some of whom have perhaps been waiting
for decades and even centuries for the temple work to be done for them?"
("The Things of Eternity-Stand We in Jeopardy?" Ensign, Jan. 1977, page 7).
"We will not finish our work until we have saved ourselves, and then not
until we shall have saved all depending upon us; for we are to become
saviors upon Mount Zion, as well as Christ. We are called to this mission.
The dead are not perfect without us, neither are we without them."
Joseph F. Smith, Gospel Doctrine, 5th ed. (1939), 442
by Others
*NEW* 1/7/05 "It has been my experience that some of the
happiest people I know are those who are engaged in family history
and temple work. Let us demonstrate our willingness to follow the
prophet by consecrating a portion of our time and energy to the
Lord's redemptive work, and let us do it in a spirit of love.
As we do so, not only will we bless the lives of those who have
gone before us, but we will bless our own lives and the lives
of our family members as well."
Mary Ellen Smoot, Relief Society general president, "Family History: A Work of Love," Ensign, Mar. 1999, 18.
Contributed by Jacque Whitehorn
*NEW* 1/7/05 "We must love not only those who share
our earthly existence, but also those who have gone before us and those who will follow.
Because of charity for the dead, we seek to identify them and have their temple
ordinances performed." Roy B. Bennion, "Genealogy-Love That Transcends Time," Ensign, Aug. 1987, 11
Contributed by Jacque Whitehorn
*NEW* 1/7/05 All Church activity must be rooted in charity-a
deep, abiding love for all of God's children. The scriptures tell us
that "charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth
not; ... beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all
things, endureth all things." (1 Cor. 13:4, 7; see also Moro. 7:45.)
With this in mind, it is easy to put love and understanding
into all of our Church service, whether it be genealogy, home or
visiting teaching, or missionary work. This doesn't mean that we
instantly need to be everything to everybody all at once. .... Whether
we use our talents to help the living or the dead, it is the same work.
The key is to be "anxiously engaged" (D&C 58:27) in doing the Lord's
work. We begin where we are, and as we fulfill each task, our
talents expand and our charity increases." Roy B. Bennion, "Genealogy-Love That Transcends Time," Ensign, Aug. 1987, 11.
Contributed by Jacque Whitehorn
*NEW*1/7/05 "...important in journal writing is the recording of both
our failures and successes. If we can look back and see where we failed in the
past and why, we are better able to chart a course for success in the future.
Likewise, recounting triumphs and accomplishments can be a great source of
strength in periods of discouragement and frustration and can help us get past
other difficult times." Gawain and Gayle J. Wells, "Hidden Benefits of Keeping a History," Ensign, July 1986, 47
Contributed by Jacque Whitehorn
*NEW*12/10/03 "You are the 'CLEAN-UP' and 'GET IT RIGHT' generation. Leave
such good genealogical tracks that anyone could easily follow your Pedigree Charts,
Family Groups Sheets, and Document Trail, and no one will ever be able to question where you
obtained the information in your records, nor exactly what it said."(Family History Training
Seminar Theme, March 1995)
Contributed by Ann Lewis who credits them to Lindsay Powell's
FH class at the UVSC Institute.
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