Ella's story: Heavenly Peace in an unlikely way

Ella never would have believed she would be here 3 months ago.  As she sat in the foyer of the temple, she realized that just a few months ago, her life had been without meaning.  She placed the chin of her freckled face on her hand that rested upon the table in the waiting room of the temple, and reflected upon the last few months.

She remembered how her life had come crashing down. A friend at school had turned on her, and started bullying her. At the same time, she was notified that she wouldn't be able to get into the advanced program for cello.  And on top of that, her dad lost his job, and they had to move. Now that made it easier because she would move schools.  But she felt alone, and hesitated to make friends.

As she went to the new ward, she sat with her family.  She moved her red hair out of her face, and looked around.  There were a lot of people and other girls her age.  But no one reached out to her.  She had to ask someone where she would meet for young womens, and she found the other girls weren't very friendly.  But she kept coming with her family.

The second Sunday, she listened to a young boy give his testimony about the importance of Family History.  Ella remembered a talk by Elder Bednar saying that youth could do family history, but this was the first time her heart felt touched by the spirit.  She listened to this young boy talk about how his mother showed him how to do family history, and how he was turning 11 and would soon go to the temple to do their baptisms for them. 

It was the first time she had felt peace in a long time.  She couldn't stop thinking about it.  when she was home, she wanted to get started, so she searched for the Family Tree Mobile App. She found it, and remembered that all church apps would work with her one Account login, so she signed in. 

After signing in, the Family Tree section came up, and she spent some time exploring her ancestors stories.  2 hours later, she had discovered she had 2 great grandmothers who had experienced severe trials in Nauvoo, and as they came across the plains.  As she read their stories, she felt a connection to them, and she didn't feel so alone in the trials she faced that often tormented her.  She put her hand behind her head, brushing her hair down, and she felt a bit of hope come into her life, and it felt for a bit almost like she knew these women were there.  The comfort of the spirit calmed her like nothing else. 

And then she got an idea-but how could she follow the impression?  She didn't know anything about Family History, and no one in her home did.  Still, she couldn't ignore the impression.  She tapped the 3 lines on the top of the app, then tapped help, and called the Family History Help line.  When Sister Benbow asked how she could help, Ella asked her how she could get started on the app?

She was surprised how much Sister Benbow knew about the app, and she told her to look for ancestors who had new records under the "Ancestors with tasks" bar.  After a few minutes with Sister Benbow, Ella felt like she was ready to try on her own.  In closing, Sister Benbow recommended she try looking for the app help videos, so she could become better acquainted with the app.

The videos were long, so she just watched part of one, partly because of the strength of the impression, and she wanted to get started right away.  She felt something alive in her like never before, and there seemed to be some sort of purpose to her doing this.  She had never experienced this before-this sense of purpose pushing her onward. 

But after all Sunday researching and trying to find names, she found nothing.  It was discouraging.  The same thing happened the next Sunday.  She flopped onto her bed with a harrumph.  She remembered the spirit she had felt originally, but that had faded a bit.  And she began to doubt the impression.

Then she remembered that boy's talk.  She could still see his earnest face, clear brown eyes and dark hair, and hear his confident voice-strange there was such confidence in an 11 year old.  He stated that he couldn't find names, and so had asked the Lord for help, and that soon after that, he had found some records with some of his ancestors names on the Family Search Website-and they hadn't had their work done yet. 

Ella admitted, she didn't know of any other way to go, so she prayed, and asked the Lord to help her to find some of her ancestors names. She related how she had felt her ancestors near, and how she had thought he wanted her to work on her Family History but needed help.  As she closed the prayer, she felt a sense of peace.  As she was pondering, about 20 minutes after the prayer, she got the impression to call the Family History Center again. 

So she did. And after a short conversation with a very delightful Consultant named Elder Oakenberry, who had a good sense of humor and a deep voice, Ella went back to work, this time trying to see if there were any additional hints on her ancestors with tasks.  After checking through five of them, she saw a relative from another posterity line who had a census record.  On her records, it showed he was just single, but the census records showed a wife and five children!

She tapped review, and then quickly added the names, remembering to search for duplicates, and when she didn't find any, got very excited.  She said a little silent prayer, and felt an overwhelming peace. She felt as if heaven were near, and a sense of Joy. She also felt like these people were real, and needed their work done. 

She tossed her hair behind her shoulder, and was able to reserve all 6 names, 4 women, and 2 men's names.  And she knew that the impression she had gotten weeks ago was true.  She knew she was doing the Lord's work, and she felt of his gratitude.  Her blue eyes filled with tears as she realized she would be able to do these baptisms and confirmations.

Unbeknownst to Ella, in the same room, but in the spirit world, the Glorious being with the Hansen Family showed them this girl named Ella, and let them know that Ella and her father would be getting baptized and confirmed for them in a few weeks.  And as he spoke, they felt something else.

The spirit filled the room, and Blue eyed Hans, blonde Etta, and their children were filled with such joy as they hovered there just by Ella. They had just finished their proxy lessons when they learned that their names would be found soon, and when they realized it was almost time, they were filled with joy.

They now felt a connection to this dear girl Ella, and committed that when her life was over, they would be there to meet her.  For over 150 years they had waited to receive the blessings of the true church, and now it would become a reality.  The thought that they might be able to return to the Savior they loved so much was almost more than they could imagine.   

Later, as they were in the temple, they felt the presence of the Lord.  And it seems Ella had felt it, too, because they saw tears falling down her freckled cheeks as they were confirmed. 

And Ella, sitting in the foyer of the temple afterwards, reflected upon how much her life had changed.  She had more peace in her life.  She didn't feel alone. She felt a connection to the Lord, and to people she couldn't see or hear, but knew were there.  And it had changed her.

She watched her Father walk out of the baptistry, see her, and then they walked out of the temple together, not speaking, and enjoyed the lingering feeling of the unspoken experiences.

I testify that as you will engage in Family History and Temple work, your life will change in ways you can't imagine right now.  You will see miracles happen in your lives, you will feel more connected to your Father in Heaven, and maybe more importantly, you will find a purpose and meaning to your life.  

You will become a Savior on Mount Zion, and you will join the multitudes who are sowing and reaping to help hasten the Lord's work in preparation for the second coming.  Jesus Christ lives.  He stands at the head of this work.  Engaging in this great vicarious work of salvation brings its own reward.  It is joy, peace, and comfort to the weary soul.  It will enlighten your mind, and bring you the peace you never thought you needed.

Discover your own story on the Free Family Tree Mobile App or at the Family Search Website. Below is a one minute video about how youth and children are doing Family History work. "We are doing an eternal work, we are doing the Lord's work."
 
Picture is the Accra Ghana Temple courtesy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints Media Library

Opening the Windows of Heaven in your own life (with video)

This will be an intensely personal post.  I hope it will help to change your life so you can draw closer to the Lord. It will be worth reading to the end. I want to share how coming face to face with my mortality helped me to see clearly what was most important in life, and what was not. Most importantly, I want to share how you can discover that as well.

About 10-12 years ago, I started spreading the gospel online.  I've been doing it since then, and about 7-8 years ago I gave up watching television and movies to try to do more. Because the more I did, the more I saw there was so much that needed to be done to hasten the Lord's work on this earth. And Family History started to become a big part of that.

What changed my life
A bit of history.  For a time in my life, many years ago, I didn't go to the temple.  Once I went back there, I went as often as I could.  My life literally changed when that happened, and miracles did happen in my life.  And Family History and indexing was a big part of that.

The Heavens Opened
As I took my ancestors names to the temple, I felt at times that the heavens were opened, and the blessings poured out like rain.  I have felt of the Love of the Lord, and the gratitude of my ancestors. They feel very real to me, and I have developed a love for them and the Lord. And it changed my life.

Things were going swimmingly.  I was trying as hard as I could to try to spread the gospel, and to engage in Family History and Temple work. And miracles happened.
  
Then the problems started
Then, about 2 and a half years ago, I started to get bouts of weakness.  It would last about 7-10 days, and I would be so weak I would just lay around or would just be able to sit in a chair. I had shortness of breath, and my muscles were weak.  After 7-10 days I would go back to normal functioning, and I could exercise regularly again, and so I let it go. But, a few months later, it came back again. 

After a couple of trips to the urgent care, and a trip to the ER, and many tests, the doctors couldn't find anything wrong with me.  And it went away for a few months more, and I just got used to having about a week every several months where I just got to rest a bunch.  

And then about a year and a half ago, things got worse. I did another test to see what was going on, and got nothing. And it got so bad I would have 7-10 bad days, and maybe 3-4 good days. 

I would use a good day to go to the temple, and another one to help with chores around the house, and to try to do activities with my family. But it always came back, and kept getting worse.  And most recently, I had what seemed to be a mini-stroke.

What is most important in Life is not the distractions
Why am I relating all this? Because before the pandemic, my health problems interfered with my ability to attend the temple, and do the work for my ancestors that I have done Family History for. 

As my health has gotten consistently worse, I have struggled with the question of "what if this doesn't get better?" And I have discovered what is most important in this life when pondering that. 

What will be most meaningful when life is done
I want all to hear this next part. I look back on the last 7-8 years as the most meaningful years of my life, and the reason why is because I have made the sacrifice to give up many things of the world and have engaged in the Lord's work.  Now I'm not perfect.  I'm not saying that, and I'm not better than anyone else.  I have so many faults and am trying to overcome those.  However, because I have engaged in his work, I have drawn closer to the Savior.  And Family History has been a big part of that. And that what is most meaningful to me. God, his work, and our families and relatives are what is most important.

I know the Savior lives, and is saddened when people don't come unto him.  He longs for us to come unto him and engage in his work, and feel of his love.  I know that there are many in the spirit world who haven't had their work done for them, and await for us here to do the work they can't do for themselves. 

With all the love I have in my heart, I plead with you to follow President Nelson's counsel, and make the sacrifice of time to engage in Family History and temple work on the Family Search website or the Mobile App.  It will change your life.  

It's easier than ever before to do
Even though it takes time to learn, it's easier now.  With the tools we have today, you can find many of your ancestors to take to the temple and do their temple work simply through using the app or logging in online to Family Search. 

"Aunt Edna" really didn't complete all your Family's work
I know some of you are thinking that your work is already done. Family History has evolved from when "Aunt Edna," or another genealogist in the family did all the work for the family. The work available to do has increased exponentially, and I explain this on another post.  You are needed in this great saving work.

Promises as we plead with the Lord for Guidance and help

And sometimes it is hard.  Sometimes you sit and can't find anything.  When that happens, get on your knees, and then reach out to a family history consultant, or call the Family History Library.  President Monson, President Nelson, and many apostles have said we will be blessed if we do.

They have promised the windows of heaven will open and blessings the likes of which you have never experienced will start to become a reality in your lives. I know I have experienced that in my own life. 

Your testimonies will be strengthened, your connection with the Savior will become closer than you ever thought or dreamed, and your lives will fill with a joy beyond compare. 

And like me, you probably will have hard times.  But the Lord will strengthen you during those. As someone in the handcart companies said about the hardships they faced, "It was worth it to become acquainted with the Lord."  It is even more so with learning to do Family History.

Your life matters to more than just you
Take some time today, and determine to make a sacrifice of time, as President Nelson asked, maybe some time on Sunday after the Come Follow Me gospel study to do Family History work. Maybe just take a half hour each week and open the app or website and get started.  It will make all the difference to someone else's eternity, and it will help you to realize your life matters to someone else.  And you will see that your life has a purpose. 

Start on the Family Tree Mobile App or on the Family Search website.  And discover how the dead are really alive, and how they are filled with joy when their ordinances are done.  Make the sacrifice of time, and you will experience that joy, along with the Love of the Lord. 

Your reward at the last day is worth more than any distraction

And at the last day, you will stand before the Savior, together with those relatives whose work you have done, and with the entire family of mankind who has come unto Christ, and you will rejoice with them, and weep tears of joy with them as you and they are able to enter into the Celestial Courts on high, to dwell with God and our Heavenly Family at the time when the Great Jehovah has said the work is done. 

And that will be worth more than any television show, any video game, or any movie to you.  Make the sacrifice today so you may have joy now and in the eternities. Start on the App or online.  Now here is a minute long video with youth who are engaging in Family History, and their faith promoting experiences. 

Update - When I started this post months ago, I was feeling horrible, and had for a long time, and even had concerns about my mortality. I started feeling better for a bit, however I recently had a what appeared to be a mini-stroke.  But despite all this, I have a great deal more hope for the future, and have the confirmation that I have a purpose here on this earth.  So I have more peace, despite the health problems.  And more importantly, each of us has a meaning and purpose here.  And I sincerely hope that all who hear me may engage in this work, and find the same healing I have found.  The healing of the soul.  Thanks for reading.

Picture courtesy LDS Temple Pics

"Make sure I get a white Dress" to return to the Lord

A dear mother from early church history relates the following story.  She had 2 daughters, Lizzie and Amelia.  She said that her dear Amelia died in 1890 at the age of twelve. The mother didn't believe that her daughter needed any more ordinances.

After some time, Amelia appeared to her sister, Lizzie in a dream, and asked her to make a white dress so she could go with her companions. Lizzie told Amelia she should go tell their mom about it, but Amelia said that she couldn't reach her mother. 

When Lizzie recounted the dream to her mother, her mother felt so bad.  She knew that because she believed so strongly that Amelia didn't need more ordinances, her dear departed daughter wasn't able to appear to her but instead to her other daughter, Lizzie.  So this dear mother promptly made inquiry into Amelia's ordinances. 

She'd been baptized and confirmed, but hadn't been endowed.  On May 31st, 1894, this mother went through the temple for her daughter's endowment, thus preparing her to return to the presence of the Lord. 

Revelations 3:4-5 states “…they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy. He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels” (Revelation 3: 4-5).

Do we sometimes let our own ideas get in the way of us doing our Family History work? Do we have things so set in our minds that we are not open to doing Family History?

I used to be that way until I followed the advice of a prophet, and prayed for help. And it took a long time, but the way was opened.  I wouldn't trade the Family History and temple experiences I have had since then for any amount of money.  They have been that sacred and life-changing.

I testify that it can be that way for you. Just spend maybe 5 minutes a week, maybe after your Come Follow Me Gospel Study, and open up the Family Tree Mobile App, or go online to Family Search and discover your story, and have your own experiences.  You will draw closer to the Lord, and will feel of his love, and the gratitude of your ancestors.  And you will find a purpose to your life.  You will realize that your life matters to others, and you will be preparing the way for the salvation of souls.  And that will last for eternity. And you will have teamed with Christ to do that, and will feel of his love as you do. 

I've posted this before, but this story I related was part of the inspiration to this song by Kenneth Cope called white dress.  

Picture is the St George Temple, courtesy of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints Media Library.

Echoes of Eternity: Returning to the Presence of the Lord

Sitting in the backseat of the car, Tabitha turned her brown eyes out the window, and saw the temple come into view.  It reminded her of something.  Her youth advisor's words seemed to play over and over in her mind;

"In the next 3 months, I challenge you to take these lessons I have taught you about the Family Search Mobile app, and use that to find one of your ancestors who needs their work done so you can take them to the temple."

Why was this thought coming back to her?  She tossed her dark brown hair behind her shoulder as she wondered.  And yet, despite her inexperience, she felt a sense of peace when she thought of doing family history.  She only remembered the lessons vaguely, and had no experience with it. 

At home she was still thinking about it, and as she flopped onto her bed with her phone, she realized she needed to do something about it.  She opened the Family Search Mobile App, and did as the Family History Consultant who came to her class had instructed her to do. 

She went to her app, tapped the 3 lines, and went to her "Ancestors with tasks" and waited while the app searched, gently tapping her toes against the foot of her bed, desperately hoping the search didn't take too long. 

Three minutes later, she saw the list.  Tossing her head, she slowly began to tap the blue record hints on the side, and then tapping review to see if the records found were the same as the person in her tree. 

And after an hour, no one matched, or else it was matched to someone who already had their work done.  And Tabitha was done, too. 

It was a week before she picked up the app again.  She almost had lost hope, but during church, she was thumbing through the Family History videos in the Gospel Library App, and she saw a short video where Elder Anderson stated the following:

"Our ability to find our ancestors online has only emerged in the last few years with tremendous advancements in the last few months.  Where [you youth] have become extremely devoted to visiting the temple, in the months and years ahead, you will be just as outstanding in finding and bringing names to the temple with you"

It was as if he was saying it would happen! She felt the spirit testify that it could.  She decided to watch another video before the opening prayer.  She watched a video where a girl was able to take the names of her ancestors to the temple, and become more acquainted with her family.  And the peace she had felt before came back to her.

3 hours later, after church, She opened the app again, went to her ancestors with tasks, waited, and then found some new names in the list.  She tapped the blue circle on the first one, worried she would just find records and nothing else.  She clicked review, and under the name Jonathan Keller, it showed a census record with a wife and children that weren't in the tree!

She said a quick prayer, and then got to work.  The interface allowed her to add the names into the family.  Then, she went to each new name, and even though the app did a duplicate search, she did another quick search to see if there were duplicates.  She didn't want to take these to the temple if their work had already been done. 

There were no duplicates! As she was getting ready to reserve the names, she felt the spirit confirm to her that what she had done was correct. 

Hidden from the view of Tabitha, though in the same room, Jonathan hovered with his wife, Ennis and 3 children, Anna, Helen, and Thomas.  The glorious spirit being beside them had just brought them there so they could see that their temple work would be done soon.

They had felt the spirit testify to them it was true, and had seen the spirit bring peace to Tabitha.  All of them felt this kinship to this girl whose faith would bring them into the presence of the Lord. 

Thomas was excited! After 150 years of waiting, they could receive their ordinances, and return to the presence of the Lord.  Anna said she was never so excited to have finished their proxy lessons. 

And as Ennis felt the spirit, she put her arms around her husband and children, and they all felt the promise of returning to their heavenly home.  It filled them with anticipation, and a promise of joy that would be full as soon as their ordinances were done.
     
As the spirit was receding, Tabitha felt a sense of gratitude that she had taken her youth leader's challenge.  All the frustration was worth it now.  She now had names to take to the next youth temple trip, and she felt a closeness to her Savior that filled her with a joy she had never known.  She knew this work came from the Lord, and felt of his love, through the spirit. And she had a feeling that tears were being shed on both sides of the veil. 

All of us have our story.  But it isn't really our story. It's effects echo into the eternities.  We work to help bind our ancestors to the Lord, and to do for them what they can't do for themselves.  And it's not work, really, it is joy.  And it lasts for eternity.

And this work is hastening.  I've mentioned in another post how amazing it is to see the baptistries filled with youth who have brought their own Family History names to do their work.  I've also seen how the sealing sessions are more filled with people doing their own names. 

It didn't always used to be that way. You can be a part of the Lord's hastening his work as you will engage in this great saving work of Family History and Temple work.  As President Nelson has said, "We are preparing the world for the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ...we are his covenant children. He can count on us."  



Discover your story by opening the Family Tree Mobile App, or going to the Family Search Website, and signing in.
 
Below is the video that was referenced in the story.