In the quiet of the temple, Margaret sat, and looked at the name of the person on her card, Helene. She tilted her brown haired head to the side a bit, got a pensive look on her freckled face, and wondered who this person was, what she did in her life, and whether she was waiting for her ordinances.
In the temple, hovering over her, Helene, dressed in white, quietly spoke to the Glorious, glowing spirit named Arthur who was supervising the other spirits who had come to the temple because their ordinances were being done. He told her she could go down close to Margaret.
As Helene slowly floated closer, she had such a feeling of love for Margaret, and longed to reach out to her. In this session, Helene felt a connection to Father in Heaven so strong, and that love she felt from him through the spirit only increased her gratitude for Margaret, who was doing her ordinance work for her.
For Margaret, it was a glorious session. She sat her small frame down in the chair, breathed deeply and tossed her dark hair behind her shoulder, and focused on the session. The spirit testified to her that what she was doing was needed. It filled her with joy. She had felt the love of the Lord for her, and also felt that Helene was a real person, and she could feel her gratitude.
Helene, as she accepted the promises of the session, had never felt such joy. But she was a bit sad because her relatives still hadn't been found, and they were unable to experience this with her. She wanted to try and impress upon Margaret something, but Arthur, his white hair glowing, told her to wait until she got a prompting from the Lord. So Helene waited for awhile and when it was time to move to the celestial room, she got her confirmation and started to move towards Margaret. It was amazing how the spirit of the Lord carried her righteous desires to Margaret.
In the Celestial room, Margaret got the impression there were more people, grandparents. As she left and went home, she couldn't stop thinking about it.
She turned on the computer, and went to Helene's record in her Family Tree online, and found some records there of parents, and they were there and their work was done, but no Grandparents. Then she looked to the side, and she was able to see a record hint from Family Search! With just a few mouse clicks, she attached the new record and was able to find and add Helene's Grandparents, and after adding another record, Helene's Grandparents' brothers and sisters and Parents as well.
Margaret reflected upon times when it was difficult to do Family History. It was now worth the price she paid to learn-and it was easier than she had originally thought. But there was something even more rewarding that overcoming obstacles.
As she reserved their names so she could do their ordinances, she felt a peace and a joy that lifted burdens off her she never even knew were there. And that feeling of peace lasted for days. And it happened almost every time she found more ancestors, and took them to the temple.
This story was based off real true stories that are similar. This work is a supernal work where the heavens and the earth meet. As Elder Scott has said, it is a monumental work of Love from both sides of the veil. These are not just names we take to the temple, they are people who lived, but didn't have the opportunity to have the spirit testify of the truth of the gospel when they were alive.
And it is our job to do the work for all of the family of Man who will come unto Christ. I testify that the Lord Beckons all to come unto him, and he is calling for us to rise up as saints, and labor in his vineyard, where we can experience our own joy beyond compare.
As Mark was scrolling through his Facebook, he wondered if there was more to life? It was even a chore to binge watch his favorite shows. His calloused hands shifted his phone to a different position, and he scrolled through a few meaningless posts until he found something.
He saw someone had posted a link to the Family Tree Mobile App. He remembered the cute brown-haired, green-eyed girl who had given a lesson a few Sundays ago with a challenge to get started on Family History (more about her later).
He remembered the challenge, and that in mind, Mark decided to follow the instructions, and downloaded the app. He didn't know how to login, but then remembered that it used his church universal login, the one he had gotten using his membership number when he used the tools app to look up a ward member's phone number.
His dark brow furrowed, and he squeezed his eyes closed in pain as he remembered the tragic events of months ago. He had gotten in an accident that left him in the hospital for a week. They hadn't expected him to live, but he did.
But his friend didn't. He was thrown through the windshield, and by the time the paramedics got there, he was gone.
A thousand ifs kept going through his brain, both day and night, and they only stopped with television. Until the lesson on Family History.
As he was pondering this, he felt something strange but good. It seemed like he felt his friend near. He couldn't explain it, but he knew his friend was happy where he was. Mark was still having a hard time, and he almost found his friend's happiness hard to believe, but he couldn't deny it. And these thoughts had originally started with that lesson about doing Family History.
He logged into the Green Family Tree Mobile app, and on the first page, saw that there weren't any people on his pedigree. But his mom had done a lot of work! Where was it? He had heard that Family Search can find more names than in the past, and could help you, but where were the ones already done?
He called his mom, and as he was talking to her, he imagined her smiling face and dark hair bobbing, as they always did when she spoke about something she loved. She told him he needed to put the names, birthdates, and birthplaces of his parents and grandparents, back to where he found one that had died, and it would pull in his tree from the main Family Search Tree.
About fifteen minutes after getting the information he needed from his mom, he had his family tree. He looked at some of his ancestors, saw that there were some stories there, and one of them had to do with his great-great grandfather, a tough but wounded man who had accidentally run over his sister with a farm tool, and killed her. His ancestor wrote in his journal that the gospel of Jesus Christ was the only thing that got him through it, and the only thing that helped him to feel forgiven.
Mark could not hold back the sobs. His rough hands wiped away some tears, but some fell on his grey levis. He still felt a bit like he couldn't be forgiven, but something changed a bit as he read this account by his ancestor. He wasn't alone, and there was something happening to him that made him feel like there was hope for him.
A half hour later, Mark picked up his phone again, wiped the tears from his dark brown eyes, and then remembered the lesson on Family History, something about the "ordinances ready" section. He tapped the 3 lines, and then went to the part that said "ordinances ready."
He chose endowment, and found that there were a few that pulled up there. There was one his mother had shared. He took the name and went to the temple where they printed it out for him before the session.
As he was there, he put his fingers through his dark hair, and sat his long frame into the seat. He felt a peace come over him, and though he loved being in the temple, he was still wondering if he was worthy to be there. Near the end of the session, he felt a quiet peace, and for a moment, it seemed like his self-imposed guilt was gone. Tears flowed down his freckled cheeks again.
And as the impression started to subside, there was another one. To open the app when he got home.
After looking peacefully at the chandelier and feeling the peace of the Celestial room, Mark finally prepared to leave, and there was purpose in his long-legged stride as he did.
At home, he hurriedly took the phone out of its case, opened up the app, and went to the "ancestors with tasks" to see what he could find. Now Mark was eventually able to use the "Ancestors with tasks" to find his relatives names to take to the temple, but I won't explain that now, since there are a couple of otherposts that deal with how to use the app to find names, and most importantly, other posts that deal with the expanded definition of Family in the church and Family History. There are now millions more names than there used to be when "Aunt Edna" was compiling the Family History.
But back to Mark's story. Just know that Family History work becomes a big thing in Mark's life, almost as big as a certain cute brown-haired green-eyed girl who once taught him a lesson about Family History.
And his healing? That took time. A lifetime. But each time he found his ancestor's names, or went to the temple, he was one step closer to fully healing from the trauma of the past.
And their kids? Well, Mark and his wife did the one thing that, more than anything else, ensures kid's future activity in the church. More about that on this blogpost. And if you want more stories, there are a few more on this blog.
Discover your story on the Family Tree Mobile App, or on the Family Search Website. I testify that, as President Nelson has said about Family History, "We are engaged in the work of Almighty God. We are his covenant children. He can count on us."
Picture is the Provo Temple in Winter, Courtesy of the Media Library of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
I chose this picture, because it was in the Nauvoo temple that the heavens were opened for the Saints, and a greater number of them first received their endowments and sealings, and the Heavenly Fire of the Covenant burned in their souls. It is hoped this post will help that same Fire of the Covenant burn in your soul as well.
President Nelson has testified that this great saving work of our dead that we are engaged in is the Work of Almighty God. He further stated; "we are his covenant children, he can count on us." I wanted to dispel a myth, then the incredible videos.
Aunt Edna didn't complete your Family History-not even close But many people think Family History doesn't apply to them, and they tune out because they think "Well, my work has already been done by Aunt Edna," or some other family member who is a Genealogist and has found all my family clear back to where there aren't records. Well that is false. Your Family History work isn't anywhere near done, and it's easier than ever to do it now.
That's right. That false idea has stopped so many people from enjoying the blessings of Family History, and so we sit here, enjoying the blessings of the gospel, while millions of our relatives on the other side are praying for the day that someone can do their work so they can return to the presence of the Lord.
I have some critical information here that will dramatically change how you see Family History and Temple work, and how critical it is you engage in it.
The Definition of Relatives is not limited-an example Most of us think of our Family Tree as our parents, grandparents, great grandparents, and so on until we reach the 1600's or 1400's and can't go any further. But that view of Family has changed with Family History in the church now.
Let me give you an example that just illustrates the point, and is just to illustrate a point though it's based on real genealogies. First some definitions. I will speak of my ancestors, and my ancestor's posterity along other descendency lines, which are his children and children's children to now. Please keep in mind these are estimates to illustrate, I'm not a math major, so it's not 100 percent accurate, though I have attempted to be conservative in my estimates to make up for it. Now part of this is a bit dry, but it gets really good after that.
One of my Great Great (many more) Grandfathers converted in Missouri, and was in Nauvoo, and emigrated to Utah in the mid 1800's. It shows he had 14 brothers and sisters. And just one of his children had at least that many or more children. Now if you go back to include His Grandfather from the 1700's, then go through my ancestor in Missouri, and assume his kids had 5 children each (many back then had many more), an estimate of their total posterity could be tens of thousands or much more (one estimate was 40 thousand, but we will use the smaller number of 10 thousand). Now his grandfather wasn't a member.
Now one point: I haven't checked in detail on this line, but If there is posterity on alternate lines moving forward from this ancestor in the 1700's to today, they are considered my family, too, and I can do their Family History and Temple work if it's not done, provided it is 110 years after their birthdate. And so can you on your alternate posterity lines. Let that sink in a bit. So with 7-8 generations back with tens of thousands posterity, and with each generation back further that number can increase exponentially. And you are wondering, can I do that?
Family Search Helps you to find them! Guess what? Family Search will even help me to find them, will show me how I am related, and will give me hints with records that may contain more of my family-and some of their posterity are so recent that Family Search can give hints to records that help you find them.
Hopefully you can see by now that this is more people than one person can do in a lifetime. And that Family Search helps you to find more of them. So Let me blow your mind a bit more now, then the good stuff after.
Hundreds of Thousands? Not even close This was just one line back. If you go back 4 generations, your ancestral view will have about 16 great grandparents. But they also had other posterity that didn't go to you. So go back further to 7 generations, which many members have, and there you have potentially 128 parents or 64 potential posterity lines. So 7 generations times 64 with tens of thousands of posterity each amounts to maybe 640,000 in alternate posterity lines moving forward from a 7th Generation ancestor. Beyond what Aunt Edna could do.
But wait there is more. If an ancestral line goes up 2 more generations back further than 7 generations, that brings it to 512 grandparents and many great grandparents or about 256 posterity lines. Straight math says that 256 times 10,000 is about 2.5 million posterity. The math gets fuzzy here, because this is just a limited estimate, and doesn't account for compounding, but this just shows we are now exponentially far beyond what hundreds of Aunt Ednas could do.
Finally the Point: More to do and you can easily work on those alternate posterity lines from a common ancestor. Some of the lines working back have gone from your ancestor in the 1600's forward to the 1800's where there are census records online that can add to your family tree with just a few taps or mouse clicks.
The Lord is hastening his work in his time. The tools we have to find our relatives and do their work has made it so easy. I have found relatives who were related to me by an ancestor in the 1600's, but on a different posterity line. And Family Search gave me hints on how to find more relatives on these lines. In fact, the Mobile App, and the website are designed to show you these hints.
One thing to make sure of. You need to click on the "view my relationship" to make sure there is a relationship before adding to your family tree.
Now I'm including an incredible newer video that first shares our Prophet and Apostles promising us blessings as we engage in Temple and Family History work. "This latter day work will destroy the powers of darkness, and bring to pass the salvation of the human family". And after that, a get started video walkthrough where you can watch how to do it. Here's the first one.
And here is the get started video
A simple step to start To start, open the Family Tree App, or go to the Family Search website, and if your family tree isn't there, input your parents, grandparents, and maybe great grandparent's names, birthdates, and relationships there, and it should pull in the family history that has already been done.
Read their histories Take a moment to read the histories your relatives have put in there. You may feel the spirit of Elijah start to stir in you. You may feel like you are not alone on this earth or in the heavens.
Ancestors with Tasks or Recommended tasks And then, if you are on the app, go to the "ancestors with tasks" section (recommended tasks on the website), go to one of the people, and then look at their record. See if they have any spouse or children there. Check their birthdate and place.
Then tap the blue circle and it will take you to a vital record like a census record, birth record, or other record that they are on. Tap "review" or "compare." It will show you both records, your relative in your family tree, and the record found by Family Search. If it is a match, it will show you if the record found by Family Search lists additional Family Members that are not in your Family Tree.
And with a few taps, you can add additional family members and with a few taps more, you can reserve their temple work. Now these are not just names. They are people. Your people. Your Family. And they have been waiting for their work to be done.
Once they are reserved, you can use the "ordinances ready" part of the app to print ordinance cards, or it will give you a number, and you can give that to the temple office, and they can print the cards for you.
Now it's not always as simple as that. But when you run into roadblocks, reach out to Family Search using the help section of the app or website, or contact a Family History Consultant, and then pray. Apostles and prophets have promised that if we will do that, the Lord will open up a way. I've followed that counsel, and have always found that the Lord opens up doors for us.
Testimony, Promise, and President and Sr Nelson's words I testify that this work is the work of the Lord. It will redeem and save all who will come unto him. It will bring us blessings untold. We will have a greater testimony of the Savior and this work. We will grow to have a love for our ancestors. And as we engage in this work, we will not stray from the Savior and his gospel.
And when we pass away, we will see the people whose work we have done, and we will be able to embrace and weep tears of joy as we together enter the Kingdom of Heaven, to dwell in the presence of the Lord forever. Here's a video of President Nelson and his wife inviting us to engage in this great work. Discover your story on the Family Tree Mobile App, or on the Family Search Website. You can also view other posts on this blog for how to use the App to get started
Picture of the Nauvoo Temple courtesy of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, available in the Media Library.
Please note that I have attempted to make approximate estimates based on the best numbers I had, however I make no claim to exact accuracy. In most cases, I have used significantly conservative estimates. These cases are just illustrations, though based upon actual genealogies.
Today's post I'm sharing an amazing vision from President Nelson's Grandfather, shared by President Nelson. His Grandfather learns how important this work to save our dead is. After the story will be a video of this story, with President Nelson relating a part of this story to his family and to us, and an invitation to get started or continue today in this work of salvation.
President Nelson relates "When my grandfather A. C. Nelson was a young husband and father, just 27 years old, his father died. Then about three months later, his father, now deceased, came to visit him. The date of that visit was the night of April 6, 1891.
Grandfather Nelson was so impressed by his father's visit that he wrote the experience in his own journal for his family and his friends. Listen to my grandfather's words about that sacred experience:
"I was in bed when Father entered the room. He came and sat on the side of the bed. He said, 'Well, my son, as I had a few spare minutes, I received permission to come and see you for a few minutes. I am feeling well, my son, and have had very much to do since I died.'
"'What have you been doing since you died, Father?'
"'I've been traveling together with Apostle Erastus Snow ever since I died. That is, since three days after I died. I received my commission to preach the gospel. You cannot imagine, my son, how many spirits there are in the spirit world that have not yet received the gospel. But many are receiving it, and a great work is being accomplished. Many are anxiously looking forth to their friends who are still living to administer for them in the temples. I've been very busy in preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ.'
"'Father, can you see us at all times, and do you know what we are doing?'
"'Oh, no, my son. I have something else to do. I cannot go when and where I please. There is just as much and much more order here in the spirit world than in the other world. I have been assigned work to do, and it must be performed.'
"'We intend to go to the temple and get sealed to you, Father, as soon as we can.'
"'That, my son, is part of what I came to see you about. We will yet make a family and live throughout eternity.'
"'Father, is it natural to die?'
"'It is just as natural to die as it is to be born, or for you to pass out of that door.' And here he pointed at the door. 'When I told the folks that I could not last long, it turned dark and I could not see anything for a few minutes. Then the first thing I could see was a number of spirits in the spirit world. The paper you gave me, my son, is dated wrong, but it makes no particular difference. Correct records are kept here.'
"'Father, is the gospel as taught by this Church true?'
"'My son, do you see that picture?' Pointing to a picture of the First Presidency of the Church hanging on the wall.
"'Yes, I see it.'
"'Well, just as sure as you see that picture, just as sure is the gospel true. The gospel of Jesus Christ has within it the power of saving every man and woman that will obey it, and in no other way can they ever obtain salvation in the kingdom of God. My son, always cling to the gospel. Be humble. Be prayerful. Be submissive to the priesthood. Be true. Be faithful to the covenants you have made with God. Never do anything that would displease God. Oh, what a blessing is the gospel. My son, be a good boy.'"
My grandfather felt this was very sacred, and he said, "I write it for the benefit of my family and friends." And now that I'm a General Authority of the Church, I assume everybody in the world is part of my family, so I share it.
My grandfather's visit with his departed father happened 27 years before President Joseph F. Smith's vision of the redemption of the dead, dated 1918. That vision has become section 138 of the Doctrine and Covenants. It's so precious to me that my grandfather would leave that record for us."
The work of saving our dead is a labor of love that blesses both those here on earth, and those in the spirit world. The Blessings of heaven are poured out upon all who engage in that great work. Below is the video of President Nelson relating this story.
I wanted to take a moment to share some things the Apostles have said about engaging in the work of Salvation with Temple and Family History work. Please don't tune out. I promise that this will be worth the time to read, and that it can change your life as you both read this and watch the video at the bottom.
First, though this article doesn't specifically mention this, there is always more work to be done with your ancestors, and it's easier than it has ever been before. If you can order something online, you can do Family History work. The tools are that good. I testify of that truth as well. Now to the talks.
Some people will remember Elder Bednar's talk to the youth relating the following "“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” (“The Hearts of the Children Shall Turn,” October 2011 General Conference)
Think of that a bit, whether you are young or old. Could it be that the technology we have today was specifically inspired by the Lord to help advance his work on the earth?
A year after Elder Bednar's talk, Elder Richard G. Scott of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles also said in regards to participating in family history and temple work: “I can think of no greater protection from the influence of the adversary in your life” (“The Joy of Redeeming the Dead,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2012, 94).
In addition, Elder Scott and Elder Bednar have promised the following blessings as we will do Family History work, and do the work of our ancestors in the temple:
1. Your conversion to the Savior will become deeper. 2. You will receive light and knowledge through the Holy Ghost. 3. Your testimony will be strengthened. 4. Your patriarchal blessing will become more meaningful. 5. Your love and gratitude for your ancestors will grow. 6. You will have greater opportunities to serve. 7. Your service in the temple will become more sacred.
I wanted to close with a quote from Elder Scott's talk. It is an invitation to engage in Family History Work, it lets you know that you don't need to be a genealogist anymore, and gives more promises.
"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. Perhaps you have been prompted to look for ancestors but you 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 beyond the veil who can’t help themselves. Check around. There will be someone in your area who can help you have success.
This work is a spiritual work, a monumental effort of cooperation on both sides of the veil, where help is given in both directions. Anywhere you are in the world, with prayer and faith, determination and diligence, and some sacrifice, you can make a powerful contribution. Begin now. I promise you that the Lord will help you find a way" (Richard G. Scott, “The Joy of Redeeming the Dead,” October 2012 General Conference).
I echo what Elder Scott and Bednar have said. I know that our lives will change for the better as we engage in Family History work. I have drawn closer to the Lord, closer to my ancestors, and I have a great love for them.
I want to do their work, so that when I leave this life, I can return to them, and state as Theodin in Lord of the Rings did, "In whose mighty company, I shall not now be ashamed."
And that is the greatest blessing. That we will be able to rejoice for eternity because we have made the sacrifice of time so we could save our ancestors and help them return to the presence of the Lord. That work we do for them lasts for eternity. Discover your story on the Family Tree Mobile App, or on the Family Search Website. You can also view other posts on this blog for how to use the App to get started, as well as another post with a more comprehensive list of of blessings that can come from Temple and Family History Work. Below is a one minute short video with clips from Elder Scott's talk. Picture is the Ogden Utah Temple, courtesy of the Media Library of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
