On my other blog, I've spoken of many of these prophetic invitations and promises, but here I wanted to focus on one specific thing that can bring us peace.
A prophet's invitation that can change your life
It's something President Nelson invited us to do last Conference. And as it did for me, it can change your life as well.
It is something that originally helped me to feel of the spirit of Elijah, and gave me the courage to start to learn how to do Family History.
For all ages
It's Family Search indexing. It's easy, addicting, and fun, can be done with just 10-15 minutes maybe on a Sunday or weekend, and helps the work. If you don't know how to do Family History it's a perfect fit. And it's for adults, teens, and even older children. That's right, you can learn to do it and teach your children. More on that later.
How it helps with Family History Work
I shared in another post about how Family Search emailed me a few years after I helped index the 1940 Census (10 years ago), and let me know that the records I indexed had helped hundreds of people add to their family trees, and reserve ordinances for their ancestors. It helps link the Family of Man with sacred ordinances.
Easy to Get Started
Just go to the Family Search Indexing Website, login with your Church Account, choose a project (right now records of people from Wisconsin are being encouraged), and then get started. It's wonderful for a Sunday afternoon or a weekend. And for questions, there is a wonderful help page.
What you are doing
When you login and choose a project, what you are doing is reading the words on a microfilm Family Search shows you, and typing them into boxes and submitting it, so that people can search for them on Family Search. Then...
Family Search matches your records with people's ancestors
Family Search will take those records and scan the Worldwide Family Tree, and can send a hint to a person's relative that a record has been uploaded that can help them add to their family tree. And possibly reserve ordinances.
It brings Joy and Peace-especially for beginners of all ages
Learning Family History is a joyful process. It has been for me. I still feel like I'm a beginner. But I'm still able to help out with the work. And so can you whether you are an adult, youth, or older child.
How it changes the lives of Children
Older children are especially sensitive to the spirit, and often can catch the spirit of Elijah at a young age. And that can change their entire lives. I discussed how Family History changes the lives of children and youth on another post on this blog.
Our Prophet's Invitation
For now, I'm going to close with the quote with President Nelson's invitation in his talk "Hear Him," from last General Conference, and how it relates to indexing.
"While worshipping in the temple is presently not possible, I invite you to increase your participation in family history, including family history research and indexing. I promise that as you increase your time in temple and family history work, you will increase and improve your ability to hear Him."
This is an invitation with a promise, not a command. I know I have needed to Hear the voice of the Lord, through the spirit so I can get through some of the trials I have faced. If you reread the talk, this is one way, of many, that we can learn to Hear the Lord better.
Get started on the Family Search Website. Just takes a few minutes.
Testimony
I know this work is of God. It will help us draw closer to the Lord, closer to our families, and the spirit will rest upon our homes as we will engage in this work.
Make this new normal a new way to draw closer to him.
If you have never done Family History on Family Search, I've done a 10 Minute Quick Start Guide on another post.
A great Followup to it is the Resolving Duplicates post.
Discover your story on the Family Tree Mobile App, or on the Family Search Website. You may also find inspirational materials on this blog.
Pictures courtesy of LDS Temple Pics, and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints Media Library
