Have you ever felt unsure about how to approach family history? Maybe you have sprawling branches of ancestral information to sort through. Or perhaps diligent family members have picked your family tree clean of available ordinances. Maybe you wish taking names to the temple felt more personal and sacred.
These are common hurdles, so don’t count yourself out just yet. There’s still plenty you can do to enjoy family history work and feel connected to your ancestors. In a recent temple and family history broadcast with Elder Mark Bragg of the Seventy, Elder Patrick Kearon offered three ways to refocus or get started:
1. Focus First on the Savior
Next time you’re headed to the temple, regardless of whether you bring a family name, try to refocus on Jesus Christ. This isn’t just work. It’s worship. Enjoy the quiet, distinct time to adore your Savior.
“First and foremost, the Savior is in the middle of this,” reminds Elder Kearon. “And it makes me think of 2 Nephi 25:26: ‘And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins.’ This is what we believe, but how often are we conscious of it?”
Family history and temple work are rooted in the saving grace of Jesus Christ. He is the reason we get to be with the people we love. He is the one who connects us. Most of all, He is the one anxiously waiting for our great reunion in the home of our heavenly parents. With that perspective, this work is nothing short of thrilling!
2. Use “Ordinances Ready”
If you haven’t tried this tool yet, you’re in for a treat. Family history has never been easier! Simply log into your FamilySearch account and click the “Ordinances Ready” button. The tool will automatically search your family records for names that are ready to take to the temple. You can even filter the search by ordinance.
“It’s just as simple as that,” remarks Elder Kearon, “I could do it right here, right now, and in an hour be [at the temple].”
This tool is a perfect way to encourage others to do their family’s temple ordinances. Anyone can use it, and people may be surprised at how much work is left to do on their family tree!
3. Add What You Know
Your family history efforts can and should be joyful! “We’re not just taking names to the temple,” observes Elder Bragg in the broadcast, “we’re taking people. We’re taking real people to the temple and allowing them to receive the blessings of the gospel.”
The easiest way to remember the people behind the names is to learn their stories. Elder Kearon suggests adding what you know about family members to your online records. Photos, videos, stories, testimonies, even favorite recipes—anything that helps keep a memory alive.
“‘We become connected to our ancestors through knowledge of their lives,’” Elder Bragg said, quoting President Oaks, “‘We bond with them as we understand the circumstances and values that shaped them. They are real people to whom we owe our existence in this world and whom we’ll meet again hereafter. We learn better who we are, where we came from, and are blessed with a clearer vision of where we’re going. When individuals search out their ancestors’ inspiring actions and words, they will receive strength and direction for their own lives.’”
If you're on your way to the temple with a name that is not a direct relation, try searching online for a tidbit about that person. Thinking of their story in the temple invites beautifully personal light into the ordinance.
Give It a Go
“If you haven’t practiced what we’ve been talking about today, give it a go, and see how you feel,” Elder Kearon advises. “We don’t know exactly how this works and why we feel so good and why we are drawn to this work, but we have some great clues, and one day we’ll understand completely. In the meantime, enjoy your experimentation.”
Let this exciting work call to you, in whatever way personally resonates. Your simplest efforts will be reciprocated by a wide circle of family beyond the veil, angels whose names and stories are underwriting your own.
More articles for you:
▶ Use this quote to teach your family about true happiness
▶ This ward dinner group has been meeting for 50 years—here’s how
▶ Why Andy Reid says conducting the Tabernacle Choir was one of the highlights of his life
