Learn from this collection about the identity, traditions, and oral history of Native Americans and how to treasure your own heritage.

A young woman draws three lessons for how to be a better friend and sibling from an experience of saying hurtful things to a brother before he unexpectedly died. Have a desire to improve, act with courage, and be motivated by the best of intentions.


Be a Better Friend or Sibling

Native American brothers and sisters share what it means to know of the great blessings promised to those who are obedient to the commandments of the Lord.

Children of Promise

When choosing an education or career, says a young father, seek input from many people, including family and experts, and see how their counsel matches your views and values. After settling on a decision, take your plan to the Lord.


Choose a Career You’ll Love

One woman shares how easy it is to feel inadequate in a social-media world, to compare someone else’s best with your worst. My best is different every day. We should concentrate on pleasing the Lord. Then feelings of inadequacy will melt away. 


Deal with Feelings of Inadequacy

A Native American brother shares his perspectives on the importance of education, how family ties reach beyond our closest relatives, and the great blessings that await those who seek to know who they are as children of God.

Education, Family, and Eternal Potential

When it comes to helping your parents find their way back to church, love is really the only answer. If offensive words get in their way and activity tapers off, you can still love your parents, serve them, and respect them.



Encourage Your Parents to Come Back to Church

One woman shares how her native heritage helps her feel a deeper connection to others. “My native heritage is so important to me. It’s a huge part of who I am. It’s a part of my daily life[,] . . . my spirituality. I like my heritage.” 


Feel Appreciation for My Native Heritage

Finding reliable answers in today’s internet world can be challenging, says one woman. Finding faith-based answers requires prayer. Questions are good. The Lord expects us to study and learn for ourselves. Answers come if we trust the Lord to lead.


Find Answers to Your Faith-Based Questions

Finding happiness every day can be challenging—especially when the world seems scary. This young woman tells how she replaces fear with faith by praying and then looking outside herself to find others who need assistance. 


Find Daily Happiness in a Scary World

Failure is part of being human, says this young man. Feelings of failure come from comparing yourself with others. To overcome those feelings, focus on things that make you happy, such as family and friends and activities.

Find Happiness in the Face of Failure

Young man shares how he tries to remember those “amazing moments” in life so that down the road he can rekindle the feeling when he needs it. Joy is in the simple things like greeting a stranger. Kindness brings joy.


Find Joy Every Single Day

Matthew shares how learning the stories, traditions, and principles from his Native heritage has strengthened his beliefs and faith. Building on our heritage helps us become our best selves.


Find Value in Your Heritage

Many Native American youth struggle with their identity and what they are to do. By finding their natural-born strength, resilience, and love, they can be a pioneer in their family to break through barriers and contribute to the world.


Find Your Identity as a Native American Youth

Matthew shares how focusing on positive things in life helps him remember that “there’s a lot of love in the world, … there’s a lot of love from our Heavenly Father, and there’s a lot of love … in our friends and our family.”


Focus on the Positive in a Negative World

Being a sibling can feel like a balancing act. Siblings can get on each other’s nerves. By focusing on having fun, being patient, and learning from one another, you can find joy in one another’s company. We remember we are in it together.


Improve Sibling Relationships

As a Native American member of the Church, you may feel like you live in two separate worlds. However, the beliefs and values of these worlds often overlap. You can find balance by honoring the similarities of both cultures.


Live in Both the Native American and Church Cultures

A young Navajo man shares his love for his culture through stories and dancing. Sharing his heritage with others produces good feelings, he said. “We all belong to the same world. We’re all together, and so we all should treat each other that way.”


Love Your Heritage and Share It

As the Native American population ages, FamilySearch seeks to record vibrant, oral histories with Natives in order to help preserve their history, language, culture, and genealogy.

Native American Oral Histories

Can we fully prepare for the greatest challenges in life—marriage and parenting? A young mother counsels to trust in the Lord and prepare spiritually. Take your concerns to the Lord. Blessings come as we pray. He trusts you.


Prepare for Marriage and Parenting

You can retain your Native traditions and live the gospel of Jesus Christ by finding bridges between the two. Many Native traditions complement principles of the gospel, which makes them easy to share with new generations.


Retain Your Traditions and Live the Gospel

As Native Americans, we can get so wrapped up in the idea of what we’re “supposed” to be that we lose sight of who we really are. We’re a happy, spiritual people. We know where we are and where we come from. Take pride in our heritage.


Take Pride in Your Native Heritage

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