I commend all those who have participated in this RootsTech leadership training session. We have been truly edified. On behalf of the leadership of the Church, and particularly the Temple and Family History Executive Council, we express our profound gratitude for what is being accomplished by leaders, and especially by temple and family history consultants, to enable the salvation of the dead and the unification of families through temple and family history work. The doctrines of temple work and family history are easy to understand. The gathering of Israel is for the living and the dead. The work of salvation for ancestors is for the living and the dead. At the beginning of this dispensation, when the angel Moroni appeared to 17-year-old Joseph Smith in 1823, he restated verses from Malachi that highlighted the role of the prophet Elijah. Moroni said, "Behold, I will reveal unto you the Priesthood, by the hand of Elijah the prophet, before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord." Four times the angel Moroni repeated Malachi's words to the boy Joseph. Elijah was a remarkable prophet. Christians and Jews the world over accept the Old Testament account of Elijah. He was ultimately translated and carried into heaven without tasting death. As a seminal element of the Restoration, Elijah appeared to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery in the Kirtland Temple one week after its dedication. He committed essential keys for the eternal unification of the family, making the 110th section of the Doctrine and Covenants one of the most sacred and profound of all the revelations. The scriptures are clear that we without our ancestors cannot be made perfect, and neither can they without us be made perfect. Their salvation is necessary and essential to our salvation, resulting in the eternal unification of the family. This means that the salvation of the whole human family is interdependent and interconnected, like the roots and branches of a great tree. We treasure the restoration of sealing keys from Elijah, set forth in the 110th section of the Doctrine and Covenants. The doctrine that subsequently emanated from this initial vision is clear. First, the hearts of the children shall turn to their fathers. Second, there is in fact an essential link between children and their deceased family members. Third, "For we without them cannot be made perfect." Finally, the means to achieve this link is proxy baptism for the dead. The Prophet Joseph, in his initial revelatory instructions, referred to baptism for "your dead." Our doctoral obligation is to our own ancestors. That is because the organization of heaven is families. It's not geography or anything else. Accordingly, for some time now, the First Presidency has counseled members to do family history work for their own family lines. In October 2014, we prayerfully requested that in the near future, members would provide all the names for temple work across the world. We are pleased to report that starting in 2016 and throughout 2017, this request was achieved. We do not need to rely on extracted names for temple work. As leaders, we cannot overemphasize the importance of everyone, including the rising generation and new converts, working diligently on behalf of their deceased ancestors. We are the Lord's agents in this work of salvation. The combination of greatly increased numbers of temples and advanced technology for family history work make this the most blessed time in all history. Let me share with you the challenge and vision that President Russell M. Nelson has provided for those who engage in this magnificent work. [VIDEO PLAYBACK] As Church members, our interest in family history work has been motivated by instruction from the Lord that our ancestors cannot be made perfect without us and we cannot be made perfect without them. That means we are to be linked together by the sacred sealing ordinances of the temple. We are to be strong links in the chain from our ancestors to our posterity. It's wonderful to turn the hearts of the children to their fathers by telling important family history stories in ways that are accessible and memorable. However, if we leave it at that level, we haven't really done enough. If we know who our ancestors are and know marvelous things about them, but we leave them stranded on the other side without their ordinances--such diversion will not be of any help to our ancestors who remain confined in their spirit prison. And that means sacrificing time we normally spend on other activities. We need to be spending more time in the temple and in doing family history research, which includes indexing. I would like to extend a challenge to each one of us. I invite you prayerfully to consider what kind of sacrifice--and preferably a sacrifice of time--you can make to do more family history and temple work this year. Brothers and sisters, together we are engaged in the work of Almighty God. He lives. Jesus is the Christ. This is His Church. We are His covenant children. He can count on us. [END PLAYBACK] One of our major, if not our principal emphasis this evening, is to have leaders--and especially temple and family history consultants--not only teach what needs to be done, but also promise the blessings that flow as a result of uniting eternal families on both sides of the veil. Whenever we teach an important doctrine, we also teach the blessings that flow as a result of living the doctrine. When we teach tithing or the Word of Wisdom, we promise the blessings that result from being a full tithe payer or by complying with the Word of Wisdom. We need to do the same with family history. I testify to you that doing family history work will bring great blessings. Those who do family history work on Sunday can help make the Sabbath a delight. I testify that the youth of the Church and new converts will have greater protection from the adversary if they will immerse themselves in searching for their ancestors--preparing their names for sacred vicarious ordinances available in the temple--and then go to the temple to perform baptisms as authorized or to stand as proxy for them to receive the ordinances of baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost. They will have true joy and an overwhelming sense of having united and healed families on both sides of the veil. President Russell M. Nelson, after his ordination as the prophet and President, in his first address to members, chose to speak from the Salt Lake Temple. He said: "Begin with the end in mind. ... The end for which each of us strives is to be endowed with power in [the] house of the Lord, sealed as families, faithful to [the] covenants made in [the] temple that qualify us for the greatest gift of God--that of eternal life."

HE CONTINUED: "Your worship in the temple and your service there for your ancestors will bless you with increased personal revelation and peace and will fortify your commitment to stay on the covenant path." He concluded: "Whatever your concerns, whatever your challenges, there is a place for you in this, the Lord's Church. You and generations yet unborn will be blessed by your actions now to return to the covenant path." As one of the Savior's Apostles, I testify that President Russell M. Nelson is indeed our President and prophet. I testify of the divinity of the Savior and the reality of His Atonement and that under the Father's direction, He guides this celestial work of salvation and exaltation. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.