Dear brothers and sisters, we welcome you to the temple and family history leadership instruction. This historic global meeting is being held around the world in over 180 countries. It will be originating in 10 languages and will be translated into many additional languages under the direction of local area presidencies. We will begin with an opening prayer.

Dear Heavenly Father, we think Thee that we could all gather here today. Please bless that we can be able to learn and that we can be safe. Please bless that we can have a great time tonight. And we thank Thee for all of our many blessings. And in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Our theme for this instruction comes from President Russell Nelson. In the April 2020 general conference, he gave us this timeless promise. I promise that as you increase your time in temple and family history work, you will increase and improve your ability to hear Him.

Think for just a minute about what we just heard together. It is a promise from a prophet of the Lord that if we will increase our focus on temple and family history work, we will increase our ability to actually hear the voice of the Lord Jesus Christ. Speaking of our need to hear Him, President Nelson has taught-- We live in a world that is complex and increasingly contentious. The constant availability of social media and a 24 hour news cycle bombard us with relentless messages. If we are to have any hope of sifting through the myriad of voices and the philosophies of men that attacked truth, we must learn to receive revelation. In coming days, it will not be possible to survive spiritually without the guiding, directing, comforting, and constant influence of the Holy Ghost. It is clearly important to learn to hear Him. It is also obvious that there is a link between the temple and the gathering of our ancestors and our ability to hear Him. This important work, the work of salvation and exaltation, is going forward in remarkable ways. Watch with me as we learn from others in this short video clip.

[NON-ENGLISH SPEECH] Hi, I am Avery Anna Peterson. [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH] I am Len Merrill. [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH] I live in Beirut, Lebanon. [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH] I'm from San Diego, California. I live in Beirut, Lebanon. I learn to hear Him every time I strive to keep myself on the covenant path. I was 13 years old when I started to look for my ancestors. And I will spend hours and hours looking for names at the Family History Center in Santiago. [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH] Even just going and sitting in the temple parking lot, I can hear Him and just feel peace and comfort. And I think that's Him. [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH] Using my time in family history and temple work has improved my ability to hear the Savior by connecting me with my ancestors and leading me to hear an answer that I needed in my life. My ability to hear Him has broadened as I have written down things I have learned about ancestors. It reminds me that I can do hard things because my family members in the past have also done hard things. Indexing, reviewing, and searching family names on Family Search and interviewing family relatives have always brought happiness, love, peace, and faith in my life. As I search for my ancestors, I felt their presence. I felt peace and joy. [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH] I've had the Spirit wake me up in the middle of the night with words running through my head. They were obviously Him speak to me. And I know that this is because of my desire to work on my family history and the craving that I have for the quiet in my life. [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH] I gave a testimony of family history that really just brought the Spirit more into my life. I felt like I was more finely tuned to the Holy Ghost. I feel like I am so strongly enable to hear Him. I know that He is there guiding me. I know that my ancestors are there guiding me. And I know that we're all working together to find the pieces of the puzzle as I prepare for being temple worthy next year and I can have my family together forever. And family history allows me to continue that connection when they have moved on, especially those who have not heard or had the opportunity to embrace the Savior's love. Yes, a great plan for each one of us. [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]

I realize that the Lord speaks to us in so many ways and that was such a wonderful experience for me.

You have been invited to participate in this leadership instruction because you and I and each of us are fully engaged in the work of salvation and exaltation, which includes as one of the four divinely appointed responsibilities uniting families for eternity. Our hope is that you will leave this meeting with one or two impressions about how you can, as Jacob taught in the Book of Mormon, better magnify your office under the Lord. It may not be what is said, but rather what is heard through the quiet promptings and whisperings of the Spirit. If you will listen to that still, small voice, the Spirit will teach you all things that are expedient for you. I know that the Lord is anxious to share light and knowledge with each of us as we strive to bring about the salvation and exaltation of God's children. Thank you for your faith, your dedication to this great work. I bear testimony that God is in fact our Heavenly Father. We are His children. Jesus Christ is His only begotten Son in the flesh, our Savior and Redeemer. This is the Church of Jesus Christ, His Church. And this is His great work. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Greetings to each of you on our youth panel. I'm Elder Kevin Hamilton of the Seventy and I currently serve as the Executive Director of the Family History Department. We're honored to have with us today Elder David A. Bednar, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and currently the chairman of the Temple and Family History Executive Council. Elder Bednar today you and I are joined through technology by a panel of youth from around the world. You and I are in Salt Lake City, Utah, but our panelists are in Guatemala, Brazil, France, Germany, Japan, and the Philippines. And speak French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, and English. To my knowledge, this has never really been done before so please bear with us as we try something new. These young people have been gathered into this discussion panel to learn from you and to share their thoughts and experiences about how temple and family history work has helped them to hear the voice of the Lord. Elder Bednar. President Nelson made a remarkable promise in connection with hearing Him. And that is that as we engage in family history work, he promised that we would then receive additional capacity to hear Him more effectively. What have you learned as you've been engaged in doing family history work about hearing Him? Henry, please. [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH] Henry, you've made an extremely important point. Many members of the Church think they have to be consciously aware of receiving revelation. In other words, I have to receive revelation and I have to know in the moment that I'm receiving revelation. And that's not always true. If you'll think about Nephi, when he was commanded to return to Jerusalem to obtain the plates of brass he said that he went not knowing beforehand the things that he should do. In other words, he was just doing what he knew he should do. And as he was moving forward to Jerusalem, he was guided and inspired. But in the moment, he didn't really recognize or know that was happening. So sometimes we think that we have to gear up, prepare, get ready to receive revelation. If we're living the gospel and keeping the commandments, we're living in revelation. It's not a rare event where we have to stop and get ready, but it should be a very natural part of our life all the time. Henry, you've made a fantastic comment. Thank you. So when I heard of President Nelson's invitation, I was inspired to lessen the distractions around me like turning off the notifications that I get from social media and taking more time to commune with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and by participating in the work of salvation. I tried to reach out to my fellow young women and to take more time to study the scriptures. And it has really helped me to hear Him. So it wasn't just that you stopped doing the social media, it's that you used the time to do things that you thought were more important or better things to do.

Simon, please.

[NON-ENGLISH SPEECH] What will you do to remember these things that you learn? Sometimes teenagers your age will be distracted and diverted into other kinds of interests. What will you do so that you remember what you've learned, that feeling of love, the power of the Spirit? [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH] Simon, those are tremendous answers. Let me recommend one additional thing. Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is a principle of action and of power. First, we act in accordance with the teachings of Jesus then we are blessed with the power of His Spirit. So it takes more than just kneeling and praying. After we pray, we have to get up and get to work. So the preparation of the names when the temples are more fully open then we can take the names to the temple. But doing the work is an expression of faith. That's how we build faith is doing the things that the Savior taught us. Zoi, please. [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH] So Zoi, I'm assuming that this friend was not a member of the Church. Is that correct?

Yeah. Well, you've highlighted something that most members never quite figure out. And that is that family history work and missionary work are the same work. There's the spirit of Elijah that rests upon people as they have an increased interest in their ancestors. And what you've done is introduce the gospel to your friend in a very natural and normal way simply by sharing the reasons why we do our family history work. Henry. [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH] Henry, we may need to make an exception for you and see if we can send you out into the mission field now given your understanding of the connection between missionary work and family history work. There's only one work. And Henry, you remember this for when you are a missionary. OK? Gabriel, please. [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH] The gathering of Israel on both sides of the veil. There's a very interesting connection, and I don't know exactly how this works, but clearly the ancestors in the Spirit world have a keen interest in their ancestors being taught the gospel by members of the Church and missionaries. Because those living ancestors hold the key to open the door to the ordinances of salvation for those who are in the Spirit world receiving the message of the gospel. So Gabriel, you're very, very correct in highlighting that this is the gathering of Israel on both sides of the veil. Missionary work and family history work. Great observation.

Hanae, please. [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH] You just summarized what President Nelson has taught all of us. Any time we do anything that helps anyone to prepare to receive an ordinance and progress along the covenant path, we are assisting in the gathering of Israel. Excellent observation. Let's pose this question to everyone. Are there some examples that you have experienced in terms of helping other people to do their family history work? Maybe family members or people in a class or a Quorum at Church. Henry? You had your hand up about an experience of helping others. [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH] Henry, how did that activity get organized? [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH] Henry, let me make sure I understand this. This was a naturally occurring event. The young people just brought their devices and volunteered to help people who needed assistance with their family history work. Am I understand that correctly? [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH] Sharmaine, we understand that during the pandemic that you've been involved in gathering family photos and memories and scanning and doing quite a bit of work. Would you mind sharing with us what you've been doing and helping us to understand that? I tried to collect our family photos and upload them to my Family Search account and write a few details about that photo. And to write the story behind that photo. And the youth of the ward planned an activity to help the old members of the ward to do the same. And so we rented a computer shop because some members of the ward don't have internet connection. So in that way we helped them in building their family trees and uploading their photos on Family Search. Yeah. There's a common theme in these last two experiences, Elder Hamilton. And that is the power of one person to get things started. Another common theme that I've heard, Elder Bednar, is the youth don't have to wait for the adults to tell them what to do. They can just lead out. They just do this. And they're perfectly capable of organizing and engaging other people. And they make things happen. It's amazing. Well, we are grateful for all of you young men and young women for your willingness to do this today. And not only have I been in your home, but you have been in my office in my home where I spend an awful lot of time. So it's been a treat for me to become acquainted with all of you and to be able to spend this time together talking about things that are still important. I would say this in closing, I am amazed at the power of the youth of the Church and their ability to see so clearly what needs to be done. And then their willingness to just go forward in faith and do it. And just do it the best they can. And I have felt the power of the Spirit of the Lord as they have engaged. And I would probably say that they have felt the power of the Spirit of the Lord as they have been involved in temple and family history work. I want to share with you now the thing that to me is of greatest worth, and it is my sure witness that the Lord Jesus Christ is our Savior and our Redeemer and that He lives. As an apostle of Jesus Christ, I witness that he is resurrected. He is real and He lives. I witnessed that God the Eternal Father is our Father. And that his only begotten Son came to the earth to offer the atoning sacrifice. I witness that is true. And if we honor our ordinances and our covenants then that Atonement by the Savior blesses us every day in simple and remarkable ways. I pray that each of you as you're engaged in this work will have increasing confidence to know that you will never be alone, that you will always have His help. And that His love for you is infinite and eternal. I express my thanks to you. I bear this witness and I do so in the sacred name of the Lord Jesus Christ, amen.

Well hello brothers and sisters from my house to your house. Here we are again doing things a little bit differently, yet so much of it remains the same. Well, how about that wonderful message that we just received from these young Latter-day Saints, members of the rising generation. We would like to thank Elders Bednar and Hamilton for moderating that discussion. And we're so deeply impressed with those young people who demonstrated to us how you can hear Him through temple and family history work. We increase our ability to hear Him. And there are countless experiences and stories that describe how family history is a revelatory process for both youth and adults. And so as we pray for those on the other side of the veil, the Spirit guides us. Now, we have examples of this in our family. The picture behind me to the left is an image of a great aunt whose testimony of the Book of Mormon has inspired generations of her posterity. And this past Christmas, Lisa made a framed copy of this a gift to each of our granddaughters who are ages 2 through 11 right now. We've been amazed at how they've become connected to her and how her attributes and testimony of the Book of Mormon has affected their desire to instill those attributes and to become more familiar with the Book of Mormon themselves. Now, we have asked people from around the world to share their personal examples and stories about how temple and family history work increases their ability to hear Him. And this is not just a small number. We've been in 18 countries and 11 different languages with multiple interviews of these people around the world in their tongue. And so as you watch, please consider the opportunities in your life and in the lives of your family that will lead to the windows of heaven opening and pouring down upon you. The promises have been made to us from our living loving prophet. Let's see how we feel as we watch these segments.

I love President Nelson as he talks about us and asks the question, how have you heard the voice of the Lord? How have you heard His voice through doing temple and family history? We were so blessed with the family ordinance priority from that temple department wherein a family can go to the temple every month and the family can be accommodated in the patron house. Manila temple is four hours away from us and that will be a long travel. So we're happy to be accommodated in the temple. So what we did was to make a schedule and be accommodated there every month for many years since 2015. And Sister [INAUDIBLE] would give us a bulk of names from what we have submitted and request an ordinance for. And she will be telling you her experience while printing those names. Just the bulk of the work is on me is the printing of the names. And I feel like even just printing the names of my ancestors I will be able to hear the Lord because He whispers to me that He approves of what I'm doing and He's happy. And I feel like He's thanking me or something that I am helping my ancestors to draw closer to Him. And I feel like that's how I hear Him. One time I'm holding would be seven ordinance cards and I'm just sleepy because we traveled a long way. And I said, I might be performing just half of it and go to the patron house and sleep. Then I heard the whispering of the Spirit and then the Spirit said, look at the cards. So I looked at the seven cards in my hand and I saw that all the cards had one family name that is [INAUDIBLE]. My family name because what I'm doing for my ancestors during the time. My grandmother, my great grandma. So OK these are just my family names. And I'm really sleepy and I know that my ancestors can understand. But then when I was about to leave the temple, the Spirit whispered to me again and said, look at the cards. So I looked at the cards a second time. But what I saw this time was not the names of my ancestors, but I saw the names of the submitter. And the submitter is my daughter. My daughter is sharing [INAUDIBLE] printed on the card. And the Spirit told me, how can I do so less when this youth can only do so much? They can just do baptism for the dead or proxy baptism, and I have to do the rest of the things there inside the temple. But I'm telling myself to do less. So I repented and I did as much as the youth had done. Yes. Wonderful. Does the COVID-- has that affected the work that you can do or can you do that from home? Tell me what has happened there. Well, no unhallowed hands can stop the work of the Lord. So what we do is by virtual meetings, and by texting, by Zoom meetings of course, and coordination meetings the them. Some leaders are doing their best also. By not idling, by not working, but instead they use the pandemic or the [INAUDIBLE] by doing temple and family history work. And President Nelson said in his April 2020 address to us, he said that while visiting the temple is presently not possible. We are very blessed because we have the technology within our homes. We can still continue the family history and temple work within the corners of our homes. And it's a very [INAUDIBLE] situation that it has developed in these times because the Lord knows that we will be staying home for the greater part of 2020. And the work hasn't stopped actually. It doesn't stop. It has been progressing even more. When I see a family like yours, you're following the counsel of the Prophet. Because you're not only on the covenant path on this side of the veil, but think of all the work that you're doing for your family and other people and helping them get started and down that path. So literally, you are fulfilling that wish of the prophets and of our Father in Heaven to gather Israel on both sides of the veil. What a great example you are. Thank you. Today you probably know we want to talk about temple and family history work. Which I love, and I know you do as well. Tell me about your experiences, Sister Fletcher. What has it been like for you doing work for your kindred dead? So I think besides my own endowment and our sealing, probably one of the most special experiences I have in the temple on behalf of my ancestors is when we do family sealing sessions. Often we've done it a few times where once you've done quite a lot between us and all of work's been done except for the sealing we'll go and do a big group of family. We'll do the sealings for them. And we'll go with my parents, my siblings, and with Jared. So all of us will be there and we'll be able to just sit in the ceiling room as a family knowing that we're all sealed and we're an eternal family. And doing work for our extended eternal family on the other side of the veil. It's just such a special feeling. I think it just reminds me of how real the Savior is and how real His Atonement is. Because that feeling when you're there and you can't deny how real it feels, it just confirms to me that the Savior is real and what He's done for us is real. And really helps me to appreciate what Christ's Atonement makes possible. Have there been any fun things you've learned or interesting or surprising things that you've learned about ancestors?

When we first got married, we put our family trees together on one side. And my family tree is not very expanded backwards, but [INAUDIBLE] is. So it was interesting to think of it too, families have literally been joined by our marriage. It was an eye opener there as well to think of our ancestry. We contacted our parents and we started doing the my family booklet together. Just going back very simply, slowly just filling in details of first our parents and then our grandparents. And even just one generation back to our parents, it was so fun just to think of the stories and the memories that we had with them. Do you have any other thoughts about how it has drawn you closer to Him? I think for me, my testimony of the gospel and of Christ has been immensely improved through my temple worship. I was around 18 when I started to really think about how I could be in and around the temple more and start preparing to receive my own endowment as well. And it was that same year that I went to the Paris Temple open house. So I was able to go in the celestial room for the first time because it hadn't been dedicated yet. And I remember we went in and the lady that gave the tour, I can remember exactly how she said it. She said, I want you to reflect on your personal relationship with your Savior Jesus Christ. And we all just stood there for a moment and we thought about it. And it was lovely. And I wrote it in my scriptures in third Nephi I think chapter 11. And then a few years later once I'd already been endowed at this point and I was a temple worker and I got to sit in the room quite often. And I remember once that I was there, I sat down and I thought about this lady and when she'd asked us about our personal relationship with Christ. I just knew how much stronger it was because of all the experiences I've had in the temple because of the way that I feel when I'm participating in the sacred work. I knew that relationship was so much stronger. And it was significant that I'd written it in that chapter in third Nephi because it makes me think about how Christ had this personal ministry with the Nephites, but I feel that I've been able to experience that through being in the temple, through doing His work. I feel that Christ is as real to me as he was to them because the experiences. Tell me why you think this work is important for Heavenly Father and the Savior. We know that he wants us to prepare everyone for coming. Yeah. There are a lot of things to do in preparation for His coming both the salvation for those the living and those who have gone beyond the veil. How I see is that just relating it to missionary work maybe. So for example, if one is baptized, I guess the host of heaven is rejoicing. And part of those hosts of heaven is rejoicing are the ancestors of that individual. So it could be deceased parents, grandparents, who will also look forward to one day they will also be baptized. It's just what it says in Moses 1:39. That this is His work and His glory to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man. Why do you love this work so much? It is work. For me personally I feel that it's my mission. It's my mission in life. And I know that we are called to different callings, but I feel that the Lord has called me personally to do this work. And Brother Soria? Well, if we want blessings, then we need to obey. So it's part of the commandment that to be part. I mean, when President Nelson called about youth battalions, I guess it's not only for the youth but for everyone to be part of this great work. It's not about obeying it, but actually in at this challenging times, we need blessings. We want to hear the Lord more. We need to be guided. And so how can we do it? By praying, reading the scriptures, but at the same time, we need to do some acts as well. If a young couple just got, like you, called to be the multi-stake consultants and they came to you and said, we don't know much. What would be some of the advice that you'd give them? How can they get started and how can they learn to love it like you do? First, I always pray. We always pray for the Lord to help us know what to do. And I have seen His hand breaking barriers. And I can see His hand making ways, preparing ways. And I can testify to that couple that this is the Lord's work. This is not our work. And so we are entitled for His blessings. We are entitled for His help. He will provide a way. We have seen that in our callings. In the April 2020 general conference, President Russell Nelson said, 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 promise was given to each one of us individually. It applies to our personal temple and family history efforts. It also applies to those of us who hold callings to lead the temple and family history efforts and missionary efforts in wards and stakes. In these callings, we help individual members and their families gather Israel on both sides of the veil. Recent instructions given in a letter from President M. Russell Ballard, and also found in the new general handbook along with resources found on the churchofjesuschrist.org, provide the details of how a ward can organize their efforts for the work of salvation and exaltation. These efforts are led by the Elders Quorum and Relief Society presidencies under the direction of the Bishop and the ward council. Central to these efforts is a ward coordination meeting. For the missionary efforts in the ward, this meeting is held weekly and is attended by the counselor in the Elders Quorum Presidency, and the counselor in the Relief Society Presidency with responsibility for missionary work, the ward mission leader, if one has been called, a young man who serves as an assistant in the Priest Quorum, and a young woman who serves as a member of the presidency of the oldest Young Women's class. Ward and full time missionaries also attend. For the temple and family history efforts in the ward, this meeting is held regularly and is attended by the counselor in the Elders Quorum Presidency, and the counselor in the Relief Society Presidency with responsibility for temple and family history work, the ward temple and family history leader, if one has been called, a young man who serves as an assistant in the Priest Quorum, and a young woman who serves as a member of the presidency of the oldest Young Women's class. Ward temple and family history consultants also attend. These coordination meetings may be held in person or using technology. The purpose of these meetings, after beginning with prayer, is to council together on how to implement the word mission or temple and family history plan that's been developed under the direction of the ward council. This meeting is also used to coordinate the work in the ward. The ward council creates a simple temple and family history plan. A successful military commander was once quoted as saying, a good plan violently executed now is better than a perfect plan executed next week. Brothers and sisters, simple is always better than complex. These plans answer these fundamental questions, who can we help? And how can we help? It can be as simple as identifying new converts, new young men and young women, helping them get a FamilySearch account, helping them enter four generations in FamilySearch using the My Family booklet, and on and on and on. These plans are carried out throughout the different organizations in the ward with the help of the ward temple and family history leader and the temple and family history consultants. Promises from the Lord through living prophets give us the assurance that as we increase our personal time in temple and family history work and help others to do the same through our callings in the Church, we will increase and improve our ability to hear Him. This is a spiritual work, a work that relies on and fosters revelation. Let's now join some general authorities and general officers of the Church as they visit with Church leaders throughout the world and learn how they have seen the promises of increased ability to hear Him come true in their own experiences in their part of the Lord's vineyard. Well, thank you David, and Diane, and Julie. So David, you're the ward temple and family history leader. Tell me what impact the May 26 letter from President Ballard has had on you and how the work is done in the Sunset Ward. Well, we've had the privilege of having a really good bishop who supports us in the work. Just towards the end of last year, we set up our temple and family history ward plan. And that was generated from contribution of many leaders, including the bishopric, the ward council, the executive council. And they contributed well in the executive council meetings. And we came up with something that was very simple. Well, that's fantastic. Can we just talk a little bit about how it's coordinated at the stake level? Diane, is it happening at the stake level? Yeah, from the stake level, when the change first came in-- it was about a year and a half ago, wasn't it that the initial change came it. And when that came in, I was really worried actually how it was going to work and I was worried how we were going to implement it from a stake level. How do we train? How do we pass that on to each of the wards to then implement it within the ward? But this latest direction that came out that really clearly gives a defined path that the Elders Quorum looks after it, the Relief Society looks after it. And even on the stake level, the Relief Society looks after. The youth groups look after it. It's made it much easier for us on a state level to be able to train leaders in each of the wards and then help to train the consultants in each of the wards. And then I think from what we've seen in most of our wards here is that the Elders Quorum have really taken charge of it. And that they've got their leaders and they're putting the consultants in place and it's starting to move forward. Now Julie, the more that you get involved in temple and family history work, the less surprised you are about those so-called coincidences, which are not coincidences. You have a feeling as to why those things might happen? Oh, I'm definitely guided by the Spirit. I'm led to these people into finding out those things. it's not by chance that I-- I think we sometimes think that we're the only ones who are working on this. And we don't realize that there are those who are beyond the veil who are doing just as much work and perhaps more than we are. And they need us to do the work, but they will guide us if we do pray and if we are prepared. And it seems that you've had those experiences. That's wonderful. I'm grateful for Diane who's just been an absolute blessing. Sorry. To my family history [INAUDIBLE].. I've been up all these avenues because I would still probably be sitting in just floundering. And I just can't believe that we're so blessed to have access to these sites that we can use it. I only wish that other people could have that mission, you know? We don't have to pay for it. It's wonderful. Thank you. Thank you very much, Julie. Diane, would you like to comment from your perspective on the experiences that Julie's mentioned? You've obviously been very closely involved. Julie and I catch up regularly actually during our family history. To me, prayer is a vital part of doing your family history. Sometimes I do it very formally before I go and visit someone that I'm going to help. Sometimes you don't have that luxury. Sometimes you're just placed with somebody. You don't have that luxury to prepare as well as you might like. But I've found over the years of doing family history that even if you don't have that time, if you just slow down a little bit. For me, the way I get revelation when I'm trying to help someone if I open their fan tree, more often than not someone's name popped out. It will be highlighted to me who they should be looking at.

I always feel it's not my role to tell them who it is, but I do try and guide them to that person. I want them to feel that Spirit. I want them to feel that guidance. And some people don't recognize it. And part of my role as a consultant is to help them recognize the Spirit. Because I feel that once someone recognizes the Spirit that comes with family history, they're away, they'll keep doing it forever and ever. But until they get that if comes a bit of a chore for them, they don't I guess love it. It's something they do because they're asked to do it rather than a passion, that comes with the Spirit of it. So I think bishops helping, consultants helping, family members helping, other family members or ward members to feel that Spirit that comes with family history is probably the most important thing we can do as we're doing our family history. What marvelous experiences from you two sisters. Thank you so much. I've tried to implement the counsels and instructions in this letter. What have you done so far with it and how has it operated in your wards? So what we have set up in our ward is we do have a temple and family history leader, as you know brother Allen. We have an entire committee of temple and family history consultants, both brethren and sisters, as well as youth. And Brother Shuler is one of those youth. And they work together to help push our ward temple and family history plan forward and then they work with the Elders Quorum and Relief Society Presidencies. And my job since I'm not involved in that part of it directly is that we make sure that temple and family history is discussed regularly at ward council and ward youth council. And to make sure that those plans and those activities and those things that they are working on are discussed and we can help in whatever way we can. Wonderful. Anything you'd like to add, Sister Slik? Well, in Relief Society we try to keep temple and family history at the forefront of the sisters' minds. When we have our ministering interviews, we will bring up the temple in our conversations. And we also allow time at the beginning of the Relief Society meetings to share temple and family history experiences and moments that they have had. And before the temples were closed, we would have quarterly trips to the temple together as the Relief Society. From your experience thus far, what do you think is working really well in your ward as we coordinate this temple and family history efforts? What is working well that you'd like to share and what are the challenges that you think you face in the world? I think what is working well is that the more we have family history discussions and the more we have activities no matter how small they may seem. For example, we had an activity where we just had the sisters gather together for enrichment one night to familiarize themselves with the FamilySearch tools and stuff like that. It wasn't anything big. But the more we keep infusing family history and the love of the temple in our conversations with the sisters, the more they get excited and the more they open up and share their experiences and feel of the love of doing the work. So that's a small success.

Yeah. You may think it's small, Sister Slik, I tell you that is huge. Because that is a way to get everybody converted to it and then get them to be part of it. And that is really wonderful. Any other thoughts? Our youth have had a number of meetings where they have set up accounts, where they have looked for family names. I've been with the youth in the temple as they've taken those names to the temple.

And it's been fabulous. It has filled my heart with joy seeing the work that they do, which is everything in the temple that they can do, they do. It thrills me to see them putting those names in the temple and confirming. All of that's been done in the computer, in the temple. And they are a force in our ward with temple and family history work. And they encourage others to do it in their own homes. Brother Shuler, as bishop said, is very modest in his description. As we returned home from one of those temple and family history trips, and we're going to Orlando from here. And it's about 11, 12 hour day. Time we meet, travel, work in the temple, pick up something to eat, come home, it's 11, 12 hours. But as I'm sitting in the car tired for the day, Brother Shuler's working on temple and family history work and finding names on the way home from the temple. It's just thrilling to see his leadership in temple and family history. His love of the work and it's thrilling to be a part of. It's obvious that you're actually serving effectively in your calling as a bishop because you're so close to the youth and you get them involved in this. Brother Shuler, anything you want to share with us about the level of involvement of the youth? I feel like the youth are pretty involved. Recently we've had every Wednesdays or Tuesdays now we have mutual. One of them I had to teach about how to find family names for the young men. And I feel like they did pretty good. And we found a couple of names. Brothers and sisters, I want to say to you that I'm so thrilled listening to you and this is really wonderful. And I'm so happy that you're so committed. Brother Shuler, thanks for you for your effort. We love your modesty and we want to encourage you to continue to lead this work and enlist so many other youth. And as we work with the members of the temple and family history coordination group in the ward, which is a separate group outside the ward council. You can help to enlist the youth to get the Young Woman class presidencies, and the quorum assistants, and all of them to really, really be part of this. Thank you so much for your service. President Ballard sent a letter out on the 26th of May this year. And it was titled, Strengthening Missionary and Temple Family History Work in Wards and Stakes. Bishop, can you tell us what's happened in relation to that letter in the ward? Since I've been called as the bishop, one of the things that has weighed heavily on my mind is the power of family history. We've discussed two different things in our ward council to do. And number one is getting the youth that are coming up from the primary program, having these youth consultants teach these youth that are coming up. And then the other thing is we have had particularly one sister who was baptized in October and just again, what we're trying to do that we can't go to the temple right now, but we're trying to have everything ready for her and have either the youth consultants or Sister Miller from the Relief Society work with her and have her all ready to go. So as soon as our temple in Raleigh is open again for proxy work that we can take her to the temple. We all feel that there is a lot of power in the Family History work. And we're seeing it. Annie, I guess that's where you come in. And you've not only taught classes, but you also have a specific responsibility for the youth family history consultants. And you have quite a number on this [INAUDIBLE].. Recently the classes have started up. I've been through I think three rounds now. And so it's a six week course. This last round was dedicated to all the youth consultants because we want to help them understand that family history is something they can do every day intermixed with all the other things that they have to do. It doesn't have to be this big project where you sit down for several hours at a time. It can be 10 minutes a day where they get to feel connected to their ancestors. And our hope is that we're going to turn that around and we're going to have them teach all the new youth that are coming in. So we can get them fresh. Our goal is really to turn this over to the youth so that when they sit down at the computer, they know what to do. Because we feel like if we motivate people, but fail to train them, all we're going to do is frustrate them. And so our goal really is to help the youth be motivators, but also help them become trainers for everyone in the ward. Are there any other comments or suggestions in relation to how this is working in your ward? When we would have those activities and the youth were teaching, they would teach some of the older sisters that weren't computer savvy or even people my age there weren't computer savvy. But the youth are very patient and very kind. And the older sisters, when we did this as a Relief Society activity, a lot of sisters came that typically didn't come to an activity. But I think they felt loved and respected because they were learning. But the youth were able to teach also. And so some of the older sisters and younger sisters bonded and have made friendships. And you having those meetings in the ward with yourself and the consultants and the oldest [INAUDIBLE] in Relief Society are they were working? Yes. Yes, we have regular meetings with them. Like I think I mentioned earlier, we have those at least once a quarter, but we recently have been having them on a monthly basis. And back before COVID, we were having them on a monthly basis as well. With the youth. With the youth. And are they working efficiently? Are they time consuming or very brief and work well? No. They're very smooth. They're not very time consuming. And we fill them as we see with the needs in the ward. Lorrin, or Sophia, or Eli, or Jacob, or Makaya, how have you enjoyed the work? Have you been enjoying your Involvement? I've enjoyed it a lot and I really liked-- I did take that class that Sister Cockroft taught. And I enjoyed it just because I could sit down for like 10 minutes a day and it wasn't a super long thing. Eli, or Jacob, or Sophia, have you been involved so far? Have you had some experiences? Yes, well, last year I think it was we did a few of these really cool activities where we put in the local newspaper or social media that we were doing a family history activity at a Church. And lots of people showed up. And it was really fun to go to the different classes and learn what was going through them. Good. Fantastic. Sophie, did you want to say something? Yeah, I was going to say that every Sunday or around every other Sunday I like to work with my mom on family history for around a half an hour. It's just really fun to do with her. So why do you enjoy that, Sophia? What is it about family history that you enjoy? Well first, my mom loves doing it. And so I just started doing it with her. And then I started actually liking it. So now I do it some on my own, but a lot with her. And I enjoy doing that with her. Well, thank you very much. I appreciate your help and your assistance with this and the time that you've given. You're fantastic. Thank you. God bless all of you.

I'm delighted to express our appreciation for you joining for us in this leadership instruction. This has been a truly remarkable experience. I want you to consider how technology has made possible a leadership session involving people from all over the world. It's truly global. And at the exact same time, it's also local. Now, this has been a year where we've been constrained in some unusual ways. COVID has caused us to limit our interactions and our travel. And when we began thinking about how this leadership session would be planned and presented, most of what you've participated in had never been thought of. And we never would have had the inspiration or the opportunity to present RootsTech Connect had it not been for the constraints imposed by COVID. Now, none of us want COVID. None of us have like the constraints. But if we have eyes to see and ears to hear, then in limitations and in constraints, there can be remarkable blessings. And I would suggest to you that this leadership session is one of those remarkable blessings. Now, I've jotted down just a couple of things that I'd like you to pay attention to show what was possible in this gathering that we never could have done any other way. There were a total of 45 visits to people in their homes. And you have the opportunity to go into the homes of people with general authorities and general officers of the Church and watch ministering at its finest. And it's not done when we say amen today. You have the chance to go back and review and look again and again and learn from the examples of these great leaders. Participants came from 18 different countries. Now, if we had the normal live session that we have every year, which is fantastic, we never could have had such a wide range of participants joining in with us. There are a total of 27 different people who have been involved in some of these presentations. And we've done this in 11 different languages. Could I suggest to you that this is a remarkable example of the inspiration that comes when we focus primarily on what can be done instead of just what cannot be done. So I invite you to make sure you take full advantage of this resource. It's not a one time event. It's not just the conclusion of a meeting. When we say amen in just a moment or two, that will be the beginning of the work to really capitalize on the things that you have learned and as you begin to put them into practice. It's also the case that because we do this live, you hear all the bells and whistles as I'm receiving emails even as I'm recording this now in this very moment sitting in my office in my home. So it's a pleasure to have you in my home and to be able to visit with you this way. I want to suggest to you something to do after we say amen and as you begin to go to work. Would you please consider these questions? What have I learned? And what will I do with the things that I have learned? I promise inspiration will attend you. As you reflect, as you kind of review some of the notes that you may have taken, what stands out to you and what have you learned? But even more importantly, this is not simply to have additional knowledge in your mind. This is to be reflected in your faith as a principle of action. What will you now go and do that will bless and benefits many other people on both sides of the veil? Again, my invitation is, what have you learned? And what will you do with what you have learned? Now, even though this is called a leadership instruction, the material that you have access to now benefits every person, every woman, every man, every boy, every girl. So don't think that somehow this is just limited for use to those who've been called to leadership positions. If I had the wish of my heart, every boy, every girl will have learned something from this experience that will make you a more devoted disciple of Jesus Christ. Will help you see the importance of this eternal work of providing saving ordinances and the associated covenants to all of our Heavenly Father's children, again, on both sides of the veil. I want to express my love for you. I love you. I'm grateful for this opportunity to participate with you. And I pray that all of us will be enriched through this experience and that it will be reflected in what we now go and do as the Lord's servants. As an apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ, I joyfully declare that he lives. I know that He is our Savior and our Redeemer. And He has risen and He lives. This is the living Church of Jesus Christ because Jesus Christ is alive. In this Church we have His authority, we have His doctrine, we have His saving ordinances and principles. And it is the greatest joy that any of us can ever experience to help others find the purpose and the enduring joy that comes through the gospel of Jesus Christ. I bear witness of Him, of Him as the truth. And invoke the blessing upon you that you will have an increasing joy as you continue to participate in this holy work. I declare this witness and I invoke this blessing upon you in the sacred name of the Lord Jesus Christ, amen.

Our kind and gracious Heavenly Father, we are thankful for this wonderful day that we have. And that we can all come together and be taught. Please, Heavenly Father, bless the missionaries out there during these tough times that they may also feel your love and feel your guidance. Bless all of the people in this meeting that they will take what they learned and that people will take what they also said to heart, that they will apply it to their day to day life. Please, Father, through these tough times, make sure that all of these wonderful people can also feel your love and Spirit and your guidance throughout their day to day lives.

Father, please bless the people struggling through COVID that they may also feel your love and guidance and may also feel your power. And I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.