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Family History—Importance of our Four Generations
It’s been eight years since we stepped into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We had no clue about family history work at the time of our conversion. But when we heard about baptism for the dead, we began studying about it and learned that we could perform baptisms for our dead ancestors. This knowledge was a cause for excitement, knowing that our ancestors who had died could receive baptism and live with our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.
It was very hard when we initially started gathering information on our family, but we didn’t stop. Our faith in the Lord made a way for us to find information for up to five generations. Section 2 of the Doctrine and Covenants speaks of promises made to the fathers, that their children would remember them.
Christ instituted the new and everlasting covenant in the New Testament, but our fathers lived in the old covenant and needed to enter/receive the new covenant, yet how could they when they were already dead? For that matter, our Lord, who is fair and just, from the beginning provided a way for them to be judged according to men in the flesh. Which means they needed to receive the ordinances performed for the living and only the living could stand in for the dead.
Without our fathers, we would not be born to enjoy the new and everlasting covenant, and without us they cannot receive the necessary ordinances of the everlasting gospel. I believe for this reason; verse 15 of section 128 says we cannot be made perfect without them. There is a link and a powerful connection that ties our dispensation to theirs.
We felt joy and happiness when we got baptized for our progenitors and felt that they had become free and clean to be judged worthy to be with the Lord. Great was our happiness that l, along with my husband, had the courage to initiate this work for them and be the reason for their redemption. We learned the great significance of proxy baptism in the process.
Family history work is greatly important because when we perform the ordinances for them, we become their “saviours . . . on mount Zion” (Obadiah 1:21) and in a way help them obtain salvation. Imagine our joy when we meet all those we baptized for in the Resurrection and hear their words of gratitude to us. Eternal life means eternal happiness, and Jesus Christ wants us to feel what it is like to be a savior to someone we may not even know and be able to rejoice with them.
I know family history work is a restored truth in our day. I know He loved me enough to lead me into this gospel, in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, amen.