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The Blessings and Importance of Family History—Recent Messages from Prophets and Apostles
See what living prophets have taught recently on social media about family history.
President Russell M. Nelson has taught often about the importance of helping to gather Israel on both sides of the veil. Participating in family history is essential in that great work. President Nelson has taught:
“Every human being who comes to this earth is the product of generations of parents. We have a natural yearning to connect with our ancestors. This desire dwells in our hearts, regardless of age.
“Consider the spiritual connections that are formed when a young woman helps her grandmother enter family information into a computer or when a young man sees the name of his great-grandfather on a census record. When our hearts turn to our ancestors, something changes inside us. We feel part of something greater than ourselves. Our inborn yearnings for family connections are fulfilled when we are linked to our ancestors through sacred ordinances of the temple. …
“The Prophet Joseph Smith said, ‘The greatest responsibility in this world that God has laid upon us is to seek after our dead.’ New technology makes it easier than ever to fulfill that responsibility. …
“Now what about those of you who have no access to a computer or prefer not to use this technology? Don’t worry! Take one step at a time. Start at home. Begin with an empty cardboard box, as suggested by President Boyd K. Packer. Put in that box important information about you and your family. Add data gathered from others of your family. Then avail yourself of assistance from your ward or branch [temple and] family history consultant. …
“This is joyful work. …
“While temple and family history work has the power to bless those beyond the veil, it has an equal power to bless the living. It has a refining influence on those who are engaged in it. They are literally helping to exalt their families.”1
The following statements from Church leaders on social media can help us learn more about the blessings and importance of family history.
Examples of Those Who Acted on Their Faith in the Savior
“‘Tell me a story’ is a frequent request from children. While fictional stories and fairytales can be fun to share, consider instead telling your children stories that show faith in Jesus Christ and stories that connect them to their noble ancestors. Years ago, Kristen and I decided to create our own family storybook, filled with accounts from our extended families and ancestry. We love reading from it with our family.
“We invite you to create your own compilation of examples from your family history of those who acted on their faith in the Savior, in His leaders, and in the principles of His gospel. You might pull stories from talks or family histories, or even just stories you heard growing up. Document them, and share them. Doing so can help you and your family turn your hearts to your ancestors.”
President Dallin H. Oaks, Facebook, Jan. 14, 2021, facebook.com/dallin.h.oaks.
Your Role to Play in This Great Work
“We all have a role to play in this great work. Engaging in family history and temple work shows God that you care about Him, His family, and His purposes. As you forge a bond with your Father in Heaven, He will forge a bond with you.”
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, Facebook, Feb. 7, 2021, facebook.com/jeffreyr.holland.
Connecting with Our Own Families
“Thanks to my wife, Mary, music has always been an important part of our home and family. A few years ago during the RootsTech conference, Mary and some of my grandchildren shared a song that combines both our love for music as well as our love for family.
“[That] song shares a message of ‘[turning] the hearts of the … children to [their] fathers’ (Doctrine and Covenants 110:15), which became especially important to our grandchildren. The RootsTech conference sparked an interest among our grandchildren to get more involved in discovering and connecting with their own ancestors.
“We all have a responsibility to the generations that preceded us and to the generations that will follow us. I pray each of us will continue to find a way to connect with our own families.”
Elder Quentin L. Cook, Facebook, Feb. 19, 2021, facebook.com/quentin.lcook.
Small and Simple Things
“The Savior has often described His work as ‘great and marvelous’ (Doctrine and Covenants 12:1) or as ‘a marvelous work and a wonder’ (2 Nephi 27:26). And yet it’s fascinating to me how He accomplishes that work through small and simple things—including you and me.
“No matter what our other responsibilities are, we all have the opportunity to invite Heavenly Father’s children to bind themselves to the Savior by making and keeping covenants.
“President Russell M. Nelson said that ‘anytime you do anything that helps anyone’ make and keep covenants, on either side of the veil, you’re gathering Israel (‘Hope of Israel,’ worldwide youth devotional, June 3, 2018). It is the greatest cause on earth, but it’s also doable. It flows naturally from being bound to the Savior ourselves.
“You may not think it, but each of us can truly have an immense influence in helping others to increase their faith in Jesus Christ. I invite you to consider what you can do today.”
Elder Quentin L. Cook, Facebook, Jul. 19, 2021, facebook.com/quentin.lcook.
Blessings of Discovering Individuals’ Stories
“In 1999, I was fortunate enough to participate in the launch of the Church’s FamilySearch website. Gordon B. Hinckley, then President of the Church, shared some words of counsel that I have always found to be remarkable. He said, ‘The doctrine of the eternal nature of the family is one of the most important and sacred of our teachings. Seeking to understand our family history can change lives. It helps bring unity and cohesion to families. There is something about understanding the past that helps give our young people something to live up to, a legacy to respect.’
“Those words are still true today, and in the 22 years since I first heard them, I have marveled at the social and spiritual benefits we’ve all enjoyed from searching out our ancestors, not just from finding genealogical facts, but from discovering individuals’ stories. These stories will do much to establish in all of us a sense of place, purpose, and connectedness to those who have paved the way before us.”
Elder D. Todd Christofferson, Facebook video, Feb. 23, 2021, facebook.com/dtodd.christofferson.
From Where and Whom You Came
“As you seek to discover and pass down who you are, and from where and whom you came, you will come to know who He is—your Savior Jesus Christ; and I promise you that you will find purity and peace, perspective and purpose, and you will find power and place in the family of God.”
Elder Ulisses Soares, Facebook, March 5, 2022, facebook.com/soares.u.
A Combination of the Past and the Present
“What family stories do you draw strength from? What traditions do you keep alive? If nothing comes to mind, do not be discouraged. We encourage you to discover them; and remember, family history isn’t all about the distant past. It is a combination of the past and the present that makes you uniquely you.”
Elder Ulisses Soares, Facebook, March 2, 2022, facebook.com/soares.u.