The ​Purpose of Temple and Family History Work

Handout

Click here to view or download the Lesson 1 handout

Additional Resources

Talks by General Authorities

• Hearts Bound Together by President Henry B. Eyring (Ensign, May 2005, 77-80).
• Family History: In W​isdom and in Order​ by Elder Dallin H. Oaks (Ensign, June 1989, 6).
• The Law, Word, and Covenant by Elder Yoshihiko Kikuchi given at a Family History Fireside at BYU on 16 Feb 2001.
• BYU Family History Fireside Addresses
• Turning the Hearts by Elder Hartman Rector, Jr. (Ensign, May 1981, 73).

Additional Insight

• What is the significance of D&C 128:24 as related to family history and temple work?

"...Let us, therefore, as a church and a people, and as Latter-day Saints, offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness; and let us present in his holy temple, when it is finished, a book containing the records of our dead,which shall be worthy of all acceptation."

• How is family history work a missionary related activity?
• Are any of the spirits being taught in spirit prison my ancestors? Are any of those teaching the gospel in the spirit prison my ancestors? (D&C 138:16, 18-19, 28-34) What is my role?
• What is said in the course DVD segment "Savior on Mount Zion?" about the relationship of family history work and missionary work?

Quotations to add to discussion

"The Lord has given to the Church the responsibility of preaching the Gospel to the nations of the earth. This is the greatest responsibility of the Church. Men are to be taught the Gospel and called to repentance and warned. When they refuse to heed the warning they must be left without excuse. The Lord has also placed upon the individual members of the Church a responsibility. It is our duty as individuals to seek after our immediate dead - those of our own line. This is the greatest responsibility that we have and we should carry it through in behalf of our 'fathers' who have gone before." - Joseph Fielding Smith (Doctrines of Salvation [Bookcraft, 1955], vol. 2, 146.).

"When you help a member trying to do Family History, don't see that single person. See hundreds and perhaps thousands of their ancestors who will be praying to be found and liberated, and think of the faithful missionaries who have waited with them. As you do, you will feel not only the urgency of your service, but confidence that prayers, some from this side of the veil and more on the other will be answered." - Elder Henry B. Eyring (Satellite Training Broadcast, May 2000.)

Suggested Additional Assignments

Prayerfully determine a family or individual for whom you will focus on for the class.

• It is important to keep in mind that you may choose an individual or family for whom a little or a lot of information is available. The purpose of the class is not only to find dates and places but to get to know your ancestors
  
  • Also, keep in mind that throughout the research process you may find that the information you are starting with may have been inaccurately recorded or may be incomplete.
  • Students will be more prepared to independently do family history research after this course, if they begin this process now.

• Remember that the end goal is to provide temple ordinances for our ancestors.
• There may be individuals who have pioneer heritage where it may appear that all the work has been done. However, even in cases like these, there is the possibility that people have been missed or that information concerning where the information was found is either incomplete or non-existent.

Set a goal for regular temple attendance.

"I invite the Latter-day Saints to look to the temple of the Lord as the great symbol of your membership. It is the deepest desire of my heart to have every member of the Church worthy to enter the temple. It would please the Lord if every adult member would be worthy of-and carry-a current temple recommend. The things that we must do and not do to be worthy of a temple recommend are the very things that ensure we will be happy as individuals and as families. Let us be a temple-attending people. Attend the temple as frequently as personal circumstances allow. Keep a picture of a temple in your home that your children may see it. Teach them about the purpose of the house of the Lord. Have them plan from their earliest years to go there and to remain worthy of that blessing" - President Howard W. Hunter ("Exceeding Great and Precious Promises," Ensign, November 1994, 8.)

• How can you bring the spirit of the temple into your home?
• How can you teach your children about the importance of the temple?

"If we are a temple-going people, we will be a better people, we will be better fathers and husbands, we will be better wives and mothers. I know your lives are busy. I know that you have much to do. But I make you a promise that if you will go to the House of the Lord, you will be blessed; life will be better for you. Now, please, please, my beloved brethren and sisters, avail yourselves of the great opportunity to go to the Lord's house and thereby partake of all the marvelous blessings that are yours to be received there." - President Gordon B. Hinckley ("Excerpts from Recent Addresses of President Gordon B. Hinckley," Ensign, July 1997, 73.)

Have students obtain a copy of their membership record from their ward clerk this week.

Membership numbers can also be found on temple recommends. The membership number and confirmation date will be needed for Lesson 2 in order to register for Family Tree.