Family History Focused

Dear Young Women,

Today is the beginning of our family history focused activities.

I hope that you are excited to learn more about your ancestors and will allow the Spirit of Elijah to work upon you. I know that family history is important and have recently gained a strong testimony of the importance of finding those who need their temple work done.

I have been working on familysearch.org and finding family members who need their temple ordinances performed. Friday night Brother Chambers and I were able to attend the temple. I took all of the names I had gathered so far- 139 in all! We were able to be sealed for about 20 couples and now have sealings to perform for children to parents, as well as baptisms, confirmations, initiatory and endowment.

I hope I can count on your girls to help me get the baptisms and confirmations completed!

What a neat experience it was to know that I was helping someone of my own family to have something so special. Being sealed to your spouse for eternity is a special gift from our father in heaven and I felt so happy to be able to serve as proxy so my ancestors can receive that gift.

What great service family history is as we find those who need their temple work done and then to help as we can, to perform those ordinances by proxy.

What a spiritual next two weeks we will have as a young women's group as we focus on family history and the temple!

Love, Sister Chambers

FamilySearch

Dear Young Women,

I have a new addiction- familysearch.org

I first took the ward family history class a year ago. I was interested in family history, but with a newborn I didn't find the time to do much with what I was learning. A few months ago I got the "itch" to do family history but needed a refresher course on the website and what I had learned in the class, so I asked Sister Higgins to help me. When I took the course at church- she was the teacher, the ward family history consultant. It only took a half an hour and I felt ready to search at home on my own.

I love it and spend many early morning and late evening hours on there searching family lines. I love looking at how far some of the family lines go back! How wonderful to know so many people from my family. I love seeing that so so many of these family members have had their temple work done for them. My heart swells when I find that someone has temple work that I can do for them!

I have now reserved and printed work that I can complete for many of my ancestors. I am so excited to go to the temple and do temple work for those of my own family. 

I am sad to see how many lines don't go back very far. I have written to a great-aunt to help me get some information about those missing pieces. I am hopeful she has the information I am looking for.

 Because "the celestial organization of heaven is based on families" it is important for families to be sealed together. YOU can be part of this too!

I cannot wait for you to feel the excitement I feel for family history. I believe if you don't get excited about genealogy/family history/temple work- then you must be doing it wrong! It really is thrilling to find those you can bless with the ordinances of the gospel.

I am so looking forward to this summer when we will have several activities devoted to family history. It REALLY will be fun. Of that I can promise.