Spiritual Preparedness: A Temple Motivated People

As a Family History Consultant, I recently received an email from the folks at Familysearch. It was about being a Temple Motivated people. I have included the entire email here followed by a few things to help those who are ready to do Family History work get started. There are tremendous blessings waiting for us when we do work for our ancestors that they are not able to do for themselves.

We would like to share the following teachings of President Howard W. Hunter. This passage is from “First Presidency Message: A Temple-Motivated People” (Ensign, Feb. 1995, 2–5).


"Surely we on this side of the veil have a great work to do. For in light of all the above-noted facts about temple ordinances, we can see that the building of temples has deep significance for ourselves and mankind, and our responsibilities become clear. We must accomplish the priesthood temple ordinance work necessary for our own exaltation; then we must do the necessary work for those who did not have the opportunity to accept the gospel in life. Doing work for others is accomplished in two steps: first, by family history research to ascertain our progenitors; and second, by performing the temple ordinances to give them the same opportunities afforded to the living.
Yet there are many members of the Church who have only limited access to the temples. They do the best they can. They pursue family history research and have the temple ordinance work done by others. Conversely, there are some members who engage in temple work but fail to do family history research on their own family lines. Although they perform a divine service in assisting others, they lose a blessing by not seeking their own kindred dead as divinely directed by latter-day prophets.
I recall an experience of a few years ago that is analogous to this condition. At the close of a fast and testimony meeting, the bishop remarked, “We have had a spiritual experience today listening to the testimonies borne by each other. This is because we have come fasting according to the law of the Lord. But let us never forget that the law consists of two parts: that we fast by abstaining from food and drink and that we contribute what we have thereby saved to the bishop’s storehouse for the benefit of those who are less fortunate.” Then he added: “I hope no one of us will leave today with only half a blessing.”
I have learned that those who engage in family history research and then perform the temple ordinance work for those whose names they have found will know the additional joy of receiving both halves of the blessing" (pp. 4–5).

Family History Links:

• FamilySearch.org --You can download Personal Ancestral File (PAF) for free. Plus, you can access what work has already been done on your family files.



• Ancestry.com --This is a subscription site. You can pay monthly, or yearly, to access all census, military, and other vital records from around the world.



• Rootsweb.com --This is a free genealogy website that has several Surname bulletin boards so you can communicate with others that are researching the same families.



• USgenweb.com --This website is a database for several state based genealogical societies. It has vital records information, city/county histories, burial records, etc...

Family Home Evening Lessons: Family History

• Family History Booklet



• Compile Family History



• Family History ABC's Game

Articles about Family History:

• LDS Living Articles on Family History



• "Your Family History: Getting Started"
  Boyd K. Packer, Ensign, Aug. 2003, 12–17If you don't know where to start, start with yourself. If you don't know what records to get, and how to get them, start with what you have.



• "Bridges and Eternal Keepsakes"
  Dennis B. Neuenschwander, Ensign, May 1999, 83–85Genealogies, family stories, historical accounts, and traditions . . . form a bridge between past and future and bind generations together in ways that no other keepsake can.



• "The Spirit of Elijah"
  Gordon B. Hinckley, Liahona, Nov. 1996, 19–21As the work of family history research goes on and grows, there is a concomitant flowering of temples.



• "We Have a Work to Do"
  Howard W. Hunter, Ensign, Mar. 1995, 64–65The objective of family history work is to make the blessings of the temple available to all people, both living and dead.



• "Family History: 'In Wisdom and Order' "
  Dallin H. Oaks, Ensign, June 1989, 6–8We do family history work in order to provide the ordinances of salvation for the living and the dead.

Spiritual Preparedness: Strengthening Our Lives Through Prayer

With the start of a new year, people all over have made goals for themselves, either written or pondered. Many people will abandon these goals within the first few months of the year. Let us not fall victim to this defeating cycle, let us strengthen our resolve and become more fully spiritually prepared with prayer.

According to the Encarta Encyclopedia, prayer is "...a person's act of communion with God..., and the words used. It is the natural result of a person's belief in God. Prayer may be individual or group, formal or spontaneous, silent or spoken. In one or more forms, it is at the center of worship (Microsoft ® Encarta ® 2007.)." Prayer is our way of communicating with our Heavenly Father. He is there for each and every one of us if we only call out to him for assistance. Some may feel that the Lord can't be bothered with trivial things; but as it states in Alma 37:37, we are to "counsel with the Lord in all [our] doings, and he will direct [us] for good..." It says ALL our doings, not just the ones that we feel the Lord will find important.

Prayer can strengthen and prepare us in all aspects of our lives if we only use it. It is a vital tool that Father in Heaven has provided us with to help us through this earthly life. We wouldn't try and hammer a nail into the wall using only our hand. We would, of course, use a hammer. Why, then, would we attempt to go through our daily tasks without consulting and conversing with the Lord? Let us resolve to use this valuable tool we've been given and rely more fully on the Lord through prayer this new year.

Here are some interesting and helpful articles and a complete Family Home Evening Lesson on prayer:

• Faith and Prayer in Relationships


• FHE Lesson from LDS Living Magazine: Prayer


• Gospel Topics: Prayer