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Act. Index 2021
“After Much Tribulation … Cometh the Blessing”
Doctrine and Covenants 103:12, 36; 105:9–13
A brother in Kirtland...met Brigham Young on his return from Missouri and asked what he gained on “this useless journey to Missouri with Joseph Smith?”
“All we went for,” promptly replied Brigham Young. “I would not exchange the experience I gained in that expedition for all the wealth of Geauga County”…I believe at least two overarching lessons are to be found in Brother Brigham’s answer to that taunting question: (1) the lesson of testing, sifting, and preparing, and (2) the lesson of observing, learning from, and following the Brethren. I emphasize that these lessons are as important, if not more important, for us to learn and apply today as they were just over 180 years ago for the volunteers in Zion’s Camp. David A. Bednar On the Lord’s Side: Lessons from Zion’s Camp
Depiction of the Camp of Israel arriving in Missouri (see Zion's Camp)
From Come, Follow Me:
Has your family (or one of your ancestors) ever been asked to do something that didn’t turn out the way you expected? What can you learn from the reactions of members of Zion’s Camp when their journey did not turn out as they expected?
You can check to see if you had one or more ancestors who marched with Zion’s Camp in this List of Zion's Camp participants. Work as a family team to document the lives of your ancestors and others who marched with Zion’s Camp, or in other ways carried out their commitment to follow the prophet.
Forging Onward, Ever Onward, by Glen Hopkinson.
Ideas for researching from The Family History Guide
Looking for records that are indexed and online is the easiest approach. For example, you can find a large assortment of record types on FamilySearch, Ancestry, MyHeritage, and Findmypast, and other paid or free sites.
The Family History Guide provides QUIKLinks for many of these collections, helping you find what you need quickly and easily. It also has links to many individual databases with private collections, in many countries, that are not found on FamilySearch and its partner sites. Sign up for partner sites here, and read more here. Keep checking large databases for new records that may have been added.
Quite a few records have been digitized into images but not yet indexed. (In fact, there are more image-only records online than indexed records.) Without indexes, these records are more challenging to search but can still be very valuable for your research. You can find these collections in the FamilySearch and Partner sites mentioned above, as well as other sites. For more information on working with image-only records, see Project 4: Discover, Goal 5. See also: Don’t Forget the Unindexed Records on the FamilySearch Website
Some online records are actually just indexed information, without the original image. For more information, see the Index-Only category in Goal A1, Choice C in the United States page.
A large amount of records have never been digitized or placed online. They can be found at their source, such as libraries, archives, courthouses, etc. You would typically need to arrange a visit to the location and get permission to view the records. These local records may help you break through research barriers in your genealogy, although they often take some expertise to work with.
See more in Where Are the Records? and in this article: Best Genealogy Sites 2021. Be sure to attach records to your part of the tree in FamilySearch or in other sites you use. Share the records with extended family members.
While many of us have pioneer ancestors who are examples of courage, faith, and even joy in difficult circumstances, many don’t have pioneer ancestors from this era, but have “pioneer ancestors” from other time periods. However, all church members have a shared heritage of all pioneers who forged and followed the trail to Zion beginning in 1846, those who marched in Zion’s Camp, and those who sacrificed to build the foundation on which we all stand.
Find family history stories using the suggestions in 10 Ways To Discover, Gather, and Share Ancestor Stories. If you don't have many stories from the lives of your ancestors available, you could learn from conversion stories and other stories from the lives of our church leaders. Read more here. You may want to put these stories in your memories on FamilySearch and attach them to your tree. Find instructions in this FamilySearch article. The Family History Guide gives step-by-step instructions for preserving your photos and stories in Project 2: Memories.
As you read stories of your ancestors and others, what character traits and actions do you see that you would like to emulate? So much can be learned from their fortitude, faith, and positive attitudes during trials. You may want to consider creating a collection of the stories of the first converts in your family lines. These can also be illustrated by family members or others as in one page of a story shown below. (See also Week 2: Come, Follow Me Companion 2021)
You may be the pioneer in your family and so be sure to record, preserve and share your conversion story! Find fun ways to experience, preserve, and share ancestor stories with those you love. Here are some ideas (find more here here).
Doctrine and Covenants 104:23–46.
Your family could search these verses to find how many times the Lord promises to “multiply blessings” (verse 23) for those who are faithful. Maybe this would be a good time to “count your blessings” (“Count Your Blessings,” Hymns, no. 241) and discuss how doing so could help us during difficult times. Small children might enjoy drawing pictures of blessings they are especially thankful for.
In addition to counting your blessings, perhaps you could list what your ancestors did in their lives so that you can enjoy certain blessings now in your lives.
You may want to consider writing letters of gratitude to them and preserving these in FamilySearch memories. (see also Week 42: Come, Follow Me Companion 2020)
Note: President Nelson encouraged us to do the following for six months, but it may be a wonderful opportunity to carry this invitation through your study of the Doctrine and Covenants this year:
"As you study your scriptures during the next six months, I encourage you to make a list of all that the Lord has promised He will do for covenant Israel. I think you will be astounded! Ponder these promises. Talk about them with your family and friends. Then live and watch for these promises to be fulfilled in your own life." (President Russell M. Nelson, Let God Prevail, October 2020 General Conference)
Find what the Lord has promised He will do for Covenant Israel in Doctrine and Covenants 102–105 and write or audio-record about what they mean to you and those you love.