Weekly Family History Activities

2 Samuel 5–7; 11–12; 1 Kings 3; 8; 11

“Thy Kingdom Shall Be Established for Ever”

2 Samuel 5:17–25

The Lord can give me direction.

From Come, Follow Me:

Once David was able to unite Israel (see 2 Samuel 5:1–5), he had to defend his people from the Philistines. As you read 2 Samuel 5:17–25, consider how David’s example can help you in the challenges you face…How are you seeking the Lord’s direction in your life? How are you being blessed by acting on the revelation you receive?

From President Nelson’s address, Hear Him: 

"I promise that as you increase your time in temple and family history work, you will increase and improve your ability to hear Him."

Watch President Nelson's temple invitation here.

See also:  Leadership Instruction: Hear Him Through Temple & Family History Work, RootsTech Family Discovery Day, and Personal Revelation and Family History.

Sister Wendy Nelson:  I entreat you to make a sacrifice of time to the Lord by increasing the time you spend doing temple and family history work, and then watch what happens. It is my testimony that when we show the Lord we are serious about helping our ancestors, the heavens will open and we will receive all that we need.” Open the Heavens Through Temple and Family History Work

President Nelson: "As you pray about this sacrifice of time, you will be guided to know both what you can give up that week and what you can do instead to help gather Israel." Worldwide Youth Devotional

This activity starts out without mentioning how the blessings are received - that will be the conclusion of the activity. 

See Elder Renlund's promised blessings for doing temple and family history work in Family History and Temple Work: Sealing and Healing. Copy each of the blessings listed below on a small piece of paper and put them into a basket. In a group or as a family, take turns drawing them out one-by-one and stating why you would want that blessing in your life.

• Increased understanding of the Savior and His atoning sacrifice
• Increased influence of the Holy Ghost to feel strength and direction for our own lives
• Increased faith, so that conversion to the Savior becomes deep and abiding
• Increased ability and motivation to learn and repent because of an understanding of who we are, where we come from, and a clearer vision of where we are going
• Increased refining, sanctifying, and moderating influences in our hearts
• Increased joy through an increased ability to feel the love of the Lord
• Increased family blessings, no matter our current, past, or future family situation or how imperfect our family tree may be
• Increased love and appreciation for ancestors and living relatives, so we no longer feel alone
• Increased power to discern that which needs healing and thus, with the Lord's help, serve others
• Increased protection from temptations and the intensifying influence of the adversary
• Increased assistance to mend troubled, broken, or anxious hearts and make the wounded whole

After the discussion activity, ask, "What particular thing can we do to have these incredible blessings in our lives and in the lives of those we love?" Elder Renlund: “If you have prayed for any of these blessings, participate in family history and temple work. As you do so, your prayers will be answered." Make plans to continue doing, or begin to do more temple and family history work. 

See also Promised Blessings.

The Family History Guide will help you find ways to increase your ability to “hear Him” through more time spent in temple and family history work. See the "Get Started" page on the home page. 

The more you know aboutThe Family History Guide, the more it can become your “new best friend.”

For a fun learning activity, gather as a group and have those with access to a phone, computer, or laptop go to the “Topics” page. Ask family members to click a topic to review and then ask a question to the group that they can research to answer and share.

See also: The Family History Trackers . Note: The Word version of the Tracker has been discontinued in favor of the Online Tracker.

For help to locate those in need of proxy temple ordinances and to view related information in Latter-day Saint Topics.  

One of the options described in “Temple Opportunities” is Ordinances Ready - a FamilySearch tool that simplifies finding names for the temple, allowing you more time to serve your family and enjoy the blessings of the temple. See also: Ordinances Ready on the FamilySearch App.

See also "Recommended Tasks" on the FamilySearch home page and click the Temple tab where a list of names for possible ordinances may be displayed. Note : Be sure to check each name for possible duplicates or other issues before reserving them for ordinances. 

Kathryn Grant gives instructions for How to Find Ancestors in Need of Temple Work in the Family Tree using the The FamilySearch Fan Chart.

Check out Descendancy Research and Creating Family Groups to collaborate. 

Sister Joy D. Jones said that children who participate in family history are more excited and prepared to go to the temple when they turn 12, “not only to experience the sacredness of the Lord’s house, but also because they feel a connection to their ancestors and want to perform their ordinances for them.”

See also: Help Wanted: The Importance of Involving Children in Temple and Family History Work

View the full video and read a full transcript of Sister Jones and Elder Hallstrom’s addresses. Have fun exploring the birth year of your family members, living relatives, and ancestors with The Year I Was Born. The birth year can be changed right on the page. Use a search engine to learn what world events or inventions happened that year. How was life different back then?

Find an ancestor you would like to know better on the fan chart, and check out a Timeline and Map. See also: 10 Ways to Find Ancestor's Stories,

Interview family members to learn about their lives while they are still living! Capture, preserve and share these conversations by using FamilySearch apps.

For additional temple and family history activity ideas, see The Family History Guide Activities Index and especially the Youth: Latter-day Saints page, Weekly Family History Activities - a Come, Follow Me Companion, and Five-Minute Family History Activity Ideas for Latter-day Saints. See also In-home and Online Activities on FamilySearch, and BYU Family History Technology Lab.

2 Samuel 11.

From Come, Follow Me:

Reading about David’s tragic sins might be a good opportunity to discuss the dangers of pornography, unclean thoughts, and immorality. The following resources could be useful in your discussion: the October 2019 issue of the Ensign or Liahona, [ChurchofJesusChrist.org/addressing-pornography], and the videos What Should I Do When I See Pornography? and Watch Your Step. Family members could make a plan about what they will do when they encounter pornography.

The experience of Stephen Jezek is a powerful example of one who struggled for many years with addictions and was able to overcome them through faithful obedience to the commandments and a commitment to FamilySearch indexing.

Read Addressing Pornography: How Indexing And Family History Can Help. This is part two in a series based on Elder Dale G. Renlund's talk Family History and Temple Work: Sealing and Healing. Also, if you or someone you know is struggling with pornography, visit this site. 

See FamilySearch Project 5 in the Family History Guide, and search “Indexing” in The Family History Guide for additional information and activities. See also How Indexing And Family History Has Increased, and this Indexing Activity. Read more experiences here.

You can START NOW to find your family and help others discover information about their families that has been hidden away for 72 years! View the 1950 US Census: Opportunity for Church Members and the Get Involved App to be able to review computer information and check for mistakes "on the go."

(Click to enlarge)

See also: FamilySearch blog: What People Hope to Discover in the 1950 Census 

Use the Countries Knowledgebase