Week 50: Weekly Family History Activities 2023

“Glory, and Power, Be unto … the Lamb for Ever”

John’s vision teaches about Heavenly Father’s plan to save His children.

From Come, Follow Me:

One way to study Revelation is to look for connections to the plan of salvation. This general overview may help you:

Chapters 5 and 12 describe events in the premortal life.

Chapters 6–11, 13–14, 16–19 describe mortal life and events in the history of the earth.

Chapters 2–3, 15, 20–22 describe the Final Judgment and the glory that awaits the faithful.

As you read, ask yourself, “What does this teach me about God’s plan? What has God done to help me overcome evil and return to Him? What are His promises to the faithful?”

The Plan of Salvation

Check out the “Plan of Salvation Activity in Week 48.

Ancestors Cheering Us On

Elder Holland: "In short, apostasy and destruction of one kind or another was the ultimate fate of every general dispensation we have ever had down through time. But here's my theory. My theory is that those great men and women, the leaders in those ages past, were able to keep going, to keep testifying, to keep trying to do their best, not because they knew that they would succeed but because they knew that you would. I believe they took courage and hope not so much from their own circumstances as from yours ..."

"Ours, not theirs, was the day that gave them heavenly and joyful anticipations and caused them to sing and prophesy of victory. Ours is the day, collectively speaking, toward which the prophets have been looking from the beginning of time, and those earlier brethren are over there still cheering us on! In a very real way, their chance to consider themselves fully successful depends on our faithfulness and our victory."

"I love the idea of going into the battle of the last days representing Alma and Abinadi and what they pled for and representing Peter and Paul and the sacrifices they made. If you can't get excited about that kind of assignment in the drama of history, you can't get excited!" Jeffrey R. Holland, Terror, Triumph, and a Wedding Feast (Watch the entire presentation here.)

“Ministering Angels” by Annie Henrie Nader (used with permission)

In addition to the prophets of past dispensations cheering us on, our ancestors are also! "The Lord so declared: 'I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up.' What a promise! When we are faithful, He and His angels will help us." (Russell M. Nelson, April General Conference 2011)

Who are these angels? The Lord has revealed that “there are no angels who minister to this earth but those who do belong or have belonged to it.” (D&C 130:5.)

Joseph F. Smith said, "When messengers are sent to minister to the inhabitants of this earth, they are not strangers, but from the ranks of our kindred [and] friends . . . . In like manner, our fathers and mothers, brothers, sisters, and friends who have passed away from this earth, having been faithful, and worthy to enjoy these rights and privileges, may have a mission given them to visit their relatives and friends upon the earth again, bringing from the divine Presence messages of love, of warning, of reproof and instruction to those whom they had learned to love in the flesh." Gospel Doctrine, Deseret Book Co., 1970 (read more here).

How can you learn more about these loved ones who are cheering you on, right alongside the prophets? Getting to know about their lives can help open the door to receive their influence in your life to help you through difficult times.

We invite you to check out these FamilySearch Activities and have fun doing some of them:

Also, have fun exploring additional activities to get to know your ancestors in FamilySearch Discovery and in The Family History Guide Activities pages. See also 10 Ways to Find Ancestor's Stories, your FamilySearch fan chart, and check out the All The Stories site to see a searchable list of all the stories anyone has placed on your part of the Family Tree.

Consider the "add-on" method as you plan family history activities to get to know your ancestors. Make a routine by adding an activity to a meal, bed-time, travel time, family prayers or scripture reading, etc. See Need a Time Filler? Think Family History!

“So keep loving. Keep trying. Keep trusting. Keep believing. Keep growing. Heaven is cheering you on today, tomorrow, and forever." Jeffrey R. Holland, Tomorrow the Lord Will Do Wonders Among You

See what Sister Wendy Nelson shares about asking for angels to help you. You may also be interested in reading this article by Larry E. Dahl and the following by Elder Holland:

The Gathering Of Israel

President Nelson: "Just think of the excitement and urgency of it all: every prophet commencing with Adam has seen our day. And every prophet has talked about our day, when Israel would be gathered and the world would be prepared for the Second Coming of the Savior. Think of it! Of all the people who have ever lived on planet earth, we are the ones who get to participate in this final, great gathering event. How exciting is that! ...I testify that the gathering is now, and it is real." Worldwide Devotional for Youth

Study about the gathering of Israel in these latter days, and decide how you can be involved through temple work, family history, and missionary work.

"Missionary work and family history and temple work are complementary and interrelated aspects of one great work, 'that in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him'" (Ephesians 1:10) "... The artificial boundary line we so often place between missionary work and temple and family history work is being erased; this is one great work of salvation." Missionary, Family History, and Temple Work

Plan a get-together and divide all group members into missionary companionships. Have friends (including ward or stake family history consultants) or family members role-play being “contacts.” Those who are role-playing missionaries can then practice door approaches with this guidance from Preach My Gospel: "Talk to people about their families. Help them see how the restored gospel can be a blessing to their families. Offer to help them find the names of grandparents, great-grandparents, or other ancestors. Enlist the help of ward temple and family history consultants." You could invite friends, consultants, or extended family members to help with this role-play activity.

Check out these ideas to help you with your role-play activity from Help Friends Discover Their Family History:

With the FamilySearch Family Tree App or other tool and a conversation, you can help others begin to discover their family history.

You might ask:

Which of your ancestors do you feel most connected with? Why?
Who’s the oldest relative you remember? What do you remember about him/her?
What stories do you know about your ancestors?
What traits do you have in common with your family? Who did those come from?
Have you visited an ancestor’s homeland? What was it like?
What do you want to know about your ancestors?

Note from The Family History Guide Team: As part of a role-play to practice sharing the gospel through family history, you and your family will definitely benefit from including The Family History Guide as a resource

Creating Experiences Of Gathering

Each week, you will find Activities to help gather Israel (on both sides of the veil) that are correlated to each Come, Follow Me lesson. Have fun using the “add-on method” to simultaneously receive the blessings of both! Check out 5-Minute Ideas for Latter-day Saints and Heeding The Prophet's Call to Action.

Weekly Family History Activities

Week 50: December 4–December 10

“Glory, and Power, Be unto … the Lamb for Ever”