Weekly Family History Activities

From Come, Follow Me :

If you knew your life was coming to an end, what final messages would you want to share with those you love most? When the prophet Lehi felt he was nearing the end of his life, he gathered his family together one last time. He shared with them what Heavenly Father had revealed to him. He bore his testimony of the Messiah. He taught gospel truths he cherished to the people he cherished. He talked about liberty, obedience, the Fall of Adam and Eve, redemption through Jesus Christ, and joy. Not all of his children chose to live by what he taught—none of us can make these choices for our loved ones. But we can teach and testify of the Redeemer, who makes us "free to choose liberty and eternal life" (2 Nephi 2:26-7).

If you knew your life was coming to an end, what final messages would you want to share with those you love most? How would you plan to share these messages with them? How could they be preserved?

It is significant that the famous last words of our prophets ancient and modern always point us to Christ. For example, Helaman's last words to his sons included this powerful counsel: "Remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation" (Helaman 5:12).






What Would You Say?

One idea is to write down what you would say to your own posterity and generations to come, then read it as an audio message on FamilySearch using the FamilySearch Memories Audio App, or the "Record My Story" feature on FamilySearch Discovery, or from FamilySearch memories on your computer (see this link). You could also record it without writing it first. Sharing in many ways and circumstances will leave no question about what you know and love. What a blessing for generations to come to hear the message you want them to remember!




In the Footsteps of our Ancestors

Stories of Latter-day Saint pioneers and our ancestors who have faced challenges with faith and fortitude can be a guide and a light to you as you work to overcome the difficult times in your own life - to“come forth” from our trials “as gold” as they have. 

To find ways to discover and share inspirational family history stories, see Week 18 (Old Testament).

Check out this Pioneer Ancestors discovery activity (see example below): 

This interactive pioneer page shows a snapshot of the life and timeline of each ancestor based on available historical records. Personalized discoveries are compiled using data from the FamilySearch Family Tree mapped against pioneer information found in the Overland Trails database. If available for their ancestors, patrons will be led to photos, history, and first-hand experiences. Read more here.

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Your Personal History



Write one brief story about your life as you study each Come, Follow Me lesson. By the end of the year, you will have compiled 50 stories to add to your personal history. Save as a story (also consider audio-recording it) and add it to your FamilySearch memories to preserve it. Use your own questions or those from (or inspired by) the #52 Stories Project below. For example:

• When and how did you come to know the truthfulness of The Book of Mormon?
• How would your life be different if your knowledge gained from the Book of Mormon were suddenly taken away?
• Write about a favorite Book of Mormon prophet and your gratitude for specific records he kept.