Weekly Family History Activities

From Come, Follow Me:

Like Samuel, we all encounter walls as we “prepare the way of the Lord” (Helaman 14:9) and strive to follow His prophets. And like Samuel, we too bear witness of Jesus Christ, “who surely shall come,” and invite all to “believe on his name” (Helaman 13:6; 14:13). Not everyone will listen, and some may actively oppose us. But those who believe in this message with faith in Christ find that it truly is a message of “glad tidings of great joy” (Helaman 16:14).

Sharing the Gospel 

“The time has come for us to capitalize more effectively on the potent combination of the mighty change of heart, made possible primarily by the spiritual power of the Book of Mormon, and the turning of hearts to the fathers, accomplished through the spirit of Elijah. A yearning for connection to our past can prepare an individual to receive the virtue of the word of God and fortify his or her faith. A heart turning to the fathers uniquely helps an individual withstand the influence of the adversary and strengthen conversion ... 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." David A. Bednar, Missionary, Family History, and Temple Work

Read more in Kathryn Grant's FamilySearch blog post.

People everywhere desire to know of their heritage. As they learn about those who went before them, they may become interested in knowing about eternal families and what the gospel of Jesus Christ teaches about sealing families together. Teaching about temple work and helping with family history can be a successful finding, teaching, and retention tool.

Practice Using Family History In Missionary Work

You might want to role-play missionary scenarios where family history can be a tool for helping people know more about their families, and then talking to them about some principles of the gospel. You could enlist the help of friends and neighbors for this activity.

Divide into companionships and 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." 

Plan ahead to be prepared to ask and answer questions and to be able to help people find information about their families. 

A fun question to ask is described in An Evening With Elder And Sister Bednar at 44:07. Elder Bednar suggests talking to people about the meaning of their surnames. Perhaps this question would lead to others and opportunities to share something about the gospel. Do a Surname Search on FamilySearch.org.

Click to enlarge

Check out the following suggestions found in Help Friends Discover Their Family History: With the FamilySearch Family Tree App and a conversation, you can help a friend begin to discover personal 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?

You may be asked:

• Why is FamilySearch.org a free service?
  The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints sponsors this service through the generous donations of its members because families are an important part of God’s plan for all of His children. Through Jesus Christ, we can be reunited with our loved ones after we die. Because of this, FamilySearch is a free resource to help all people learn about their ancestors and feel a connection to them.
• I feel something special when I participate in family history. Why?
  When we learn more about our family history, we are naturally drawn to our ancestors and feel a connection to them. This feeling of connection is a reminder from God through His Holy Spirit that families are meant to last beyond this life. Additional information about the importance of families is available here.

Note: Introducing others to The Family History Guide is giving them a lasting gift that will help them in their family history journey. 

---

Helaman 14; 16:13–23

God sent signs and wonders to testify of the Savior’s birth and death.

From Come, Follow Me:

In Helaman 14, Samuel explained that the Lord provided signs of the Savior’s birth and death so that the people “might know of … his coming” and “believe on his name” (Helaman 14:12)...Other more personal and less dramatic signs can help you “believe on [the Savior’s] name.” What has He done to strengthen your belief in Him?

“Think of your own life. Over the years, I have listened to thousands of profoundly spiritual experiences from Latter-day Saints all across the world, confirming to me beyond any question that God knows and loves each of us and that He eagerly desires to reveal Himself to us. These experiences may come at pivotal times in our lives or in what may at first seem as uneventful happenings, but they are always accompanied by an exceptionally strong spiritual confirmation of the love of God.

Remembering these spiritually defining experiences takes us to our knees, declaring as did the Prophet Joseph: “What I received was from heaven. I know it, and I know that God knows that I know it.” (see Joseph Smith—History 1).” Neil L. Anderson, Spiritually Defining Memories

Share Spiritually Defining Moments

Plan a time to verbally share with your family the spiritual experiences you have had, and invite family members to share theirs also. This might be a “gathering” type setting where you are not audio recording. 

Consider creating a collection of your spiritual experiences, and the spiritual experiences of your family members that they would like to share. This book can be a meaningful gift for family members. 

You may also record your spiritual experiences using the Memories Audio app or the "Record My Story" feature on FamilySearch Discovery.

Keeping a Journal

Consider keeping a written journal of God's hand in your life and in the lives of your family members. You can also record journal entries using the FamilySearch Memories Audio app or the "Record My Story" feature on FamilySearch Discovery.

"When our children were very small, I started to write down a few things about what happened every day...so that my children could have the memory someday when they would need it ... Before I would write, I would ponder this question: 'Have I seen the hand of God reaching out to touch us or our children or our family today?' ...I realized that trying to remember had allowed God to show me what He had done. More than gratitude began to grow in my heart. Testimony grew. I became ever more certain that our Heavenly Father hears and answers prayers. I felt more gratitude for the softening and refining that come because of the Atonement of the Savior Jesus Christ. And I grew more confident that the Holy Ghost can bring all things to our remembrance—even things we did not notice or pay attention to when they happened." Henry B. Eyring, O Remember, Remember

Keep a journal, both for yourself and for generations to come. Read Why You Should Keep A Journal and How To Start Yours. For more help and inspiration see this blog post. Learn more in this article by Thai Nguyen: The Surprising Benefits of Keeping a Journal.

Keeping a Family Journal

Take turns writing about how the Lord has worked wonders in your family. Share the opportunity of being scribe. Younger children can "write" with their artwork. See The Benefits and Blessings of Keeping A Family Journal.

---

Your Personal History

Write (or audio-record) one story about your life as you study each Come, Follow Me lesson to have 52 by the end of the year. Save as a story and add it to your FamilySearch memories to preserve it. Use your own questions, those from (or inspired by) Come, Follow Me, or the #52 Stories Project. See below for ideas:

• What personal commitments do you feel you should make regarding the Lord's prophets and their messages?
• How have you shared the gospel?
• Who has shared gospel truths with you and how have their words and examples changed your life?