Weekly Family History Activities

From Come, Follow Me:

In these difficult circumstances, the prophet Nephi “cried mightily to his God in behalf of his people” (3 Nephi 1:11). The Lord’s response is inspiring to anyone who faces persecution or doubt and needs to know that light will overcome darkness: “Lift up your head and be of good cheer; … I will fulfil all that which I have caused to be spoken by the mouth of my holy prophets” (3 Nephi 1:13).

“The Lord granted unto Abraham’s seed the great blessings of truth, priesthood, and the ordinances of exaltation, but he expected the recipients of these blessings to covenant to do something in return. ‘For of him unto whom much is given much is required’ (D&C 82:3), the Lord explained to the Prophet Joseph Smith…In our day, when we are granted the fulness of the gospel and when we actively participate in both missionary and temple work, we are fulfilling the Abrahamic covenant to its fullest.” The Abrahamic Covenant

The Abrahamic Covenant

Discuss how temple and family history work contribute to the fulfillment of the Abrahamic covenant. How is the Abrahamic covenant available to all people? How do those who are not literal descendants of Abraham become members of the family of Israel? In The Abrahamic Covenant: A Blessing for All People, Kent P. Jackson lists four major aspects of the Abrahamic covenant:

• A Promised Land
• A Great Posterity
• Priesthood and Gospel Blessings
• A Mission of Salvation to Others

See also: Abrahamic Covenant, Introduction to Family History, Children of the Covenant, and Why the Covenant Path.

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

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 separate 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."  Dale G. Renlund, "Family History and Temple Work: Sealing and Healing

Make plans to continue doing, or begin to do more temple and family history work. Read stories about your ancestors and research ideas for compiling and sharing histories, stories collections, and memories. Continue to share what you are working on and any finished projects. Sharing family history stories, events, photos and memories on social media might help unite your family and open the door to receive promised blessings. Read Hashtags, Tweets, and Blogs: The New Language of Family History for ideas to get started. Perhaps simply making a family history connection with family members will be the beginning to healing troubled relationships. Think of any ways you may have offended another family member and ask for forgiveness. Make a call, write a message online, or write a letter. Pray as a family for help to clear up any misunderstandings, and become closer to those you love. Rely on the promises!

Where Do I Start?

The Family History Guide will help you find ways to increase your time 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

Finding Needed Ordinances

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

Ordinances Ready is a FamilySearch tool that simplifies finding names for the temple, al 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.. 

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3 Nephi 1:4–15; 5:12–26; 6:10–15; 7:15–26

From Come, Follow Me:

Mormon declared, “Behold, I am a disciple of Jesus Christ” (3 Nephi 5:13). What does this phrase mean to you?

Watch the above clip from “Mr. Krueger's Christmas,” and try to feel what it would be like to be in the manger with the newborn Christ-child. You could even dress up to portray the “manger scene,” while someone reads Matthew 1:18–25; 2; Luke 1:26–38; 2:1–20. See The Nativity Story . 

Express to each other your feelings of how the Savior has changed your lives - his willingness to come to earth, his birth, life, teachings, example, and atoning sacrifice - whatever is in your hearts. 

You could audio record this or write your testimonies and add those documents to FamilySearch memories, or video record.

Share Testimonies of Christ

Write questions to encourage the sharing of testimonies of Christ on slips of paper and place in a basket. Each member could write one question (or a parent or group leader could have the questions prepared ahead of time). Simplify for younger children.

• What is a favorite scripture that helped develop your testimony of Christ?
• When has the atonement been especially meaningful to you?
• What counsel from the prophets did you follow to strengthen your testimony?
• Share a time when someone's testimony strengthened yours.
• What was a time when you felt the love of the Savior in your life?
• Share a story of an ancestor's faith that has helped you in your life?
• How have your parents or others taught you gospel truths?
• In what ways can you show your gratitude for the life, teachings, and atonement of Jesus Christ?

Take turns drawing one slip from the basket and sharing your feelings and gratitude for the Lord's hand in your lives (see O Remember, Remember, Henry B. Eyring - watch a video clip here). Audio recordings of your experience can be recorded on or uploaded to FamilySearch. 

Testimonies of Ancestors

Create a booklet or a collection of testimonies of the Savior from the records of your ancestors. Consider making a collection of the stories of the first converts in your family lines. See Ten Ways To Discover, Gather, and Share Ancestor Stories.

The Living Christ

As a family, you may want to audio or video record members of your own family taking turns reading from The Living Christ: The Testimony of the Apostles. 

Print copies here. 

You could also audio record using the Memories Audio app or the “Record My Story” feature on FamilySearch. 

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Your Personal History



One idea is to write (or audio-record) a story about your life as you study each Come, Follow Me lesson. For example:

• What sacrifice of time have you made to do temple and family history work?
• How have you been encouraged to lift up your head and be of good cheer" because you have been inspired by an ancestor?
• Record and share your testimony of Jesus Christ.