Weekly Family History Activities

From Come, Follow Me:

The Book of Mormon opens with Nephi’s promise to show us that “the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom he hath chosen, because of their faith” (1 Nephi 1:20). The book closes with a parallel invitation from Moroni: “Remember how merciful the Lord hath been” (Moroni 10:2–3). What examples of the Lord’s mercy have you seen in the Book of Mormon? You might think of the merciful way God led Lehi’s family through the wilderness and across the great waters, the tender mercies He showed to Enos when his soul hungered for forgiveness, or the mercy He showed to Alma, a bitter enemy of the Church who became one of its fearless defenders. Or your thoughts might turn to the mercy the resurrected Savior showed to the people when He healed their sick and blessed their little children. Perhaps most important, all of this can remind you of “how merciful the Lord hath been” to you, for the Book of Mormon was written to invite each of us to receive God’s mercy—an invitation expressed simply in Moroni’s farewell words, “Come unto Christ, and be perfected in him” (Moroni 10:32).

Gratitude for Tender Mercies

President Henry B. Eyring shares his experience about deciding to write in his journal daily with these questions in mind: "Did God send a message that was just for me? Did I see His hand in my life or the lives of my children?" He describes his commitment to record his answers to those questions, and "find a way to preserve that memory." He invites us to do the same. See O Remember, Remember, Henry B. Eyring

With the FamilySearch Memories Audio app or the Record My Story feature on FamilySearch Discovery, recording, sharing, and preserving has never been easier. Read more in The Family History Guide here.

"The scriptures, especially the Book of Mormon, make clear that "remembering" is a fundamental and saving principle of the gospel. We keep records to help us remember. Remembering the past gives us needed perspective as God's children to have faith in our future destiny and thus to live more faithfully in the present." Marlin K. Jensen, There Shall Be a Record Kept among You 

Ancestor Tender Mercies

What tender mercies are you aware of in the lives of your ancestors? What tender mercies may they have experienced as they joined The Church of Jesus Christ? How may they have been blessed in facing personal challenges? Tell ancestors' stories as a family and identify some tender mercies.

Read and retell your ancestors' testimonies. Find stories in FamilySearch Memories or on your fan chart, and share them. Check out the All The Stories site to see a searchable list of all the stories anyone has placed on your branch of the FamilySearch tree. Check out 10 Ways to Find Ancestor's Stories.

For those without many (or any) stories in your branch of an online family tree, an idea is to find church history stories that coincide with the timeline of your ancestors’ lives to read and record. When you record any story, you have created a family history moment--you have shared something dear to you. Your posterity and other loved ones will know that you cherished the things that you recorded.

You can organize your ancestors' stories on FamilySearch by creating albums in your memories gallery for each surname and other categories such as “Adventure Stories,” “Conversion Stories,” etc..

First Convert Stories

Create a collection of the stories of the first converts in your family lines. This is a wonderful way to send ancestor stories with your missionaries, or give for a birthday or Christmas gift. These testimonies are also a great way to strengthen living family members. 

See this page for suggestions to have younger children illustrate conversion stories and make them into a coloring booklet for children.

You could also plan a “Gathering” activity to share the recorded testimonies and photos of your ancestors (see above). Have a prayer of gratitude together for the legacy they have given you.

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Moroni 10:3–7

From Come, Follow Me:

The promise in Moroni 10:3–7 has changed the lives of millions of people around the world. How has it changed yours?

Inviting the Holy Ghost

Involvement in temple and family history work promises to invite the Holy Ghost into your life. See Open the Heavens Through Temple and Family History Work:

Sister Nelson : “It is my testimony that however fabulous your life is right now, or however discouraging and heartbreaking it may be, your involvement in temple and family history work will make it better. What do you need in your life right now? More love? More joy? More self-mastery? More peace? More meaningful moments? More of a feeling that you're making a difference? More fun? More answers to your soul-searching questions? More heart-to-heart connections with others? More understanding of what you are reading in the scriptures? More ability to love and to forgive? More ability to pray with power? More inspiration and creative ideas for your work and other projects? More time for what really matters? 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.”

President Nelson : “I invite you to prayerfully consider what kind of sacrifice—preferably a sacrifice of time—you can make in order to do more temple and family history work this year. We are engaged in the work of Almighty God. He lives. Jesus is the Christ. This is His Church. We are His covenant children. He can count on us.”

"Do you young people want a sure way to eliminate the influence of the adversary in your life? Immerse yourself in searching for your ancestors" Richard G. Scott, The Joy of Redeeming the Dead

"I promise you will be protected against the intensifying influence of the adversary. As you participate in and love this holy work, you will be safeguarded in your youth and throughout your lives" David A. Bednar, The Hearts of the Children Shall Turn

“...as we participate in family history and temple work today, we also lay claim to “healing” blessings promised by prophets and apostles. These blessings are also breathtakingly amazing because of their scope, specificity, and consequence in mortality. This long list includes these blessings:

• Increased understanding of the Savior and His atoning sacrifice;
• Increased influence of the Holy Ghost7 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; and
• Increased assistance to mend troubled, broken, or anxious hearts and make the wounded whole.

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. When ordinances are performed on behalf of the deceased, God’s children on earth are healed. No wonder President Russell M. Nelson, in his first message as President of the Church, declared, “Your worship in the temple and your service there for your ancestors will bless you with increased personal revelation and peace and will fortify your commitment to stay on the covenant path.” Dale G. Renlund, Family History and Temple Work: Sealing and Healing. Watch the video here.

See the “Promised Blessings” activity here, along with The Promised Blessings of Family History 1 and 2 (videos).

Read more here. You may want to keep a personal and a Family Journal of how the above promises have been and are being fulfilled in your life and the lives of those you love. 

Read The Testimony of a Youth Family History Consultant to see how one young woman's testimony grew through her calling in family history.

Study the following chart and decide what your next step will be to be more involved in doing temple and family history work, and begin or continue your journey! 

(Click to enlarge)

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Your Personal History

• How has the Book of Mormon influenced your life?
• Share your testimony of temple and family history work.