Weekly Family History Activities

Doctrine and Covenants 111-114

I Will Order All Things for Your Good.

From Come, Follow Me:

How has the Lord helped you find unexpected “treasures” (verse 10)? What has He done to “order all things for your good” (verse 11)?

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.” Open the Heavens Through Temple and Family History Work:

"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

Elder Renlund: “...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 videos The Promised Blessings of Family History 1 and 2.

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. 

See: The Testimony of a Youth Family History Consultant 

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)

Doctrine and Covenants 112:3–15, 22

The Lord will lead me as I humbly seek His will

From Come, Follow Me:

When have you felt guided by the Lord as you humbled yourself?

When we turn to God with full purpose of heart and pray for His help, having a spirit of repentance and humility, we can access His power of deliverance. The Lord always wants to lead us to deliverance through our becoming more righteous. That requires repentance.” See God’s Power of Deliverance. 

Ether 12:27: And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.

“Weakness is a condition of mortality; it can help us experience how very much we need the Lord.” Michelle D. Craig, Notwithstanding My Weakness

See: Happy and Forever.

(Click to enlarge)

See Elder Renlund’s talk, Family History and Temple Work: Sealing and Healing.

Think about ways to connect with living relatives to share your family stories of forgiveness. 

• Compile and share written stories of how your living family members and ancestors have been forgiving and forgiven
• Record and share stories on FamilySearch Memories and social media

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.

Watch the following video to see how one family found ways to forgive, and the power of sharing family history stories. The example begins at time stamp 8:44. 

See also: Beauty for Ashes: The Healing Path of Forgiveness.

Doctrine and Covenants 112:12–26, 28, 33–34

Those who are truly converted come to know Jesus Christ.

From Come, Follow Me:

Perhaps you could read Doctrine and Covenants 112:12–26, 28, 33–34 and look for truths that could help you overcome a trial of faith or become more fully converted to the Lord. You might feel inspired to share what you find to help someone else strengthen their conversion to Christ.

Perhaps you are the first convert in your family to accept these truths and be baptized. Your decision will also influence those who come after you.

Writing a letter of gratitude and testimony to an ancestor, living relative, or to yourself, will document your feelings. Consider creating an audio recording of your letter, or simply recording your testimony of the restored gospel. See instructions and suggestions for preserving your recording on FamilySearch Memories. For those who do not have ancestors who are converts, consider writing a letter to a living or deceased person who has influenced you for good. 

You may want to consider creating a collection of the stories of the first converts in your family lines. See 10 Ways To Discover, Gather, and Share Ancestor Stories. If you don't have stories from the lives of your ancestors available, you could learn from conversion stories and other stories from the lives of our church leaders. Read more here. You may want to put these stories in your memories on FamilySearch and attach them to your tree. Find instructions in this FamilySearch article. The Family History Guide gives step-by-step instructions for preserving your photos and stories in Project 2: Memories.

See: A Miracle In Denmark.

Stories illustrated by anyone, of any skill level, can be copied for gift-giving, shared for bedtime stories, or used as coloring books. These stories can help us all make family connections. 

Find the promises in Doctrine and Covenants 111-114. Write or audio-record about their influence in your life, and share with your family.