Weekly Family History Activities

Doctrine and Covenants 125-128

“A Voice of Gladness for the Living and the Dead”

From Come, Follow Me:

In August 1840, a grieving Jane Neyman listened to the Prophet Joseph speak at the funeral of his friend Seymour Brunson. Jane’s own teenage son Cyrus had also recently passed away. Adding to her grief was the fact that Cyrus had never been baptized, and Jane worried what this would mean for his eternal soul. Joseph knew how she felt; he had wondered the same thing about his beloved brother Alvin, who also died before being baptized. So the Prophet decided to share with Jane, and everyone else at the funeral, what the Lord had revealed to him about those who had died without receiving the ordinances of the gospel—and what we can do to help them.

In an 1844 discourse, Joseph Smith advised “all the Saints to go to with their might and gather together all their living relatives to [the temple], that they may be sealed and saved, that they may be prepared against the day that the destroying angel goes forth; and if the whole Church should go to with all their might to save their dead, seal their posterity, and gather their living friends, and spend none of their time in behalf of the world, they would hardly get through before night would come, when no man can work.” (Becoming Saviors on Mount Zion) 

"For we without [our ancestors] cannot be made perfect; neither can they without us be made perfect." (D&C 128:18). Many of our deceased ancestors are being taught the gospel in the spirit world. They need our help and we need theirs! Find some names of your ancestors who need their temple work done using Ordinances Ready and do it. Read how to verify names and relationships here.

As a family, take turns telling about your baptismal day. Where were you baptized and by whom? Who was there to share your baptism? What do you remember about that day? How did you feel when you were baptized? Help younger children who have not yet been baptized express their feelings about how they feel about being baptized - why it will be a great day in their lives. You could write these experiences in your journal and let younger children draw their experiences.

Ask your family members to consider the feelings they shared in the activity above as it relates to performing baptisms for their ancestors. Find ancestors who need their baptisms and confirmations performed for them. How is your child related to this person? Can you find him or her on the family tree? How long have they waited to have their work completed? Discuss what feelings this ancestor must be experiencing as they contemplate your performing this work on his or her behalf.

Doctrine and Covenants 126

The Lord wants me to care for my family.

From Come, Follow Me:

After returning home from the latest of several missions to England, Brigham Young received another important calling from the LordHe was asked to “take especial care of [his] family” (verse 3), who had suffered in his absence. As you study this section, consider why the Lord sometimes requires sacrifice in our service. What can you do to take care of your family?

“Being one in a family carries a great responsibility of caring, loving, lifting, and strengthening each member of the family so that all can righteously endure to the end in mortality and dwell together throughout eternity. It is not enough just to save ourselves. It is equally important that parents, brothers, and sisters are saved in our families. If we return home alone to our Heavenly Father, we will be asked, “Where is the rest of the family?” This is why we teach that families are forever. The eternal nature of an individual becomes the eternal nature of the family.” (The Eternal Family) 

“From the beginning of their marriage, Ezra Taft and Flora Benson made their home and family their top priority. When their children were young, they began emphasizing that they wanted their family to have no ‘empty chairs’ in the eternities. President Benson emphasized this same message during his service as a Church leader. He said: ‘God intended the family to be eternal. With all my soul, I testify to the truth of that declaration. May He bless us to strengthen our homes and the lives of each family member so that in due time we can report to our Heavenly Father in His celestial home that we are all there—father, mother, sister, brother, all who hold each other dear. Each chair is filled. We are all back home.’" (Marriage and Family—Ordained of God) 

Play a game of hide and seek with your family. (As a variation, you may want to end the game before everyone is found and see what comments are made by family members.) Discuss as a family why you needed to keep searching until everyone was found? Why was that important? Compare that with your eternal family. You may also want to discuss the importance of finding everyone on your family tree so that you can be an eternal family. You may enjoy listening to the song "No Empty Chairs" by Janice Kapp Perry.

Doctrine and Covenants 128:15–18.

From Come, Follow Me:

What are some saving and perfecting blessings of family history work? You may find some ideas in the video “The Promised Blessings of Family History” (ChurchofJesusChrist.org) or in a song about family history, such as “Family History—I Am Doing It” (Children’s Songbook, 94).

Read Blessings for My Ancestors, Blessings for Me. Discuss as a family how your testimony of family history has grown. What experiences have you had? List some of the blessings that come through temple and family history work. How have these blessings strengthened your testimony? You may want to record these in an individual journal, a family journal, or an audio recording. A list of some of these blessings can be found in Elder Dale G. Renlund's talk, Family History and Temple Work: Sealing and Healing, if you need help getting started.

See the related activity in Week 44.

Doctrine and Covenants 127:5–8; 128:1–8

“Whatsoever you record on earth shall be recorded in heaven.”

From Come, Follow Me:

As you read Doctrine and Covenants 127:5–8; 128:1–8, look for reasons the Lord gave Joseph Smith such specific instructions about recording baptisms for the dead. What does this teach you about the Lord and His work? How do you feel this instruction could apply to your own family records, such as personal journals?

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.

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

Doctrine and Covenants 128:5–25

The salvation of my ancestors is essential to my salvation.

From Come, Follow Me:

It’s clear from what God revealed through Joseph Smith why our ancestors who weren’t baptized in this life need us: we are baptized on their behalf so they can choose to accept or reject this ordinance. But the Prophet also taught that our ancestors’ salvation is “necessary and essential to our salvation.”

"All of the Church's family history endeavors are directed to the need to form a 'welding link … between the fathers and the children' (D&C 128:18). This welding link is formed by the power of the priesthood, through sacred temple ordinances we receive in behalf of our ancestors….Many of Heavenly Father's children have died without having the opportunity to receive the fulness of the gospel. In His mercy and infinite love, the Lord has prepared a way for them to gain a testimony of the gospel and receive the saving ordinances of the priesthood…. In holy temples, we have the privilege of receiving ordinances in their behalf. These ordinances include baptism, confirmation, Melchizedek Priesthood ordination (for men), the endowment, the marriage sealing, and the sealing of children to parents...you perform a saving work for others that they cannot do for themselves." (Family History Work and Genealogy, True to the Faith)

As a family, find ancestors you can go do baptisms or other ordinances for in the temple. If you haven't used Ordinances Ready yet, learn how here and read Ordinances Ready—Inspiring Members Around the World.

The Prophet Joseph Smith said, "The greatest responsibility in this world that God has laid upon us is to seek after our dead." Teachings of Presidents of the Church, Joseph Smith (2007) 475

If you haven't used Ordinances Ready yet, you can try this FamilySearch tool that simplifies finding names for the temple, allowing you more time to serve your family and enjoy the blessings of the temple. Read how to verify names and relationships here.

Saving ordinances are performed in the temple for those who have died without having the opportunity to receive these ordinances. The dead are taught the gospel in the spirit world and have the choice to accept these ordinances performed on their behalf.

As a family, list all the ordinances you can name. Which of these ordinances are considered saving ordinances? (baptism and confirmation, Melchizedek Priesthood for men, endowment, and sealing) Write the saving ordinances down on a sheet of paper.

Discuss which ordinances are performed in the temple. Include in your discussion the ordinances listed on the family name ordinance card and the Ordinances Ready app. (Baptism, confirmation, initiatory, endowment, sealing) Compare these ordinances with those written on your sheet of paper. Discuss why all saving ordinances are performed in the temple? Learn more about Temple Baptism and Confirmation for the Dead, Temple Endowment, and Temple Sealing (Temple Marriage).

(For a more visual activity, get a picture of a temple. Write down the ordinances on separate strips of paper. Place these below the temple picture to symbolize steps leading to the temple and eventual exaltation by accepting these ordinances.)

Suggestion for journaling this week: Find the promises in Doctrine and Covenants 125-128. Write or audio-record about their influence in your life, and share with your family.