None Are Exempt From This Great Obligation

Ogden Utah Temple - Photo From LDS Media Library

“It matters not what else we have been called to do, or what position we may occupy, or how faithfully in other ways we have labored in the Church, none are exempt from this great obligation [of performance of temple work for the dead]. 

“It is required of the apostle as well as of the humblest elder. Place, or distinction, or long service in the Church, in the mission field, the Stakes of Zion, or where or how else it may have been will not entitle one to disregard the salvation of one’s dead. 

“Some may feel that if they pay their tithing, attend their regular meetings and other duties, give of their substance to feed the poor, perchance spend one or two or more years preaching in the world, that they are absolved from further duty. 

“But the greatest and grandest duty of all is to labor for the dead. We may and should do all these other things, for which reward will be given, but if we neglect the weightier privilege and commandment, notwithstanding all other good works, we shall find ourselves under severe condemnation.” 

– President Joseph Fielding Smith, “Seeking after Our Dead”, 

Genealogical Society of Utah, 1928, pp. 35–36.

We Will Have Revelations To Know Our Forefathers

St George Utah Temple - Photo From LDS Media Library

"In the Millennium, when the Kingdom of God is established on the earth in power, glory and perfection, and the reign of wickedness that has so long prevailed is subdued, the Saints of God will have the privilege of building their temples, and of entering into them, becoming, as it were, pillars in the temples of God [see Revelation 3:12], and they will officiate for their dead. Then we will see our friends come up, and perhaps some that we have been acquainted with here. … And we will have revelations to know our forefathers clear back to Father Adam and Mother Eve, and we will enter into the temples of God and officiate for them. Then [children] will be sealed to [parents] until the chain is made perfect back to Adam, so that there will be a perfect chain of Priesthood from Adam to the winding-up scene. This will be the work of the Latter-day Saints in the Millennium."

- Brigham Young, Discourses of Brigham Young, selected by John A. Widtsoe, 1941, p 116.

Worth Every Sacrifice And Every Effort

Washington D.C. Temple during Christmas - Photo From LDS Media Library

“Why are so many willing to give so much in order to receive the blessings of the temple? Those who understand the eternal blessings which come from the temple know that no sacrifice is too great, no price too heavy, no struggle too difficult in order to receive those blessings. There are never too many miles to travel, too many obstacles to overcome, or too much discomfort to endure. They understand that the saving ordinances received in the temple that permit us to someday return to our Heavenly Father in an eternal family relationship and to be endowed with blessings and power from on high are worth every sacrifice and every effort.”

– President Thomas S. Monson, “The Holy Temple—a Beacon to the World,” 

LDS General Conference, April 2011.

Popular Genetic Genealogist, CeCe Moore, to Speak at RootsTech 2017

Salt Lake City, Utah, December 9, 2016 - What family mysteries can be unlocked through the growing availability of home DNA tests and ever-expanding online databases and genealogical tools?

New family connections are depicted weekly in the media and online social forums as millions turn to genetic genealogy to help uncover or dispel long-held family facts, fiction, and questions. CeCe Moore, the popular genetic genealogist, will be sharing these and other fascinating perspectives of DNA science as the keynote speaker on Saturday, February 11, 2017, at RootsTech, the world’s largest family history conference.

Moore, who’s been on the leading edge of genetic genealogy as one of its leading proponents and pioneers, is a sought-after media consultant collaborating regularly with ABC’s 20/20, showcasing her cutting-edge work reuniting individuals of unknown parentage with biological relatives through genetic genealogy. She also appeared as a genetic genealogy expert on the CBS Morning News, Good Morning America, The Dr. Oz Show, The Doctors, and Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr. where for three seasons she has worked as a consultant and scriptwriter.

Moore’s knowledge and unique talents have afforded her many opportunities to share what she’s learned on screen, in writing, and in person as a popular speaker.

“It is a dream come true and a personal goal fulfilled to be invited to speak as a keynote presenter at the largest genealogy conference in the world, RootsTech!” said Moore. “RootsTech is always so full of energy and anticipation. It will be exciting to share my experiences from the fascinating world of genetic genealogy. I am constantly amazed by the compelling stories I encounter in my work every day, and I look forward to sharing that with the audience and illustrating the power of DNA.”

Moore combines her extensive knowledge of the latest DNA research and testing with modern genealogical technology to shed light on family history mysteries. She works extensively on a pro-bono basis with individuals of unknown parentage to help them learn about their genetic heritage, often reuniting them with biological family members.

“Genetic genealogy is showing us that our ancestors are an important part of who we are today,” said Moore. “The more we learn and discover, the clearer this has become. As genealogists, we are all seeking to better understand our ancestral history and, through that, gain insight into ourselves. Thousands, even millions, of us are learning that our very own DNA holds the key to so many mysteries and incredible discoveries.”

A leading proponent of genetic genealogy education, Moore is the co-founder of the Institute for Genetic Genealogy and helped create and teach groundbreaking genetic genealogy courses at all of the major genealogical institutes. She maintains her popular blog Your Genetic Genealogist, and created and runs the largest online DNA focused forum, the DNA Detectives Facebook group.

Register or learn more about RootsTech online.

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I am 2017 RootsTech Ambassador and will be sharing these press releases on my blog in preparation for RootsTech in February 2017. I have received a free conference registration from RootsTech.
#RootsTech

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To learn more about CeCe, check out the following:
Facebook: CeCe Moore - Genetic Genealogist
Twitter: CeCe Moore
LinkedIn: CeCe Moore
Website: DNA Detectives

The Foundation For A Major Work

Salt Lake Temple at Christmas - Photo From LDS Media Library

"I am confident that the Lord will permit us and direct us to go on building these sacred structures as we become worthy of them. Our important test of that worthiness will lie in doing the research that becomes the foundation for the major work to be carried on in them."  

- President Gordon B. Hinckley, "A Century of Family History Service," Ensign, March 1995.

RootsTech 2017 Giveaway Winner - Kimberly Nelson Savage

Kimberly Nelson Savage

Congratulations to the winner of my FREE RootsTech + Innovator Summit 2017 Registration - Kimberly Nelson Savage!

Kimberly first became interested in family history as a child.  Her great grandmother had a trunk of pictures and they would get it out and her great grandmother would tell her who everyone was. Kimberly loved the stories and two weeks before her great grandmother died, when Kimberly was 15 years old, she pulled out the trunk and her great grandmother said to put it away.  Kimberly said, "no I want to know who they are again".  So they spent the next two weeks identifying the photos before her great grandma was gone.  As a child one of her favorite times was when she got to go on trips with her grandma and great grandma and decorate graves.  She learned so many things from those trips.

Kimberly has recently been working on her grandfather's and great grandfather's histories.  Her great grandfather was killed in the Castle Gate Utah Mine Explosion in 1924, when her grandfather was just three years old.

"It has been amazing to me all the information that was kept due to the tragedy.  I have been able to access sealed records and found detailed information about my family. What a blessing." 

She is the oldest of 7 children, is married, and has two small children of her own.  She graduated from Weber State University in Health Information Management of Records & Information Systems and Technology. She loves to help others find their ancestors.

She is excited to be going to RootsTech 2017 where she can collaborate with speakers, vendors and attendees. According to Kimberly: "There is such a wealth of treasure that can be learned from a conference like this!!"


Thank you to those who entered my giveaway contest here on my blog. I hope to have other fun giveaways in the future.

I utilized Rafflecopter to run the giveaway. To select the winner the Rafflecopter software utilizes Random.org to ensure true randomness. In 2016, I ran a paid Facebook Ad to have exposure to my giveaway. This year I shared my blog post organically via Facebook in various genealogy related groups and also repeated sharing the post a handful of times over the course of the giveaway time frame. I received 2,152 Facebook views; which is more than the paid views I got last year. I also shared via Twitter, Google+ and Pinterest.

For some more numbers, that may be interesting only to me:
717 people viewed the blog post
25 people entered the giveaway
102 entries from those 25 people

Two of the entry options of my giveaway were to come back to my blog everyday and read another post and/or visit the RootsTech website and identify another class; which resulted in one/two additional entries each day.

The winner had 7 entries. The most entries had by one person was 9.

Thank you again for participating in my giveaway! I look forward to seeing you at RootsTech 2017!

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I am 2017 RootsTech Ambassador and have received a free conference registration from RootsTech.
#RootsTech

A Fundamental Responsibility

“Searching for our kindred dead isn’t just a hobby. It is a fundamental responsibility for all members of the Church. We believe that life continues after death and that all will be resurrected. (See Acts 24:15; Alma 11:41–45.) We believe that families may continue in the next life if they have kept the special covenants made in one of the sacred temples under the authority of God. We believe that our deceased ancestors can also be eternally united with their families when we make covenants in their behalf in the temples. Our deceased forebears may accept these covenants, if they choose to do so, in the spirit world.” 

- President James E. Faust, “The Phenomenon That Is You,” LDS General Conference, October 2003

Our Family Names Are All Done

“I have heard some members say, “But our family names are all done.” It is all right to say such a thing as long as you realize you are only kidding. 

"Of this, Elder W. Grant Bangerter has said: 

“Your genealogy has not all been done. My own grandparents performed ‘all’ the temple work for their deceased relatives fifty-five years ago. Since that time our family has discovered sixteen thousand others.” - “What Temples Are For,” Ensign, May 1982, p. 71. 

– George D. Durrant, “Genealogy and Temple Work: ‘You Can’t Have One without the Other’”, 

Ensign, August 1983.

President Russell M. Nelson to Speak at RootsTech Family Discovery Day

Salt Lake City, Utah, November 20, 2016 - RootsTech, the world’s largest family history conference, announced today that President Russell M. Nelson, President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and his wife, Sister Wendy Nelson, will be speaking at RootsTech’s popular Family Discovery Day on Saturday, February 11, 2017, in Salt Lake City at the Salt Palace Convention Center. The unique format of RootsTech Family Discovery Day will give attendees a more intimate perspective into the family lives of Elder and Sister Nelson and their insight into the significance of family. The event is free, but registration is required at RootsTech.org.

Prior to receiving his call in 1984 as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, President Nelson was well-known both nationally and internationally as a heart surgeon and medical researcher. He performed the first open-heart surgery in Utah and has helped people throughout the world with heart problems. He served his medical residency in surgery at the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston and the University of Minnesota. He is the recipient of many distinguished honors and awards and is the author of numerous publications.

Sister Wendy Nelson, also an author and avid genealogist, graced the Family Discovery Day stage in 2016 and won the hearts of all in attendance by sharing the excitement she has experienced in her family history discoveries. She is excited to be speaking again in 2017, this time sharing the stage with her husband, President Russell M. Nelson. Prior to her marriage to President Nelson, Sister Nelson was a professor of marriage and family therapy for 25 years, the last 13 years at Brigham Young University. She holds a Ph.D. in family therapy and gerontology.

Joining the exciting and inspiring speaker lineup at Family Discovery Day will be Kalani Sitake, Vai Sikahema, and Hank Smith. Sitake is BYU’s head football coach. Sitake played collegiately at BYU as a fullback and served as an assistant coach for the Oregon State Beavers and Utah Utes before taking the head coaching position at BYU in December 2015.

Vai Sikahema is a former NFL football player and current television personality. Sikahema is well-known for his diverse skills as both an anchor and sports reporter and can be seen co-anchoring NBC10 News Today on weekday mornings. He also serves as NBC10’s sports director.

Also joining the lineup is Hank Smith, BYU professor of religion and popular public speaker. Smith enjoys speaking at assemblies in elementary, junior high, and high schools around the country. He has also published many talks on CD and speaks to tens of thousands of youth each year. His life has been touched by family history and temple work. “There is something about temple work that unlocks our own personal gifts,” he says. When asked what family means to him, he readily replies, “Don’t make me cry! Family means happiness. Family means fun. Family means experiences. It means learning, friendship, and love.”

Family Discovery Day is a free, one-day event for members and families of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Attendees are invited to come and enjoy inspiring messages, engage in interactive activities for all ages, and discover the latest technology, products, and services in the family history industry by touring the expansive expo hall and other fun activities throughout the venue. Families with children and youth can discover the fun of family history together by playing games such as Family Feud and Twisted Family History.

Family Discover Day is the perfect place for individuals and families to discover helpful family history solutions, watch demonstrations, get one-on-one help, interact with innovative family history technologies, and mingle with hundreds of exhibitors from around the globe.

Select sessions are also available for those with Church callings and responsibilities related to family history and the temple. Individuals will be able to get their questions answered, discover new tools, and learn best practices.

Over 15,000 adults and children attended the free event in 2016. Tickets will be limited again in 2017 for this increasingly popular event.

Interested individuals and families should register as quickly as possible online at RootsTech.org.

Family Discovery Day Schedule:

1:00 p.m.—Opening General Session
1:45 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.—Sessions
5:30 p.m.—Closing Event

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I am 2017 RootsTech Ambassador and will be sharing these press releases on my blog in preparation for RootsTech in February 2017. I have received a free conference registration from RootsTech.
#RootsTech

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To learn more about the Nelsons, check out the following:
Facebook: Russell M. Nelson
Twitter: Russell M. Nelson
Website: Prophets and Apostles: Russell M. Nelson
Website: General Authorities: President Russell M. Nelson
Website: Deseret Book - Russell M. Nelson
Website: Deseret Book - Wendy Watson Nelson

The Scott Brothers (HGTV's Property Brothers) Will Keynote RootsTech 2017

Salt Lake City, Utah, November 17, 2016 - Jonathan Scott and Drew Scott, who star in HGTV's “The Property Brothers,” will give RootsTech 2017 attendees unique insights into the role their family has had in their lives. The 6' 5" identical twin brothers will be the Thursday keynote speakers at RootsTech on February 9, 2017, in Salt Lake City, Utah. The popular brothers share passions for film and entertainment and for renovating older homes into dream homes. They have combined those passions to form an entertainment empire which became Scott Brothers Entertainment—an independent production company.

The Scott brothers garner HGTV’s highest ratings and are syndicated to major networks worldwide. Their first series, the Property Brothers, spun off several other series including Brother vs Brother, Buying and Selling, Property Brothers at Home, and Property Brothers at home on the Ranch. They recently authored their first book, Dream Home.

Their journey in entertainment includes much more than home improvement shows. Jonathan began performing in live theater and in TV and film as a child. He became a successful illusionist winning many awards and even performed live in Las Vegas. Drew was a high school basketball star and began acting in theater, improve, and sketch comedy in his teens. He even performed as a clown until he tired of the costumes and face paint.

The pair developed a passion for real estate as teens, purchasing their first fixer-upper house when they were 17. They did some renovations, and sold it a year later for a $50,000 profit to help support them as actors for a time before they decided to go back to college.

The Scott brothers were born in Vancouver, Canada. Their parents didn’t know they were going to have twins until the doctor saw Drew shortly after Jonathan was born. Because they lived on a ranch, Drew and Jonathan embraced the value of work at a young age—starting their first business at age seven. Their parents supported their various endeavors and encouraged them to pursue their dreams. “Our dad told us, ‘Don’t ever let anyone tell you that you can’t do something. Think of five ways you can do it, and then do it,’” Drew said, and that advice has become their mantra.

Both Drew and Jonathan are licensed real estate agents, but for their show, Drew is shown as the real estate agent and Jonathan as the contractor. Together they built their dream home in Las Vegas which has been featured on their series. The Scotts are involved in various philanthropic initiatives in North America and around the world.

At RootsTech, the brothers will talk about their unique family ties, and the can-do attitudes it fostered, their positive outlooks, and childhoods, their careers, their shared passions for buying and renovating property, and for the entertainment industry.

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Would you like to attend RootsTech for FREE? Check out my FREE registration giveaway running through 26 November 2016.

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I am 2017 RootsTech Ambassador and will be sharing these press releases on my blog in preparation for RootsTech in February 2017. I have received a free conference registration from RootsTech.
#RootsTech

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To learn more about The Scott Brothers, check out the following:
Website - The Scott Brothers
YouTube - The Scott Brothers
Vine - Team Scott Brothers
Facebook - The Scott Brothers
Twitter - The Scott Brothers

Facebook - Property Brothers
Twitter - Property Brothers
Instagram - Property Brothers
HGTV - Property Brothers

Drew Scott
Facebook - Drew Scott
Twitter - Drew Scott
Instagram - Drew Scott
Pinterest - Drew Scott
Vine - Drew Scott

Jonathan Scott
Facebook - Jonathan Scott
Twitter - Jonathan Scott
Instagram - Jonathan Scott
Pinterest - Jonathan Scott
Vine- Jonathan Scott

RootsTech 2017 Giveaway

I love RootsTech! It is the world's largest family history event. There are many great classes and speakers to choose from and so many wonderful people with which to network.

As an Ambassador for RootsTech 2017, I have the privilege of giving away ONE FREE full RootsTech + Innovator Summit conference pass (worth $299).

The RootsTech + Innovator Summit Conference 4 Day Pass is valid from Wednesday, February 8 through Saturday, February 11, 2017. It includes the registration fee for over 200 classes (including the Getting Started series), Innovator Summit, all keynotes, general sessions, the expo hall, and evening events.

It does not include Family Discovery Day or any sponsored lunches or computer labs. It also does not include any accommodations or transportation to or from the event.

The giveaway covers the registration fee only.

If the winner has already paid a registration fee for the 2017 RootsTech event, instructions will be provided to obtain a refund.

This giveaway runs from November 15 to November 26, 2016. 

Winner will be notified (with registration instructions) no later than November 28, 2016.  The winner's name will be disclosed on the Revealing Roots and Branches blog and associated social media accounts. The winner also agrees to participate in a blog post about the winner.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Update: 11.29.16
Here is the WINNER.

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I am 2017 RootsTech Ambassador and I have received a free conference registration from RootsTech.
#RootsTech

God Holds Each Of Us Responsible For Saving Our Own Kindred

Mesa Arizona Temple - © Stuart Gardner

“What is our obligation then? Each one of us—if we pretend to obey the gospel at all—must search out our dead and have these saving ordinances performed for them.

“Many suppose that they are discharging their responsibilities by simply ‘going to the temple.’ But that is not wholly true. We must go to the temple, of course, and often. If we do not as yet have the records of our own dead kindred, then while we search for them, by all means let us help others with theirs.

“But be it understood that if we go to the temple, and not for our own dead, we are performing only a part of our duty, because we are also required to go there specifically to save our own dead relatives and bind the various generations together by the power of the holy priesthood.

“We must disabuse our minds of the idea that merely ‘going to the temple’ discharges our full responsibility, because it does not. That is not enough.

“We must get down to specifics and do the work for our own dead progenitors.

“God holds each of us responsible for saving our own kindred—specifically our own.” 

– Elder Mark E. Petersen, “The Message of Elijah”, LDS General Conference, April 1976.

"Music - It Runs in the Family" - Opening Event for RootsTech 2017

Salt Lake City, Utah, November 4, 2016 - FamilySearch, a non-profit family history organization, has announced that a special concert by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square will be the opening event at RootsTech 2017, the annual global genealogy conference This unique performance entitled “Music–It Runs in the Family" will be held Thursday, February 9, 2017, at 8:00 p.m. in the Conference Center on historic Temple Square. RootsTech attendees will receive tickets with their registration, but the public is also invited. Free tickets for this one-night-only performance are required and are available now at lds.org/events.

Oscar Andy Hammerstein III

“Music–It Runs in the Family” will be an evening filled with Rodgers and Hammerstein music and stories narrated by Oscar Hammerstein III (“Andy”), grandson of Oscar Hammerstein II. Special guest artist Dallyn Vail Bayles will also perform.

Featuring music from State Fair, Carousel, South Pacific, The King and I, Oklahoma, and The Sound of Music, this special musical event will entertain the entire family. This presentation will tell the amazing history through story and video of the Hammersteins, one of Broadway’s most creative and productive families, and how this timeless music unites generations.

Dallyn Vail Bayles

“The beloved songs of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II will warm the hearts and lift the spirits of both old and new generations,” said Choir president Ron Jarrett. “We are thrilled to be part of this program narrated by Andy Hammerstein with insights into the life and work of his grandfather.  It will also be a treat to welcome back one of our favorite guest artists, Dallyn Vail Bayles.”

Andy Hammerstein will also be featured Sunday morning, February 12, 2017, on the Choir’s weekly Music and the Spoken Word broadcast from the Salt Lake Tabernacle as guest presenter of the Spoken Word. Dallyn Vail Bayles will also perform on that day. No tickets will be required for this broadcast.

RootsTech has become the largest genealogy and family history conference held in the world. Many attendees and vendors come from all over the globe. During the February 2016 RootsTech conference, family history enthusiasts from all 50 states and nearly 40 countries attended the RootsTech events in the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City. Conference registration for 2017 is available here.

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I am 2017 RootsTech Ambassador and will be sharing these press releases on my blog in preparation for RootsTech in February 2017. I have received a free conference registration from RootsTech.
#RootsTech

Leadership Expert Liz Wiseman to Keynote RootsTech Innovator Summit

Salt Lake City, Utah, November 8, 2016 - Do you multiply or diminish intelligence? Liz Wiseman, a leadership strategist, best-selling author, and inspiring speaker whose recent clients include Disney, Microsoft, eBay and PayPal, Google, and Facebook, is excited to share highlights of what she has learned as the keynote speaker for the 2017 Innovator Summit at RootsTech. Innovator Summit is a one-day event for developers, entrepreneurs, and innovators who want to explore business and technological opportunities in the multi-billion dollar family history industry. The Innovator Summit will be held on February 8, 2017 at the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Liz Wiseman teaches leadership to executives and emerging leaders around the world. She is the founder and president of the Wiseman Group, a leadership research and development firm headquartered in Silicon Valley. She has been listed on the biennial Thinkers50 ranking for 2013 and 2015 and named one of the top 10 leadership thinkers in the world.

Wiseman is the author of three best-selling books: Rookie Smarts: Why Learning Beats Knowing in the New Game of Work; Multipliers: How the Best Leaders Make Everyone Smarter; and The Multiplier Effect: Tapping the Genius Inside Our Schools.

She has spent years working around a lot of really smart executives in tech industries and conducted significant research in the field of leadership. She's observed how some leaders actually shut down the brain power of people around them.

"Yet, other leaders seem to amplify the intelligence of people around them," said Wiseman. "These leaders were intelligence multipliers." She said that “when these leaders walked into a room, it was as if you could see light bulbs going off over people’s heads, and ideas flowed and problems got solved.”

Wiseman has emphasized that one of the most important aspects that she learned in this research was “that when we linger too long on a plateau a little part of us dies inside. But when we step out of the space of knowing—where we are fully capable—and step into unfamiliar territory, we feel alive. I think it is actually where we feel divine, and, in some ways, I feel like it is where we see God’s hand working in our lives.”

Wiseman is a frequent lecturer at BYU, Stanford University, and the Naval Postgraduate Academy. She is a former executive at Oracle Corporation, where she worked over the course of 17 years as the vice president of Oracle University and as the global leader for human resource development. During her tenure at Oracle, she led several major global initiatives and has worked and traveled in over 40 countries. She writes for Harvard Business Review and Fortune. Her work has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, Fast Company, Entrepreneur, Inc., and Time.

The RootsTech Innovator Summit keynote session begins at 9:00 a.m., followed by a full day of classes, the semifinal round of the RootsTech Innovator Showdown, a networking social, and other related activities.

The annual Innovator Showdown contest is designed to foster innovation in the family history industry. Ten semi-finalists will be chosen and announced, with $100,000 in cash and in-kind prizes offered by sponsors to the winners.

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I am 2017 RootsTech Ambassador and will be sharing these press releases on my blog in preparation for RootsTech in February 2017. I have received a free conference registration from RootsTech.
#RootsTech

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To learn more about Liz Wiseman, check out the following:
Facebook - Liz Wiseman
Facebook - Multipliers
Twitter - Liz Wiseman
Website - Wiseman Group

We Do For Them What They Cannot Do For Themselves

Philadelphia Pennsylvania Temple - Photo From LDS Media Library

“The great vicarious work for our kindred dead in our temples demonstrates both the justice and the fairness of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The Prophet Joseph Smith explained the terrible dilemma which would face God’s children without temple work for our dead. Said he: 

‘One dies and is buried, having never heard the Gospel of reconciliation; to the other the message of salvation is sent, he hears and embraces it, and is made the heir of eternal life. Shall the one become the partaker of glory and the other be consigned to hopeless perdition? Is there no chance for his escape?’ (History of the Church, 4:425–26.) 

"Fortunately our ancestors will have the opportunity to receive and accept the saving ordinances as we identify them and complete these sacred ordinances for them by proxy. We do for them what they cannot do for themselves. It is a very satisfying experience.” 

- President James E. Faust, “The Phenomenon That Is You,” LDS General Conference, October 2003

They Have A Right To Expect It

Houston Texas Temple - Photo from LDS Media Library

“Some person or persons dwelling in the flesh must attend to this part of the work for them; for it takes just as much to save a dead man who never received the Gospel as a living man. And all those who have passed away without the Gospel have the right to expect somebody in the flesh to perform this work for them.” 

– President Wilford Woodruff, Deseret News: Semi-Weekly, May 14, 1878, 1.

The Cake Boss Buddy Valastro Will Keynote and Judge Cake Competition at RootsTech 2017

Salt Lake City, Utah, October 27, 2016 - RootsTech, the largest family history conference in the world, is pleased to welcome the popular Italian-American celebrity chef, Buddy Valastro, also known as the hit TLC series, Cake Boss™ as a keynote speaker on Saturday, February 11, 2017, in Salt Lake City. Valastro will also judge a local cake decorating contest hosted by RootsTech.

The amicable Valastro is a Hoboken, New Jersey, resident and owner of Carlo’s Bakery. He has endeared himself to millions of people as the animated, passionate chef on the TLC series, The Cake Boss. His staff’s creative expertise in designing over-the-top cakes for locals and celebrities is only half the allure. The show’s long-running success can also be attributed to the fun, dynamic interactions and involvement of 3–4 generations of Valastro’s Italian-American family who help run the thriving family business.

“Family is the most important part of my life,” says Valastro. “You have to embrace and be proud of where you come from. I can't wait to share my story of how my past, present, and future have shaped who I am with the audience.”

During his RootsTech 2017 keynote address, the Cake Boss will share the story of how his strong family ties, roots, and traditions have shaped his life and business success, which include 12 bakeries, additional TLC series (The Next Great Baker and Buddy’s Bakery Rescue), and several books, to name a few.

Running bakeries is almost genetic in Buddy’s family. His grandfather and great-grandfather were both bakers in Sicily, Italy. His father, Buddy Valastro Sr., ran his own bakery for many years in New Jersey. When Buddy Valastro Jr. was 11 years old, he began working side by side with his father at Carlo’s Bakery.

Buddy Sr. died when his son was 17, leaving a very large hole in the teenager’s life. However, his tutelage had provided Buddy with “cast-iron business sense” and imbued in him a work ethic and a wealth of knowledge. He stepped up and took over his father’s role as proprietor and baker in Carlo’s bakery.

Buddy learned much without his father’s presence in the business but struggled making sfogliatelle dough, which is used in making Italian shell-shaped filled pastries called lobster tails, one of the bakery’s specialties. Buddy recalls the night his father came to him in a dream and told him, “I am here for one reason, to show you how to make lobster tails.” The next day, for the first time, Buddy successfully created the seemingly impossible dough and the very popular lobster tails were back. From then on, he says, he knew he could do anything he put his mind to and found comfort knowing that his father was looking after him.

After a few years, Buddy Jr. decided to take cake decorating to a new level with designer cakes. He created, among other spectacular cakes, a NASCAR racecar cake weighing over 10,000 pounds. In 2004, he was invited to participate in the Food Network Challenge where he took top prize in the fourth battle. He was urged to try a show for himself so he pitched a show featuring himself with his family. TLC executives were impressed enough to shoot a pilot episode in the shop which was a hit with audiences, and Cake Boss was born. The show is now in its eighth season.

Buddy’s extended family is indispensable both to the show and in running what has now become a chain of bakeries in New Jersey, New York, Philadelphia, Las Vegas, and some Norwegian Cruise Line ships. The business has diversified and expanded, but the legacy that began three generations ago in Sicily lives on. Buddy willingly holds to the traditions of his father’s bakery.

“Life lessons my parents have taught me define who I am today. I never forget where I've come from and try to pass that down to my children today,” says Valastro.

In addition to keynoting at RootsTech 2017, Valastro will help judge the first-ever RootsTech cake decorating competition.

There will be four different categories to compete in—wedding, birthday, holiday, and graduation—and there will be three finalists and one grand prize winner selected in each category. Cakes will be on display Saturday during RootsTech and Family Discovery Day where thousands of people will view and have a chance to vote for “People’s Choice” winners in each category. Official rules and entry information for the contest will be available soon at RootsTech.org.

See also Five Ingredients That Make Up the Cake Boss

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I am 2017 RootsTech Ambassador and will be sharing these press releases on my blog in preparation for RootsTech in February 2017. I have received a free conference registration from RootsTech.
#RootsTech

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To learn more about Buddy Valastro and The Cake Boss, check out the following:
Facebook - Buddy Valastro
Facebook: Cake Boss
Twitter: Cake Boss - Buddy Valastro
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Family Discovery Day to Feature Vai Sikahema, BYU's Kalani Sitake and Hank Smith

Vai Sikhema, Kalani Sitake, Hank Smith

Salt Lake City, Utah, 24 October 2016 - RootsTech 2017 announces that BYU football head coach Kalani Sitake, popular LDS youth speaker Hank Smith, and former NFL football player, now Philadelphia TV news anchor, Vai Sikahema, will join the lineup of speakers for its popular Family Discovery Day. This exciting, free, one-day celebration of families is designed for families and members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Family Discovery Day will take place on Saturday, February 11, 2017, at the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City, Utah, and is part of the annual RootsTech conference. Individuals and families can register online at RootsTech.org.

There’s something for everyone at Family Discovery Day. Attendees are invited to come and hear inspiring speakers, entertaining performers, engage in interactive activities for all ages, and discover the latest technology, products, and services in the family history industry in an expansive expo hall. It’s the perfect place to discover fun new ideas, hear helpful solutions, watch new concept demonstrations, get personal research help, experience innovative family history technology, and mingle with hundreds of exhibitors from around the globe.

Young single adults and other interested youth are invited to attend a special session with Kalani Sitake, BYU’s head football coach. Sitake played collegiately at BYU as a fullback, and he served as an assistant coach for the Oregon State Beavers and Utah Utes before taking the head coaching position at BYU in December 2015.

Hank Smith is a BYU professor of religion and popular public youth speaker. Hank’s life has been touched by family history work, and he plans on sharing some of that experience at Family Discovery Day. Joining the speaker lineup is Vai Sikahema, a former NFL football player and current television personality. He is well-known for his diverse skills as both an anchor and sports reporter and can be seen co-anchoring NBC10 News Today weekday mornings in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Family Discovery Day will engage and inspire families, youth, and single adults to discover connections and share family stories together. Family Discovery Day is also a popular venue for Latter-day Saints to hear gospel messages from Church leaders. These speakers will be announced in the coming weeks.

Families with children and youth are invited to discover the fun of family history together by playing games such as Family Feud and Twisted Family History. Young single adults are invited to bring friends and participate in fun sessions and activities like #Myfabfamily Photography Contest, Family History in Emoji, Record Your Story, and Replace a Face.

Family Discovery Day also offers relevant sessions with the latest information for those with Church callings and responsibilities related to family history and the temple. Individuals will be able to get answers to questions, discover new tools, and learn best practices.

Family Discovery Day is free, but registration is required. Visit RootsTech.org to learn more and to register.

RootsTech is a genealogy conference of epic proportions. As the largest family history conference in the world, it provides extensive networking opportunities to a broad and diverse group of attendees. The conference showcases a vast array of modern resources and technology that aims to inspire and enable individuals to discover, preserve, and share their family stories.

See also Five Interesting Facts about Kalani Sitake

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I am 2017 RootsTech Ambassador and will be sharing these press releases on my blog in preparation for RootsTech in February 2017. I have received a free conference registration from RootsTech.
#RootsTech

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To learn more about Vai Sikahema, check out the following:
Facebook - Vai Sikahema
Twitter - Vai Sikahema
Website - Vai Sikahema

To learn more about Kalani Sitake, check out the following:
Facebook - Kalani Sitake
Twitter - Kalani Sitake
Website - Kalani Sitake

To learn more about Hank Smith, check out the following:
Facebook - Hank Smith
Twitter - Hank Smith
Website - Hank Smith

They Are Waiting On You

“There are thousands of them, hundreds of thousands and millions of them in the spirit world who long to receive this gospel and have been waiting hundreds of years for their deliverance. They are waiting on you. They are praying that the Lord will awaken your hearts in their interest. They know where their records are, and I testify to you that the spirit and influence of your dead will guide those who are interested in finding those records. If there is anywhere on the earth anything concerning them, you will find it. That is my promise to you. But you must begin to work. You must begin to inquire after your dead. And the spirit of your heart turning towards them will come upon you, and the way will be opened in a marvelous manner, and if there is a scrap of evidence concerning them upon the earth, you will find it. When we have done all that we can do ourselves, the Lord will come to our rescue. … If we have done our best and have searched and have discovered all that is available, then the day will come when God will open and part the veil, and the records … will be revealed.” 

- Elder Melvin J. Ballard, in Bryant S. Hinckley, 

Sermons and Missionary Services of Melvin Joseph Ballard [1949], 230.

Reading Rainbow’s LeVar Burton Will Keynote RootsTech 2017

FamilySearch International is pleased to announce that LeVar Burton will be the Friday keynote speaker at RootsTech 2017 on February 10, 2017. Burton is known by millions for his legendary starring role as Kunta Kinte in 1977 in the globally acclaimed and award-winning ABC mini series, Roots, as chief engineer Geordi La Forge in the iconic Star Trek: The Next Generation television series, and as host and executive producer of the beloved PBS children’s series, Reading Rainbow. Burton was also the co-executive producer of the re-envisioned production of Roots that aired in June of this year on the A&E Networks.

Reading Rainbow was one of the longest running children’s television shows in TV history (1983-2009) and one of the most acclaimed, earning more than 200 awards including 26 Emmys and a Peabody. "There's a whole new generation of kids that need to develop a relationship with the written word, especially, I believe, in this ultra-technological age. I'm in this for the mission. This is what I do," said Burton.

He is excited about the opportunity to keynote at RootsTech where he plans to share personal stories about Roots, Star Trek, his Reading Rainbow foundation, and also stories of his mom and her commanding influence on him.

"The story of Roots traces a family's journey from Africa to America and back. At RootsTech, I'll share some of my own journey of family, storytelling and the influence of African culture on my American Experience."

Burton’s acting career began as a college student at the University of Southern California with his first-ever audition—winning the role of Kunta Kinte in ABC’s wildly popular 1977 TV mini-series, Roots. Thus, at age 19, he found his picture on the cover of Time magazine. Soaring to stardom was only the beginning for Burton. He followed it with many roles—most notably in Reading Rainbow and Star Trek: The Next Generation.

An advocate for children’s literacy, Burton’s Reading Rainbow provides an outlet for innovative uses of storytelling. Reading Rainbow uses technology and media to inspire today’s children to love reading, and is currently the number one educational app on iTunes. The digital service includes more than 500 children’s fiction and non-fiction books, and 200 newly-produced video field trips with new content added weekly.

See also 5 Interesting Facts About LeVar Burton

RootsTech is held at the Salt Palace in Salt Lake City and will be simulcasted around the world with many sessions recorded for later viewing. RootsTech offers a line-up of world-class speakers, thrilling entertainment and engaging classes and activities with a bigger-than-ever expo hall. There will be something for everyone regardless of age or experience. Registration for RootsTech is currently open at reduced rates at RootsTech.org. Rootstech 2017 is sponsored by FamilySearch, Ancestry.com, FindMyPast.com and MyHeritage.com.

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I am 2017 RootsTech Ambassador and will be sharing these press releases on my blog in preparation for RootsTech in February 2017. I have received a free conference registration from RootsTech.
#RootsTech

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To learn more about LeVar, check out the following:
Facebook - LeVar Burton
Twitter - LeVar Burton
Website - LeVar Burton

Family History Library Begins Construction of New Discovery Center

Salt Lake City, Utah, October 10, 2016 - The popular Family History Library in downtown Salt Lake City has begun construction on its new Family History Discovery Center. When complete, the main floor attraction will create family history experiences for patrons of all ages. The project is on a fast track to be completed in February 2017. Admission will be free to the public.

"We have been excited for quite some time to start construction on the new discovery center," said Tamra Stansfield, manager of the Family History Library. "Our guests, particularly those who are completely new to family history, will be able to enjoy fun, personal discoveries through interactive technological experiences with their family's history."

Stansfield said the new center will make the library another unique and exciting destination for locals, families, and youth groups, as well as for tourists of all ages visiting Utah or Temple Square from around the world.

The Family History Library is the flagship facility in a network of over 4,900 family history centers worldwide managed by FamilySearch International, a nonprofit subsidiary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The fun, engaging activities designed for the discovery center are part of an organizational effort to introduce more people to the many fun facets of personal and family discovery.

FamilySearch is learning that if individuals and families have fun, personalized, quick successes and experiences with their family’s history, they will continue to be more involved at different levels throughout their lives. It also deepens appreciation for family connections across multiple generations.

The new discovery center will create a fun environment for families to discuss their family history together in inviting, unexpected ways. Youth particularly will enjoy the life-size touch-screen computer monitors for some of the interactive stations. In addition, there will be an enclosed space for parents with smaller children that will allow them to explore their family history while also being able to observe their children play.

A fun green-screen feature will let guests choose from a variety of themed backgrounds to create a lasting photo memory of their visit to the discovery center.

The new transformations are designed to offer unique interactive and immersive discovery experiences for visitors of all ages while still offering the vast collections and expertise the library is known for among family history enthusiasts and researchers.

When the new discovery center opens, "We expect to find the next generation of dedicated family historians at play in our library," said Stansfield.

Many of the interactive features in the new discovery center will use a patron's family history in the FamilySearch.org Family Tree to create custom learning experiences at a variety of stations. Stansfield suggests individuals and families take the time now during construction to create a free account at FamilySearch.org from home and begin building their family tree, adding favorite family stories and photos together. A developed family tree will enhance their experience when the discovery center opens in 2017.

The Family History Library's staff and other typical services and historic record collections will continue to be accessible during the construction of the discovery center.

The prototype discovery center currently located in the Joseph Smith Memorial Building in Salt Lake City will be closed to the public once the new center is opened in 2017 but will continue to operate as a FamilySearch development lab, where future experiences can be created and tested. A smaller discovery center was opened earlier this year in Seattle, Washington.

If you would like to follow the new center's construction progress, a time-lapse camera link is available online here.

We Would Lose All Interest In the Riches Of the World

Hong Kong China Temple - Photo From LDS Media Library

“I wish many times that the veil were lifted off the face of the Latter-day Saints. I wish we could see and know the things of God as they do who are laboring for the salvation of the human family who are in the spirit world; for if this were so, this whole people, with very few, if any, exceptions, would lose all interest in the riches of the world, and instead thereof their whole desires and labors would be directed to redeem their dead, to perform faithfully the work and mission given us on earth; so that when we ourselves should pass behind the veil and meet with Joseph and the ancient apostles, and others who are watching over us and who are deeply interested in our labors, we might feel satisfied in having done our duty.”

- President Wilford Woodruff (The Discourses of Wilford Woodruff, ed. G. Homer Durham [1946], 152)

They Are Fully Dependent Upon Us

Rexburg Idaho Temple - Photo From LDS Media Library

"Shortly before his death, President Joseph F. Smith received the vision of the redemption of the dead. He taught that those who are in the spirit world are fully dependent upon the ordinances that we receive on their behalf. The scripture reads, 

“The dead who repent will be redeemed, through obedience to the ordinances of the house of God.” (D&C 138:58) 

"We receive the ordinances in their behalf, but they make and are held accountable for each covenant associated with each ordinance. Surely, the veil is thin for us and parts completely for them in the temple.” 

– Elder Kent F. Richards, “The Power of Godliness,” LDS General Conference, April 2016.

Unlock The Knowledge Of Who You Really Are

“… I encourage you … to begin to unlock the knowledge of who you really are by learning more about your forebears. Alex Haley, the author of the book Roots, said: 

‘In all of us there is a hunger, marrow-deep, to know our heritage—to know who we are and where we have come from. Without this enriching knowledge, there is a hollow yearning. No matter what our attainments in life, there is still a vacuum, an emptiness, and the most disquieting loneliness.’ (“What Roots Means to Me,” Reader’s Digest, May 1977, 73–74.)

"We can have exciting experiences as we learn about our vibrant, dynamic ancestors. They were very real, living people with problems, hopes, and dreams like we have today.” 

- President James E. Faust, “The Phenomenon That Is You,” LDS General Conference, October 2003.

It Is Important That You Do Something

"All that we have to do for a given ancestor is hope his or her records exist—and then find them. Yes, it isn’t always easy. But as you pursue your search, keep these three principles in mind:

"First: The Lord never asks the impossible. Often the difficult, but never the impossible.

"Some may feel that they have conscientiously sought the Spirit in the task of finding ancestral information without success and therefore attribute their lack of success to insufficient faith. If you have felt this way, I suggest patience. Give the Lord time. Have faith that in His due time, all of the information you need will become available. But in the meantime, ask the Lord to direct your attention to other ancestors whose information is more accessible.

"There is also available to you another valuable source of help. Knowledgeable family history consultants are now available in your ward and stake to assist you in your searching for your ancestors.

"Second: Begin where you are. Take one step at a time. You know key information about the lives of your parents. Record their information and then move backward, a generation at a time, watching for unbaptized, unendowed, and unsealed ancestors.

"Third: Don’t try to do everything at once. King Benjamin taught: “And see that all these things are done in wisdom and order; for it is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength.” (Mosiah 4:27.)

"Prayerfully determine what you should do for your ancestors. Many factors affect this—what other family members might have done already, your own abilities and interests, the time you have available. But it is important that you do something." 

- Elder David B. Haight, "Personal Temple Worship," LDS General Conference, April 1993.

Linking Our Family In Eternal Bonds

“Our service and personal ministry are not limited to the living on this earth. We can also do work for the dead—for those who live in the spirit world and who, during their mortal life, did not have the opportunity to receive the saving ordinances of the gospel of Jesus Christ. We can also keep a journal and write our family histories to turn the hearts of the living toward the living—as well as the hearts of the living toward their ancestors. It is all about linking our family, generation by generation, in eternal bonds. As we do so, we become ‘saviours … on mount Zion.’“

 – Elder Hugo E. Martinez, “Our Personal Ministries,” LDS General Conference, October 2014.

Popular RootsTech Event Open for Registration

Salt Lake City, Utah, September 15, 2016 —FamilySearch International has announced that registration to RootsTech 2017 is now open. RootsTech is an annual family history and technology conference where guests of all ages are inspired to discover, preserve, and share their family roots, heritage, and stories across generations—past, present, and future. In 2016 the event attracted more than 28,000 attendees in-person from all 50 US states and 30+ countries. RootsTech 2017 will be held February 8–11 at the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. The popular Innovator Summit and free Family Discovery Day are also open for registration. The website for registration is RootsTech.org.

The 4-day conference will offer attendees a full lineup of inspiring and well-known keynote speakers, over 200 informative sessions, including hands-on computer labs taught by industry professionals and leaders, interactive activities and helpful exhibitors in the expo hall, and entertaining evening events, all designed to inspire and empower personal family discoveries. Early bird discount pricing is available for a limited time on 4-day passes at just $159 and $189 for the RootsTech plus Innovator Summit pass. Passes for the Getting Started track start at $49 for a single day and $69 for a limited 3-day pass. All passes include access to the popular expo hall and morning keynote sessions.

Starting off the 4-day RootsTech conference is the Innovator Summit, a unique 1-day conference designed for serious entrepreneurs, developers, and innovators interested in giving their creative ideas traction in a growing multi-billion-dollar industry. The event also offers attendees the opportunity to interact and connect with industry influencers, executives, and investors. The Summit will include a morning general session (the keynote speaker will be announced soon), over 20 classes, the Innovator Showdown semi-finals, and more. Innovator Summit ONLY passes are available at the discount price of $99.

Along with the Innovator Summit, the Innovator Showdown returns to RootsTech with $100,000 in prizes. Innovators and entrepreneurs from around the world and from any industry are invited to compete with their latest products or services that enable individuals to discover, preserve, and share their personal and family stories, memories, or ancestral connections. The top 5 finalists will be invited to present their product or service on the main RootsTech stage before a panel of judges and a live audience on Friday, February 10, just after the morning keynote session.

Registration for Family Discovery Day is also now open. The event takes place on Saturday, February 11, 2017, and is designed for families and members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This free and fun 1-day event includes inspiring messages from Church leaders, engaging classes for families, youth, and young single adults, and evening entertainment to inspire and help families and members discover, preserve, and share their family connections. Family Discovery Day attendees will also have access to all the interactive activities and exhibitors found in the RootsTech expo hall. Event details, including speakers and classes, will be made available soon at RootsTech.org. Registration is required.

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I am 2017 RootsTech Ambassador and will be sharing these press releases on my blog in preparation for RootsTech in February 2017. I have received a free conference registration from RootsTech.
#RootsTech