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| Nauvoo Illinois Temple - © Matthew Christopher Andrews |
– President Gordon B. Hinckley, “New Temples to Provide “Crowning Blessings” of the Gospel”, Ensign, May 1998, p. 88.
The generations on either side of me link me to my past and my future. My view of family history involves revealing the roots and the branches.
Throughout this blog you will find perspectives related to the doctrines of temple and family history work from revealed revelation given to living prophets of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
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I haven't heard this quote before. Thanks for sharing it. It made me think of this thought by Elder Packer - “Family history work in one sense would justify itself even if one were not successful in clearing names for temple work. The process of searching, the means of going after those names, would be worth all the effort you could invest. The reason: You cannot find names without knowing that they represent people. You begin to find out things about people. When we research our own lines we become interested in more than just names or the number of names going through the temple. Our interest turns our hearts to our fathers—we seek to find them and to know them and to serve them. In doing so we store up treasures in heaven.” (Boyd K. Packer, “Your Family History: Getting Started,” Ensign, Aug. 2003, 17).
ReplyDeleteIt seems that in searching for our ancestors and doing their temple work, begin to feel our own spiritual awakening.
Thanks Nicole!
DeleteThat is a great quote. I believe that both President Hinckley and Elder Packer are correct. It is both halves of the same blessing. Some of my best "friends" while I was a teenager were my 4th great grandfather and 4th great grandmother. As I learned about them and their courage and sacrifices, my heart was turned to them. I love them. And they did their own temple work!
Family History work is the ramp to the bridge. Temple work is the bridge. We can build ramps to bridges that already exist (temple work complete). And we can spend a lot of time building ramps and then never using that information to build the actual bridge.
I love this quote by Elder Neuenschwander:
“Family history research provides the emotional bridge between the generations. Temple ordinances provide the priesthood bridge. Temple ordinances are the priesthood ratification of the connection that we have already established in our hearts.” – Elder Dennis B. Neuenschwander, “Bridges and Eternal Keepsakes”, Ensign, May 1999, p. 85.
This is great as well - from the Prophet Joseph Smith:
“The Bible says, ‘I will send you Elijah the Prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord; and he shall turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to the fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.’ [Malachi 4:5–6.]
“Now, the word turn here should be translated bind, or seal. But what is the object of this important mission? or how is it to be fulfilled? The keys are to be delivered, the spirit of Elijah is to come, the Gospel to be established, the Saints of God gathered, Zion built up, and the Saints to come up as saviors on Mount Zion [see Obadiah 1:21].
“But how are they to become saviors on Mount Zion? By building their temples, erecting their baptismal fonts, and going forth and receiving all the ordinances, baptisms, confirmations, washings, anointings, ordinations and sealing powers upon their heads, in behalf of all their progenitors who are dead, and redeem them that they may come forth in the first resurrection and be exalted to thrones of glory with them; and herein is the chain that binds the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the children to the fathers, which fulfills the mission of Elijah. …" - https://www.lds.org/manual/teachings-joseph-smith/chapter-41
What a great work we are involved in!
Thank you for sharing the quote by Elder Neuenschwander! What a great way to think about it. I think you are so right, that the emotional bridges and priesthood bridges that we create in family history and temple work are both so important. Thanks for the great conversation!!
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