I'd like to tell you about a story. It's your story and it's my story because it's our Heavenly Father's story. It's the story of His complete love and devotion for the happiness and eternal progression of all of His children: His Mormon children, His Muslim children, and His Catholic children, no matter where or when they lived upon this earth. What a glorious testimony and knowledge that He loves each one of us. Enthusiastically we sing, "Far and wide we tell the Father's story, far and wide his love proclaim." His story is all about love because love is eternal. God loved us, so He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, the atoning one. His story is about Jesus Christ and the Atonement because the Atonement is eternal. Families could be together forever through Heavenly Father's plan. This story is about families because they are eternal. In His story, families are the enduring, eternal unit in His house of order. This includes our entire extended family on both sides of the veil. It's all about His children returning home to be with Him, families gathering families, healed by the Atonement of Jesus Christ and sealed through temple ordinances. As a father myself, and in a much smaller way, I want my children to do the same, to have them safely gathered back home. This is a picture of Sharol and I with our grandchildren gathered around us as tightly as possible. I think this is how you feel about yours as well. As members of the Church, we are the seed of Abraham, and of such, we are the gatherers. Through us shall all the families of the earth be blessed. This is who we are. This is why we're here. Can we see ourselves in the story, and can we help others feel their part in this story? The song we have just sung, "Come, Ye Thankful People, Come," is a song of harvesting and gathering. In 1844 the English clergyman Henry Alford wrote the words to this hymn. Even though he had no knowledge that God's temple had been restored to the earth, he wrote the words "Come to God's own temple, come." As gatherers, we invite all of His children to come to His temple, His holy house here upon the earth. I've spent most of my life as a farmer. I know what harvesting is. Once the crops are gathered, they must be safely gathered in and stored in garners where they will be protected. In Alma, Ammon explains why gathering people to the garners is so important: "Yea, all the day long did [we] labor; and behold the number of [our] sheaves! ... They shall be gathered into the garners, that they are not wasted." Many nights I woke fearful that I had not finished harvesting a field until the storms had descended. A good farmer does not leave his crop on the ground to become wasted and subject to winter storms. Likewise, our Heavenly Father doesn't want any of us left out in the storm. So His story leads us to temples, where we can safely gather in our families. This marvelous doctrine was restored by the Prophet Joseph Smith. We have asked Elder Snow, our Church Historian, to share how the early pioneer families felt and responded as the doctrine of baptism for the dead and eternal families was first revealed. As he does so, notice how love, the Atonement, and families gathering their own motivated the Saints. Elder Snow.

Thanks, Elder Foster. I'm excited to be here today and to share with you some of the history that inspired the doctrine of salvation of the dead that we are blessed with today. Let's start by going back to the experiences of the young Prophet Joseph Smith that put the events in motion that would eventually lead to this set of revelations. [VIDEO PLAYBACK] - When Joseph Smith Jr. was 17 years old, his older brother Alvin fell ill. After only five days of failing health, Alvin died. - The minister preached my brother's funeral sermon and intimated very strongly that he had gone to hell, for Alvin was not a church member. - Joseph Sr. felt the sharp sting of this harsh judgment on his eldest son. But what was Alvin's fate? The Smith family would remain uncertain regarding Alvin's status for 13 years. The bustling city of Nauvoo was beginning to take shape, and hopeful Saints were gathering in great numbers. Amid optimism and excitement, the community grieved to learn that local Church leader Seymour Brunson had died. Hundreds turned out as Joseph delivered a funeral sermon for his friend. Simon Baker stood in the congregation that day. He remembered that the Prophet spoke of the joy of the gospel and read long passages from the New Testament. - Then he remarked that he saw a widow in that congregation that had a son who died without being baptized. - But unlike those spoken at Alvin's funeral, these words were not meant to sting. - He then said that this widow should have glad tiding. People could now act for their friends who had departed this life. - The widow that the Prophet singled out may well have been Jane Nyman. She became the first documented person to be baptized for a deceased loved one, as she was baptized on behalf of her child. The Holy Ghost moved the Saints of Nauvoo to turn their hearts to their beloved ancestors. - I saw the elders baptizing for the dead in the Mississippi River. Brother Joseph stood on the banks holding a child in his arms. - All of the inhabitants of Nauvoo met on the banks of the Mississippi River, just behind the Smith house, for the purpose of baptizing for the dead. - The moment I heard of it, my soul leaped for joy. - The Saints performed thousands of baptisms for their dead relatives. [END PLAYBACK] After Joseph Smith introduced this doctrine of baptisms for the dead, the Saints in Nauvoo were thrilled. In 1840, Vilate Kimball wrote a letter to her husband, Heber C. Kimball, telling him about her enthusiasm for this new inspiration from the Prophet. Elder Kimball was serving a mission in the British Isles at the time. She wrote: "President Joseph Smith has opened a new and glorious subject of late, which has caused quite a revival in the Church. This is being baptized for the dead. Paul speaks of it in First Corinthians 15th chapter 29th verse. Joseph has received a more full explanation of it by revelation. He says it is the privilege of this Church to be baptized for all their kinsfolk that have died before this gospel came forth, even back to their great-grandfather and mother if they had been personally acquainted with them. By so doing, we act as agents for them and give them the privilege of coming forth in the First Resurrection. He says they will have the gospel preached to them in prison, but there is no such thing as spirits being baptized. During conference, there were sometimes from 8 to 10 elders in the river at a time baptizing. I want to be baptized for my mother. I calculated to wait until you come home, but the last time Joseph spoke upon the subject, he advised everyone to be up and a-doing, and liberate their friends from bondage as quick as possible. So I think I shall go forward this week, as there is a number of the neighbors going forward. Some have already been baptized a number of times over. They have to be baptized and confirmed for one person before they can be baptized for another. Those that have no friends on the earth to be baptized for them can send ministering spirits to whomsoever they will and make known their request. Thus you see there is a chance for all. Is this not a glorious doctrine?" Stories like this from the early Saints are not unlike the feeling that many of our new converts experience when they first understand the plan of salvation and the blessings it can bring to individuals and families. During my first four years as a General Authority, I served with my wife in the Africa Southeast Area. While there we met a delightful sister. Emily, who's pictured here with a friend, worked for a cleaning company which provided services to the Area Presidency office. We saw Emily almost every day, and after a time, she expressed an interest in learning more about the Church. We accompanied the missionaries to her small home in Soweto, South Africa, for the first lesson. She expressed an interest in learning more, and the missionaries returned for subsequent lessons. One day we received a call from the elders to accompany them for the last lesson. "We are going to cover tithing, Word of Wisdom, law of chastity, and baptism for the dead. We would like you to go with us," the eager young elder said. I took a big sigh and thought to myself, "Oh, great. They saved the hard stuff for us." Well, the appointment went very well. Emily had no trouble giving up her tea and agreeing to pay tithing. She was happily married, so the law of chastity was not an issue. The last issue to be covered was baptism for the dead. As the elders carefully taught this principle, I held my breath. Would this be the one thing which would prove to be a stumbling block? I should not have worried. After the elders completed their lesson, tears began to stream down Emily's cheeks. "Do you mean," she asked, "I can be baptized for my mother?" Brothers and sisters, as this work moves forward around the world, thousands of new Latter-day Saints start their family history and go and experience what Emily experienced, just as Vilate Kimball experienced and just as many of your own ancestors experienced in Nauvoo at the beginning of their membership in the Lord's Church. For a time, my own personal testimony of baptism for the dead was limited to a few trips to the temple as a boy to perform baptisms. As a sixth-generation member of the Church, my family tree was full because all of the work, it seemed, had been done by my pioneer ancestry. When I saw how grateful Emily was for this doctrine and how grateful she was to be baptized for her mother, my appreciation for this ordinance changed dramatically. Since then we have found names, and I have had the opportunity to go to the temple and to be baptized for long-lost cousins. I am grateful for this beautiful doctrine and grateful to be with you this evening. And I say this in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Thank you, Elder Snow. Brothers and sisters, can you feel the love that Emily felt for her own family as she understood that she could participate in gathering them home? What can we learn from Joseph and the early Saints? Did you notice how they immediately reached out to involve their living family members to gather their deceased? Soon after the revelation was given, Joseph was sitting by his father's deathbed. Let's see what this doctrine meant personally to him and to his family. [VIDEO PLAYBACK] - Only a month after Joseph preached at Brunson's funeral, his own father lay on his deathbed.

Joseph offered him comfort. He told his father that the Saints now had the privilege to be baptized on behalf of their dead. His father asked that Joseph perform the work for Alvin immediately. Before passing, his eyes brightened, and he softly whispered, "I see Alvin." [END PLAYBACK] Joseph Smith Sr. immediately found joy in this doctrine and understood how important it was to safely gather Alvin to his family. Joseph responded to his father's plea as his brother Hyrum was then baptized for Alvin. We hope you will have the same experience with your own family and then, as leaders of stakes and wards, bear powerful testimony of the joy you've found in gathering the Alvins in your family. Everyone has family members here on the earth or in heaven that need to be safely gathered in. Members will embrace and act on the doctrine in their own way and in their own time. Brigham Young taught that unless people come to love a doctrine, they will not be moved to act on that doctrine. The Holy Ghost will guide your people. Continue to invite them to enjoy the blessings of protection and power that await them and their families. Family members will reach across ward boundaries and stake boundaries and especially across a very thin veil to help each other. Truly, "they that be with us are more than they that be with them." The early Saints were overjoyed to begin helping their family members on the other side. This is their response. [VIDEO PLAYBACK] - With a sense of urgency, the Saints throughout Nauvoo sought after their dead kin. They found names in family Bibles or sent letters to living relatives pleading for names of deceased family members. - We can be baptized for our dead and become saviors on Mount Zion. My dear mother, I want to know what your father's and mother's names are. - Send me a list of Father's relations. I am determined to do all I can. - I want you should write me the given names of all of our connections as far back as grandfathers and grandmothers at any rate. I intend to do what I can to save my friends. [END PLAYBACK] Like the early Saints, we can begin by gathering those who we know and love from your first generations. You will see that you don't need technology or heavy research to gather them. You just need simple and loving conversations. Did you know that only 25 percent of the members of the Church worldwide have the names of all their parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents in the Family Tree? And that only 2 percent of recent converts worldwide have the names of these same family members in the Family Tree? This means there are over 100 million people of the first four generations of the families of the Church not yet gathered in. That equates to over a half-billion ordinances waiting to be performed. Everyone has Alvins to find, whether they are in the early generations or further out in their tree. As you go beyond your family's living memory, you can continue to search for those ancestors further back and cousins further out on your tree. Then gather the stories and photos and other memories that acquaint you with these wonderful people. Leaders, I hope you will have many youth along with adults as temple and family history consultants. With these great consultants in tune with the Spirit and familiar with the resources, this work, while at times not easy, will be a delight as they prayerfully guide and help families safely gather both living and deceased in the temple. As we all--including youth, singles, and especially new converts--connect with our families, we will find power and protection in our lives. This is the Father's story, and it becomes very real when we make this part of our story. As leaders and families of the Church, we can help the Father finish His story by helping families gather family safely into the temple. Remember when Sister Kimball wanted to wait to perform the baptisms for her family. Joseph admonished her to be "up and a-doing," and so must we. As described in the Old Testament, this series of events is something we will all pass through. Just as Father Abraham, who lived a good life, died, was buried, and was gathered unto his people, someday we will be gathered unto our people on the other side. As we do this, the Lord desires, as recorded in Doctrine and Covenants 101:64, to be fulfilled: "That the work of the gathering together of my saints may continue, that I may build them up unto my name upon holy places; for the time of [the] harvest is come, and my word must needs be fulfilled." Temple, family history, and missionary work are one work on both sides of the veil. As we continue to gather our families safely in the temple, we are helping Heavenly Father save His family. These beautiful words from the opening hymn express our prayer to the Father: "Even so, Lord, quickly come, Bring thy final harvest home; Gather thou thy people in, Free from sorrow, free from sin, There, forever purified, In thy presence to abide; Come with all thine angels, come, Raise the glorious harvest home." Of this wonderful plan for all of God's children, I bear testimony in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.