A Family Tree Gathering


Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles encourages families in his April 2014 conference address to do more to unite with their ancestors through family history work and ordinances.

One suggestion he gives is to hold a recurring Family Tree Gathering where “everyone would bring existing family histories, stories, and photos, including cherished possessions of grandparents and parents.”

“Our young people are excited to learn about the lives of family members—where they came from and how they lived,” he says. “Many have had their hearts turned to the fathers. They love the stories and photos, and they have the technological expertise to scan and upload these stories and photos to Family Tree and connect source documents with ancestors to preserve these for all time.

Elder Cook says the main objective of a Family Tree Gathering is “to determine what ordinances still need to be done and make assignments for the essential temple work.”

He suggests using the My Family booklet to help record family information, stories, and photos and then to upload them online to Family Tree, a free FamilySearch service that provides tools to help you find, organize, record, and share your family’s stories.

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