Help Others Build Family Connections
It Starts with a Conversation
Discovering your ancestors is a powerful way to understand who you are and become better able to make a difference for good in the world. Here are some of the questions you can discuss with a friend to help discover family connections:
- Which of your ancestors do you feel most connected with?
- Where did your ancestors come from?
- What stories do you know about them?
- What traits do you have in common with them?
- Have you ever visited where your ancestors lived?
- What do you want to know about your ancestors?
Activities to Discover Your Ancestors
Here are some suggested activities that you can do with your family and friends:
Why Do Family History Connections Matter?
Studies show that people who know about their ancestors are more resilient and have a stronger self-image. As we learn about and connect with our families, we gain a stronger sense of identity and of our relationship to God.
As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we believe that we are all literally sons and daughters of God. As members of His family, we believe that the family connections we make in life can last beyond the grave.
Click here for more information about why families are so important.
Why is FamilySearch.org a free service?
Families are a big part of God’s plan for our happiness. We are born into a family. We aspire to build strong family relationships. Home can be a place where we feel support, safety, and love. As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we believe that through the power of Jesus Christ, we can be reunited with our loved ones in the next life. Through FamilySearch.org, the Church is able to extend family history resources to everyone for free, regardless of where they live or what they believe. All of these services are made available through the generous contributions of Church members.
I feel something special when I participate in family history. Why?
When we learn more about our ancestors, we are naturally drawn to them and we feel a connection to them. This feeling is a reminder from God through His Holy Spirit that families are meant to last beyond this life. This is why The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints sponsors FamilySearch.org and builds temples—so that families can be bound together forever. For more information about temples and their purpose, click here.