Ideas for Bringing Together Family History, Temple Service, and Missionary Work

By Mike Judson

Family History Department

See how aspects of family history can enhance your worship in the temple and your efforts in sharing the gospel with others.

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family walking by temple

Sometimes we think of family history, temple service, and sharing the gospel as separate efforts. But it’s exciting to think of uniting them to help people understand the eternal nature of the family (see my companion article, “Family History, Temples, and Missionary Work: Powerful Partners in Gathering Israel,” in the December 2021 Liahona). Whether you are involved in these aspects of the Lord’s work as a Church member, missionary, or temple and family history consultant, there are many ways to bring our efforts together. Depending on your circumstances, you could try some of these ideas. But these are just a start. Pray for the Spirit to guide you as you seek for ways that will work best for you.

Church Members

As you become involved in family history and help others do the same, you participate in God’s work of salvation and exaltation on both sides of the veil.

Get involved in family history and temple work. Start by creating your own family tree on FamilySearch.org, then add photos, stories, or audio recordings of your family members. Temple and family history consultants can help you add information to your family tree. They can also help you find ancestors who need temple ordinances.
Get to know your ancestors, even if all their temple ordinances have been completed. The more you know about your family, the easier it will be to share their stories with others. Your heart will turn even more to your ancestors as well, increasing your ability to testify with conviction.
Get to know your ward temple and family history consultants. Become familiar with resources at your local family history center if there is one nearby. Learn how to use FamilySearch.org, the FamilySearch Tree and FamilySearch Memories apps, and other online resources that are available to Church members in your area. The more you know, the more options you’ll have for helping friends gain an interest in learning more about their families.
Try talking to family members, friends, and coworkers who aren’t members of the Church about their ancestors or their heritage. Talk about family stories, where their ancestors came from, traits they have inherited, homelands they have seen or hope to visit, and heirlooms that have been handed down. Any of these topics can lead to meaningful discussions about earthly and eternal families.
Keep your conversations simple. Focus on engaging subjects that will interest others in learning more about their ancestors. Don’t rush the subject of family history research. Rather, let the Spirit guide the conversation and turn people’s hearts toward their ancestors. When they are ready to learn more, trust the Spirit to let you know.
Discussions around family history may often inspire others to ask questions about your faith and Church membership, such as “Why does your Church provide all this for free?” or “Why does this feel so interesting and important?” It is best to allow these conversations to grow naturally, without being forced. Pray for and seek the Spirit as your guide.

Those Preparing to Serve a Mission

Learning about family history before you serve your mission will provide you with important skills that can lead individuals and converts to feel the spirit of this great work. Your experiences will also help you testify of eternal families.

Make sure you have a Church account. Memorize your username and password. Use your account to start your own family tree on FamilySearch.org.
Learn basic skills on FamilySearch.org, such as creating your own family tree, adding a name to your tree, and adding a photo or story to the Memories section.
Learn stories about your ancestors and be prepared to share those stories from memory.
Find the name of one or more ancestors needing temple ordinances. If you live near a temple, complete their baptism and confirmation. Do this with your family if you can. If you are endowed, perform the other temple ordinances. If you do not live near a temple, submit the names to let others perform the ordinance work.
If you have a smartphone or tablet, download the FamilySearch Tree and FamilySearch Memories apps. Learn how to use them to look at your ancestors’ profiles, photos, and stories. Practice helping friends to find information about their ancestors.
Get familiar with the Family History Activities and Find a Person sections of the FamilySearch Tree app to learn fun ways to engage people in family history activities and discussions.
If you have a living grandparent or great-grandparent, use the FamilySearch Memories app to interview them about their life. Store the audio recording on FamilySearch.org, along with their photo.
Become familiar with the My Family: Stories That Bring Us Together booklet and the Families and Temples missionary pamphlet.
Pray for the Spirit to guide you to experiences that will deepen your testimony of eternal families.

Full-Time and Church-Service Missionaries

Opportunities for participating in family history and temple service vary from mission to mission. Your mission president will help you to know what is appropriate in your mission.

Pray for the Spirit to lead you to those whose ancestors are praying to receive the ordinances of the temple.
Get to know the temple and family history consultants in the area where you serve.
Practice starting conversations with people about their families. Learn where their ancestors came from and what they know about their ancestors’ stories.
Carry a copy of your fan chart or pedigree chart that shows your family tree. Be ready to share it either on paper or using the FamilySearch Tree app. Offer to help others start their own family tree or create their own fan chart.
When people ask why our Church cares so much about families and family history, be prepared to answer their questions. Give the Spirit time to touch their heart and testify of the possibility of being united with their family for eternity.
When teaching, follow an idea from Sister Wendy W. Nelson to picture in your mind at least 100 more people in the room. “Those 100 people are, of course, the ancestors of the investigators and the ancestors of the missionaries.”¹
Learn what resources are available in your area, such as a family history center. As appropriate, bring those you are teaching to the family history center to learn more about their families.
If a temple is nearby, invite those you are teaching to visit the grounds. Spend time there talking about the plan of salvation and the blessings of eternal families. Talk about the joy of serving our departed loved ones in the temple.
Ask a member family to share stories of their ancestors or provide them with a meaningful discovery experience using FamilySearch.org or the FamilySearch Tree app. This will invite the Spirit. In this setting, ask how they feel when talking about their ancestors. Then, as prompted by the Spirit, ask if they have any friends or family members who would enjoy a similar experience.
Encourage newly baptized members to participate in family history and temple work. It’s a powerful way to help them stay on the covenant path.

Temple and Family History Consultants

You can be a wonderful support to missionaries as you follow the Spirit in sharing your knowledge.

Pray diligently for the Spirit to be with you as you help others, especially for those who are not currently Church members, those who are returning to activity, and those who are newly baptized. Let others’ interests, needs, and desires guide your conversations and the type of family history help you give.
Get to know the missionaries serving in your area. Invite them to the family history center to get to know the people and resources there. Welcome the missionaries and those they are teaching when they come. Get to know each other before diving into family history topics.
In missions where it’s allowed, offer to teach missionaries several family history skills. Teach them to help others make important family discoveries and preserve precious family memories.
When invited, join the missionaries at teaching appointments where families and temples are discussed. Be prepared to share your feelings about the importance of eternal families and the work we do for our loved ones in the temple. Keep your explanations simple.