Instructor: Sister Deus (Thanks for filling in)
Heavenly Father Wants His Children to Return to Him
"Heavenly Father wants all of His children to return and live with Him. For those who died without baptism or the temple ordinances, He has provided a way for this to happen. He has asked us to perform ordinances for our ancestors in the temples".
Sister Deus made a great point of saying that if we are going to be living with our families for eternity...shouldn't we know them. We need to take the time to get to know our ancestors.
I was talking to my husband after we got home from church about our lesson and he shared an experience from his lesson. One Elder said they had a family reunion and were each given a name of an ancestor that they had to research and get to know, then at the reunion they shared what they had learned. What a fun way to get to know your ancestors....a book could be made of the things people learned.
Temples of the Lord
Why are temples important in our lives?
- It is the place where the sealing ordinance can be performed so we can live with our families forever if we live righteously.
- Why is it important to you and your family?
What does it mean to be sealed? What must a couple do to make the sealing power effective in their marriage?
"All temple ordinances are performed by the power of the priesthood. Through this power, ordinances performed on earth are sealed, or bound, in heaven. The Savior taught His Apostles, “Whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven” (Matthew 16:19; see also D&C 132:7)".
Our Ancestors Need Our Help
What responsibilities do we have toward our ancestors who haved died without receiving priesthood ordinances?
"Many of our ancestors are among those who died without hearing about the gospel while on the earth. They now live in the spirit world (see chapter 41 in this book). There they are taught the gospel of Jesus Christ. Those who have accepted the gospel are waiting for the temple ordinances to be performed for them. As we perform these ordinances in the temple for our ancestors, we can share their joy".
Family History -- How we Begin Helping Our Ancestors
1. Identify our ancestors.
2. Find out which ancestors need temple ordinances performed.
3. Make certain that the ordinances are performed for them.
4. Attend a Family History Sunday School Class
5. Start gathering items you already have....obituaries, family stories, funeral programs, journals, etc... and put them in a box or a binder.
Additional Family History Opportunities
1. Attend the temple as often as possible. After we have gone to the temple for ourselves, we can perform the saving ordinances for others waiting in the spirit world.
2. Do research to identify ancestors who are more difficult to find. Family history consultants can guide us to helpful resources.
3. Help with the Church’s indexing program. Through this program, members prepare genealogical information for use in the Church’s family history computer programs. These programs make it easier for us to identify our ancestors.
4. Contribute family history information to the Church’s current computer programs for family history. These programs contain genealogies contributed by people all over the world. They allow people to share their family information. Family history consultants can provide more information about the Church’s computer programs.
5. Participate in family organizations. We can accomplish much more for our ancestors as we work together with other family members.
Family Home Evening Ideas
Sharing Time: "The Heart of the Children"
Sharing Time: Remember Your Fathers
Sharing Time: Temples Are Places of Service
LDS Living: Family History
Go on a field trip and visit the Family History Library or start using FamilySearch.org
Don't forget to check out the 72 hour kit post below!
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