The Bond of Family

Family

What is Family?

Family is defined as "a group consisting of people usually related to one another by blood or marriage and united by a significant shared characteristic. They are to be treated with a special loyalty or intimacy."

What might that characteristic be?
Here is my favorite definition:

A family consists of the characteristic in that we are all Children of God.

Simple

We are all children of our Heavenly Father. We are, we were, and we will forever be a people related to each other by our very natures and essence. Our spirits were designed and fashioned by an infinitely creative and powerful God. We were meant to treat each other with kindness. We are brothers and sisters. I think sometimes we forget this.

With this eternal perspective of who we each are, it would stand to reason that we would naturally be social creatures. God meant for us to interact and to yearn for love and give love in return. We are meant to have a family.

How does this relate to Family History Work?

I have found that when I am exploring the expanse of my family tree, there is a certain love I have developed for people that I haven't even met yet. As I delve into their lives and their legacy, I realize that I can take pride in what they have accomplished. For I  am a product of their lives. I celebrate when they succeeded in life, and I mourn when a hard trial came to them such as the loss of a loved one. 

Why does this matter?

Interesting question. Why DOES it matter? Are we just meant to have these relationships and feelings for nothing? If you have done family history/geneological work before, I think I would be safe to say that you have felt similar feelings of love and curiousity, as I have.

Why do I feel this way?

If you go to the very end of the Old Testament, there is a book called Malachi. Malachi 4: 5-6 to be exact:

5 ¶Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord:
 6 And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite theearth with a curse.

Bascially what you are feeling as you do family history work is called the Spirit of Elijah.

“The Spirit of Elijah is a manifestation of the Holy Ghost bearing witness of the divine nature of the family. Hence, people throughout the world, regardless of religious affiliation, are gathering records of deceased relatives at an ever-increasing rate.”
—Elder Russell M. Nelson, “A New Harvest Time,” May 1998 general conference

I love this. People no matter what religion they may be, are searching their family trees. Most of them, think it is just a neat, worthwhile hobbie. Which is true.To Latter-day Saints, however, there is a deeper meaning.

What is that?

"As members of Christ’s restored Church, (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) we have the covenant responsibility to search out our ancestors and provide for them the saving ordinances of the gospel. “They without us should not be made perfect” (Hebrews 11:40). And “neither can we without our dead be made perfect” (D&C 128:15). For these reasons we do family history research, build temples, and perform vicarious ordinances. For these reasons Elijah was sent to restore the sealing authority that binds on earth and in heaven."           -Elder David A. Bednar

Isn't this amazing? 

We do family History work not only because it is a neat and worthwile hobbie, but because we know that when we find our ancestors who have not had the opportunity in this mortal life to accept or reject the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ, we can take their names to our sacred temples, and there we can perform proxy ordinances (such as baptism) for them. They then have the opportunity in the Spirit World in which they wait, to accept or reject the work that has been done in their behalf. This allows family relationships be perpetuated beyond the grave. Our families can litterally be (as the title of my blog says) Families for Eternity. This is why we do family history work.

What do you mean by "Spirit World"?

Latter-day Saints also believe in a plan designed by our loving Heavenly Father in which we can be together forever. It began "before the foundations of this world." We lived with Heavenly Father as Spirit sons and daughters. He had a body of flesh and bone and we wanted to be like Him. In order for that to happen Heavenly Father sent us to earth to gain both a body, and experience. Here we learn to keep the commandments, repent of our mistakes, and develop our unique gifts and tallents. When we die, our bodies go into the ground and our spirits go to a place called the "Spirit World" where we await the ressurrection and Judgement. Death does not change who we are and what we desire. We still have the same personalities and we are still related to our mortal families. We are taught the Gospel of Jesus Christ and we still have the opportunity to accept it, repent and experience the joy of keeping the commandments. However. Each person as the scriptures say, must follow the example of Jesus Christ and be baptized by someone who holds the authority from God. This is obviously a physical action, that those in the spirit world can not do. Thus the reason for Temples. 

Have you ever seen a Latter-day Saint Temple?

Idaho Falls, Idaho Temple

This is where my parents were married and Sealed for time and all Eternity. Our family is Forever.

The Mount Timpanogos Utah Temple

This special temple is near my home in Utah, and where I have gone many times to serve my ancestors and recieve revelation from God. 

The Salt Lake City Utah Temple

A special place for all Latter-day Saints.

These three temples are among the most regal and majestic buildings in the world. There are temples such as these located all over the world, where members of  The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints serve and make specail convenants with God and are sealed to their families, both past and present for Time and all Eternity. This is where we act in the place of our ancestors and are baptized by proper authority in their behalf. This is why this is all so important to us.We have the opportunity to help those in the spirit world recieve these sacred covenants. What greater service is there? We follow Jesus Christ who stands at the head of His church. This is His work, not ours. This is His perfect plan. This is Salvation. 


*If you have any questions about Family History Work, The Plan of Salvation, Or Temples, please visit the following websites:
-Mormon.org
-LDS.org
-Familysearch.org

Mike and the Easter Bunny

Well, Lets go back a ways to start off the background, so you can know why I love my family so much. This is a particularly fond memory now, that I am serving my own mission.

If you asked me when I was 6 years old who my heroes were, they would be my older siblings! My older brothers were especially amazing to me at this age! Blessed be the day when one of my older brothers wanted to do something with me! They would take me motocross bike riding, 4-wheeling, down to the creek to catch crawdads, to the back yard in San Diego, California to the huge homemade swing they made. They would take me shooting with them; them on a 12 gauge and me all suited up on a... bee bee gun. We made forts, we watched movies and they helped me with my math homework. They were the coolest, living, breathing brothers in the world. And every "sharing time" at school I wanted to share them, but since they also had class, I would resort to the family cat or whatever animal we had lying around.  They made me feel like I was the only person in the world. And I loved them! And one day my oldest brother Mike graduated High School and turned 19. 

For a bit of background on the following story; in my religion, when young men turn 19 they have the opportunity to volunteer to go on a mission for our church. They devote 2 years of their lives and leave all worldly possessions to serve the Lord. It is an incredible blessing. So when my oldest brother Mike turned 19, he decided to serve a mission. He got called to serve in the beautiful country of Guatemala for 2 years.

**Now you have to understand that at this age, 2 years in my mind is like 2 weeks... this is important for later... Okay back to the story,

My brother was scheduled to leave for his mission in the spring, right around Easter. So I thought I would be the BEST sister ever and get him a present to take with him. And being the stuffed animal hoarder that I was, I wanted to get him a Easter bunny. So...I proceeded to talk to my financial manager; my mother, and asked her if that could be arranged. She approved. We found the perfect Easter Bunny and I waited the entire 12 hours it took to drive from San Diego, California to Provo, Utah where we would be dropping off my brother to the Missionary Training Center. We went in, watched a movie that made everyone cry and then went outside where my family then proceeded to hug the stuffing out of my brother. I couldn't understand why everyone was crying so much, he was only going to be gone for "2 years". It wasn't very long...And I got him a bunny to keep him company the whole time! Finally it was my turn for a hug. 

It was time; my moment to give him the bunny. 

Here I go

I whipped it out from behind my back and gave it to my brother. He smiled at me and then bent down and gave me a hug. 

He told me that he loved me very much and then asked me if I would take on a very big task. Of course I accepted. "I really want this bunny, but I don't want him to get ruined, will you take care of this bunny for me while I'm gone?" he asked smiling. "Yes!" I said, with as much enthusiasm as I could muster! My heart swelled with pride that he would give me such an important task. So every day for the next "2 years" I brushed that bunny. I dressed that bunny and had tea parties with that bunny. I took the best care of that bunny and looked forward to the day when I could report back to my brother that I had been faithful and diligent in taking care of this bunny for him.  And when my brother finally returned from his mission, I presented him with that bunny again and said "I took care of the bunny like you asked, you can have it now!" And with a smile, he took it.

Sometimes I wonder if we are more like the little girl and her older brother than we realize. This memory has taught me a lot about the tasks that Heavenly Father has given us. We lived with him before and lived for the times we had to be together, to be happy as a family. We had a duty though to leave our Heavenly Parents and come on our missions to experience life and choose to come back to Him. Heavenly Father has entrusted us with Easter Bunnies of our own. He has asked us if we would take care of these bunnies, these children, brothers, sisters, moms and dads. And when we are done with our missions here on earth, could we report back to him with pride, on how well we helped our families and loved ones?

I know that we are surrounded by those that need us in our lives. Our mission is to "be" like Christ. Christ would make you feel like the whole world. He would take the time to help you, to lift you up and root you on. What a precious mission this is to take care of our loved ones and to learn to be like Christ. I know that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is true. He has given me my family, and I love them. 

My New Found Hobby!

Well.... This is new.

I have never blogged before or anything like unto it.
But I felt impressed to start this blog about Family History.

That's right, Family History.

Why would a single 20 year old start a blog about Family History you might ask?
Well, simply put...because I love my stinking family! Haha This includes those that have passed away.

I always thought that Family History was for those lil' old ladies who had nothing else to do in their lives and needed some social interaction, so they picked up the good fall back hobby; Family History...........FALSE!

Okay, those lil' old ladies know what they are doing! Here's why:

• First off: Old ladies make the best friends. Period.

• Second: Learning where you come from gives you a sense of belonging.

• Third: Through The Gospel of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints we learn that Families can be together forever and through Genealogy work, we can help our ancestors be with us too.
•  Fourth: It is so stinking easy. 
• Fifth: Well,.... this is all we will be doing in the Millennium, so......learn to love it now....

I'm sure like you, family is the most important thing in life. Doing Family History work has taught me a lot about the lessons of others and helped me feel close to ancestors that I have never met before. I have never felt so close to my family and especially my Savior. Knowing that I can be with them forever through The Gospel of Jesus Christ, is amazing.

So with that, you best believe this is what this blog will consist of; anything to do with Families and Family History. Enjoy!