Something interesting happens at FamilySearch every January—the number of users on our website skyrockets! I guess it’s New Year’s resolution time—though we don’t mind all the website traffic, we’d love it even more if users stayed! Then everyone would be eligible all year long for the blessings that family history brings. I can tell you from recent experience just what are those blessings are.
Recently, I was on FamilySearch looking through my family tree. I came across a name of someone who was a male cousin. That name confused me; he was listed as both a child of his parents and his grandparents. This discrepancy caught my eye and I committed to resolve this issue.
It didn’t take me long to find two census records that clearly confirmed that he was indeed the child of his parents and not his grandparents; so, I edited the record and attached the sources. I checked for duplicates and found none. It was then that I quickly realized I had a temple-ready name!
I decided that I was going to take the time to personally fulfill all of his temple requirements. I was baptized, confirmed, performed the initiatory and endowment work, and then together my wife and I sealed him to his parents.
The deep eternal joy that I felt from finding and taking his name to the temple was profound—and some of that came from knowing that he was mine and I was his. There was also great joy in knowing I had earned the right to take his name to the temple through my effort here on earth; and that those blessings extended beyond this world.
I was once again reminded of the simplicity of our task. I found the name of an ancestor, I took that name to the temple, and now I am teaching others to do the same.
It was enormously and eternally satisfying—and something I challenge each one of you to experience: to find a name, take a name to the temple, and then teach someone else how to do it as well. And continue with this wonderful work throughout all of 2015!
Together we will fulfill the charge the Lord has given us and receive all the associated blessings:Let us, therefore, as a church and a people, and as Latter-day Saints,
offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness; and let us present
in his holy temple, when it is finished, a book containing the
records of our dead,which shall be worthy of all acceptation.
Doctrine and Covenants 128:24.
