Learning about our missionary ancestors can tell us a lot about ourselves. As we follow in their footsteps of service and faith, we can draw strength from their examples and recognize the traits that they passed on. The stories below, among many others, show how the spirit of missionary service can continue through generations to impact our lives and turn our hearts to our ancestors.
“They Did It, So I Can Too”
“I had a really hard time with the language, and I had some really lonely times. And I just thought, ‘Great-grandpa Gonzalez went through so much more, and Heavenly Father blessed him and helped him. If my great-grandpa can do that, I can do anything.’”Rhonna and her daughter Talli both gained strength and inspiration from the story of their ancestor, Andres Carlos Gonzalez. While imprisoned for preaching in public during his mission to Mexico City, Andres wrote the lyrics to hymn number 88 in the Spanish hymnbook, “Placentero nos es trabajar” (It Is Pleasant to Work). His determination and faith in the face of adversity continue to be a testimony to his descendants over 100 years later.
Following in His Footsteps
“I found out the Lord had a different plan in mind for me. Knowing about my ancestor Elder Peck, that he served in New Zealand 100 years before I was called to New Zealand on my mission, prepared me to go and do the things that the Lord has commanded.”
Throughout his 3 years of missionary service, Charles Lawrence Peck was an example of sacrifice and dedication to the Lord. Kastle never imagined that he would be following his great-great-grandfather’s footsteps almost a century later, all the way to New Zealand. It was there that Kastle saw those same traits reflected in himself and learned that the Lord’s plan for his life wasn’t quite what he had expected.
My Missionary Heritage Quiz
Test your knowledge about your missionary ancestors! Do you know the answers to these questions about their missionary service?
- Who is the missionary that taught the first convert in your family?
- Who was the first missionary on your family tree?
- What is the farthest one of your ancestors traveled to serve a mission?
- What is the longest amount of time one of your ancestors served on a mission?
- If you could go to the same mission your ancestor went to, where would it be?
- What languages did your missionary ancestors learn?
- What miracles occurred on your ancestor's mission?
- Do you know descendants of converts your ancestors baptized?
- Do you have a picture of an ancestor on a mission?
- Can you find a copy of one of your ancestors' mission calls?
Don’t worry if you don’t know all the answers—we’re here to help! Check out these database research tips next to help you fill in the blanks!
Your Missionary Heritage
Discover your missionary heritage with these research tips, activities, and tools. | Activities
Check out our ideas to help turn missionary work into missionary fun for the whole family! |
Database Research Tips
Try these simple tips to help you find your ancestors in the Early Mormon Missionaries database. | Journals and Letters
Learn how you can preserve missionary documents that help tell your ancestor's story. |
