My Responsibility in doing Family History

[Pamela]

For as long as I can remember, I have been taught to do the genealogy for my family. As a young mother I felt pressure to do 'everything'. When feeling overwhelmed with everything in life that needed to be accomplished and by the pressure I put on myself, I needed to know exactly what the Lord wanted of me. I wanted to be a good wife and mother, fulfill my callings in the church, attend the temple on a regular basis, and I wanted to do my family history which involved researching and gathering information of all my previous ancestors. However, I could not do it all and I needed the Lord to help me.

The scripture in Ecclesiastes 3:1 came to my mind in that the Lord was telling me that everything has a time and season and this was not my time to do my family history.

After I raised my children, I was impressed to begin my family history and have continued with that these past 5 years and what great blessings I have received from doing so.

The Lord does not expect us to do everything all the time. If we truly listen to his guidance after we have prayed with sincerity and humility, the Lord will bless us in those things that need to be now and later.

[Giuseppe]

I love to do my family history and you are right, for every thing there is a time and a season. I have being doing family history at chunks, sudden period of intense work followed by times when i do basically nothing.

So, I believe that family history is an endeavor that will probably last for all our lives and even beyond.

[StosRob]

I love doing family history. I get so much enjoyment out of it. I have found so many ancestors in the last 8 I have been working on it.

I started working on it with my dad and then he passed away and it wasn't as fun as it had been. We had fun sharing what we had found. I took a break for a few years and then I realized a few months ago that I needed to continue, not just because I missed it, but my dad would be disappointed if I didn't continue what we had started.

I am glad my dad had us filling out group records when I was like 8 years old. It was exciting to me at that age. He had us a nice little notebook put together when we were young.

The internet has really helped me in continuing looking for ancestors. I have several children at home and it's difficult to get out to libraries- even the church family history library - because of the kids. I usually take an hour or 2 every week to research different lines of my family.

I have found several free website to look for links. I wish Ancestor.com wasn't a pay service. I love looking at their census records.

My 2 oldest are old enough to do baptisms and I just enjoy being able for them to do baptisms for our family. It's such a nice feeling.

[Juliann]

Maybe there is hope for me then. I just can't get interested in it at all, but most of it has already been done on my side of the family anyway.

[Giuseppe]

Good for you... or bad for you... to do family history is a great experience, but I suppose that if your family has been in the Church for a long time there is not much left to do.

In my case, being a convert I had to do all the work and it was great./smile.gif

[Jeny]

I'm a convert too, and I have been doing some of it, but I have run into road blocks and it has discouraged me. I have over 50 names in my data base and I have done the work in the Temple for 5 of my relatives...not too shabby for a three year convert...for now, I am keeping good records of the people in my family who are still alive but refuse this gosple...I am the only LDS in my family...there will be plenty for my kids and grand kids to do...my job right now is raising them and keeping the best records of my family that I can...I know the Lord is blessing me with that.

[StosRob]

O.k. I am trying again. I posted a couple of days ago and I have never seen the post.

I love researching my family history. My dad got me interested in it when I was 8. He showed me how to fill out the different forms.

The internet has been wonderful in helping me find people. I really got hooked in 2000. My dad and I would email one another when we would find something interesting. We were able to connect to so many ancestors.

I put it on hold for a while when my dad died, but then I felt so bad that It was in boxes and realized everything my dad and I had done was not going further because I didn't have anyone to share it with. I pulled everything back out and I have started doing research again.

I love all of the different web sites that offer family trees and such. I wish Ancestor.com was free because I love the census records they have. Anyway, if anyone has any good family history websites, please post them. I have a few such as Roots Web and the church site.

I can't search like I would like to because I have several children at home, but I do put in at least an hour or 2 a week. I see my oldest child is becoming interested in it. I can't wait for him to be old enough to join me in my search.

[Pamela]

You are so right! Do what you can now and remember that there is a time and season for everything.

[Jeny]

Thank you, Pam...I have been struggling with feelings of guilt because I was so gung ho at first...then when things got hard...I petered out!! I am still raising my kids and my son is disabled, so, I DO have my hands full.

[Daniel]

Thank you, Pam...I have been struggling with feelings of guilt because I was so gung ho at first...then when things got hard...I petered out!! I am still raising my kids and my son is disabled, so, I DO have my hands full.

I just don't really know where to start. Maybe I will start my own thread on it.

QuorumPrez

[Jeny]

I just don't really know where to start. Maybe I will start my own thread on it.

QuorumPrez

DId you start that thread, yet? And did I miss it?

[poulsenll]

I just don't really know where to start. Maybe I will start my own thread on it.

QuorumPrez

Start with your immediate family, those that are still alive.

I have been involved in Family History since I was a Deacon.

One of the highlights of the Church's involvement in genealogy was when they changed the name to Family History and began to emphasize the importance of getting to know your family, including those still living, in addition to searching out our ancesters. Prior to that time, the effort was directed to build a family tree, in order to do Temple work for the dead. The aspect of "work for the dead" still pervades much of our thinking about Temple work and Family History. There is a great need to change this and to realize that both Family History and Temple work are for the living. I am sure the Lord could figure out a means to provide the salvatory ordinances for the dead without any need to depend on us fallible mortals. However, in his loving way he has offered us the opportunity to participate in His great work "to bring to pass the eternal life of man". By searching out our family members, both living and dead, and vicariously joining them together in one great family, we act as "Saviors on Mount Zion" just as He acted vicariously both in the Garden of Gesthemane and on the cross to prepare the way for our salvation and exaltation.

Both Famly History and Temple work are for the living. They are a necesary part of God's great plan for our exaltation in His Kingdom and our participation in His family, His work and His glory.

Larry P

[Jeny]

Start with your immediate family, those that are still alive.

I have been involved in Family History since I was a Deacon.

One of the highlights of the Church's involvement in genealogy was when they changed the name to Family History and began to emphasize the importance of getting to know your family, including those still living, in addition to searching out our ancesters. Prior to that time, the effort was directed to build a family tree, in order to do Temple work for the dead. The aspect of "work for the dead" still pervades much of our thinking about Temple work and Family History. There is a great need to change this and to realize that both Family History and Temple work are for the living. I am sure the Lord could figure out a means to provide the salvatory ordinances for the dead without any need to depend on us fallible mortals. However, in his loving way he has offered us the opportunity to participate in His great work "to bring to pass the eternal life of man". By searching out our family members, both living and dead, and vicariously joining them together in one great family, we act as "Saviors on Mount Zion" just as He acted vicariously both in the Garden of Gesthemane and on the cross to prepare the way for our salvation and exaltation.

Both Famly History and Temple work are for the living. They are a necesary part of God's great plan for our exaltation in His Kingdom and our participation in His family, His work and His glory.

Larry P

This is what I am doing, I am setting up a data base for my future relatives as I am the only LDS in my family right now...there will be much to do as my brothers, sisters, mother and extended family start to die off...I have done the work in the Temple for 5 of my ancestors so far...Not too shabby since I am a convert of three years and a single mother...Much more to do...but I am doing what I can...