for members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Looking for something to inspire you to get cracking on your family history and temple work? Here are 35 fantastic family history and temple work quotes to get you going on your genealogy. The best genealogy, family history, and temple work quotes inspire us to do more, learn more, and be better - both as people and as genealogists. The best quotes also teach us about the blessings we'll receive when we do our family history work. Keep reading the whole article or just the section that calls to you. Either way, you'll be inspired - and learn about the blessings family history, following the Spirit of Elijah, and temple work all have in store for you! Quotes Explaining the Personal Blessings of Family History Work Family history work brings some pretty amazing blessings. Sometimes, especially if it's been a while since we've done our genealogy, we can forget that. So let's look at the personal, promised blessings of doing family history and temple work. While temple and family history work has the power to bless those beyond the veil, it has an equal power to bless the living. It has a refining influence on those who are engaged in it. President Russell M. Nelson, "Generations Linked In Love" What does "refining influence" mean, exactly? Well, it can mean a lot of things. Here's one such interpretation. Your worship in the temple and your service there for your ancestors will bless you with increased personal revelation and peace and will fortify your commitment to stay on the covenant path.” President Russell M. Nelson, "As We Go Forward Together" Doing family history will help us be more committed - and keep our covenants. And it will turn our hearts to our families while teaching us some pretty amazing truths about the Savior and the Atonement. Your own knowledge and faith in the Savior will increase, and you will receive a more certain witness that life continues beyond the veil. I know that life continues beyond the veil. I know it. Elder Neil L. Anderson, "These Are Your Days" Doing genealogy will also reinforce ancient and restored covenants. As you respond in faith to this invitation, your heart shall turn to the Father’s. The promises made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob will be implanted in your hearts. Your patriarchal blessing with its declaration of lineage will link you to these fathers and be more meaningful to you. Your love and gratitude for your ancestors will increase. Your testimony of and conversion to the Savior will become deep and abiding. Elder David A. Bednar, "The Hearts of the Children Shall Turn" Whew. That's a lot of heavy (but awesome) promises. However, you won't just be given all those heavy blessings without also being given the energy and capacity to receive them. So, if you’d like a little more joy in your life, a little more meaning, more heart-to-heart connections, more focus, energy, motivation, more of so many wonderful things, make time to help those on the other side make covenants with God. The power of God will flow into your life as you do. Wendy Watson Nelson, "...My Soul Delighteth in the Covenants of the Lord." And while this next promise is specifically given to women, it could also apply to anyone who's asking for this kind of divine help. Because when covenant women keep their covenants, they have greater access to the power of God. The power of God flows into them, and that power, His power, generates a decrease in stress, an increase in energy, more and clearer revelation for their lives, renewed focus, courage to make needed changes, an increase in patience, and more time for what matters. That’s what these young mothers taught me as they kept their covenant of sacrifice. Wendy Watson Nelson, "...My South Delighteth in the Covenants of the Lord." In other words, doing family history isn't boring. It brings health, happiness, energy, and divine blessings that are almost too many to enumerate here. And that's just our personal blessings! Next, let's look at quotes about how doing family history will bless our families - and our children. How Family History and Temple Work Blesses Families and the Youth Now, remember - doing family history gives us extra peace and divine revelation. In the last section, we focused on blessings family history gives us personally. However, the blessings aren't limited to individuals. You'll find not only protection from the temptation and ills of this world, but you'll also find personal power: power to change, power to repent, power to learn, power to be sanctified, and power to turn the hearts of your family together and heal that which needs healing. Elder Dale G. Renlund, "Family History and Temple Blessings" In other words, the personal blessings we get are also going to impact our families - just by affecting us. But don't worry - there are also promised blessings specifically for families. I promise that lovingly performing ordinances for ancestors will strengthen and protect our youth and families in a world that is becoming increasingly evil. Elder Quentin L. Cook "Great Love For Our Father's Children" Who doesn't want extra help for protecting our children? Don't worry - it's a rhetorical question. We all want divine help in teaching, raising, and strengthening our children. And doing family history work (and temple work) is an amazing way to help our families become closer - and strengthen family ties. As an Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ, I leave my blessing upon you with a promise that if you look beyond the bonds of time and mortality and help those who cannot help themselves, you will be blessed with more closeness and joy in your family and with the divine protections afforded those who are faithful in His service. Elder Quentin L. Cook, "Our Father's Plan Is About Families" Apostolic blessings are the best. They're divine guarantees of awesomeness. Sign me up for that promise, friend! And these next ones are also ones I'd like to claim, thank you very much. I invoke a special blessing on you parents, you youth, and you children that each of you will find joy and be blessed in every other aspect of your life as you fulfill the obligation that has been sent from Heaven.Elder Quentin L. Cook, "The Joy of Family History Work" Being able to get everything done that I need to? That's something that every woman and mom I've ever talked to has wanted! Okay, so there's also a lot of men (and dads) I've talked to who also want this. Want to get all the things done? Make time for your family history work - and you'll be given the divine insights and ability to get done what you need to. You'll also have extra family protection from negative influences. I promise you will be protected against the intensifying influence of the adversary. As you participate and love this holy work, you will be safeguarded in your youth and throughout your lives.Elder David A. Bednar, "The Hearts of the Children Shall Turn" That's another guarantee for both individuals and families. But since this quote mentions youth, in particular, we put the quote in the family and youth section. Because our Heavenly Father wants to help all of us - we're all his children. So I guess all the quotes could go here. But this next one is another personal favorite. I testify that God the Father wants His children home again, in families and in glory. And I promise you the inspired help that you seek and need.President Henry B. Eyring, "Gathering the Family of God" As I scroll through social media, a lot of memes and posts make it pretty clear that parents worry about their children not feeling connected. Guess what? Family history work can change that - for ourselves, our families, our children, and anyone who wants that feeling of being a part of something amazing. When our hearts turn to our ancestors, something changes inside us. We feel part of something greater than ourselves. our inborn yearnings for family connections are fulfilled when we are linked to our ancestors through sacred ordinances of the temple.President Russell M. Nelson, "Generations Linked in Love" Genealogy and temple work will also give our families, ourselves, and our children something to look forward to in the future. After all, today's world has a whole lot of things going wrong. So, let's look at family history work (and the past) to gain a better perspective for the future. It is good to look to the past to gain appreciation for the present and perspective for the future. It is good to look upon the virtues of those who have gone before, to gain strength for whatever lies ahead.President Gordon B. Hinckley, "The Faith of the Pioneers" I love that quote - don't you? As a writer, I also love this next quote by Elder Groberg. There is something eternal in the very nature of writing, as is so graphically illustrated by the scriptures themselves. In a very real sense, our properly written histories are a very important part of our family scripture and become a great source of spiritual strength to us and our posterity.Elder John H. Groberg, "Writing Your Personal and Family History" But having our family histories and stories written down will give us something even more powerful than great literature. It will give us a connection to and learning experiences from our families. And it will help us learn about, value, and remember family customs and traditions. Where traditions and customs are in harmony with His teachings, they should be cherished and followed to preserve your culture and heritage. There is one heritage that you need never change. It is that heritage that comes from your being a daughter or son of Father in Heaven. For happiness, control your life by that heritage. Elder Richard G. Scott, "Removing Barriers to Happiness" Learning about earthly traditions is pretty awesome. We just also need to remember that we're all a spiritual family - and to appreciate and value other traditions, cultures, and people. That way, we really will become one people with our hearts knit in unity and love. Seriously - I'm thinking that if we want world peace, family history is the answer, people. Kimberly and two of her kids in front of the fountain at the Ogden, Utah (USA) temple. Temple Blessings and Family History Quotes Family history and temple work go together like any of the best pairs: peas in a pod, macaroni 'n cheese, cake with ice cream, Lucy and Ethel, or Lucy and Desi. What can I say? Let me 'splain... I love Lucy. :) So let's look at some amazing quotes about the powers and blessings of this divinely amazing pair. ...just like nitroglycerin and kieselguhr, the real power comes when we combine family history with the blessings of the temple. It’s not just randomly mixing two things together, but the one helps direct the other.Elder Dale G. Renlund, Rootstech Family Discovery Day 2016 Okay, so I had to look up keiselguhr, too. It's diatomaceous earth - that when mixed with nitroglycerin becomes dynamite. In other words, Elder Renlund just totally went there. Family history work plus temple work equals dynamite (blessings). The geek in me can't help but love that quote. And while neither family history work nor temple work will end in an explosion, they're both powerful tools and forces for good - just like dynamite can be when it's used properly and safely. However, temple work and family history are tons safer than dynamite, so don't worry. And by doing family history work and temple work, we'll be showered with some dynamite spiritual blessings. This is how you and I become saviors on Mount Zion. There is a joy and satisfaction that is only understood through spiritual feelings. We are linked to them forever. Elder Neil L. Anderson, "Find Our Cousins!" Becoming a savior and helper on Mount Zion sounds pretty awesome. And while the promise of "mere" spiritual blessings doesn't sound like much... remember one important fact. All things are spiritual to the Lord. Prophetic Promises on Doing Genealogy and Family History Work Okay, so talking about family history and temple work wouldn't be complete without these amazing quotes. These are principles in relation to the dead and the living that cannot be lightly passed over, as pertaining to our salvation. For their salvation is necessary and essential to our salvation, … they without us cannot be made perfect—neither can we without our dead be made perfect. Joseph Smith, Jr., Doctrine and Covenants 128:15 We need our families - immediate and extended. Heavenly Father wants us to be a connected, involved, and loving family. Not just because of temple work, either. But also because we know and love each other. However, doing family history and temple work is the best way to achieve that goal. It's going to be a process and a lifetime work, though. Jesus had not finished his work when his body was slain, neither did he finish it after his resurrection from the dead; although he had accomplished the purpose for which he then came to the earth, he had not fulfilled all his work. And when will he? Not until he has redeemed and saved every son and daughter of our father Adam that have been or ever will be born upon this earth to the end of time. … That is his mission. We will not finish our work until we have saved ourselves, and then not until we shall have saved all depending upon us; for we are to become saviors upon Mount Zion, as well as Christ. We are called to this mission. The dead are not perfect without us, neither are we without them.Joseph F. Smith, The Lord's work and glory are to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man. Our work and glory are to obey the commandments of the Lord and help Him by helping each other. So in order to help ourselves, we'd better get to work on helping others with our family history. We must accomplish the priesthood temple ordinance work necessary for our own exaltation; then we must do the necessary work for those who did not have the opportunity to accept the gospel in life. Doing work for others is accomplished in two steps: first, by family history research to ascertain our progenitors; and second, by performing the temple ordinances to give them the same opportunities afforded to the living.Yet there are many members of the Church who have only limited access to the temples. They do the best they can. They pursue family history research and have the temple ordinance work done by others. Conversely, there are some members who engage in temple work but fail to do family history research on their own family lines. Although they perform a divine service in assisting others, they lose a blessing by not seeking their own kindred dead as divinely directed by latter-day prophets. …I have learned that those who engage in family history research and then perform the temple ordinance work for those whose names they have found will know the additional joy of receiving both halves of the blessing.Howard W. Hunter Okay, so this quote, while dated, is still true. We've got more temples than ever before - with even more planned. Even so, there are people who either don't have a temple close by - or aren't attending as often as they could be. I know it can be hard to get to the temple as regularly as I want to - but it's always good to be trying to do better. Even if it's just a little bit better! Even so, remember that you don't have to run faster than you're able. Do what you can - and it's enough. Inspirational Quotes to Get Going on Family History Work Today Now that we know how many personal, family, and divine blessings we can receive by doing family history and temple work, let's look at some quotes that will help us want to get at it today! We can be inspired all day long about temple and family history experiences others have had. But we must do something to actually experience the joy ourselves. I invite you to prayerfully consider what kind of sacrifice—preferably a sacrifice of time—you can make [to] do more temple and family history work. President Russell M. Nelson "Open the Heavens Through Temple and Family History Work" In other words, we don't have to become professional genealogists overnight. Although, if you do want to follow that path, we've got an article that'll show you exactly how to do that. What we do need to do is start with something today - even if it's something small like downloading the FamilySearch apps (get both the Family Tree and Memories apps) and taking a look at our current family history records. And further, as I have immersed myself in family history research, I’ve felt the unmistakable urgency of those now living on the other side of the veil who are desperate to make covenants with God, now. After all of that, I’ve come to the following conclusion: When it comes to making and keeping covenants with God, nothing is more important, and nothing is more filled with power.Wendy Watson Nelson, "...My Soul Delighteth in the Covenants of the Lord." By simply starting - even if it's a small first effort, we're going to see the power of covenants and families. And, we'll be able to learn more about Grandma. Covenants, and only covenants with their associated ordinances, have the power to unlock the gates behind which our ancestors live. So as wonderful as it is to know stories about Grandma—for example, that she loved peaches and poems—if we don’t do whatever it takes to ensure that she has the privilege to make covenants with God and receive her essential ordinances, guess what? Grandma is still in prison. And I’m not sure just how long she’s going to be cheerful about that!Wendy Watson Nelson, "...My South Delighteth in the Covenants of the Lord." Grandma - in prison? Yikes! Let's get her out, folks! Okay, so maybe it's not your grandma who needs to receive her ordinances. Maybe it's another relative. No matter who it is, they deserve to be remembered and given the opportunity to make sacred covenants. Family History Work: Quotes about Angelic Intervention It's easy to forget that miracles and angelic visitations do happen. However, they do happen. And when it comes to family history work? They happen an awful lot. Often in the temple, and as we engage in family history research, we feel promptings and have impressions from the Holy Ghost. Occasionally in the temple, the veil between us and those on the other side becomes very thin. We get additional assistance in our efforts to be saviors on Mount Zion.Elder Quentin L. Cook "See Yourself in the Temple" We'll be given divine assistance to get this work done. Set aside those things in your life that don't really matter. Decide to do something that will have eternal consequences. Perhaps you have been prompted to look for ancestors but feel you are not a genealogist. Can you see that you don't have to be anymore? It all begins with love and a sincere desire to help those beyond the veil who can't help themselves... This work is a spiritual work, a monumental effort of cooperation on both sides of the veil, where help is given in both directions. Anywhere you are in the world, with prayer, faith, determination, diligence, and some sacrifice, you can make a powerful contribution. Begin now. I promise you that the Lord will help you find a way.Elder Richard G. Scott, "The Joy of Redeeming the Dead" Those angels that step in to help us may even be our ancestors. They are, after all, rooting for us. The process of finding our ancestors one by one can be challenging but also exciting and rewarding. We often feel spiritual guidance as we go to the sources which identify them. Because this is a very spiritual work, we can expect help from the other side of the veil. We feel a pull from our relatives who are waiting for us to find them so their ordinance work can be done. This is a Christlike service because we are doing something for them that they cannot do for themselves. President James E. Faust, "The Phenomenon that is You" So quit wishing an angel would help you. Go help your ancestors by doing family history work. And then watch as you see more miracles - and maybe even feel some angelic help as needed. Quotes on Family History Work as Missionary Service Doing family history isn't just research. It's also helping gather Israel, which is also known as missionary work. ...[the gathering of scattered Israel is] the greatest work on earth...anytime you do anything that helps anyone-on either side of the veil-take a step toward making covenants with God and receiving their essential baptismal and temple ordinances, you are helping to gather Israel. It is as simple as that. President Russell M. Nelson "Hope of Israel" So if you can't think of anyone living to add to your missionary-endeavors list, know that your family history to-do list totally counts as missionary work, too. Missionary work and family history and temple work are complementary and interrelated aspects of one great work...Preaching the gospel and seeking after our dead are complementary parts of one great work-a labor of love intended to change, turn, and purify the hearts of honest seekers of truth. The artificial boundary line we so often place between missionary work and temple and family history work is being erased; this is one great work of salvation.Elder David A. Bednar "Missionary, Family History and Temple Work" Missionary work isn't a separate endeavor from family history and temple work. They're the two sides to a single coin of redeeming all of mankind! So go find those names of ancestors and do some missionary work. Remember that the names which will be so difficult to find are of real people to whom you owe your existence in this world and whom you will meet again in the spirit world. When you were baptized, your ancestors looked down on you with hope. Perhaps after centuries, they rejoiced to see one of their descendants make a covenant to find them and to offer them freedom. In your reunion, you will see in their eyes either gratitude or terrible disappointment. Their hearts are bound to you. Their hope is in your hands. You will have more than your own strength as you choose to labor on to find them.President Henry B. Eyring, "Hearts Bound Together" I've heard the argument made that missionary work for those who have already passed beyond the veil is easier - if only because you don't have to worry about being rejected as much. After all, if your ancestor doesn't want to accept and make sacred covenants, that's their choice. Odds are they aren't going to haunt you for trying to help them. There is hardly any principle the Lord has revealed that I have rejoiced more in than in the redemption of our dead; that we will have our fathers, our mothers, our wives and our children with us in the family organization, in the morning of the first resurrection and in the Celestial Kingdom. These are grand principles. They are worth every sacrifice.Wilford Woodruff, Teachings of Presidents of the Church Wilford Woodruff, Chapter 18 If anything, our ancestors will feel grateful to have been remembered - and will look forward to connecting with us when we're all reunited. Breanne and several of her children More Quotes about the Youth and Family History Work Okay, so we already had some fantastic quotes about how family history blesses families and the youth. However, these quotes deserved their own section - and to be highlighted so they get an extra read. If I were a bishop, Primary leader, youth leader, parent, or anyone else who loves a child and wants to see him or her stay on the covenant path [with the end in mind], one of my best friends would be the ward temple and family history consultant.Elder Dale G. Renlund 2018 Rootstech Leadership Session Want to help the youth? Use family history work! Do you young people want a sure way to eliminate the influence of the adversary in your life? Immerse yourself in searching for your ancestors, prepare their names for the sacred vicarious ordinances available in the temple, and then go to the temple to stand as proxy for them to receive the ordinances of baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost. As you grow older, you will be able to participate in receiving the other ordinances as well. I can think of no greater protection from the influence of the adversary in your life.Elder Richard G. Scott, "The Joy of Redeeming the Dead" In a recent lesson I taught in Sunday school, I had the prompting to bring family history into the lesson. I thought it strange, but I went with it. It was, after all, right after I'd gone to Roots Tech, so it was fresh on my mind. The 16-year-olds in my class loved hearing about family history work - and how doing family history work could unlock angelic help and guarantee them the blessings they need to get their divinely appointed tasks done. I was shocked! Oh, and their favorite thing? It was seeing how they were all related to each other (distantly, thankfully - otherwise dating could get weird) via the FamilySearch "find relatives around me" feature. So if you want to help the youth, do family history work. They're on their phones all the time anyway, right? Your fingers have been trained to text and tweet to accelerate and advance the work of the Lord-not just to communicate quickly with your friends. The skills and aptitude evident among many young people today are a preparation to contribute to the work of salvation.Elder David A. Bednar "The Hearts of the Children Shall Turn" Put their amazing skills to work. Because they're the experts of tomorrow. We just need to help them get there. Gone are the days when this sacred work was done only by specialists. No matter your situation, you can make family history a part of your life right now. Primary children can draw a family tree. Youth can participate in proxy baptisms. They can also help the older generation work with computers. Parents can relate stories of their lives to their posterity. Worthy adult members can hold a temple recommend and perform temple ordinances for their own kin.President Russell M. Nelson, "Generations Linked in Love" Family history and temple work aren't just for old people. They aren't just for genealogists. They're for everyone - and the blessings promised are pretty dang amazing. So go ahead and claim some of them for yourself and your family today. Sources General Conference Addresses, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/FamilySearch Website and articles. https://www.familysearch.org/Light Keepers: A Family History Experience Guide. FamilySearch, 2018. Nelson, Wendy Watson. “...My Soul Delighteth in the Covenants of the Lord (2 Nephi 11:5).” BYU Women's Conference. Provo, https://womensconference.byu.edu/sites/womensconference.ce.byu.edu/files/wendy_watson_nelson.pdf.Roots Tech Conferences. https://www.rootstech.org/