Pages

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Family History

"Those of us who have been bitten by the family history bug know how fun it can be. But this isn’t why we have the largest genealogical library in the world and why 13 million Mormons are encouraged to research their family roots. Rather, we are driven by our doctrine that teaches that marriage and families can continue beyond this life. But this can only happen when families are sealed together in one of the Lord’s holy temples around the world and united for all eternity.

"That’s fine for all of us today who have the chance to be sealed in a temple, but what about our ancestors who die without the opportunity to receive ordinances like baptism, or the blessings of being an eternal family? Does it make sense that God would simply say, “Too bad, tough luck?” Of course it doesn’t. When Christ organized His Church anciently, it included vicarious work for the dead and the practice of performing ordinances for deceased relatives “Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? Why are they then baptized for the dead?” (1 Corinthians 15:29). Christ’s restoration of his original Church to the earth through the Prophet Joseph Smith included the ancient practice of performing these ordinances for our deceased relatives in holy temples. The gospel of Jesus Christ includes the same blessings today in holy temples." Mormon.org
"We believe that people can have ordinances performed for them after they have died. We know that these people have the opportunity to accept these ordinances and that many are waiting to gain these ordinances so that they may continue in their progress toward returning to live with Heavenly Father again.

"I have had the opportunity to work on finding my ancestors and feeling their Spirits as I was doing ordinance work fo rthem. This is one of my favorite experiences. I felt the Spirit of the Lord more at that time than at any more in the world." Kathy

No comments: