Family History Work

“With the announcement just made of the construction of seven new temples, there begins the most intensive period of temple building in the history of the Church. The building of these temples must be accompanied by a strong emphasis on genealogical research on the part of all members of the Church.” 

-Spencer W. Kimball, No Unhallowed Hand Can Stop the Work, May 1980

“In this Church we are not hobbyists in genealogy work. We do family history work in order to provide the ordinances of salvation for the living and the dead. “We believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.” ­

–Dallin H. Oaks, Family History: "In Wisdon and in Order", June 1989

“In mapping out our personal efforts in temple and family history work, we need to take a view that is not only broad in scope but at least lifetime in duration.” 

–Dallin H. Oaks, Family History: "In Wisdon and in Order", June 1989

"Shortly after the death of Sister LeGrand Richards, I was assigned to be Elder Richards’ junior companion to assist him in creating the Atlanta Georgia Stake. As we were flying toward his beloved Southern States Mission, he said to me, “Brother Ballard, I am not afraid to die; the only thing I worry about is, will I be able to find Mommy over there.

I was impressed to say to Elder Richards that in his case that could be a real problem.

Immediately, I had his full attention. He looked me directly in the eye and said, “What do you mean by that?”

With my emotions near the surface, I answered this great missionary, “Elder Richards, when you die, so many people there will be anxious to greet you because you introduced the gospel to them that you might have difficulty finding Mommy in the crowd.” His response was, “Oh, you don’t mean that.”

We all might ask ourselves the question, Who will be there to greet us?

—M. Russell Ballard, We Proclaim the Gospel, November 1986

“Oh, I wish many times that the veil were lifted off the face of the Latter-day Saints. I wish we could see and know the things of God as they do who are laboring for the salvation of the human family who are in the spirit world;

For if this were so, this whole people, with very few, if any, exceptions, would lose all interest in the riches of the world, and instead thereof their whole desires and labors would be directed to redeem their dead, to perform faithfully the work and mission given us on earth; so that when we ourselves should pass behind the veil and meet with Joseph and the ancient apostles, and others who are watching over us and who are deeply interested in our labors, we might feel satisfied in having done our duty.” -Wilford Woodruff, The Discourses of Wilford Woodruff, 1969

"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. They are literally helping to exalt their families."
-Russel M. Nelson, Generations Linked in Love, April 2010

“I would advise all the Saints to go to with their might and gather together all their living relatives to this place, that they may be sealed and saved, that they may be prepared against the day that the destroying angel goes forth; and if the whole Church should go to with all their might to save their dead, seal their posterity, and gather their living friends, and spend none of their time in behalf of the world, they would hardly get through before night would come, when no man can work.” 

-Joseph Smith, The Discourses of Prophet Joseph Smith, 1977

“You will be tempted to stop and leave the hard work of finding to others who are more expert or to another time in your life. But you will also feel a tug on your heart to go on in the work, hard as it will be...
“As you decide, 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.”
—Henry B. Eyring, Hearts Bound Together, May 2005 

“I am confident that the Lord will permit us and direct us to go on building these sacred structures as we become worthy of them. Our important test of that worthiness will lie in doing the research that becomes the foundation for the major work to be carried on in them.” 

     —Gordon B. Hinckley, A Century of Family History Service, March 1995

"Furthermore, the dead are anxiously waiting for the Latter-day Saints to search out their names and then go into the temples to officiate in their behalf, that they may be liberated from their prison house in the spirit world. All of us should find joy in this magnificent labor of love."
-Howard W. Hunter, A Temple-Motivated People, February 1995. Lds.org