Family History

Many people know that the Mormons have a very strong focus on the traditional family.  Many also know that the Mormon Church runs the largest family history library in the world, which would rather indicate that the Church, as an organization, is very interested in the matter.  Why would an entire church be so interested in the records of those long and recently dead?  In the beliefs of Mormonism, families can be together forever—not only the nuclear families, but widely extended families that span generations upon generations.  Members of the Mormon faith are encouraged to find their ancestors so that they may do temple work for those ancestors and become sealed to them in the temple.

Two verses in Malachi are illustrative as to why this is so important, in Mormon beliefs. 

Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:

And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse. (Malachi 4:5-6)

Mormons believe that Elijah visited Joseph Smith, the founder of their Church, and that they are charged with turning the hearts both of fathers and children.  Mormons believe that they should be very concerned with the spiritual welfare of all their family.  They believe that our ancestors are also concerned with us.  After all, the living may be proxies for the salvation of the dead.

The Mormon doctrines about the salvation of the dead may seem strange to those who know little about them.  In quick summary, they believe that their church is the one true Church and that they alone have all the saving ordinances.  However, they also believe that those who were unable to receive these ordinances can choose to receive them after death.  Therefore, Mormons will receive these ordinances on the behalf of others, by proxy—but to do this, they need to have the names and records of those others.  Thus, family history is imperative. 

But Mormons are not at all stingy with their family history resources.  They believe that a knowledge of one’s ancestors is important for anyone and everyone to have.  Their history is the history of the living as well. 

Beyond the great and massive Family History library in Salt Lake, which represents the work of over a hundred years of record gathering, the Church offers a website: familysearch.org.  Both are open to the public and the Church would encourage their use.

Familysearch.org also allows you to receive data about your ancestors from others, as well as share your own.  Perhaps you will find that family history has significance for you and your family.  You may well find ancestors and family stories you never knew you had.