Question on Family History Work

[Soul_Searcher]

Today we had a great presentation from our ex-Bishop who is a Family History expert, he does it for a living. I really enjoyed it, it gave me encouragement which is what it was supposed to do.

However, at the very end of the presentation he said that anything we do in this life is utterly FUTILE unless we do family history. He even quoted a scripture to confirm it, D&C 128:15

This upset me a lot. It seems very extreme. Its almost like, you can be the best person you can be and do everything else, but miss out family history and you're doomed.

It seems there's so many things you have to do in the church to be 'saved'. Most people tell me 'do the best you can'. Well, what if my best isn't enough? It sounds more likely than not in most people's cases in that case. Will I have wasted my life?

I feel overwhelmed with the level of expectation placed on me as an individual.

[Dravin]

Originally Posted by Soul_Searcher

Today we had a great presentation from our ex-Bishop who is a Family History expert, he does it for a living. I really enjoyed it, it gave me encouragement which is what it was supposed to do.

However, at the very end of the presentation he said that anything we do in this life is utterly FUTILE unless we do family history. He even quoted a scripture to confirm it, D&C 128:15

Looking up the scripture quoted it sounds to me as if it's speaking about the church in general. Basically if we as a church failed to do our family history and thus temple ordinances for the dead it wouldn't matter that the church was doing a lot of good in other areas it would be failing at what its supposed to be doing in a rather spectacular way. Though don't get me wrong, there is definitely some likening to oneself potential there.

Doesn't seem to me to be, "You didn't submit 1,234 or more names! I know you were the LDS equivalent of Mother Teresa, telestial kingdom for you!"

It seems there's so many things you have to do in the church to be 'saved'. Most people tell me 'do the best you can'. Well, what if my best isn't enough? It sounds more likely than not in most people's cases in that case. Will I have wasted my life?

As a practical matter your best isn't enough, that's why the atonement. As far as any failure to do enough family history (however one wants to define that) being some sort of unpardonable sin, I have yet to see that in any scripture (as opposed to some verses like the aforementioned talking about the church as a whole not doing any, or Malachi's comment about the earth being utterly wasted if nobody was doing family history and temple ordinances).

He may be an ex-bishop, that doesn't mean he can't be guilty of hyperbole, people tend to stress rather greatly what they have stewardship over, sounds like he's responsible to try to teach people about family history, I wasn't there so I don't know the exact nature of his comments but its possible he could have gone a little over while trying to stress things.

Kind like if I wanted to stress Home Teaching, I could point out its a commandment, I could point out that we need to know Christ to have eternal life, I can then point out that if we don't keep the commandments we don't know (or love for that matter) Christ. Then I could bring up the oath and the covenant of the priesthood. At the end I could leave people with the impression that if they don't get 100% home teaching (baring things beyond their control) they have no hope of eternal life, that is not doctrine.

I feel overwhelmed with the level of expectation placed on me as an individual.

We are commanded to be perfect, the good news? It's gonna take Christ and more than this life to actually accomplish that, God understands.

[havejoy]

D&C 128:15 And now, my dearly beloved brethren and sisters, let me assure you that 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, as Paul says concerning the fathers—that they without us cannot be made perfect—neither can we without our dead be made perfect.

Sounds like their work must be done but not all by you. There are other descendants who will also do the work for your ancestors. If your best is doing genealogy research for an hour every week or an hour every month then that is your best and you need not worry. Just mho.

[Misshalfway]

Originally Posted by Soul_Searcher

Today we had a great presentation from our ex-Bishop who is a Family History expert, he does it for a living. I really enjoyed it, it gave me encouragement which is what it was supposed to do.

However, at the very end of the presentation he said that anything we do in this life is utterly FUTILE unless we do family history. He even quoted a scripture to confirm it, D&C 128:15

This upset me a lot. It seems very extreme. Its almost like, you can be the best person you can be and do everything else, but miss out family history and you're doomed.

It seems there's so many things you have to do in the church to be 'saved'. Most people tell me 'do the best you can'. Well, what if my best isn't enough? It sounds more likely than not in most people's cases in that case. Will I have wasted my life?

I feel overwhelmed with the level of expectation placed on me as an individual.

Don't feel overwhelmed.

I think what this teacher is trying to convey is the importance for the church to establish temple work and then for the people of the church to participate in that saving work for the dead in whatever degree they can participate.

Temple work is like any other kind of service, it is essential to our salvation. But don't let yourself think that this means that you as an individual won't be accepted by Christ if you aren't the best family history worker of all time. Ok? All mankind will be judged on their hearts, their choices, their circumstances etc. and will be judged with a perfect balance of justice and mercy and infinite understanding. If you live a good life and make the choices that are consistent with your spiritual knowledge and serve and love others, of course your life couldn't be wasted. But I think that you will also see that as you progress in the gospel that God will make a place in your life and the desire in your heart to help those who didn't get the gospel while in the flesh. If you choose to get a temple recommend, you will absolutely be participating in this work and all the while gaining countless blessings for yourself just by showing up to do it.


Here. Maybe this scripture will help too. "And see that all these things are done in wisdom and order: for it is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength. And again, it is expedient that he should be diligent, that thereby he might win the prize; therefore, all things must be done in order." (Mosiah 4: 27) ( You may also want to study the few verses right before this and similar verses in the D&C that teach this same balance.)

Everything in the gospel has a proper season. We can't do all the seasons at once. So, we do our best in the season we are in at the time. This is why there are lots of white haired people in the temple. Their families are raised and careers finished. It is there time to serve in this way.

And just a note on the whole "being perfect" thing..... Many LDS's stumble over this one as they try to "do" all necessary stuff to become perfect. But that thinking is a mistake. We can be perfect, but ONLY perfect thru Christ.

[Wingnut]

Originally Posted by Misshalfway

And just a note on the whole "being perfect" thing..... Many LDS's stumble over this one as they try to "do" all necessary stuff to become perfect. But that thinking is a mistake. We can be perfect, but ONLY perfect thru Christ.

An interesting thing that I've noticed about the "be ye therefore perfect" commandment: When Christ said "Therefore I would that ye should be perfect even as I, or your Father who is in heaven is perfect" (3 Nephi 12, emphasis added by me), the part referencing Himself only came after the Resurrection. Before that, it was always "be ye therefore perfect" or "be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven" or something to that effect.

[Iggy]

Soul_Searcher,
I don't believe he is correct in saying that it is each of us personally.

My two older sisters never have done any genealogy. They balk when ever I have asked them to write to the older cousins to get dates, places, etc.

My oldest sister passed nearly 5 years ago, the next older sister still refuses to help me do the work. My little sister is hording what information she has researched out. My little brother is clueless-

My oldest brother (who is 100% inactive in the church) will write if it can be in emails.

I haven't done any genealogy in 5 years. I have no room to put all of my data- they are still in the moving boxes. Thank heavens for my little brothers ex wife. She and his kids have done more work for my side of the family. The kids have done the baptisms and confirmations, her ward has done the endowments/sealings, etc.

I know in my heart of hearts that my two sisters are not going to be denied the blessings of the celestial kingdom, just because they didn't help with or do genealogy work. My Father just isn't that kind of a Father. Yours isn't either.

I also want to say that each of us has a gift or gifts. One of the sisters in my branch could only sew buttons on a garment. She just could not sew a garment or even a pillow case. She also is not a gardener. She has tried many, many times. She is a great cook, she can also can foods and put up wonderful preserves and jellies. I can do basic sewing, hemming, but I am really lousy at buttons.

As much as this church stresses being self sufficient, putting away foods, sewing our own clothes, growing our own foods- not every one can do these things successfully. I had the land for a vegetable garden, but I was fairly lousy at growing the veggies. So I encouraged members of my branch to come use my land- all I asked was that you give me 1% of your yield in payment for the lease of the land and for the water.

Misshalfway is so very correct- two thumbs up.

[rameumptom]

The work IS important. However, that does not mean you have to rush out and complete it all this week.
God is merciful to us, and knows we each have different strengths and weaknesses. He will guide us along to the things we need to do, WHEN they need to be done.

One thing to remember is some members have gospel hobbies. Any gospel hobby can be extremely time consuming and all-consuming, if not careful. Some people get totally focused on food storage or some other aspect of provident living. Some take it overboard, stashing weapons and food in the mountains. Why? Because they don't have a balance, and one area takes over, and goes way overboard.

Doing our family history is no more important than missionary work, home teaching, or saving ourselves and our families. The Lord's work of saving souls is equally important in all its aspects. We just need to achieve a balance, and be ready to work some areas more diligently at some periods than others.

I began doing my family history when I was about 30. And I did it for about 5 years, until I ran out of people to find. Since then, I'll occasionally check to see if anything else pops up, but then refocus on where God wishes me to work to save souls.