Genealogy

[Holly3278]

It seems that genealogy is so important to Mormons. But why is this?

It seems that genealogy is so important to Mormons. But why is this? [/b]

From:Family Search

Why do members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints do family history research? They do it because they are motivated by love for their deceased family members and desire to serve them.

Life does not end at death. When we die, our eternal spirits go to a spirit world, where we continue to learn while we await the Resurrection and Final Judgment.

Members of the Church believe that the family can also continue beyond the grave, not just until death.

This is possible when parents and their children make special promises, called covenants, in sacred temples. These covenants, when made with the authority of God and faithfully kept, can unite families for eternity.

Members of the Church believe that their deceased ancestors can also receive the blessings of being eternally united with their families.

For this purpose, Church members make covenants in temples in behalf of their ancestors, who may accept these covenants, if they so choose, in the spirit world.

In order to make covenants in behalf of their ancestors, members must first identify them. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has gathered genealogical records from all over the world. These records are available at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah, and at Family History Centers throughout the world.[/b]

Also: from - Mormon.org

Family history

Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are actively involved in family history work. Many members do research to identify their ancestors. Through the work done in temples, families can then be joined together forever.
The Church operates the largest genealogical library in the world—the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah. It is open to the public and offers access to millions of volumes of birth, marriage, death, and other records. There are no fees for any of the services.

The Church also operates branch libraries throughout the world that are open to anyone interested in family history.

You may trace your ancestors and find information about family history resources at the Church’s family history Web site, www.familysearch.org.

Families can be together forever

Family relationships can last forever—not just for this life.
Just as some of life’s sweetest joys can come through family associations, the loss of a beloved family member can be a source of our deepest sorrows.

But death does not need to be the end of our relationships with cherished loved ones. The Lord revealed to Joseph Smith that the “same sociality which exists among us here will exist among us there [in eternity], only it will be coupled with eternal glory” (Doctrine and Covenants 130:2).

Family members who accept the Atonement of Jesus Christ and follow His example can be together forever through sacred ordinances performed in God’s holy temples. [/b]

[Nate]

Part of the motivation of the LDS people comes from our history. Its quite unique and exciting. We look to our past and see who we came from and that helps us understand who we are. Family history just fills in the gaps from us to the great stories. You could compare it to the great stories of the bible, if a link could be made from you to Moses or even Christ its gives motivation for you to find your line. This is not the reason why we do genealogy but helps with our drive to do the work. Makes it exciting to preform this commandment. Kinda sounds corny but this sometimes is refered to as "The Spirit of Elijah".