Family History

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Why Family History

Mormon Genealogy
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has the largest genealogical library in the world. This is evidence of the importance the Church puts on genealogical work (now more commonly referred to as Family History). The reason for such interest in ancestors comes from doctrines of the Church. Mormonism teaches that after death, a person's spirit still has the opportunity to learn about the gospel, and accept Jesus Christ as his Redeemer. But in order for him to become a member of Christ’s Church, he must be baptized and have other saving ordinances performed in his behalf. This is the job of those who are still living. In temples, members are baptized, or have other ordinances done, on behalf of those who have passed away (such work is said to be done "by proxy"). This gives that person, if he chooses to accept it, the opportunity to become a member of the Church. Every person who has ever lived has a right to make such an important choice. Members of the Church are strongly encouraged to only perform ordinances for people from their own family lines, and to obtain permission from surviving descendants of the recently deceased.

The Church also teaches that remembering those who have gone before is vital to our salvation. Malachi 4:5-6 teaches, “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 as curse.” This turning of the hearts is family history work and the subsequent work done in temples that unites families across generations.

How the Family History Program Works

The LDS Church gathers genealogical information in two ways—through people who submit names of members of their own families, and from public records (as governments allow). These two ways of gathering information are called "submitting names" and "extracting names." The work in both of these areas has become much easier with technological advances, especially advances in computer technology. People submitting names used to have to fill out by hand long pedigree charts, and to search for hours on microfilm for the names of their ancestors. This can now all be done on the computer.

The Church also sends volunteers all over the world to find local history records like parish records, vital records (tax and census), military records, and immigrations records. These volunteers take pictures of the records so that they can be put on microfilm or turned into digital copies and stored. The originals stay where they were found, the master copy goes to the genealogical library in Salt Lake City, Utah, and other copies are sent to libraries and individuals all over the world. The Church provides much service, enhancing family history accessibility for people worldwide. For instance, Church members indexed many of the records from Ellis Island, helping to establish that database for all whose ancestors passed through there as they immigrated to the United States. [1]

Getting Started

Many people outside of the Church are now becoming interested in doing their own family history. So how does one get started? The best way to start is by writing down what you know, then talking with parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, or anyone else who would be able to fill in missing information. After doing this, anyone can visit one of the 3,700 family history centers run by the Church. One can call any LDS Church ward or stake to find out when the local family history center is open. There are volunteers who work at the family history centers who help with the use of available software and equipment. Information is also available on the internet through Family Search [2]. Most of the information stored in the Family History Library can also be found here. Also recommended is writing one's own personal history or histories of close relatives. Doing this leaves an irreplaceable legacy for one's descendants.

New Family Search

An online service called "New Family Search" (www.new.familysearch.org) was instituted in 2009 for LDS Church members engaged in family history research and temple work. Late President and Prophet Gordon B. Hinckley explained the need for such computerized help in 2005:

"One of the most troublesome aspects of our temple activity," he explained at the October 2005 general conference, "is that as we get more and more temples scattered across the earth there is a duplication of effort in proxy work. People in various nations simultaneously work on the same family lines and come up with the same names. They do not know that those in other areas are doing the same thing.
"We, therefore, have been engaged for some time in a difficult undertaking. To avoid such duplication, the solution lies in complex computer technology. Preliminary indications are that if it will work, and if this is so, it will be a truly remarkable thing with worldwide implications."

New Family Search and its internet-based technology performs the following functions for church members:

  1. Simplifies the temple process by clearing names from home in a process that requires only five steps.
  1. Reduces duplication by allowing everyone using the program to see what temple ordinances have been completed for which ancestors. The database is updated immediately when ordinances are requested or performed, so no one else will be able to do the same ordinances.
  1. Enables collaboration by providing one common pedigree for all relatives to work on together.
  1. Helps family history newbies to see what work has been done on their line rather than starting from scratch.
  1. Requires members to read and agree to church policies on work for the dead. These policies include not doing work for recently-deceased family members without asking permission from relatives. This protects the living members of the extended family who might be offended if a deceased relative were to have work performed in a mormon temple. The policy also forbids temple work for deceased Holocaust victims, unless the person doing the temple work is very closely related to the deceased person.

External links

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