Tip of the Week: Love Your Family

This week's tip is to love your family!

One of the greatest aspects of family history work is love. The reason we do family history is because we love our families and want them to be together forever. The love you have for your family here on earth and the love you have for those in your family who have passed on will grow and be strengthened as you participate in family history work. 

"As we learn to be loving, caring families in mortality, our hearts will naturally turn to members of our kindred family in the spirit world. As they continue to live beyond the veil, they wait—they wait for us, their family, to share the blessings of the ordinances of the priesthood. They yearn to belong to the eternal family circle. They are anxious for us to make this possible. Are we not compelled to do so?" -J. Richard Clarke, "Our Kindred Family—Expression of Eternal Love"

"Before we were born, we lived in a family with our exalted and eternal Heavenly Father. He ordained a plan that enables us to advance and progress to become like Him. He did it out of love for us. The purpose of the plan was to allow us the privilege of living forever as our Heavenly Father lives. This gospel plan offered us a life of mortality in which we would be tested. A promise was given that through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, if we obeyed the laws and priesthood ordinances of the gospel, we would have eternal life, the greatest of all His gifts. Eternal life is that kind of life which God our Eternal Father lives. God has said that His purpose is “to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man” (Moses 1:39). The great purpose of every priesthood holder, therefore, is to assist in the work of helping people rise to eternal life." -Henry B. Eyring, "Eternal Families"

"It has been my experience that some of the happiest people I know are those who are engaged in family history and temple work. Let us demonstrate our willingness to follow the prophet by consecrating a portion of our time and energy to the Lord’s redemptive work, and let us do it in a spirit of love." -Mary Ellen Smoot, "Family History: A Work of Love"

"One of the best things about the gospel is the knowledge of the plan of salvation. We have the awesome opportunity to be with our family for eternity. That knowledge helps us to have hope whenever we feel overwhelmed by the world. President Eyring teaches, “Our loving Heavenly Father knows our hearts. His purpose is to give us happiness (see 2 Nephi 2:25). And so He gave the gift of His Son to make possible the joy of family bonds that continue forever. … It is an offer that every child of God who comes into the world may claim.” That blessing applies to those of us living right now and to those who have passed on—but only through our help. Our ancestors are in the spirit world right now, waiting for us to prepare their names for the temple ordinances to be performed on their behalf." -Henry B. Eyring, "The Hope of Eternal Family Love"

"Then, in a spirit of love and consecration, we must extend ourselves in the work of redemption of the dead through service in the temples of the Lord." Gordon B. Hinckley-, "He Slumbers Not, nor Sleeps"

Find, Take, Teach

There's an App for That?

We are blessed to live in a time where technology has allowed for many more opportunities to find and share family history work! Most people use at least 5 apps on a phone, an iPad, or a tablet every day. Why not make one of those apps family history related!?

I've compiled a list of free apps to download today to help you with your family history work!
If you're the tech savvy type, make it a goal to download one of these app and use it regularly!

1. FamilySearch-Tree: The mobile version of FamilySearch. Allows you to do everything you do on the website on the app and links to your account so any changes you make in the app will also be made online.  

2. FamilySearch-Memories: A sort of extension of the FamilySearch-Tree app that allows you type up stories, take pictures, and record verbal stories. 

3. Ancestry: The mobile version of Ancestry.com. Allows you to do everything you do on the website on the app and links to your account so any changes you make in the app will also be made online. 

4. MyHeritage: The mobile version of MyHeritage.com. Allows you to do everything you do on the website on the app and links to your account so any changes you make in the app will also be made online. 

5. Billion Graves: The mobile version of MyHeritage.com. Allows you to do everything you do on the website on the app and links to your account so any changes you make in the app will also be made online. 

6. Genealogy Tip of the Day (iPhone/iPad) (Android): A short, daily tip on genealogy work from an expert. 

BONUS- Eternal Reminder: It isn't an app, but it is a website that will allow you to type in the FamilySearch ID for ancestors who are less than 110 years old and it will remind you when they are old enough to do the work for! 

"These are your days. You were born in a time of temples and technology. These are your days to more fully turn your hearts to your fathers and bring these saving ordinances to millions within our families. These are your days to prepare for the Second Coming of the Savior." - Neil L. Andersen, "Find Our Cousins"