Utah South Area Family History Training
Temple and Family History Work Members Personal Responsibilities The Role of Temple and Family History in the Balanced Effort How Priesthood Leaders can Support Members in Fulfilling Their Personal Responsibilities How Priesthood Leaders can Use Temple and Family History in the Balanced Effort Resources to Help Priesthood Leaders, Family History Workers and Members
If temple ordinances are an essential part of the restored gospel, and I testify that they are, then we must provide the means by which they can be accomplished. All of our vast family history endeavor is directed to temple work. There is no other purpose for it. The temple ordinances become the crowning blessings the Church has to offer. President Gordon B. Hinckley Ensign, May 1998, p. 88
Members Personal Responsibilities
1. Receive their own temple ordinances and help immediate family members receive them. Church Handbook of Instructions, Book 2, p. 262.
2. Hold a current temple recommend and go to the temple regularly. Church Handbook of Instructions, Book 2, p. 262.
3. Participate in family history work. As a beginning, members should try to identify three to five generations of their ancestors. Members preeminent obligation is for their own ancestors. Church Handbook of Instructions, Book 2, p. 262.
How do members do that? Document their own lives by recording important dates and life events. Identify their ancestors using: Personal memory Family memory Other records Ensure temple work is performed for ancestors as they are identified. Share family history information with children and grandchildren.
The Role of Temple and Family History in the Balanced Effort (Conversion, Retention, and Activation)
Conversion The spirit of Elijah is turning the hearts of children to their fathers Because of it, people, regardless of religious affiliation, are gathering records of deceased relatives at an ever-increasing rate We are to proclaim the gospel. With the spirit of Elijah, we could do it better Members and missionaries might invite friends, relatives, and neighbors to a [Family History] center nearby to stimulate an interest in this fascinating field. Or a printout of a pedigree chart or family group sheet could be taken to one who would appreciate such a gift. Elder Russell M. Nelson, Family History A Magnetic Force for Good, Missionary Satellite Broadcast, Aug. 29, 1997.
Retention The spirit of Elijah can also help in the retention of new converts. When they gather information for their family group sheets and then participate in baptisms for their own ancestors, they receive self-validation of the divinity of this work... Through Family History and Temple work, new converts can receive an immediate sense of personal purpose and need for them in the Church. New members will be retained better when we lift our focus beyond baptism to the blessings of the temple. Elder Russell M. Nelson, Family History A Magnetic Force for Good, Missionary Satellite Broadcast, Aug. 29, 1997.
Activation Family history builds bridges to activity in the Church...The First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve have encouraged a much broader use of family history and Family History Centers in the activation of those who have fallen out of regular Church activity. Elder Dennis B. Neuenschwander, Ensign, May 1999, p. 84.
How Priesthood Leaders Can Support Members in Fulfilling Their Personal Responsibilities (Priesthood Organization)
Priesthood Organization for Temple and Family History Work Area Presidency Stake Presidency High Council Advisor(s) Bishopric Elder s Quorum Presidency Stake Family History Center Director Stake Family History Consultant Stake Family Record Extraction Director High Priest Group Leader Meetinghouse Family History Center Director Ward Family History Consultant(s) Ward Family Record Extraction Director
Area Presidency Teach the doctrines of temple and family history work. Instruct leaders in their temple and family history responsibilities. Oversee multi-stake Family History Centers. Set an example in doing temple and family history work.
Stake Presidency Teach the doctrines of temple and family history work. Help members prepare to receive their own temple ordinances. Encourage members to identify their kindred dead and provide ordinances for them. Determine whether a stake Family History Center is needed. Determine whether the stake should participate in family record extraction.
Stake Presidency (continued) Ensure that family history callings are properly filled and supervised. Interview stake members for temple recommends and teach bishoprics how to conduct such interviews. Set an example in doing temple and family history work.
High Council Advisers Review instructions and publications regarding stake temple and family history activities and resources. Supervise the stake family history consultant. Oversee family record extraction and the stake extraction director. Direct the operation of the stake Family History Center and supervise the center s director. Teach elders quorum and high priests group leaders their temple and family history responsibilities.
High Council Advisers (cont.) Help the stake presidency instruct other leaders and members in temple and family history work. Meet regularly with the stake presidency to report and receive counsel. Work with ward leaders to respond when invitations are extended by a temple to participate in temple ordinances. Set an example in doing temple and family history work.
Bishopric Teach the doctrines of temple and family history work. Help members prepare to receive their own temple ordinances. Encourage members to identify their kindred dead and provide ordinances for them. Call ward family history consultants to assist members. Interview ward members for temple recommends.
Bishopric (continued) Help new, less-active, and endowed members who have not renewed their recommends prepare to go to the temple. (Bishops) Organize temple preparation seminars. Teach members preparing to go to the temple the first time. Set an example in doing temple and family history work.
High Priests Group Leaders Coordinate temple and family history work in the ward and report in ward council meetings. Supervise ward family history consultants. Supervise the ward family record extraction director. Direct the operation of the meetinghouse Family History Center and supervise the center s director. Set an example in doing temple and family history work.
Elders Quorum Leaders Organize and oversee the quorum temple and family history committee. Set an example in doing temple and family history work. Coordinate temple and family history work with High Priest Group Leadership.
Family History Consultants Family history consultants play a vital role in helping members as they begin to identify their ancestors. Consultants may help members in their homes and also teach the family history Sunday School class.
Stake Family History Consultants Should: Be familiar with A Member s Guide to Temple and Family History Work, the role of Ward Family History Consultants and basic family history computer programs, such as Personal Ancestral File and TempleReady. Instruct Ward Family History Consultants under the direction of the High Council Advisor.
Ward Family History Consultants Should: Be knowledgeable in temple and family history work. Study A Member s Guide to Temple and Family History Work on their own and use it as an outline for instruction. Give members a copy of the booklet. Where available, learn how to use family history computer programs. If a Family History Center is established locally, consultants may receive some of this instruction there.
Ward Family History Consultants (continued) Teach by example. Consultants should seek to identify their own ancestors and provide temple ordinances for them. Where possible, meet with members in their homes. Consultants help members identify ancestors for whom information is readily available and are easy to identify and provide temple ordinances for them (often three to five generations as a beginning). If members need more specialized help in their research, consultants direct them to the local Family History Center.
Ward Family History Consultants (continued) Assure members that they can, with no previous experience, provide temple ordinances for their ancestors. When assigned by the bishopric, consultants teach the Family History Class during Sunday School.
Family History Center Director and Staff Family History Center staff assist members in the vital process of performing temple work by providing the means and assistance to members to prepare names for the temple. Family History Center director and staff facilitate local access to the Church s vast family history resources. They also provide research assistance to patrons. Family History Consultants can receive training from the Center staff.
Family Record Extraction Director and Workers Family record extraction directors and workers automate important genealogical records to: help members identify their ancestors through the publication of extracted work (e.g. International Genealogical Index, Censuses, Vital Records Indexes, Ellis Island, etc.) provide names for temples
Family Record Extraction Stake Director High Council Advisor gives instruction and assistance. Requests records to extract and distributes records to Wards for extraction. Coordinates use of equipment and facilities. Instructs Ward Family Record Extraction directors. Should have good management, interpersonal and communications skills. Some computer skills is also helpful.
Family Record Extraction Ward Director Same skills as Stake Record Extraction Director. Supervised by the High Priest Group Leader. Directs and instructs Ward members who are called as extraction workers. Assigns family record extraction and data entry work.
Priesthood Organization for Temple and Family History Work Area Presidency Stake Presidency High Council Advisor(s) Bishopric Elder s Quorum Presidency Stake Family History Center Director Stake Family History Consultant Stake Family Record Extraction Director High Priest Group Leader Meetinghouse Family History Center Director Ward Family History Consultant(s) Ward Family Record Extraction Director
How Priesthood Leaders Can Use Temple and Family History in the Balanced Effort
Ward Councils In ward councils, priesthood and auxiliary leaders regularly discuss how family history work can be used to attract investigators, retain converts, and activate the less active.
Ward Councils Encourage members to introduce family and friends to family history resources available in their homes, such as pedigree charts, family group records, and the FamilySearch Internet Genealogy Service (where available). Involve the family history consultant in working with investigators, new converts, and less-active members. The family history consultant may accompany the missionaries when lesson five of the new member discussions is taught. The consultant can help the convert prepare family names to take to the temple for baptisms.
Ward Councils (cont.) As coordinated through ward councils, the family history consultant can be invited to visit nonmembers and less-active members in their homes and help them begin their family history work. Encourage missionaries, family history consultants, and members to bring friends, investigators, new converts, and less-active members to Family History Centers (where available).
Resources to Help Priesthood Leaders, Family History Workers and Members
Key Products: Resources FamilySearch Internet Genealogy Service www.familysearch.org
Resources (cont.) Key Products: Personal Ancestral File 5.2
Resources (cont.) Key Products: TempleReady for Windows 2.0
Publications: Resources (cont.) General Handbook of Instructions - Book 2, Priesthood and Auxiliary Leaders, Section 9, Temple and Family History Work [35709] A Member s Guide to Temple and Family History Work [34697] Administrative Guide for Family History Centers [36004] Family History Center Operations Guide [34051] Family History Center Memorandum. Extraction manuals sent by headquarters Extraction Memorandum. A Guide to Research [30971] Discovering Your Family Tree [32543] Where Do I Start? pamphlet [32916] Family History Publication List [34083]
Resources (cont.) Family and Church History Department Support: Toll-free number to all areas: 1-800-346-6044 Family History Center Support - for Family History Center Directors and staff. Email: fhd-fhcsupport@ldschurch.org Extraction Support - for the Stake Extraction Director Email: indexing@support.familysearch.org Family History Help Desk - for all patrons. Provides support for family history computer products. Email: help@productsupport.familysearch.org Family History Library - for Family History Center Directors and staff. Provides support for research questions, guidance to professional genealogists and general research guidance. Email: fhl@ldschurch.org
Resources (cont.) Priesthood: Area Presidency Area Family History Advisors and their team of trained specialists. Training in Priesthood Responsibilities Training for Extraction Personnel Training for Family History Center Personnel Training for Family History Consultants Available upon request.
Our motives are to help members of the Church and others find their roots. The doctrine of the eternal nature of the family is one of the most important and sacred teachings for us. As I learn more about my own ancestors, who worked so hard and sacrificed so much, it increases my sense of identity and deepens my commitment to honor their memory. Perhaps there has never been a time when a sense of family, of identity and self-worth, has been more important to our world. President Gordon B. Hinckley FamilySearch Internet Genealogy Service Launch