My Eternal Family

I used to think that family history work was something I would do when I am older. I would convince myself with seemingly good excuses: I am far too busy with school, I don't have enough experience, my parents can take care of it.

Last summer I heard of challenge my home ward Bishop had extended to the members. He invited everyone to map out there family tree for at least four generations. I had some time on my hands so I got started. Thankfully my mother has a good collection of documents. It was hard at first but it became more and more exciting as I started to add names to my family tree that I had never heard or seen before but somehow seemed familiar. I was on a roll. Then life got busy again and I forgot about it for a year.

This summer I had some time on my hands again. And even more importantly, I was repeatedly prompted to start working on my family history work. So after a few of these pushes I sat down one day, opened up my FamilySearch account and looked over what I had started nearly a year before. I started getting excited. Thinking about my Québecois ancestors made me start to miss home so I decided to go back and visit. And then I came up with a plan-- a goal of sorts.

My plan was that I would gather all the information I could about those four generations of ancestors and during my time at my grandparents I would record stories about those that my grandparents remember. Then during my time in Montreal (near the end of my trip) I would go do the ordinances for them in the Montreal temple. I phoned my grandmother one day and asked her if she could start to write her memoir for me to keep in my personal family history collection. Suprisingly, she told me had already started! Then I talked to my aunt and she told me her what she remembers about her grandparents.

So now I know why family history work isn't something we should do when we are older. It is something we must start NOW because there are people living right now who have knowledge that needs to be written down! My grandparents are one of the only links I have to knowing my great-great-grandparents in this life. And what do I even really know about my grandparents? I know them as grandparents but do I know that much about their lives, their youth, their childhood? It gives me a sense of urgency because I want to know these things and I want my children to know them.

The second thing I've learned from my family history experiences this summer is very precious to me. For those of my friends who don't know much about my religious beliefs I'll give you a little background first. We, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons),believe that there is life after death-- that those who pass away enter a Spirit World where they are either taught the Gospel (if they did not learn it in their lifetime) or teach others (if they did receive it). We also believe that families can be eternal-- to me that means that they can live as one forever in God's presence. However, for this to happen families have to be sealed (bound together) in temples by someone holding the priesthood (the power of God). But obviously this doesn't happen for everyone during their lifetime. Yet there is a way for them to receive these eternal blessings after death. Those who have already passed away can still receive saving ordinances such as baptism, confirmation and sealings-- meaning that someone (living... such as myself) can stand in their place so that if they accept the Gospel in the Spirit World they aren't stuck, they can progress. This is possible because of Christ's atonement. Doesn't it make sense that he would provide a way for those who didn't have a chance to accept him and his Gospel in their lifetime? There would be far too many souls damned without this-- since God loves us do you think he would give up on us that easily? Do you think he'd be happy if only a small fraction of his children could return to him? I know that he does not give up on us and he does provide a way for those ancestors that I love and want in my eternal family to still be linked to me.

While I was going through the names of those ancestors I realized something very exciting. Many of them have some ordinances already finished! Some were done by my mother years ago and some by my brother and I when we were younger. So all these years that I've thought I had very few people in my family who were part of my eternal, sealed family. But its not quite true :) I have an aunt, an uncle, four great-grandparents, and at least one set of great-great-grandparents who have been baptized, confirmed and sealed. So there you go :) I have a wonderful group of people supporting me on the other side of the veil. And there are plenty more waiting for me to know them and for me to help them receive the same ordinances.

I know that Heavenly Father's plan for our time on this earth is perfect. He doesn't do anything half-way. He loves his children and he wants our eternities to be spent with him. He knows us well.

If you want to know more about Heavenly Father's plan of salvation you can definitely ask me or here is a link:
http://www.lds.org/topics/plan-of-salvation/we-can-live-with-god-again?lang=eng

This knowledge changes hearts and lives. Why? Because knowing that Heavenly Father has provided a way for us to conquer all things in this life (through his son Jesus Christ) makes everything so meaningful. Trails becoming lighter, family becomes more important and life suddenly seems so full of joy. God sent us here to become like him-- to gain bodies and to learn the lessons that we couldn't learn any other way.

I know this is true. I know because I feel it in my heart and I've seen evidence of it in my life as I have turned to Heavenly Father in prayer. Its possible to know his and to know Christ in this life. Nothing makes me happier.

Love,
Stéfanie