Often I hear the comment, My [spouse][grandparent][parent][aunt] does the family history in my family. The comment infers that the individual is relieved of any family history responsibility because someone else in the family is “doing it.” On the other hand, I have also seen individuals anxiously engaged in family history on their own with no team of family members assisting. While there are those that benefit from doing family history on their own, many wonderful blessings are missed when living family members are left out of this great work.

It was almost a year ago when President Nelson told the youth of the church about the Lord hastening His work to gather Israel. He said: “That gathering is the most important think taking place on earth today. Nothing else compares in magnitude, nothing else compares in importance, nothing else compares in majesty. And if you choose to, if you want to, you can be a big part of it. You can be a big part of something big, something grand, something majestic.”

One of the great benefits of family vacations is the way they bring families together. Vacations allow us, for a short period of time, to get away from the normal day activities and responsibilities, and spend time together. Relationships are strengthened as we spend time playing, talking, laughing, sharing, and serving with other family members. Family members who are not invited or who choose not to participate in the family vacation, miss out on the blessings that come from time together.

Inviting other family members to participate together in family history and temple work can also lead to strengthened relationships, joyful experiences, and a special closeness. When you consider the many blessings promised to those who engage in temple and family history work, is there any member of your family who you would want to be left out? Temple and family history provide a remarkable way to bring families together on both sides of the veil.

If you are wondering how to involve yourself or other family members in temple and family history, here are a few of the many ways available to you:

• Take an hour on Sunday afternoon and come with your family to the FHC where all can sit side by side, each with their own computer, and engage in a myriad of family history activities.
• Check out the in home and on-line activities found in the Family History Activities section on FamilySearch.org.
• Download the FamilySearch app where you can access a host of games and activities regarding family history.
• Search through family photos together and then scan and upload them into memories on FamilySearch.
• Add stories to uploaded photos on FamilySearch.
• Invite grandparents, uncles, aunts and other relatives to your home and have them share stories of meaningful events and relationships in their lives
• Use the ordinances ready tab of FamilySearch or the FamilySearch app to find ancestors needing temple work and then attend the temple with family members to do the work.
• Let your bishop or stake president know of your desire to become an ordinance worker in the temple and invite other family members to join you.
• Interview elderly family relatives and record, in writing or voice recording, stories, experiences, lessons learned, testimonies, trials, and memories about people in your family tree.
• Participate in web indexing and set goals as families as to what you want to accomplish in the year.
• Visit family members and share your love.
• Plan trips and vacations to places ancestors lived, worked, died, embraced the gospel, were married, or loved to visit.
• Read stories about your ancestors in the memories section of FamilySearch.
• Check out the family activities section in The Family History Guide.
• Participate in temple ordinances in temples you have not previously visited.

As you consider what you will do with your family this summer, make temple and family history a significant part. President Nelson has referred to the Spirit of Elijah as being the spirit of love of family. He also stated: “My dear extraordinary youth, you were sent to earth at this precise time, the most crucial time in the history of the world, to help gather Israel. There is nothing happening on this earth right now that is more important than that. There is nothing of greater consequence. Absolutely nothing.  This gathering should mean everything to you.” –Dave Castleton, Director, GFHC