Since President Nelson was sustained as the president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we have seen changes in a number of the programs and activities of the church. These changes are designed to move us to a higher level, change who we are, and help us prepare for the second coming of the Savior.  With these changes and the focus on gathering Israel on both sides of the veil, temple and family history have become a major focus.

For a number of years now we have held morning and evening classes at the Granite Family History Center in an effort to help anyone interested in learning more about family history. Topics have included a wide variety ranging from very basic to expert. We have been blessed by a faculty of talented and knowledgeable instructors who have shared their insights and experience with us.

During the past year we have discovered that there are still many in our circle of influence that are not taking advantage of the blessings that come from participation in family history. These individuals are not likely to attend a class for a variety of reasons. Of key concern is that they have not felt the Spirit of Elijah and don’t understand how easy and rewarding it can be to spend a little time each week in gathering Israel. We hope with a new focus we can reach out to many more so they can experience the many blessings that come from engaging in family history. This new focus will reduce the number of set classes and will increase our efforts to reach out to more members and nonmembers, providing them with tailor made lessons and activities to assist them in their progress.

We will continue to have some classes at the FHC, but will be reserving more of the evening hours for individuals and groups. We have already been inviting ward and stake temple and family history councils, youth groups, presidencies, Relief Society sisters, Elders Quorums, ward and stake leaders, ward missionaries, and families to come and participate in discovering, gathering, and connecting. This process has already begun. It has been a joy to watch many new patrons discover the simple and rewarding ways to engage in family history today.

We are uniquely blessed at the FHC to have many consultants and instructors who can help any size group with a variety of topics and activities.  In 2020 we will have fewer evening classes to open up the space for group meetings and activities. We will work with each group to see what their needs, concerns, desires, and struggles are, and then develop an activity or lesson that specifically addresses those needs. This may be a single class or activity or a series of classes or activities. It may be a short session or a more intense boot camp. With each group we will work to provide a family history experience that will help those participating feel the Spirit of Elijah and benefit from the many blessings that result from engaging in temple and family history.

We encourage all who read this to think of a group in their ward or stake who have yet to feel the blessings that attend family history or have been unable to engage in family history. We would like to spark an interest in many more people in 2020. You can be a part of this new focus. Start by identifying a group or council that could benefit and issue an invitation. Have them contact Jacque Fryer to schedule a time. We will follow up with the groups scheduled to come up with an activity plan that best meets their needs. We hope to get the water to the end of the row and involve many more in this marvelous work. –Dave Castleton, Director, Granite Family History Center