My sister Sandy loved doing genealogy. She died in 1998 and most of her research was done before she learned to use a computer. She wrote letters to vicars and libraries all over the world. She would always include a ten dollar bill in her requests and felt that this brought answers faster. She spent her vacations here in Salt Lake at the library reading microfilm. My younger self thought that she was crazy with this hobby/obsession.

Sandy was an amazing genealogist, but she didn’t attend the temple. She would send her prepared cards to other relatives to do the temple work. One night, my husband and I were at the temple on a Ward Temple Night assignment. I had some of her sealing cards to do. As I knelt with my husband and a ward member, we sealed a daughter, Mary Pickering, of Massachusetts, to her parents. I was acting as the mother and when Mary was sealed to me at that altar I thought my heart would burst with joy. I felt the profound love that Mary’s mother had for her and I felt great gratitude towards her.

As soon as we got home I called my sister in California and asked her to tell me about Mary Pickering and her parents. She told me that they lived in the 1700’s. Mary had been the caregiver for her parents in their old age. From Mary’s father’s will, Sandy learned that he left most of his wealth and property to “our beloved daughter, Mary.” This was a rare bequeathment for this time period in history as there were many sons in the family.

I knew that I had felt that mother’s love and joy that night. I knew, in that moment, that my ancestors were so much more than names on charts and temple cards. This was my “heart turning” moment as promised by Elijah. My life was forever changed that evening.

-Karen Stoddard, Consultant, Granite Family History Center