Part One of Four:
Why Share Family History?
“The single most important thing you can do for your family may be the simplest of all: develop a strong family narrative.” – New York Times
Why is it important to share our family’s history? In an article in the New York Times entitled “The Stories That Bind Us,” Bruce Feiler reported on research into children’s resiliency and their ability to deal with stress. “Children who knew a lot about their families:
“Tended to do better than other children when they faced challenges.
“Proved to be more resilient and able to moderate the effects of stress.
“Had a stronger sense of control over their lives.
“Had higher self-esteem.
“Believed that their family functioned successfully.
“Felt that they belonged to something larger than themselves.”[1]
All of us need and want to feel loved and capable to meet life’s challenges. Our ancestors passed through trials of their own; wars, pandemics, job and financial stresses, family challenges, and health concerns. Sharing the stories and pictures of our ancestors reassures us that we have the power to overcome. We gain strength knowing that we can do hard things just as they did. Dr. Matt Townsend who earned his degree in Human and Organizational Systems and coaches on human relationships stated on May 6, 2020, “We are not in this alone. This is a human thing and we have a lot of stuff going on in our DNA that’s been handed down from people who have made it through tough times before.”[2]
Perhaps the most empowering reason to share family history is we are entitled to claim blessings promised by prophets and leaders such as; a stronger conversion to the Savior, Jesus Christ, protection against adverse influences in our lives, youth being safeguarded throughout their lives, power to heal relationships and serve others, power to discern what is important in our lives, and many others.[3]
Look for a story and/or a picture from your family’s history and share it or ask someone to share a story from their family’s history and discover the “why” we share family history. You’ll find it is a rather joyful experience!
In Part Two of Sharing Family History, we will take a look at: Getting Involved.
[1] https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/callings/temple-and-family-history/sunday-lesson/stories-that-bind?lang=eng
[2] https://matttownsend.com/3-conversations-for-more-resilient-families/
[3] https://www.familysearch.org/blog/en/claim-promises-taking-family-names/
–Janet Helland, Assistant Director of Patron Services – Granite Family History Center