Yesterday (Saturday), we had the opportunity to participate in a session at the Jordan River Temple on behalf of some ancestors in my family. I personally found anything in the temple becomes a little more meaningful when I do it on behalf of my family.

As we were returning to the locker rooms to change back into street clothing, we were invited to assist in some sealings. We were happy to help. We got to help husband and wife seal some of their family, including the wife’s grandmother to her parents.

As we were passing a group as they were finishing their time helping in sealings, a younger guy–somewhere in his twenties–turned to the others and remarked with some excitement, “Now, I’ve got to work on my family history.”

Getting to work with the Family History department over the past couple months, that statement was exciting. This young man was experiencing what we hope more and more people experience: a turning of the heart. It’s not about the genealogies and pedigree charts and microfilms anymore. These are important and help support the work, but the real power of family history is in that statement. A desire to know and bless your ancestors. A desire to connect and extend the promises of the temple to their deceased family members.