Teachings
For members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, family history isn't a hobby. It's part of how the Lord gathers His children and seals families together forever. Here is what the scriptures and the Lord's prophets and apostles have taught about it, with links to read and watch each one in full on the Church's own site.
And now, my dearly beloved brethren and sisters, let me assure you that these are principles in relation to the dead and the living that cannot be lightly passed over, as pertaining to our salvation. For their salvation is necessary and essential to our salvation, as Paul says concerning the fathers—that they without us cannot be made perfect—neither can we without our dead be made perfect.
From the Bible (King James Version), the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants and the Pearl of Great Price. Each reference opens the passage in the Church's Gospel Library.
The promise that started it all, repeated in every book of scripture.
Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord: And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.
The Lord promises to send Elijah before the Second Coming to bind the hearts of parents and children across generations.
Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord; And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.
The risen Savior repeats Malachi's promise of Elijah to the people in the Americas, showing its importance.
Behold, I will reveal unto you the Priesthood, by the hand of Elijah the prophet, before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. And he shall plant in the hearts of the children the promises made to the fathers, and the hearts of the children shall turn to their fathers. If it were not so, the whole earth would be utterly wasted at his coming.
Moroni's wording of Malachi: Elijah would restore priesthood authority and plant the promises made to the fathers in the hearts of the children.
And again, he quoted the fifth verse thus: Behold, I will reveal unto you the Priesthood, by the hand of Elijah the prophet, before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. He also quoted the next verse differently: And he shall plant in the hearts of the children the promises made to the fathers, and the hearts of the children shall turn to their fathers. If it were not so, the whole earth would be utterly wasted at his coming.
Joseph Smith's account of Moroni quoting Malachi's Elijah prophecy to him in 1823.
After this vision had closed, another great and glorious vision burst upon us; for Elijah the prophet, who was taken to heaven without tasting death, stood before us, and said: Behold, the time has fully come, which was spoken of by the mouth of Malachi—testifying that he Elijah should be sent, before the great and dreadful day of the Lord come— To turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the children to the fathers, lest the whole earth be smitten with a curse— Therefore, the keys of this dispensation are committed into your hands; and by this ye may know that the great and dreadful day of the Lord is near, even at the doors.
Elijah appears in the Kirtland Temple in 1836 and commits the keys of this work to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery.
And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.
The angel echoes Malachi's language about turning hearts when announcing the mission of John the Baptist.
Therefore, renounce war and proclaim peace, and seek diligently to turn the hearts of the children to their fathers, and the hearts of the fathers to the children;
The Lord directs the Saints to work diligently at turning the hearts of children and fathers toward each other.
The Prophet Elijah was to plant in the hearts of the children the promises made to their fathers, Foreshadowing the great work to be done in the temples of the Lord in the dispensation of the fulness of times, for the redemption of the dead, and the sealing of the children to their parents, lest the whole earth be smitten with a curse and utterly wasted at his coming.
Elijah's mission foreshadowed temple work for the dead and the sealing of children to parents.
No one is forgotten: the Savior's work reaches the spirit world.
For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.
After His death, Christ went to preach to spirits in prison, even those who had been disobedient in Noah's day.
For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.
The gospel is preached to the dead so they can be judged fairly and live according to God.
Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.
Jesus foretells that the dead will hear His voice and live.
The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;
The Messiah's mission includes proclaiming liberty to captives and opening the prison, words that members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints also connect with the redemption of the dead.
Now, concerning the state of the soul between death and the resurrection—Behold, it has been made known unto me by an angel, that the spirits of all men, as soon as they are departed from this mortal body, yea, the spirits of all men, whether they be good or evil, are taken home to that God who gave them life. And then shall it come to pass, that the spirits of those who are righteous are received into a state of happiness, which is called paradise, a state of rest, a state of peace, where they shall rest from all their troubles and from all care, and sorrow.
Alma teaches that spirits live on after death, and the righteous enter a state of rest called paradise.
Thus came the voice of the Lord unto me, saying: All who have died without a knowledge of this gospel, who would have received it if they had been permitted to tarry, shall be heirs of the celestial kingdom of God; Also all that shall die henceforth without a knowledge of it, who would have received it with all their hearts, shall be heirs of that kingdom; For I, the Lord, will judge all men according to their works, according to the desire of their hearts.
Those who died without hearing the gospel but would have received it are not shut out; God judges by the desires of the heart.
As I pondered over these things which are written, the eyes of my understanding were opened, and the Spirit of the Lord rested upon me, and I saw the hosts of the dead, both small and great.
President Joseph F. Smith's 1918 vision of the spirit world begins as he ponders the scriptures.
But behold, from among the righteous, he organized his forces and appointed messengers, clothed with power and authority, and commissioned them to go forth and carry the light of the gospel to them that were in darkness, even to all the spirits of men; and thus was the gospel preached to the dead.
The Savior organized righteous spirits to carry the gospel to all the dead.
Thus was the gospel preached to those who had died in their sins, without a knowledge of the truth, or in transgression, having rejected the prophets. These were taught faith in God, repentance from sin, vicarious baptism for the remission of sins, the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands, And all other principles of the gospel that were necessary for them to know in order to qualify themselves that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.
Spirits in the spirit world are taught the full gospel, including vicarious baptism.
The Prophet Joseph Smith, and my father, Hyrum Smith, Brigham Young, John Taylor, Wilford Woodruff, and other choice spirits who were reserved to come forth in the fulness of times to take part in laying the foundations of the great latter-day work, Including the building of the temples and the performance of ordinances therein for the redemption of the dead, were also in the spirit world.
Choice spirits were reserved to lay the foundations of the latter-day work, including temples and ordinances for the dead.
I beheld that the faithful elders of this dispensation, when they depart from mortal life, continue their labors in the preaching of the gospel of repentance and redemption, through the sacrifice of the Only Begotten Son of God, among those who are in darkness and under the bondage of sin in the great world of the spirits of the dead. The dead who repent will be redeemed, through obedience to the ordinances of the house of God, And after they have paid the penalty of their transgressions, and are washed clean, shall receive a reward according to their works, for they are heirs of salvation.
The faithful keep teaching after death, and the dead who repent are redeemed through temple ordinances.
And as many of the spirits as were in prison came forth, and stood on the right hand of God; and the remainder were reserved in chains of darkness until the judgment of the great day.
In Enoch's vision, spirits in prison come forth to God's right hand in connection with the Savior's work.
Why we take their names to the temple.
Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
Baptism is required of everyone, which is why the ordinance is offered by proxy to those who died without it.
Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead?
Paul refers to baptism for the dead as a known practice while testifying of the Resurrection.
For a baptismal font there is not upon the earth, that they, my saints, may be baptized for those who are dead— For this ordinance belongeth to my house, and cannot be acceptable to me, only in the days of your poverty, wherein ye are not able to build a house unto me.
The Lord declares that baptism for the dead belongs in His temple.
You may think this order of things to be very particular; but let me tell you that it is only to answer the will of God, by conforming to the ordinance and preparation that the Lord ordained and prepared before the foundation of the world, for the salvation of the dead who should die without a knowledge of the gospel.
Salvation for those who died without the gospel was planned before the world was created.
And now, my dearly beloved brethren and sisters, let me assure you that these are principles in relation to the dead and the living that cannot be lightly passed over, as pertaining to our salvation. For their salvation is necessary and essential to our salvation, as Paul says concerning the fathers—that they without us cannot be made perfect—neither can we without our dead be made perfect.
Our salvation and our ancestors' salvation are bound together; neither is made perfect without the other.
And saviours shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the Lord's.
The prophecy of “saviours on mount Zion,” which latter-day prophets have applied to those who do temple work for the dead.
And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.
Faithful people of the past cannot be made perfect without those who come after them.
What is bound and recorded on earth is bound and recorded in heaven.
And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
Jesus promises Peter keys by which what is bound on earth is bound in heaven, the power that makes sealings eternal.
And verily, verily, I say unto you, that whatsoever you seal on earth shall be sealed in heaven; and whatsoever you bind on earth, in my name and by my word, saith the Lord, it shall be eternally bound in the heavens; and whosesoever sins you remit on earth shall be remitted eternally in the heavens; and whosesoever sins you retain on earth shall be retained in heaven.
The Lord confirms that what is sealed on earth by His authority is sealed eternally in heaven.
Verily, thus saith the Lord unto you concerning your dead: When any of you are baptized for your dead, let there be a recorder, and let him be eye-witness of your baptisms; let him hear with his ears, that he may testify of a truth, saith the Lord; That in all your recordings it may be recorded in heaven; whatsoever you bind on earth, may be bound in heaven; whatsoever you loose on earth, may be loosed in heaven;
Proxy baptisms must be witnessed and recorded so they are also recorded in heaven.
Now, the nature of this ordinance consists in the power of the priesthood, by the revelation of Jesus Christ, wherein it is granted that whatsoever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatsoever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Or, in other words, taking a different view of the translation, whatsoever you record on earth shall be recorded in heaven, and whatsoever you do not record on earth shall not be recorded in heaven; for out of the books shall your dead be judged, according to their own works, whether they themselves have attended to the ordinances in their own propria persona, or by the means of their own agents, according to the ordinance which God has prepared for their salvation from before the foundation of the world, according to the records which they have kept concerning their dead.
Ordinances recorded on earth by priesthood authority are recorded in heaven, whether received in person or by proxy.
It may seem to some to be a very bold doctrine that we talk of—a power which records or binds on earth and binds in heaven. Nevertheless, in all ages of the world, whenever the Lord has given a dispensation of the priesthood to any man by actual revelation, or any set of men, this power has always been given. Hence, whatsoever those men did in authority, in the name of the Lord, and did it truly and faithfully, and kept a proper and faithful record of the same, it became a law on earth and in heaven, and could not be annulled, according to the decrees of the great Jehovah. This is a faithful saying. Who can hear it?
The power to bind on earth and in heaven has been given in every dispensation, and faithful records make the work binding.
And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
John sees the dead judged from books that were kept, a passage Joseph Smith tied to keeping temple records (D&C 128:6–7).
Prophets have always kept genealogies.
And it came to pass that my father, Lehi, also found upon the plates of brass a genealogy of his fathers; wherefore he knew that he was a descendant of Joseph; yea, even that Joseph who was the son of Jacob, who was sold into Egypt, and who was preserved by the hand of the Lord, that he might preserve his father, Jacob, and all his household from perishing with famine.
Lehi discovers his genealogy in the brass plates and learns his descent from Joseph of Egypt.
Behold, my sons, I desire that ye should remember to keep the commandments of God; and I would that ye should declare unto the people these words. Behold, I have given unto you the names of our first parents who came out of the land of Jerusalem; and this I have done that when you remember your names ye may remember them; and when ye remember them ye may remember their works; and when ye remember their works ye may know how that it is said, and also written, that they were good.
Helaman named his sons after righteous ancestors so that remembering their names would remind them of their forebears' goodness.
Now this prophecy Adam spake, as he was moved upon by the Holy Ghost, and a genealogy was kept of the children of God. And this was the book of the generations of Adam, saying: In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him;
From Adam's day a genealogy of God's children was kept, the first recorded family record.
But the records of the fathers, even the patriarchs, concerning the right of Priesthood, the Lord my God preserved in mine own hands; therefore a knowledge of the beginning of the creation, and also of the planets, and of the stars, as they were made known unto the fathers, have I kept even unto this day, and I shall endeavor to write some of these things upon this record, for the benefit of my posterity that shall come after me.
Abraham preserved the records of his fathers and wrote for the benefit of his posterity.
I might have rendered a plainer translation to this, but it is sufficiently plain to suit my purpose as it stands. It is sufficient to know, in this case, that the earth will be smitten with a curse unless there is a welding link of some kind or other between the fathers and the children, upon some subject or other—and behold what is that subject? It is the baptism for the dead. For we without them cannot be made perfect; neither can they without us be made perfect. Neither can they nor we be made perfect without those who have died in the gospel also; for it is necessary in the ushering in of the dispensation of the fulness of times, which dispensation is now beginning to usher in, that a whole and complete and perfect union, and welding together of dispensations, and keys, and powers, and glories should take place, and be revealed from the days of Adam even to the present time. And not only this, but those things which never have been revealed from the foundation of the world, but have been kept hid from the wise and prudent, shall be revealed unto babes and sucklings in this, the dispensation of the fulness of times.
Work for the dead is the “welding link” that joins the generations into one perfect union.
Brethren, shall we not go on in so great a cause? Go forward and not backward. Courage, brethren; and on, on to the victory! Let your hearts rejoice, and be exceedingly glad. Let the earth break forth into singing. Let the dead speak forth anthems of eternal praise to the King Immanuel, who hath ordained, before the world was, that which would enable us to redeem them out of their prison; for the prisoners shall go free.
Joseph Smith's joyful call to press forward in redeeming the dead, for the prisoners shall go free.
Behold, the great day of the Lord is at hand; and who can abide the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appeareth? For he is like a refiner's fire, and like fuller's soap; and he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness. Let us, therefore, as a church and a people, and as Latter-day Saints, offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness; and let us present in his holy temple, when it is finished, a book containing the records of our dead, which shall be worthy of all acceptation.
The Saints are invited to present in the temple a worthy book containing the records of their dead.
Talks whose main subject is family history, temple work for our ancestors, the spirit of Elijah and gathering Israel on both sides of the veil, from 1971 to October 2026. The summaries are ours; read each talk in full at the link.
53 of 53 talks
Gerrit W. Gong · Quorum of the Twelve Apostles · October 2026
Elder Gong teaches doctrinal foundations of temple worship and invites members to build a personal temple culture, including taking family names to the temple to bless deceased loved ones. Temple worship is the main theme; family history is one part of it.
Jeremiah J. Morgan · Seventy · October 2026
Elder Morgan teaches that covenants with God carry power across generations, describing how the temple covenants his ancestors made in Nauvoo influenced his own path to the Church.
Quentin L. Cook · Quorum of the Twelve Apostles · April 2026
Elder Cook teaches about the priesthood keys restored in the Kirtland Temple, especially Elijah's sealing keys, and how they make eternal family bonds and binding ordinances across generations possible.
D. Todd Christofferson · Quorum of the Twelve Apostles · October 2023
Elder Christofferson explains the sealing authority restored by Elijah, which makes priesthood ordinances binding in heaven, allows vicarious work for ancestors, and makes eternal families possible.
Benjamín De Hoyos · Seventy · April 2023
Elder De Hoyos teaches that temple work and family history are a single work at the heart of Heavenly Father's plan to unite families, and invites members to find their ancestors and take their names to the temple.
Gerrit W. Gong · Quorum of the Twelve Apostles · April 2022
Elder Gong invites everyone to discover their personal and family stories, teaching that connecting with ancestors through family history and temple ordinances helps us find belonging in God's family.
Henry B. Eyring · Second Counselor in the First Presidency · April 2020
President Eyring shows how the Lord has prepared the way for His work step by step, including tools such as FamilySearch, and testifies that the spirit of Elijah is turning hearts across the generations.
Quentin L. Cook · Quorum of the Twelve Apostles · April 2019
Elder Cook teaches that love for God's children motivates missionary, temple and family history work, and highlights recent Church adjustments that support gathering Israel on both sides of the veil.
Dale G. Renlund · Quorum of the Twelve Apostles · April 2018
Elder Renlund teaches that family history and temple work heal as well as seal, blessing the living along with the dead, and shares accounts, including one from the Pratt brothers, that illustrate that healing.
Quentin L. Cook · Quorum of the Twelve Apostles · April 2018
Elder Cook ties three responsibilities to the priesthood keys restored in the Kirtland Temple (missionary work, gathering and strengthening members, and family history and temple work) and presents them as ways to prepare to meet God.
Henry B. Eyring · First Counselor in the First Presidency · April 2017
President Eyring teaches that Heavenly Father gathers His children in families and that the love we feel for ancestors, joined with family history and temple ordinances, fulfills Elijah's promise and blesses the living and the dead.
Quentin L. Cook · Quorum of the Twelve Apostles · April 2016
Elder Cook invites members to prepare for and envision themselves receiving temple blessings, and teaches that temple service connects families across generations as members become saviors on Mount Zion.
Allan F. Packer · Seventy · October 2014
Elder Packer teaches that family history and temple work belong in our regular personal worship and that modern tools allow members of every age and circumstance to take part.
Quentin L. Cook · Quorum of the Twelve Apostles · April 2014
Elder Cook teaches that family history and temple work are essential to the exaltation of families, notes how technology has accelerated the work, and invites youth especially to take part.
William R. Walker · Seventy · April 2014
Elder Walker tells the conversion and sacrifices of his pioneer great-great-grandparents and teaches that knowing our ancestors' stories of faith strengthens our own commitment to the gospel.
Richard G. Scott · Quorum of the Twelve Apostles · October 2012
Elder Scott teaches that vicarious ordinances answer the needs of those who died without them and encourages members to find their own ancestors' names so they receive the full blessing of both research and temple service.
David A. Bednar · Quorum of the Twelve Apostles · October 2011
Elder Bednar invites young people to learn about and feel the spirit of Elijah, use their technology skills to find ancestors and perform proxy baptisms, and promises protection to those who do.
Russell M. Nelson · Quorum of the Twelve Apostles · April 2010
Elder Nelson teaches that the longing to be connected with family is fulfilled when we are linked to our ancestors through temple ordinances, and explains how new FamilySearch tools open the work to every member.
Henry B. Eyring · Second Counselor in the First Presidency · October 2007
President Eyring describes his long habit of writing down each day how he had seen God's hand in his family's life and invites listeners to record and remember the Lord's kindness.
Henry B. Eyring · Quorum of the Twelve Apostles · April 2005
Speaking especially to converts, Elder Eyring teaches that new members have a sacred opportunity to find their ancestors and provide the temple covenants those ancestors never had the chance to receive.
Elaine S. Dalton · Second Counselor in the Young Women General Presidency · October 2004
Sister Dalton recalls the sacrifices early Saints made to build temples and invites youth to honor that legacy through temple and family history work for their own families.
Russell M. Nelson · Quorum of the Twelve Apostles · April 2004
Using the image of a tree, Elder Nelson teaches that our spiritual and ancestral roots shape who we are and encourages parents to share their family heritage with their children and grandchildren.
D. Todd Christofferson · Presidency of the Seventy · October 2000
Elder Christofferson teaches that performing baptisms for the dead is itself a witness of Jesus Christ, declaring the infinite reach of His Atonement and the reality of the Resurrection.
Dennis B. Neuenschwander · Seventy · April 1999
Elder Neuenschwander describes family records, stories and traditions as eternal keepsakes that build bridges between generations, to Church activity and to the temple.
Russell M. Nelson · Quorum of the Twelve Apostles · April 1998
Elder Nelson announces a new era of family history made possible by advancing computer technology and testifies of the spiritual importance of linking with ancestors through temple ordinances.
Monte J. Brough · Presidency of the Seventy · April 1995
Elder Brough suggests that a secure sense of identity comes from knowing one's own family heritage, sharing faith-filled accounts from family records as examples of worthy role models.
Russell M. Nelson · Quorum of the Twelve Apostles · October 1994
Elder Nelson explains that the spirit of Elijah moves people to identify their kindred dead and provide temple ordinances for them, and testifies of the joy of serving in the temple as families.
David B. Haight · Quorum of the Twelve Apostles · April 1991
Elder Haight explains that the Church gathers genealogical records so saving ordinances can be performed in temples, and introduces new computer resources such as FamilySearch and Ancestral File.
Earl C. Tingey · Seventy · April 1991
Elder Tingey celebrates the progress of genealogical work and new computer tools, and invites members to begin identifying their ancestors without delay.
Richard G. Scott · Quorum of the Twelve Apostles · October 1990
Marking 150 years since baptism for the dead was introduced, Elder Scott teaches that the practice reflects the all-encompassing reach of the Savior's Atonement and welcomes new tools that make finding ancestors easier.
David B. Haight · Quorum of the Twelve Apostles · October 1990
Elder Haight describes temples as places where saving ordinances are performed and teaches that members of the Church have a sacred obligation to act as saviors for their kindred dead.
J. Richard Clarke · Presidency of the Seventy · April 1989
Elder Clarke presents family history as an expression of love that extends temple ordinances to ancestors and fulfills the promise that hearts would turn to the fathers.
Boyd K. Packer · Quorum of the Twelve Apostles · April 1987
Paying tribute to Elder A. Theodore Tuttle, Elder Packer teaches that ordinances and covenants are our credentials for returning to God and gives much of the address to vicarious temple work for those beyond the veil.
W. Grant Bangerter · First Quorum of the Seventy · April 1982
Elder Bangerter clarifies that temples serve the living first and the dead as well, corrects common misunderstandings about genealogy, and counsels members to keep working for their own kindred dead.
Hartman Rector Jr. · First Quorum of the Seventy · April 1981
Elder Rector warns that families are under attack and teaches that turning hearts across the generations through personal histories, family records and temple ordinances blesses both the living and the dead.
A. Theodore Tuttle · First Quorum of the Seventy · April 1980
Elder Tuttle testifies that temple and genealogical work are divine responsibilities that redeem the living and the dead, and encourages members to keep researching beyond their first four generations.
John H. Groberg · First Quorum of the Seventy · April 1980
Elder Groberg encourages members to write personal and family histories, teaching that recording spiritual experiences turns hearts toward both ancestors and descendants and keeps eternal goals in view.
Royden G. Derrick · First Quorum of the Seventy · April 1979
Elder Derrick teaches that families of eternal worth are built through righteous living and by completing family records, supporting extraction work and writing personal and family histories so temple work can proceed.
Ezra Taft Benson · President of the Council of the Twelve (Quorum of the Twelve Apostles) · October 1978
President Benson explains adjustments to the four-generation program and encourages families to organize, verify their records together and prepare family histories as part of their temple responsibilities.
J. Thomas Fyans · Presidency of the First Quorum of the Seventy · October 1978
Elder Fyans points out that relatives share the same forebears, encourages cooperation on family records, and describes how the records extraction program will make ancestral research easier.
Spencer W. Kimball · President of the Church · April 1978
In a wide-ranging address, President Kimball devotes a major section to family history, urging members to write personal and family histories and journals, organize as families, and support the Church's name-extraction effort.
LeGrand Richards · Council of the Twelve (Quorum of the Twelve Apostles) · April 1977
Elder Richards points to prophecies being fulfilled before the Second Coming, giving major attention to Elijah's 1836 return and the worldwide growth of genealogical work as evidence of the Lord's hand.
Mark E. Petersen · Council of the Twelve (Quorum of the Twelve Apostles) · April 1976
Elder Petersen explains Elijah's part in the Restoration and stresses that each member is accountable for researching and providing temple ordinances for his or her own kindred dead.
William Grant Bangerter · Assistant to the Council of the Twelve · April 1976
Elder Bangerter reflects on the kinship among Saints and on his own family's genealogical research, urging members to prepare personal histories and family records as part of the gospel's eternal family order.
Boyd K. Packer · Council of the Twelve (Quorum of the Twelve Apostles) · October 1975
Elder Packer takes up the question of those who died without baptism and explains how vicarious baptism in temples makes the ordinance available to all of God's children, whenever they lived.
Eldred G. Smith · Patriarch to the Church · October 1975
Elder Smith teaches that every child of God must have the opportunity for sealing ordinances, in life or by proxy, and calls on members to gather their own family records rather than leave the task to others.
Theodore M. Burton · Assistant to the Council of the Twelve · April 1975
Elder Burton presents work for the dead as missionary service on the other side of the veil and calls on priesthood holders in particular to serve in the temple for their ancestors.
Eldred G. Smith · Patriarch to the Church · October 1974
Elder Smith urges members not to delay gathering family records and submitting ancestors' names for temple ordinances, calling this work a core part of the restored gospel.
Theodore M. Burton · Assistant to the Council of the Twelve · April 1974
Elder Burton discusses the sealing power restored by Elijah, which allows families to be bound together on earth and in heaven and makes ordinances for deceased ancestors valid.
Theodore M. Burton · Assistant to the Council of the Twelve · October 1972
Elder Burton teaches that genealogy is each member's own duty rather than a task to hand off to Church organizations, and urges members to identify their direct-line ancestors so temple ordinances can be performed for them.
Eldred G. Smith · Patriarch to the Church · October 1972
The Patriarch to the Church explains that temples exist so that saving ordinances, including baptism, can be performed on behalf of those who died without them, and that gathering family records makes this work possible.
S. Dilworth Young · First Council of the Seventy · October 1972
President Young traces the faithful pioneer ancestry of President Harold B. Lee back several generations, showing how the courage and integrity of righteous forebears bless their descendants.
Howard W. Hunter · Council of the Twelve (Quorum of the Twelve Apostles) · October 1971
Elder Hunter explains that Elijah's promised latter-day mission is fulfilled through redemptive temple work for the dead that binds the generations together, not merely through better relations between parents and children.
Russell M. Nelson and Wendy W. Nelson · Ensign, October 2017
President and Sister Nelson invite members to make a sacrifice of time for temple and family history work, teaching that it opens heaven's blessings for ancestors and for the living.
David A. Bednar · Ensign, October 2014
Elder Bednar teaches that missionary work and family history and temple work are complementary parts of one work of salvation and shows how the spirit of Elijah helps in conversion, retention and reactivation.
Boyd K. Packer · Ensign, August 2003
President Packer encourages members to begin family history with themselves and the records already in their homes, sharing how doors opened as his own family searched.
Howard W. Hunter · Ensign, February 1995
In a First Presidency Message, President Hunter stresses the central place of temples and urges members to pair family history research with temple ordinances for their ancestors.
Jay M. Todd · Ensign, February 1995
Explains the scriptural and historical background of vicarious ordinances for the dead, from the New Testament through the latter-day restoration of priesthood authority.
Spencer W. Kimball · Ensign, January 1977
President Kimball urges members to treat genealogical research and temple work for the dead as an essential part of the one great work of salvation, alongside missionary work.
Dale G. Renlund, Ruth L. Renlund and Ashley R. Renlund · Liahona, February 2017
Elder Renlund, with his wife and daughter, teaches that the greatest spiritual power comes when family history research is combined with temple ordinances, illustrated with stories from their own family.
Carol Brennan Moss · Ensign, October 2014
Gives young adults practical ways to start family history: collecting stories and photos from relatives, using FamilySearch, and preparing names for the temple.
Sally Johnson Odekirk · Ensign, October 2014
Describes how families can hold recurring gatherings to research ancestors, preserve stories and photos, and prepare temple ordinances together.
Sally Johnson Odekirk · New Era, October 2017
Presents President Nelson's teachings for youth on making time for family history and temple work, organized around four key words.
Russell M. Nelson and Wendy W. Nelson · New Era, August 2018
The printed version of the June 2018 youth devotional in which President and Sister Nelson invite youth to enlist in gathering Israel, including helping those who have died receive gospel ordinances.
Compiled teachings of members of the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles · Liahona (United States and Canada section), September 2023
A regional-section compilation of prophetic teachings on how temple and family history work strengthen individuals and families and draw them to Jesus Christ.
Kevin S. Hamilton and Stephen T. Rockwood · Liahona, August 2024
Family History Department leaders describe how rapid temple building and new technology are creating an unprecedented opportunity to find ancestors and gather Israel, with Jesus Christ at the center.
Xóchitl Bott Rivera · Liahona (digital-only, young adults), March 2024
A young adult tells how following a prompting to research her mother's family line led her to a cousin and a deeper sense of belonging.
Brianna Thyberg · Liahona (digital-only, young adults), March 2025
A young adult offers nine approachable ways to enjoy family history, from finding names ready for the temple to preserving memories and planning heritage trips.
Miguel V. · For the Strength of Youth, July 2026
An 18-year-old describes choosing to stay at the temple in Lisbon to finish baptisms for two more ancestors after a long session of proxy work, and the peace that followed.
Messages from prophets and apostles, and stories of families who found each other. They play on the Church's site.
These official pages list everything on these topics, and they're updated by the Church.
The Church's own list of general conference talks tagged family history, about 70 talks from 1971 to 2023.
The Church's list of general conference talks on temple work, 1971 to October 2026, including Elijah, redemption of the dead and temple-building talks.
Official doctrinal overview of family history, linking to a study guide, related scriptures, leaders' messages, music and videos.
Official explanation of proxy baptism, including that each person in the spirit world chooses whether to accept it.
Official overview of temples as houses of the Lord where covenants and ordinances are received.
Official overview of the postmortal spirit world (paradise and spirit prison) where the dead await resurrection.
The Church's main family history landing page, with getting-started guidance, FAQs, leader resources and links to FamilySearch and temple scheduling.
Step-by-step beginner guide: finding a helper, setting up an account, using FamilySearch, recording stories and indexing.
Historical essay on the Church's genealogy efforts from Joseph Smith's teachings to FamilySearch.
Historical essay on how proxy baptism began in 1840 and developed as a temple ordinance.
The scriptures' Topical Guide entry listing all scripture references on this subject (page title confirmed; reference list renders in the browser).
The Guide to the Scriptures entry defining salvation for the dead with scripture references (page title confirmed; references render in the browser).
Official collection of short videos from prophets, apostles and other leaders on temple and family history.
Gospel Library collection holding the 2026 Family Discovery Day session with Elder and Sister Rasband.
Gospel Library collection of RootsTech 2025 Family Discovery Day highlights and short clips featuring Elder and Sister Andersen.
FamilySearch's onboarding page for building a tree, searching records, saving memories and volunteering.
FamilySearch articles written for Church members, including temple preparation and summaries of conference teachings.
Confirms FamilySearch is provided free by the Church to everyone and explains what needs an account.
FamilySearch's RootsTech site (currently promoting RootsTech 2027, March 4–6, 2027), with free online sessions.
Start a family tree, find out how you're related to the names on your cards, or make cards that tell the temple patron who each person is.
Links go to churchofjesuschrist.org and familysearch.org. Checked 2026-10-06. TempleKit is independent and isn't affiliated with or endorsed by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; the talks, articles and videos belong to their publisher.