“The doctrine of the family in relation to family history and temple work is clear. The Lord in initial revelatory instructions referred to “baptism for your dead.” Our doctrinal obligation is to our own ancestors. This is because the celestial organization of heaven is based on families. The First Presidency has encouraged members, especially youth and young single adults, to emphasize family history work and ordinances for their own family names or the names of ancestors of their ward and stake members. We need to be connected to both our roots and branches.” Cook, Q. L. (2014, April). Roots and Branches. Salt Lake City, Ut, USA. Retrieved from https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2014/04/roots-and-branches?lang=eng#13-10985_000_29cook
"The leadership of the Church has issued a clarion call to the rising generation to lead the way in the use of technology to experience the spirit of Elijah, to search out their ancestors, and to perform temple ordinances for them. Much of the heavy lifting in hastening the work of salvation for both the living and the dead will be done by you young people." Cook, Q. L. (2014, April). Roots and Branches. Salt Lake City, Ut, USA. Retrieved from https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2014/04/roots-and-branches?lang=eng#13-10985_000_29cook
"When our hearts turn to our ancestors, something changes inside us. We feel part of something greater than ourselves. Our inborn yearnings for family connections are fulfilled when we are linked to our ancestors through sacred ordinances of the temple.” Nelson, R. M. (2010, April). Generations Linked in Love. Salt Lake City, UT, USA. Retrieved from https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2010/04/generations-linked-in-love?lang=eng&query=Family
“While temple and family history work has the power to bless those beyond the veil, it has an equal power to bless the living. It has a refining influence on those who are engaged in it. They are literally helping to exalt their families.” Nelson, R. M. (2010, April). Generations Linked in Love. Salt Lake City, UT, USA. Retrieved from https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2010/04/generations-linked-in-love?lang=eng&query=Family
"This welding together of generations is so important that the purposes of the earth and the purposes of the Church both would be defeated if families were not sealed in holy temples."
Faith and Families. (2005, February 6). Salt Lake City, UT. Retrieved from http://speeches.byu.edu/?act=viewitem&id=1419
“We must accomplish the priesthood temple ordinance work necessary for our own exaltation; then we must do the necessary work for those who did not have the opportunity to accept the gospel in life. Doing work for others is accomplished in two steps: first, by family history research to ascertain our progenitors; and second, by performing the temple ordinances to give them the same opportunities afforded to the living.
Yet there are many members of the Church who have only limited access to the temples. They do the best they can. They pursue family history research and have the temple ordinance work done by others. Conversely, there are some members who engage in temple work but fail to do family history research on their own family lines. Although they perform a divine service in assisting others, they lose a blessing by not seeking their own kindred dead as divinely directed by latter-day prophets. …
I have learned that those who engage in family history research and then perform the temple ordinance work for those whose names they have found will know the additional joy of receiving both halves of the blessing.” Howard W. Hunter, “A Temple-Motivated People,” Liahona, May 1995, 5–6; Ensign, Feb. 1995, 4–5.
"Many faithful Saints have done the work of researching their family lines and are using the reserve feature of FamilySearch to hold the ordinances for their own family members to serve as proxy. The intent of reserving names is to allow a reasonable period of time for individuals to perform ordinances for ancestors and collateral lines. There are currently 12 million names and millions of corresponding ordinances that are reserved. Many names have been reserved for years. Ancestors who have been found are no doubt anxious and thrilled when their names are cleared for ordinances. They, however, may not be very happy when they have to continue to wait for their ordinances to be performed." Scott, R. G. (2012, October). The Joy of Redeeming the Dead. Salt Lake City. Retrieved from https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2012/10/the-joy-of-redeeming-the-dead?lang=eng
“As we ponder the importance of our ancestral responsibilities, we also need to be reminded of the Lord’s vast ministry. I quote from President Joseph F. Smith: ‘Jesus had not finished his work when his body was slain, neither did he finish it after his resurrection from the dead; although he had accomplished the purpose for which he then came to the earth, he had not fulfilled all his work. And when will he? Not until he has redeemed and saved every son and daughter of our father Adam that have been or ever will be born upon this earth to the end of time. … That is his mission. We will not finish our work until we have saved ourselves, and then not until we shall have saved all depending upon us; for we are to become saviors upon Mount Zion, as well as Christ. We are called to this mission. The dead are not perfect without us, neither are we without them.’” Nelson, Russell M. A New Harvest Time. Salt Lake City, April 1998. <https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1998/04/a-new-harvest-time?lang=eng&query=family+history>.
“The Spirit of Elijah affects people inside and outside of the Church. However, as members of Christ’s restored Church, we have the covenant responsibility to search out our ancestors and provide for them the saving ordinances of the gospel. ‘They without us should not be made perfect’ (Hebrews 11:40; see also Teachings: Joseph Smith, 475). And ‘neither can we without our dead be made perfect’ (D&C 128:15).
For these reasons we do family history research, build temples, and perform vicarious ordinances. For these reasons Elijah was sent to restore the sealing authority that binds on earth and in heaven. We are the Lord’s agents in the work of salvation and exaltation that will prevent ‘the whole earth [from being] smitten with a curse’ (D&C 110:15) when He returns again. This is our duty and great blessing.” Bednar, David A. The Hearts of the Children Shall Turn. Salt Lake City, October 2011. <https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2011/10/the-hearts-of-the-children-shall-turn?lang=eng&query=family+history>.
“It is no coincidence that FamilySearch and other tools have come forth at a time when young people are so familiar with a wide range of information and communication technologies. Your fingers have been trained to text and tweet to accelerate and advance the work of the Lord—not just to communicate quickly with your friends. The skills and aptitude evident among many young people today are a preparation to contribute to the work of salvation.
I invite the young people of the Church to learn about and experience the Spirit of Elijah. I encourage you to study, to search out your ancestors, and to prepare yourselves to perform proxy baptisms in the house of the Lord for your kindred dead (see D&C 124:28–36). And I urge you to help other people identify their family histories.” Bednar, David A. The Hearts of the Children Shall Turn. Salt Lake City, October 2011. <https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2011/10/the-hearts-of-the-children-shall-turn?lang=eng&query=family+history>.
President Smith taught that family history is about more than finding names, dates, and places and gathering stories. It is about providing temple ordinances that unite families for eternity, sealing faithful people of all generations as members of the family of God. “Parents must be sealed to each other, and children to parents in order to receive the blessings of the celestial kingdom,” he said. “Therefore our salvation and progression depends upon the salvation of our worthy dead with whom we must be joined in family ties. This can only be accomplished in our Temples.” Before offering the dedicatory prayer in the Ogden Utah Temple, he said, “May I remind you that when we dedicate a house to the Lord, what we really do is dedicate ourselves to the Lord’s service, with a covenant that we shall use the house in the way he intends that it shall be used.” http://lds.org/manual/teachings-of-presidents-of-the-church-joseph-fielding-smith/chapter-17-sealing-power-and-temple-blessings.p9?lang=eng
"The leadership of the Church has issued a clarion call to the rising generation to lead the way in the use of technology to experience the spirit of Elijah, to search out their ancestors, and to perform temple ordinances for them. Much of the heavy lifting in hastening the work of salvation for both the living and the dead will be done by you young people." Cook, Q. L. (2014, April). Roots and Branches. Salt Lake City, Ut, USA. Retrieved from https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2014/04/roots-and-branches?lang=eng#13-10985_000_29cook
"When our hearts turn to our ancestors, something changes inside us. We feel part of something greater than ourselves. Our inborn yearnings for family connections are fulfilled when we are linked to our ancestors through sacred ordinances of the temple.” Nelson, R. M. (2010, April). Generations Linked in Love. Salt Lake City, UT, USA. Retrieved from https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2010/04/generations-linked-in-love?lang=eng&query=Family
“While temple and family history work has the power to bless those beyond the veil, it has an equal power to bless the living. It has a refining influence on those who are engaged in it. They are literally helping to exalt their families.” Nelson, R. M. (2010, April). Generations Linked in Love. Salt Lake City, UT, USA. Retrieved from https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2010/04/generations-linked-in-love?lang=eng&query=Family
"This welding together of generations is so important that the purposes of the earth and the purposes of the Church both would be defeated if families were not sealed in holy temples."
Faith and Families. (2005, February 6). Salt Lake City, UT. Retrieved from http://speeches.byu.edu/?act=viewitem&id=1419
“We must accomplish the priesthood temple ordinance work necessary for our own exaltation; then we must do the necessary work for those who did not have the opportunity to accept the gospel in life. Doing work for others is accomplished in two steps: first, by family history research to ascertain our progenitors; and second, by performing the temple ordinances to give them the same opportunities afforded to the living.
Yet there are many members of the Church who have only limited access to the temples. They do the best they can. They pursue family history research and have the temple ordinance work done by others. Conversely, there are some members who engage in temple work but fail to do family history research on their own family lines. Although they perform a divine service in assisting others, they lose a blessing by not seeking their own kindred dead as divinely directed by latter-day prophets. …
I have learned that those who engage in family history research and then perform the temple ordinance work for those whose names they have found will know the additional joy of receiving both halves of the blessing.” Howard W. Hunter, “A Temple-Motivated People,” Liahona, May 1995, 5–6; Ensign, Feb. 1995, 4–5.
"Many faithful Saints have done the work of researching their family lines and are using the reserve feature of FamilySearch to hold the ordinances for their own family members to serve as proxy. The intent of reserving names is to allow a reasonable period of time for individuals to perform ordinances for ancestors and collateral lines. There are currently 12 million names and millions of corresponding ordinances that are reserved. Many names have been reserved for years. Ancestors who have been found are no doubt anxious and thrilled when their names are cleared for ordinances. They, however, may not be very happy when they have to continue to wait for their ordinances to be performed." Scott, R. G. (2012, October). The Joy of Redeeming the Dead. Salt Lake City. Retrieved from https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2012/10/the-joy-of-redeeming-the-dead?lang=eng
“As we ponder the importance of our ancestral responsibilities, we also need to be reminded of the Lord’s vast ministry. I quote from President Joseph F. Smith: ‘Jesus had not finished his work when his body was slain, neither did he finish it after his resurrection from the dead; although he had accomplished the purpose for which he then came to the earth, he had not fulfilled all his work. And when will he? Not until he has redeemed and saved every son and daughter of our father Adam that have been or ever will be born upon this earth to the end of time. … That is his mission. We will not finish our work until we have saved ourselves, and then not until we shall have saved all depending upon us; for we are to become saviors upon Mount Zion, as well as Christ. We are called to this mission. The dead are not perfect without us, neither are we without them.’” Nelson, Russell M. A New Harvest Time. Salt Lake City, April 1998. <https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1998/04/a-new-harvest-time?lang=eng&query=family+history>.
“The Spirit of Elijah affects people inside and outside of the Church. However, as members of Christ’s restored Church, we have the covenant responsibility to search out our ancestors and provide for them the saving ordinances of the gospel. ‘They without us should not be made perfect’ (Hebrews 11:40; see also Teachings: Joseph Smith, 475). And ‘neither can we without our dead be made perfect’ (D&C 128:15).
For these reasons we do family history research, build temples, and perform vicarious ordinances. For these reasons Elijah was sent to restore the sealing authority that binds on earth and in heaven. We are the Lord’s agents in the work of salvation and exaltation that will prevent ‘the whole earth [from being] smitten with a curse’ (D&C 110:15) when He returns again. This is our duty and great blessing.” Bednar, David A. The Hearts of the Children Shall Turn. Salt Lake City, October 2011. <https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2011/10/the-hearts-of-the-children-shall-turn?lang=eng&query=family+history>.
“It is no coincidence that FamilySearch and other tools have come forth at a time when young people are so familiar with a wide range of information and communication technologies. Your fingers have been trained to text and tweet to accelerate and advance the work of the Lord—not just to communicate quickly with your friends. The skills and aptitude evident among many young people today are a preparation to contribute to the work of salvation.
I invite the young people of the Church to learn about and experience the Spirit of Elijah. I encourage you to study, to search out your ancestors, and to prepare yourselves to perform proxy baptisms in the house of the Lord for your kindred dead (see D&C 124:28–36). And I urge you to help other people identify their family histories.” Bednar, David A. The Hearts of the Children Shall Turn. Salt Lake City, October 2011. <https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2011/10/the-hearts-of-the-children-shall-turn?lang=eng&query=family+history>.
President Smith taught that family history is about more than finding names, dates, and places and gathering stories. It is about providing temple ordinances that unite families for eternity, sealing faithful people of all generations as members of the family of God. “Parents must be sealed to each other, and children to parents in order to receive the blessings of the celestial kingdom,” he said. “Therefore our salvation and progression depends upon the salvation of our worthy dead with whom we must be joined in family ties. This can only be accomplished in our Temples.” Before offering the dedicatory prayer in the Ogden Utah Temple, he said, “May I remind you that when we dedicate a house to the Lord, what we really do is dedicate ourselves to the Lord’s service, with a covenant that we shall use the house in the way he intends that it shall be used.” http://lds.org/manual/teachings-of-presidents-of-the-church-joseph-fielding-smith/chapter-17-sealing-power-and-temple-blessings.p9?lang=eng