LDS Family History Work and Genealogy: Why Latter-day Saints Research Their Ancestors
For members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, discovering family history is a deeply spiritual practice connecting past, present, and future generations.
- Latter-day Saints engage in family history research to identify ancestors.
- The core belief is that families can be united eternally through sacred temple ordinances.
- This work involves genealogical research and performing proxy ordinances for deceased relatives.
- Tools like FamilySearch.org are central to this global effort.
For members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (often called Mormons), family history work, or genealogy, is far more than a casual hobby. It is a fundamental religious practice centered on identifying ancestors and documenting family lines. This effort is driven by a deep theological belief that families can be connected not just in this life, but for eternity.
How Family History Connects Generations
The purpose of this research stems from a core Latter-day Saint doctrine: the eternal nature of the family. Members believe that through sacred ordinances performed in temples, families can be "sealed" together forever. This sealing power, they believe, extends backward to ancestors and forward to descendants, uniting generations.
Ancestors who lived and died without the opportunity to receive these saving ordinances (like baptism and temple sealing) can have them performed by proxy by living family members. This means a living person performs the ordinance on behalf of a deceased ancestor in a temple. For this to happen, individuals first need to know who their ancestors are.
The Process of Discovery and Connection
The practical work of family history involves rigorous genealogical research. Members utilize a variety of records, including birth, marriage, and death certificates, census data, immigration documents, wills, and oral family histories. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints maintains FamilySearch.org, a massive, free online genealogical resource and database that is a primary tool for millions worldwide, both members and non-members.
Once ancestors are identified and their family relationships documented, their names are submitted for temple ordinances. Living members then attend temples to perform these proxy ordinances on behalf of their deceased family members. This act is seen as a profound expression of love and service, offering ancestors the same spiritual opportunities available to the living.
Why This Work Matters So Deeply
The commitment to family history is rooted in a desire to fulfill a divine mandate and to experience the joy of eternal family connections. It reflects a belief in God's universal love, extending the opportunity for salvation and eternal family unity to all His children, living and dead. Many Latter-day Saints report feeling a strong spiritual connection to their ancestors as they engage in this work, gaining a deeper understanding of their heritage and a sense of belonging within a larger eternal family. It provides a profound sense of identity, purpose, and continuity across generations, strengthening bonds that are believed to endure beyond the veil of death.
Sources
- The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, "Family History," ChurchofJesusChrist.org
- FamilySearch.org
