Family History & Temple Work

This week while reading in the Book of Mormon I was reminded about the powerful promises that are given in Malachi 4  & 3 Nephi 25

 1 For behold, the day cometh that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble; and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of Hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.

I had no idea what this verse was talking about until I read the explanation given in the Book of Mormon Student Manual:

What does it mean that the “proud … and all that do wickedly” will be burned and left without either root or branch? (3 Nephi 25:1). This phrase refers to the theme of 3 Nephi 25. Consider your roots to be your parents or ancestors and your branches to be your children or posterity. To be united with our roots and branches, we must receive temple ordinances. The Lord said He would send Elijah before the Second Coming to restore priesthood keys that would allow families to be complete—both roots and branches. In 1836 the sealing power was restored, and it provides the way for families to be eternally linked (see D&C 110:14–16; 128:18). However, the proud and the wicked will be burned up and left without either root (ancestors) or branch (posterity), leaving them cut off from their family and the sealing blessings.

 Elder Jeffrey R. Holland spoke of this idea: “Elijah restored the sealing powers whereby ordinances that were sealed on earth were also sealed in heaven. … Without that link no family ties would exist in the eternities, and indeed the family of man would have been left in eternity with ‘neither root [ancestors] nor branch [descendants]’” (Christ and the New Covenant [1997], 297–98).

This imagery makes me think of my ancestors. It made me think of the awful possibility of one of them being left alone without any family ties that would link them to me. If there was any way that I could help avoid that awful possibility I would do it. The fabulous news is that there is something that I can do! I can search out my beloved ancestors and take their names to the temple and do their temple work for them, with the hope that they will accept that work. This scripture helps motivate me to do my very best to find my kindred dead because the thought of one of them being left out brings me much sadness.

          

Later on in the chapter are these verses:

5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord;

 

 6 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.

I especially like this part, " turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers."   

Once again I studied the Book of Mormon Student Manual and found this insight:

The Prophet Joseph Smith also explained the meaning of the word turn and its application in our lives: 

“The word turn here [in Malachi 4:5–6] should be translated bind, or seal. But what is the object of this important mission? or how is it to be fulfilled? The keys are to be delivered, the spirit of Elijah is to come, the Gospel to be established, the Saints of God gathered, Zion built up, and the Saints to come up as saviors on Mount Zion.

“But how are they to become saviors on Mount Zion? By building their temples, erecting their baptismal fonts, and going forth and receiving all the ordinances, baptisms, confirmations, washings, anointings, ordinations and sealing powers upon their heads, in behalf of all their progenitors who are dead, and redeem them that they may come forth in the first resurrection and be exalted to thrones of glory with them; and herein is the chain that binds the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the children to the fathers, which fulfills the mission of Elijah” (History of the Church, 6:184).

 I know that the Spirit of Elijah is real. I know he has returned to the earth and restored the sealing power. Since I have started attending the temple more regularly, I have noticed the power that is there. I have also started taking my own family names to the temple. Temple work has taken on a new meaning for me because I know that the people I am helping are being linked to me!

I am so grateful for the sealing power and the blessing that it is in my life.