Sealing power binds families across generations
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Addressing his Sunday morning remarks to converts to the Church, Elder Henry B. Eyring spoke of the "desire to be bound forever to your parents and their parents."
"Many of your ancestors died never having the chance to accept the gospel and to receive the blessings and promises you have received," Elder Eyring of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles continued. "The Lord is fair and He is loving. And so He prepared for you and me a way for us to have the desire of our hearts to offer to our ancestors all the blessings He has offered us."
Speaking of the plan to make that possible, Elder Eyring described the visit of Elijah to the Prophet Joseph Smith on April 3, 1836, just after the dedication of the Kirtland Temple. During this visit, Elijah, who held "the greatest power God gives to His children," the sealing power, committed into the hands of the Prophet the "keys of this dispensation."
Continuing, the apostle recounted the vision of President Joseph F. Smith, who "saw the Savior organize His servants among the spirits (in the spirit world) to preach His gospel to every spirit and offer the chance to choose the covenants and the blessings which are offered to you and which you want for your ancestors. All are to have that chance."
Explaining that many of these missionaries in the spirit world are prophets, as seen by President Smith, Elder Eyring said: "Many of your deceased ancestors will have received a testimony that the message of the missionaries is true. When you received that testimony you could ask the missionaries for baptism.
"But those who are in the spirit world cannot. The ordinances you so cherish are only offered in this world. Someone in this world must go to a holy temple and accept the covenants on behalf of the person in the spirit world. That is why we are under obligation to find the names of our ancestors and assure that they are offered by us what they cannot receive there without our help."
Knowing this, Elder Eyring said, "turns my heart not only to my ancestors who wait but to the missionaries who teach them. I will see those missionaries in the spirit world and so will you."
And, along with imagining the smile of the missionary and the ancestor, "think of the Savior when you meet Him. You will have that interview. He paid the price of the sins of you and all Heavenly Father's spirit children. . . . And He has trusted you by letting you hear the gospel in your lifetime, giving you the chance to accept the obligation to offer it to those of your ancestors who did not have your priceless opportunity.
"Think of the gratitude He has for those who pay the price in work and faith to find the names of their ancestors and who love them and Him enough to offer them eternal life in families, the greatest of all the gifts of God."
In searching for the names of ancestors, start with simple things, Elder Eyring counseled. Gather certificates of births, marriage and deaths, and organize them. Get help from those called in family history in wards and branches. Then, as you go back in time, the records are less complete. "You will have a difficult and important choice to make. You will be tempted to stop and leave the hard work of finding to others. . . .
"As you decide, remember that the names which will be so difficult to find are of real people, to whom you owe your existence in this world and whom you will meet again in the spirit world. When you were baptized, your ancestors looked down on you with hope. Perhaps after centuries, they rejoice to see one of their descendants make a covenant to find them and to offer them freedom."
