Doing Genealogy is so much fun! Some of our family lines go way back and others, sadly, only to the middle 1800’s. The family is one of the most important things in the church. We are all about family. Without our families, we couldn’t go on. Our ancestors depend on us as we depend on them. The Lords church is “one fold.” If our ancestors, or others, die before hearing the gospel, they will still have that chance. By doing their “work” here on earth in one of the Temples, they have the chance to become members of the “fold.” Some people think that this is wrong. But it isn’t. They say you can not be baptized for someone else. They say that proxy baptism is wrong and doesn’t count. However…these are the same people who believe in “proxy” salvation. They know that Christ died on the cross and that they are “saved” because of this. They are accepting Christs GREAT sacrifice for them, which they are using by way of proxy. Interesting isn’t it.
So, we search out our ancestors and do their work for them, so that they will have the opportunity to choose to accept the gospel or not. We always have that choice.
By doing this work, we are keeping our families together forever. It is awesome. The church has an extensive family history library. I believe it is the largest in the world. Check it out…you never know who you might find.

We want to bring salvation to them and to know who they are

Study of our ancestors is an essential part of our belief in eternal families. We believe that we cannot be saved without them, nor they saved without us. Our ancestors deserve every opportunity that we have been given in regards to the redeeming power of the Restored Gospel and therefore we do any work which they could not perform for themselves in their own mortal life now such as baptism, eternal marriage ordinances etc. After all, could we really have an eternal family if the entire family wasn’t there? Could we look up at God and tell him we had done everything within our power to secure our eternal family if we had done nothing to help our ancestors?

The reason for doing family history work is connected with temple work.
There are two pricipals here. One is baptisms for the dead. Those who died without a chance to learn of Jesus Christ and recieve baptism in this life will get an opportunity in the next life. However, as spirits they can not be baptized because it is a physical ordiance, so it is done here on the earth by others acting as proxy for them.
This is only half the explanation though. The key fact is that we believe that families can be eternal. Thus we are sealed to our husband or wife and to our parents. We also need to form a welding link from generation to generation all the way back. This is why we particularly focus on our own ancetors.
Thus for us Latter-day Saints family history work is not just about learning who our ancestors were but learning to love them as well.

“We believe that we cannot be saved without them, nor they saved without us.”

I’d like to present a question regarding this statement. Does this statement mean that I cannot be saved if my ancestors weren’t saved? As it stands now, I am not LDS. I do have a biological grandfather who was mormon during part of his life, and for reasons unknown to me he broke off from the church many years before I was even born. He died by the time I was five years old so I was never able to ask him anything, and my family members would never tell me why he left. After that point, noone in my family has been a part of the LDS church.

I have another question that is relevant to salvation. When we pass onto Paradise to be with Heavenly Father, we are supposed to gather together with our families and ancestors. However, this will only happen based on the practice of finding our ancestors, binding to them (did I get that right?), and doing good works FOR them while we are alive and on earth. However, there is only one thing I’m concerned about. What if, and I say if strongly, our ancestors do not want this?

I simply ask this question because it’s my understanding that Heavenly Father gives each and every one of us a choice. However, and yes, I may be mistaken in my understanding… is this really giving my ancestors a choice? Also, should my ancestors be granted this CHANCE, what if one or more of them were to turn away from it? Would I be turned out of Paradise for their choice?

Rebecca,
You have raised some deep doctrinal questions. The short answer to your first question is no. You can be saved without them accepting their temple work. The Doctrine and Covenants has discussed a chain that links back to Adam. Our Temple work will create a chain back to him, linking everyone who accepts the gospel. Adam is sealed to God, yielding one large family that is sealed to God. If your family does not accept the temple work then you will be sealed to the next previous person that will.
Your second question is not as easy. We do not know much about the logistics of our life after here. According to the sealing idea though it should not be much trouble finding someone you are sealed to because you will then be literally in the family of everyone who was righteous and accepted their temple covenants.
In regards to your last question, you will be judged according to your own works and desires. Everyone has agency and you will not be dependent upon anyone else, other than Jesus Christ’s Atonement.
Hope that helps a little.

Hi, good post. I have been wondering about this issue,so thanks for posting.