Have you ever wondered about your personal, individual role in the work for the dead? For members of the Church, participating in family history and temple ordinances is much more than just a passing hobby. It is a profound, divine responsibility given directly to us by the Lord.
Reading the words of modern prophets and apostles can deeply inspire us to fulfill this sacred duty. The embedded document below contains an incredible compilation of 30 authoritative apostolic quotes regarding our responsibility. By studying these promises, you will find renewed motivation to search out your ancestors and offer them eternal freedom.
Understanding Our Divine Responsibility
When we discuss work for the dead, we must recognize that the living hold the actual keys to their salvation. Early church leaders taught that it depends entirely upon the living to erect temples and attend to these saving ordinances. We have been granted gospel blessings and modern technology that no other generation has ever possessed.
Because of these unprecedented blessings, we have a sacred duty to extend those exact same privileges to those who have passed on. Modern prophets remind us that our people cannot fully partake of the gospel’s blessings unless we make them available to our kindred dead. We must strive to be diligent, always remembering that we are simply servants working in the Lord’s vineyard.
The Lord has placed family history centers directly into our homes through computers and smartphones. We have every available tool at our fingertips to find our waiting cousins and grandparents. The responsibility is heavy, but the spiritual rewards for engaging in this labor of love are absolutely immense.
A Premortal Partnership with the Lord
This massive responsibility did not just begin when we were born on the earth in this modern era. Leaders have explained that Latter-day Saints are a chosen people, appointed in the premortal world to be in partnership with the Lord. We made a specific, sacred agreement before the earth was ever formed to help gather the Lord’s covenant people.
We agreed, right then and there, to be saviors on Mount Zion for the whole human family. We went into a direct partnership with the Lord to ensure this monumental task would be completed. God knew that He could trust you to accomplish this work on behalf of your ancestors.
Elijah and the Kirtland Temple
The priesthood keys necessary to perform work for the dead were officially restored to the earth in this final dispensation. On the glorious day of April 3, 1836, inside the Kirtland Temple, Elijah the prophet appeared to Joseph Smith. He conferred the promised priesthood keys for the redemption of the deceased.
This beautiful restoration allows husbands, wives, and families to be united across all generations of time and eternity. Interestingly, this doctrine is one of the absolute greatest missionary tools we have on the earth. Many converts had no interest in the Church until the beautiful, merciful doctrine of redeeming the dead was taught to them.
The Harsh Reality of Spirit Prison
As we engage in work for the dead, we must always remember the difficult reality our ancestors currently face. The word “prison” is defined as a state of confinement or captivity, which perfectly describes the spirit world for those waiting for ordinances. Many are anxiously looking forth to their friends and relatives who are still living to administer for them.
Brigham Young taught that if the fathers could speak from the dead, their pleas would sound like the very thunders of heaven. They have been waiting in that prison house for thousands of years for this specific dispensation to arrive. Our grandparents are actively watching and waiting for us to identify them and provide their necessary temple ordinances.
Joyful Reunions and Eternal Promises
Eventually, we will all pass through the veil of death and meet our ancestors face-to-face. Leaders have posed striking questions about how we would feel meeting our progenitors if we did nothing to help them. None of us want to go into the spirit world and be told that we held the power to redeem them but failed to act.
Instead, we desperately want to experience a joyful, triumphant reunion with the family members we helped save. We want to be proud to meet them, having done all we can for their future happiness and progression. Let these 30 apostolic quotes inspire you to actively participate in this glorious work today!
Please take a few minutes to read the embedded document below. Let the Spirit testify to you of the urgency and beauty of gathering your family across the veil.
