As Latter-day Saints, offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness; let

us present a book containing the records of our dead, which shall be

worthy of all acceptation.Doctrine and Covenants 128:24

FamilySearch – Family Tree is designed to create one common pedigree for all who have lived on this earth.

Each person can contribute information while coordinatingwith others in developing this family tree. The record is our individual and collective responsibility.

As we work together, we can make it worthy of all acceptation by the Lord.” Elder Russell M. Nelson (“Generations Linked in Love”, General Conference, April 2010)

In 2007, when new.FamilySearch.org was released it was evident that the records were not accurate.

The tree was overgrown with duplicate and unattached records which contained many errors. Extraction records had provided names for temple patrons but they were not

connected into family relationships.

On 16 June 1995, the First Presidency of the Church instructed, “We desire that all members … identify their ancestors, and perform temple ordinances for those who wait beyond the veil. Because of the sacred nature of this work, members should be

diligent in assuring the accuracy of all information submitted.”

Instead of looking like this:

It looked more like this:

The new.FamilySearch.org database is being replaced by Family Search – Family Tree.

To nourish the tree:

“Verify” data with sources

“Graft” and “Prune” duplicate records

Change this into This

A record worthy of all acceptation requires nourishment by building a bridge to the temple.

Family history builds bridges to the temple. Family history work leads us to the temple. Family history and temple work are one work. The words family history should probably never be said without attaching the word temple to them. Family history research should be the primary source of names for temple ordinances, and temple ordinances are the primary reason for family history research. President Gordon B. Hinckley has said: “All of our vast family history endeavor is directed to temple work. There is no other purpose for it.”

Elder Dennis B. Neuenschwander (May 1999 Ensign “Bridges and Eternal Keepsakes”)

Family history research provides the emotional bridge between the generations. Temple ordinances provide the priesthood bridge. Temple ordinances are the priesthood ratification of the connection that we have already established in our hearts. The promise of family history and temple work is an eternal connection born of both love and priesthood ordinances.

Brethren and sisters, family history and temple work are the eternal family keepsakes that build bridges. They build bridges between the generations of our families, bridges to activity in the Church, and bridges to the temple.

Family history research, which is the prerequisite to submitting names for ordinance work - is essential to OUR perfection and salvation. Essential research must precede submitting names for ordinances. Research is not easy,

but it is easier than it used to be and it is essential.

Sources make Family Tree accurate and “worthy of all acceptation”.

• Some sources are already attached in Family Tree.• Multiple sources are best - “In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established” (2 Corinthians 13:1)

• Was the source recorded by a witness at or near the time of an event?

Do NOT just accept the records you find attached to those in your tree. Take time to study each source to verify that there is proof which connects you to your relatives. Build your bridge on a solid foundation.

Search for records that provide accuracy.

What is wrong in this record?

Two children are listed as

both male and female.

To Prove Gender - Search Records

Several Marriage Records Are Found - Click One With an Image!

The Indexed Information Doesn’t Show Gender

The Marriage Record States

Richard Helen Is “Miss”

Get a Second Witness—The 1910

U.S. Census Also Confirms Gender

Citing this Record

"United States Census, 1910," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/M26C-RGL : accessed 8 January 2015), Richard Helen Livers in household of H B Livers, District 3, Meade, Kentucky, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 101, sheet 13B, family 239, NARA microfilm publication T624, National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, D.C.; FHL microfilm 1,374,506.

To “Prune the Vineyard” we must

Properly Identify Duplicate Records

To “Prune the Vineyard” we must

Properly Identify Duplicate Records

The small blue

boxes show

ordinances the

computer suggests

haven’t been

Completed.

To “Prune the Vineyard” we must

Properly Identify Duplicate Records

“One of the most troublesome aspects of

our temple activity is that … there is

duplication of effort in proxy work.”President Gordon B. Hinckley (“Opening Remarks,” General Conference, October 2005 )

Duplicating ordinances is analogous to “rescuing” pioneers who are already safe in the valley instead of those stranded on the plains.

Time spent on duplication delays ordinances for another ancestor.

Over 90% of existing green arrows in Family Tree are erroneous

or have duplicate records containing completed ordinances.

Use the Possible Duplicate search, the Find feature, and the Search Records feature to locate duplicate records - it saves time in the long run.

From the Doctrine and Covenants we read: “The great day of the Lord is at hand. … Let us, therefore, as a church and a people, and as Latter-day Saints, offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness; and let us present in his holy temple, … a book containing the records of our dead, which shall be worthy of all acceptation.”

Elder Allan F. Packer - October 2014 General Conference

This “book” will be prepared using the records of names and ordinances in

the Church’s FamilyTree database.

LDS Church Handbook 2: “... the Church focuses on divinely appointed responsibilities. These include helping members live the gospel of Jesus Christ, gathering Israel through missionary work, caring for the poor and needy, and enabling the salvation of the dead by building temples and performing vicarious ordinances. These four focuses and all other laws, commandments, and ordinances are required and not optional.”

Few members of the Church are regularly involved in finding and doing temple ordinances for their family. This calls for a change in our priorities. Don't fight the change, embrace it! “This work needs to be done, for our dead and for ourselves.”

It is essential to our salvation.

“We must not sacrifice our exaltation or that of our families for

less important interests.”

President Howard W. Hunter stated that in respect to doing the work for our kindred dead “Man was not given a choice to do this work when and if he pleased, or when he had time, but the work was given as an obligation to be filled. This work must hasten.”

President Thomas S. Monson said, “Our job is to search out our dead and then go to the temple and perform the sacred ordinances that will bring to those beyond the veil the same ordinances we have.”

“As we work toward exaltation, we must work on all of the requirements and not become distracted by focusing on one or two requirements or other unrelated things.” “We do not set the requirements, but, individually, we

must meet all of them. The plan of salvation contains all of the doctrines, laws, commandments, and ordinances

needed for all to qualify for exaltation.” “The leaders did not set the requirements for exaltation.”

God did!

Book worthy of acceptation10 January 2015

Author: Terrence Mason

Clermont, FL

E-mail: tmason1@yahoo.com