Why is Family History work so important?
“… And he shall plant in the hearts of the children the promises made to the fathers, and the hearts of the children shall turn to their fathers. If it were not so, the whole earth would be utterly wasted at his coming” (Moroni, quoting Malachi to Joseph Smith)
So, what was this promise made to the fathers? Why would the earth be wasted if not for this turning of hearts? And why is it Elijah who shall plant it in their hearts?
"Thus, the introductory events of the Restoration revealed a correct understanding of the Godhead, emphasized the importance of the Book of Mormon, and anticipated the work of salvation and exaltation for both the living and the dead. This inspiring sequence is instructive about the spiritual matters of highest priority to Deity." (David A. Bednar, "The Hearts of the Children.")
So, it would seem that the work of redeeming the dead is very important to Heavenly Father. Ultimately, you could say it's the reason the Book of Mormon was given. The Book of Mormon is just phonetic sounds transcribed onto plates. The information encoded thereon is key. What's the information? How to conduct the Work of Salvation, both for yourself and for others!
Why Elijah? We know that Elijah was the last of the Old Testament prophets to hold the sealing power of the Melchizedek priesthood. Then there was a dearth of the sealing power for nearly 1,000 years.
There are at least two different ways I can see the world being cursed and wasted for not having the hearts turning.
First: Inter-generational conflict: Heaven knows, in my own family, as blessed as it is, there's a fair share of antagonism between the children and the fathers. Pride, stubbornness, and different viewpoints on life frequently lead to small conflicts.
Now imagine that the calming influence of the spirit was removed. How much more would those conflicts be exacerbated? Indeed, the world could perish in squabbles, feuds, and bloodshed.
Second: Eternal loneliness: As much as I love my friends, it is my family who makes me complete and gives me the assurance that I am loved. And without eternal family relationships, I'm not sure how much I would really enjoy heaven!
So. Do family history work. Get the Spirit of Elijah. Understand that there's people waiting for you there.
“… And he shall plant in the hearts of the children the promises made to the fathers, and the hearts of the children shall turn to their fathers. If it were not so, the whole earth would be utterly wasted at his coming” (Moroni, quoting Malachi to Joseph Smith)
So, what was this promise made to the fathers? Why would the earth be wasted if not for this turning of hearts? And why is it Elijah who shall plant it in their hearts?
"Thus, the introductory events of the Restoration revealed a correct understanding of the Godhead, emphasized the importance of the Book of Mormon, and anticipated the work of salvation and exaltation for both the living and the dead. This inspiring sequence is instructive about the spiritual matters of highest priority to Deity." (David A. Bednar, "The Hearts of the Children.")
So, it would seem that the work of redeeming the dead is very important to Heavenly Father. Ultimately, you could say it's the reason the Book of Mormon was given. The Book of Mormon is just phonetic sounds transcribed onto plates. The information encoded thereon is key. What's the information? How to conduct the Work of Salvation, both for yourself and for others!
Why Elijah? We know that Elijah was the last of the Old Testament prophets to hold the sealing power of the Melchizedek priesthood. Then there was a dearth of the sealing power for nearly 1,000 years.
There are at least two different ways I can see the world being cursed and wasted for not having the hearts turning.
First: Inter-generational conflict: Heaven knows, in my own family, as blessed as it is, there's a fair share of antagonism between the children and the fathers. Pride, stubbornness, and different viewpoints on life frequently lead to small conflicts.
Now imagine that the calming influence of the spirit was removed. How much more would those conflicts be exacerbated? Indeed, the world could perish in squabbles, feuds, and bloodshed.
Second: Eternal loneliness: As much as I love my friends, it is my family who makes me complete and gives me the assurance that I am loved. And without eternal family relationships, I'm not sure how much I would really enjoy heaven!
So. Do family history work. Get the Spirit of Elijah. Understand that there's people waiting for you there.
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