6 Catching fire of the Spirit of Elijah: Family history and ordinance work for our dead ancestors in temples
In 2015 I was called as a family history consultant and started to really catch the vision of the beauty and exciting energy in family history and temple work.
Turning our hearts to our Fathers, ancestors, and their hearts to ours
So how do we turn our heart to our fathers and mothers; our mighty ancestors?
1) Get to familysearch.org & create username and password
2) start entering your parents and grandparents, then it will load up for you your Great grandparents and beyond
3) learn about them and submit their names for temple work
4) share these steps with others!
5) if you have any questions go to the help center https://www.familysearch.org/ask/landing
There are plenty of helpers at family history libraries, find your nearest: https://www.familysearch.org/locations/centerlocator
Or contact me sbelzinga@gmail.com
385-888-4352 I'm happy to help
Familysearch.org is free for anyone whether you're a member of the church of Jesus Christ of latter-day saints or not.
Also, check out byu family history tech lab because they have a lot of fun games for kids and the whole family like wheel of fortune and jeopardy to help you learn more about your ancestors: https://fhtl.byu.edu
I love doing family history research and temple ordinance work for my dead ancestors by acting in their place to give them an opportunity to receive the same priesthood ordinances that I've received. I cherish the stories of legacy I find of their courage and faith through adversity. It's like finding treasure troves. What a sweet work!
I love doing something for someone else that they can't do for themself. It's just like how Jesus did something for each of us that we couldn't do for itself; He suffered unimaginable pain of body, spirit, heart and mind while in Gethsemane and on the cross. And then before he was resurrected, he organized missionary work in the Spirit world so the dead people could develop enough faith in Jesus Christ to receive their covenant priesthood ordinances.
A dead person cannot receive their covenant priesthood ordinances in body (baptism, endowment, marriage/family eternal sealings) because of one simple fact; they're dead! At least physically they're dead, but in spirit they yearn to receive covenant priesthood ordinances through us, their descendants, so that they can be resurrected and live forever in peace and joy with God and family.
I have one particular experience I'd like to share. One morning, I was waking up to the name "Jelle" flashing in my mind. The temple ordinance card with the name "Jelle", my Dutch ancestor was sitting in my room.
I thought, "Well, Jelle must really want me to go to the temple for him today because he knows I have his ordinance card."
So I got ready quick and made it to the temple. As I acted in his place and was sealed to his parents at the altar, the lights in the room flickered. I understood that to be Jelle's way of saying thank you.
A friend of mine also told me of a time he did temple work for an ancestor and right afterward heard a voice whispering "thank you."
Also did you know our founding fathers appeared to a latter-day prophet Wilford Woodruff? There are incredible stories of visions of our founding fathers and early reformers like Martin Luther demanding their covenant priesthood ordinance work be done. Also here is one account of those spirits appearing just as their ordinance work is carried out in the st George temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of latter-day saints.
https://historyofmormonism.com/2015/05/25/wilford-woodruff-founding-fathers/
I love their words: "You have had the use of the Endowment House for a number of years, and yet nothing has ever been done for us."
Wow! What a sense of urgency! I'm grateful we can do work for our dead ancestors today.
How special are such experiences!
Just think of how many of our royal ancestors are pensively waiting for their temple ordinance work to be done! Get started here!: familysearch.org
Any questions? Chat with a missionary at mormon.org/chat
Supporting scriptures:
17 And he [Elijah] shall go before him [Jesus Christ 2nd coming] in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord
Luke 1:16–17
https://www.lds.org/scriptures/nt/luke/1?verse=16-17&lang=eng#p16
5 ¶ Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord: 6 And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.
Malachi 4:5–6
https://www.lds.org/scriptures/ot/mal/4?verse=5-6&lang=eng#p5
13 After this vision had closed, another great and glorious vision burst upon us; for Elijah the prophet, who was taken to heaven without tasting death, stood before us, and said: 14 Behold, the time has fully come, which was spoken of by the mouth of Malachi—testifying that he [Elijah] should be sent, before the great and dreadful day of the Lord come— 15 To turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the children to the fathers, lest the whole earth be smitten with a curse— 16 Therefore, the keys of this dispensation are committed into your hands; and by this ye may know that the great and dreadful day of the Lord is near, even at the doors.
Doctrine and Covenants 110:13–16
https://www.lds.org/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/110?verse=13-16&lang=eng#p13