Mormon Genealogy
December 6, 2011
Filed under Mormon Beliefs, Mormons
Mormon genealogy or Mormon family history endeavors are extremely important to members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Mormons believe that everyone must have the opportunity to hear and to choose to accept or reject the gospel of Jesus Christ. Those who have not had this opportunity, or for some reason have turned away the opportunity, during their sojourn on earth will have it in the world to come.
When people die, their spirits separate from their mortal bodies and go to a place called the “Spirit World” to await resurrection and judgment, then assignment to a kingdom of glory in heaven. The spirit world is divided into two areas — paradise, where the righteous reside, and spirit prison, where the wicked reside. In the spirit world, the Lord “levels the playing field,” so to speak, to give spirits the chance to repent and to lay claim on the atonement of Jesus Christ. Spirits in the spirit world have the same personalities that they did on earth, and they are able to make choices and exercise “free agency” as they did on earth. (Read a prophet’s vision of the spirit world.)
Some of these spirits “died without law,” so they can’t be held accountable for all their behavior during mortality. You can’t break a law unless you understand it. God is just. He won’t punish people who sin in ignorance. Others were blinded by the craftiness of men, hampered by their cultural or family influences, or deliberately rejected the gospel of Christ when presented to them. These latter suffer for their own sins in the spirit world, but then may inherit a kingdom of glory. This suffering might be called “endless torment,” but through modern revelation, we learn that “endless torment” doesn’t last forever:
Nevertheless, it is not written that there shall be no end to this torment, but it is written endless torment. Again, it is written eternal damnation; wherefore it is more express than other scriptures, that it might work upon the hearts of the children of men, altogether for my name’s glory.
Wherefore, I will explain unto you this mystery, for it is meet unto you to know even as mine apostles. I speak unto you that are chosen in this thing, even as one, that you may enter into my rest. For, behold, the mystery of godliness, how great is it! For, behold, I am endless, and the punishment which is given from my hand is endless punishment, for Endless is my name. Wherefore—
Eternal punishment is God’s punishment.
Endless punishment is God’s punishment (Doctrine and Covenants 19:6-13).
This is a more loving outlook than held in any other Christian faith! This doctrine gives Mormons a perfect brightness of hope for their ancestors who have not received the gospel. Once a spirit accepts the gospel of Jesus Christ and repents, he must do what his earthly counterparts do — be baptized by immersion for the remission of sins and then receive the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands. When this process is complete, spirits who have dwelt in spirit prison may go to spirit paradise to await resurrection. However, baptism is an earthly ordinance and it takes a body to perform. This is why Mormons perform baptisms for the dead.
Baptism for the dead performed in Mormon temples, followed by the conferring of the gift of the Holy Ghost, does not automatically make a deceased person a member of the LDS Church. The person has free choice whether to accept or reject the ordinances, and his or her name is not placed on the records of the Church. Mormons are not baptized for Holocaust victims or celebrities. They are counseled to find their direct ancestors and to get permission from family members to baptize relatives recently deceased.
Mormon Genealogy Research and Resources
The largest family history library in the world is operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Located in Salt Lake City, Utah, adjacent to Temple Square, volunteers who are family history experts stand ready to help anyone of any faith or nationality with family history research. Smaller Mormon family history libraries can be found around the world and are also open to the public with Mormon genealogy specialists there to help. (To find a Mormon family history center near you, click here.)
Mormon genealogy work helps people all over the world, most of whom have no interest in the LDS Church. The Mormon family history website, FamilySearch.org, is a repository for millions of records from all over the world where one can find ancestors and construct family trees, and also collaborate with other researchers in finding and correcting information.
Mormon family history volunteers have spent countless hours putting records into digital format. Mormon genealogy volunteers digitized the records of Ellis Island in New York, the entry point for millions of immigrants into the United States. Millions of records have been digitized in the LDS Church’s “indexing program,” a wonderful aid to the world’s genealogists. Anyone may participate in the indexing program, and some say it gives the same sort of satisfaction as playing a computer game. To participate in genealogical indexing, go to Indexing.FamilySearch.org.
Mormon genealogy research has provided some surprising gifts for famous people. Years ago, the LDS Church gave a gift to TV talk show host Johnny Carson, presenting him with a book of his compiled family history. The LDS Church has also done this for U.S. Presidents, the most recent being President Barak Obama.