Quotes about Family History

"But behold I say unto you, that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass... And now, it has hitherto been wisdom in God that these things [histories that became scriptures] should be preserved; for behold they have enlarged the memory of this people, yea, and convinced many of the error of their ways, and brought them to the knowledge of their God unto the salvation of their souls."

"By writing personal and family histories and doing the research required thereby, we inevitably have our hearts turned to our fathers as well as to our children. The Lord says this must happen, “lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.” (Malachi 4:6) Let us not be part of a curse.

"Generations are affected by the choices we make. Share your testimony with your family; encourage them to remember how they felt when they recognized the Spirit in their lives, and to record those feelings in journals and personal histories so that their own words may, when needed, bring to their remembrance how good the Lord has been to them. Never forget, question, or ignore personal, sacred spiritual experiences."

"You are unique, and there may be incidents in your experience that are more noble and praiseworthy in their way than those recorded in any other life. There may be a flash of illumination here and a story of faithfulness there; you should truthfully record your real self and not what other people may see in you. Your story should be written now while it is fresh and while the true details are available. …"

"By writing personal and family histories, we are helped immeasurably in gaining a true, eternal perspective of life. Writing our histories with the proper blend of fact and feeling (and so often, feelings in spiritual things are the real facts) gives us a deep spiritual insight into the meaning and purpose of our lives. I wonder if, as in so many things, we don’t deny ourselves this deeper spiritual insight by simply neglecting to write our histories."

“What could you do better for your children and your children’s children than to record the story of your life, your triumphs over adversity, your recovery after a fall, your progress when all seemed black, your rejoicing when you had finally achieved? … “Get a notebook, … a journal that will last through all time, and maybe the angels may quote from it for eternity. Begin today and write in it your goings and comings, your deepest thoughts, your achievements and your failures, your associations and your triumphs, your impressions and your testimonies.”

President Thomas S. Monson counsels us regarding life in these, the last days: “We cannot afford to be complacent. We live in perilous times; the signs are all around us. We are acutely aware of the negative influences in our society that stalk traditional families. … We, as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, must stand up to the dangers which surround us and our families.”

"We are and must continue to be a history-keeping people. As we are blessed in reading records kept by ancient prophets as well as our own ancestors, we also have been asked to keep a similar record that we may touch the lives of those who follow us. And, in keeping this great commandment, we will experience greater joy and meaning in our lives."

"Writing our histories will certainly help us keep our eyes on the most important of all goals—even the goal of eternal life. As we contemplate what those before us have gone through that we might be here, as we sense their faith and courage and feel their love for us and our love for them, we realize what is really important. We begin to comprehend the eternity of the family. We gain great insight into the things of God, and we are not the same. We talk and act differently—for we have a deepened understanding of eternity. We realize that so-called problems are only what we see when we take our eye off our eternal goal."

"I have a strong feeling that when this life is over, our personal and family histories and the influence they wield will be of much greater importance than we now think. ...This is the work of the Lord. I testify that he lives and that he has great influence in our lives. May we have this understanding of eternity and see and feel and record his influence in our lives."

" ...Whatsoever you record on earth shall be recorded in heaven, and whatsoever you do not record on earth shall not be recorded in heaven; for out of the books shall your dead be judged, according to their own works..."

""The Spirit of Elijah is the Holy Ghost. His power to nurture and deepen family bonds, to knit hearts together across generations, and to strengthen a person's feelings of identity and belonging, is one of the Gifts of the Spirit that is essential to our emotional, psychological and spiritual well-being: our salvation. We are the 'bridge generation.' We are in a position to connect the hearts of the previous generations to the younger generations. If we don't do so, the legacy can be lost."

"Family history builds bridges between the generations of our families, builds bridges to activity in the Church, and builds bridges to the temple ... Family history builds bridges between the generations of our families. Bridges between generations are not built by accident. Each member of this Church has the personal responsibility to be an eternal architect of this bridge for his or her own family."

"My grandchildren will have no knowledge of their family’s history if I do nothing to preserve it for them. That which I do not in some way record will be lost at my death, and that which I do not pass on to my posterity, they will never have. The work of gathering and sharing eternal family keepsakes is a personal responsibility. It cannot be passed off or given to another."

"A life that is not documented is a life that within a generation or two will largely be lost to memory. What a tragedy this can be in the history of a family. Knowledge of our ancestors shapes us and instills within us values that give direction and meaning to our lives."