This is a presentation I put together to introduce the Temple and Family History Plan for our ward in a 5th Sunday lesson. Please note, on slide 3, that the column headings are missing. They should say Crawl, Walk, Run, and Fly, like in the image at the top of my webpage: https://jimmysmith.org/religion-morality/ward-temple-and-family-history-plan/

1. Temple and Family History Plan
Rockwall 2nd Ward - June 30, 2019

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Guidelines for Ward Temple and Family
History Plans from Elder Dale G. Renlund
• The plan should…
• “Include ways to lift the ward’s overall vision
and attitude toward temple and family
history work.”
• “Involve every new convert, 11 years and
older, in family history work.”
• “Encourage, coordinate, and facilitate
temple attendance without establishing
quotas or reporting systems for temple
attendance.”
• Be “simple and clear”
• (See https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/broadcasts/miscellaneous-
events/2019/02/11renlund?lang=eng)

3. Have a Church Account and know how to log in to Church
websites and mobile apps
   
Visit FamilySearch.org and be familiar with website Occasionally Regularly Frequently Frequently
Have a temple recommend    
Attend the temple to perform saving ordinances such as
baptisms, endowment, and sealings.
Occasionally Regularly Frequently Frequently
Index names (digitize records) Occasionally Regularly Frequently
Find family names and print temple cards from FS.org   
Do temple ordinances for deceased family members
names that you researched and found
  
Help your family and others do family history work  
Clean up family tree names (adding sources, merging
duplicate records, etc.) on FamilySearch.org
 
Upload photos, stories, and documents to FS.org  
Do original research to find new family names 
Add new names to your family tree on FS.org 
Temple and Family History Plan
Please Note:
• The “Crawl-Walk-Run-Fly” rating scale is a self-evaluation. No one is keeping score of where you are.
• The action items listed are some examples of temple and family history activities. It is not an all-encompassing list.
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1. Have a Church Account (username and password) and
know how to log in to Church websites and mobile apps
• A vital first step in using the Church’s
websites and mobile apps like
FamilySearch.org and Family Tree is get a
“Church Account”
• 1. Go to
https://account.churchofjesuschrist.org
• 2. Click Register for an LDS Account.
• 3. Fill in your membership record number
and other personal details.
• 4. Complete your profile details.
• 5. Enter your display name
• 6. Enter your e-mail address.
• 7. Select your country and preferred
language
• 8. Enter your desired user name and
password.
• 9. Review and accept the Conditions of
Use.
• 10. Review your account information.
• 11. Click Create Account.
• 12. Check your email
• 13. Open the email sent to you from the
Church
• 14. Click on the link in your email.
• 15. Click Continue in the new window that
pops up.
• Your Registration is complete!

5. 2. Visit FamilySearch.org and be familiar with
website/mobile app
• FamilySearch…
• Is owned and operated by the Church
• It’s the largest collection of
genealogical and historical records in
the world
• Over 4 billion names
• Has features to help you document
important information about your
ancestors
• Is designed to help you find
ordinances that are ready to perform
for your ancestors
• Can show you where your ancestors
are from on a world map
• Has free phone/email support

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2. Visit FamilySearch.org and
be familiar with website/app
• “The Lord has made available in our day
remarkable resources that enable you to learn
about and love [family history] work.
…FamilySearch is a collection of records,
resources, and services easily accessible with
personal computers and a variety of handheld
devices, designed to help people discover and
document their family history.”
• The Hearts of the Children Shall Turn by David A. Bednar, Oct 2011
• Referring to FamilySearch.org, Elder Bednar has
said the primary “family history centers now are
in our homes. Supplemental support for our
family history research work also is available in
our meetinghouses.”
• Prepared to Obtain Every Needful Thing by Elder David A. Bednar, April
2019

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3. Have a Temple
Recommend
• “We pray that each of you, regardless of
your current circumstances, will counsel
with your bishop and be worthy of a
temple recommend. We are grateful that
many more members are preparing to go
to the temple. There has been a significant
increase in the number of worthy adult
temple recommend holders for many
years. Limited-use recommends for worthy
youth have increased dramatically over
the last two years. Clearly the faithful core
membership of the Church has never been
stronger.”
• Prepare to Meet God by Elder Quentin L. Cook, April 2018

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4. Attend the temple to perform saving ordinances
such as baptisms, endowment, and sealings.
• “The primary blessings of the temple are the
ordinances of exaltation. The gospel plan is
about exaltation and encompasses making
and keeping sacred covenants with God.
Except for baptism and confirmation, these
ordinances and covenants are performed and
received in the temple for the living. For the
dead, all the saving ordinances and covenants
are received in the temple.”
• See Yourself in the Temple by Elder Quentin L. Cook, April 2016

9. Have a Church Account and know how to log in to Church
websites and mobile apps
   
Visit FamilySearch.org and be familiar with website Occasionally Regularly Frequently Frequently
Have a temple recommend    
Attend the temple to perform saving ordinances such as
baptisms, endowment, and sealings.
Occasionally Regularly Frequently Frequently
Index names (digitize records) Occasionally Regularly Frequently
Find family names and print temple cards from FS.org   
Do temple ordinances for deceased family members
names that you researched and found
  
Help your family and others do family history work  
Clean up family tree names (adding sources, merging
duplicate records, etc.) on FamilySearch.org
 
Upload photos, stories, and documents to FS.org  
Do original research to find new family names 
Add new names to your family tree on FS.org 
Temple and Family History Plan
Please Note:
• The “Crawl-Walk-Run-Fly” rating scale is a self-evaluation. No one is keeping score of where you are.
• The action items listed are some examples of temple and family history activities. It is not an all-encompassing list.
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5. Index Names (digitize records)
• The indexing process transforms
information from old genealogical
records into digital format
• People doing indexing look at
images of genealogical documents
and type what they see into forms
on their computers.
• Indexing makes records available
and searchable.
• Thanks to indexing, searches that
used to take hours, days, or even
years can now be accomplished in
seconds.

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5. Index Names (digitize records)
• To do indexing:
• Go to
FamilySearch.org
• Then click on
“Indexing” in the
main menu to get
started

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6. Find family names and print temple cards
from FamilySearch.org Click on green temple
icon and press the
“Request” button to
reserve the name for
temple work.

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6. Find family names and print temple cards
from FamilySearch.org
• Once reserved, go to the “Temple” tab in the main menu
• Click the name you want to print, then the “Print” button
• Print the card on you home printer and bring it to the temple to do
the ordinance work for your ancestor

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6. Find family names and print
temple cards from FamilySearch.org
• “Many faithful Saints have done the work
of researching their family lines and are
using the reserve feature of FamilySearch
to hold the ordinances for their own
family members to serve as proxy. The
intent of reserving names is to allow a
reasonable period of time for individuals
to perform ordinances for ancestors ….
Ancestors who have been found are no
doubt anxious and thrilled when their
names are cleared for ordinances.”
• The Joy of Redeeming the Dead by Elder Richard G.
Scott, Oct 2012

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7. Do temple ordinances for deceased
family members names that you
researched and found
• “As you engage in this work, I think you will find that the Lord is
in its details. An experience demonstrates this. I recently learned
of a mother who regularly escorted her children to the temple to
perform proxy baptisms. On this particular day, as this family
completed their baptisms and were leaving the temple, a man
entered the baptistry area with a large batch of his own family
names. Realizing there was no one remaining in the baptistry to
assist with these family names, a temple worker caught the
departing family and asked the children if they would consider
reentering and changing once again to assist with these
baptisms. They willingly agreed and went back in. As the children
were baptized, their mother, listening, began to recognize the
names and soon, to the amazement of all, realized the man’s
batch of family names were deceased ancestors of her family as
well. A sweet, tender mercy for them.”
• Where Are the Keys and Authority of the Priesthood? by Elder Gary E. Stevenson, April 2016

16. Have a Church Account and know how to log in to Church
websites and mobile apps
   
Visit FamilySearch.org and be familiar with website Occasionally Regularly Frequently Frequently
Have a temple recommend    
Attend the temple to perform saving ordinances such as
baptisms, endowment, and sealings.
Occasionally Regularly Frequently Frequently
Index names (digitize records) Occasionally Regularly Frequently
Find family names and print temple cards from FS.org   
Do temple ordinances for deceased family members
names that you researched and found
  
Help your family and others do family history work  
Clean up family tree names (adding sources, merging
duplicate records, etc.) on FamilySearch.org
 
Upload photos, stories, and documents to FS.org  
Do original research to find new family names 
Add new names to your family tree on FS.org 
Temple and Family History Plan
Please Note:
• The “Crawl-Walk-Run-Fly” rating scale is a self-evaluation. No one is keeping score of where you are.
• The action items listed are some examples of temple and family history activities. It is not an all-encompassing list.
1
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3
4
5
6
7
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10
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8. Help your family and others do family history work
• “As Church members, we do have a divinely appointed responsibility to
seek out our ancestors and compile family histories. This is far more than
an encouraged hobby, because the ordinances of salvation are necessary
for all of God’s children. We are to identify our own ancestors who died
without receiving the ordinances of salvation. We can perform the
ordinances vicariously in temples, and our ancestors may choose to accept
the ordinances. We are also encouraged to help ward and stake members
with their family names. It is breathtakingly amazing that, through family
history and temple work, we can help to redeem the dead.”
• Sealing and Healing by Elder Dale G. Renlund, April 2018

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9. Clean up family tree names (adding sources,
merging duplicate records, etc.) on FS.org
• FamilySearch.org has many features to help ensure accuracy
• Keeping family tree information clean and accurate helps us
get more temple work done
• By not checking sources, people inadvertently do temple
work for none existent individuals
• By not checking for duplicates, we inadvertently do the
temple work for the same individuals over and over again
• “The practice of keeping accurate records increases the
efficiency and accuracy of family history work.”
• Introduction to Family History Student Manual chapter 4

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9. Clean up family tree names (adding sources,
merging duplicate records, etc.) on FS.org
• Making sure all the information in our family tree is backed up by
sources is important to help ensure accuracy
• I have also found that seeking out sources for the information already
in FamilySearch has been an incredibly fruitful way to find the names
of new individuals to add to the tree and do temple work for
• See this article on adding sources: https://www.familysearch.org/blog/en/add-sources/

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9. Clean up family tree names (adding sources,
merging duplicate records, etc.) on FS.org
• FamilySearch.org allows users to merge the records when there
are two for the same person
• You can initiate this merge feature on your own and FS.org will
also point out “possible duplicates” that it finds
• During the merge,
• Users choose which data to keep and which to archive
• Users are shown all of the information and relationships from both records
• Users compare each piece of information and choose which to keep and
which to archive
• Users should consult source records (birth certificates, marriage records,
etc.) when making these decisions
• FamilySearch records all merge actions in a change history so that
they can be undone if necessary
..
)
)
. .

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10. Upload photos, stories, and documents to
FamilySearch.org
• This feature allows us to preserve and share
photos, documents, and stories about our
ancestors
• Faces in photos can be identified and linked to
the person’s profile in Family Tree.
• Photos and stories can also be easily shared
social media and email.
• Photos and stories matter, because they
“personally teach us time-honored principles
from those who have gone on before us, like
the value of hard work, dealing with life’s ups
and downs and the impact of choices.”
• FamilySearch managing director Dennis Brimhall

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23. Have a Church Account and know how to log in to Church
websites and mobile apps
   
Visit FamilySearch.org and be familiar with website Occasionally Regularly Frequently Frequently
Have a temple recommend    
Attend the temple to perform saving ordinances such as
baptisms, endowment, and sealings.
Occasionally Regularly Frequently Frequently
Index names (digitize records) Occasionally Regularly Frequently
Find family names and print temple cards from FS.org   
Do temple ordinances for deceased family members
names that you researched and found
  
Help your family and others do family history work  
Clean up family tree names (adding sources, merging
duplicate records, etc.) on FamilySearch.org
 
Upload photos, stories, and documents to FS.org  
Do original research to find new family names 
Add new names to your family tree on FS.org 
Temple and Family History Plan
Please Note:
• The “Crawl-Walk-Run-Fly” rating scale is a self-evaluation. No one is keeping score of where you are.
• The action items listed are some examples of temple and family history activities. It is not an all-encompassing list.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
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12

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11. Do original research to find new family
names
Veringendorf, Germany
• “Reddick” ancestors moved to USA in 1750
• “Rettich” or “Rettig” in Germany

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11. Do original research to find new family
names
• Family history research becomes more challenging in
each generation further removed from your own.
• Tips for Family History Research
• Develop a system that works for you
• Be well organized to make your efforts more effective
• Take advantage of records from all sources
• Have a system for tracking your progress
• “Family history requires effort and work on our part.
It takes faith to engage in and continue with the work
of family history research and submission of names
for temple ordinances.”
• From: Introduction to Family History Teacher Manual
Sources of family history
information
• Computer records
• Civil records
• Birth certificates
• Marriage certificates
• Death certificates
• Census records
• Immigration records
• Naturalization records
• Probate records
• Land records
• Military records
• Church records

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12. Add new names to your family tree on
FamilySearch.org
• “In the worldwide membership of the Church, fifty-one percent of
adults currently do not have both parents in the Family Tree section
of the Church’s FamilySearch Internet site. Sixty-five percent of adults
do not have all four grandparents listed. Remember, we without our
roots and branches cannot be saved. Church members need to obtain
and input this vital information.”
• Roots and Branches by Elder Quentin L. Cook, April 2014

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12. Add new names to your family tree on
FamilySearch.org

28. Have a Church Account and know how to log in to Church
websites and mobile apps
   
Visit FamilySearch.org and be familiar with website Occasionally Regularly Frequently Frequently
Have a temple recommend    
Attend the temple to perform saving ordinances such as
baptisms, endowment, and sealings.
Occasionally Regularly Frequently Frequently
Index names (digitize records) Occasionally Regularly Frequently
Find family names and print temple cards from FS.org   
Do temple ordinances for deceased family members
names that you researched and found
  
Help your family and others do family history work  
Clean up family tree names (adding sources, merging
duplicate records, etc.) on FamilySearch.org
 
Upload photos, stories, and documents to FS.org  
Do original research to find new family names 
Add new names to your family tree on FS.org 
Temple and Family History Plan
Please Note:
• The “Crawl-Walk-Run-Fly” rating scale is a self-evaluation. No one is keeping score of where you are.
• The action items listed are some examples of temple and family history activities. It is not an all-encompassing list.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12

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For the Advanced Class
• The plan we've discussed is
intentionally high-level, a simple
vision to encourage temple and family
history work as Elder Renlund
counseled
• For those of you who want more
specific goals and action items, I have
developed this expanded worksheet
• If you want this more advanced level
of guidance, please reach out to me
for a copy

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Youth Encouraged to Contribute to Family
History Work
• “As you respond in faith to this invitation, your hearts shall turn to the
fathers. …Your love and gratitude for your ancestors will increase.
Your testimony of and conversion to the Savior will become deep and
abiding. And I promise you will be protected against the intensifying
influence of the adversary. As you participate in and love this holy
work, you will be safeguarded in your youth and throughout your
lives.” (The Hearts of the Children Shall Turn by David A. Bednar, Oct 2011)
Youth Temple Trip:
August 15th

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Blessings of Temple and
Family History Work
• “Your worship in the temple and
your service there for your ancestors
will bless you with increased
personal revelation and peace and
will fortify your commitment to stay
on the covenant path.”
• As We Go Forward Together by
President Russell M. Nelson, April 2018

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FH and Temple Work  Spirit
Spiritually Minded  Eternal Life
• In 1836, the ancient prophet Elijah came to the
Kirtland Temple and restored to Joseph Smith the
priesthood keys of temple ordinances for the living
and dead
• To “turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and
the heart of the children to their fathers” (see Mal 4:5-
6 and D&C 110:13-16)
• “With that, natural affection between generations
began to be enriched. This restoration was
accompanied by what is sometimes called the Spirit of
Elijah—a manifestation of the Holy Ghost bearing
witness of the divine nature of the family.”
• Elder Russell M. Nelson, “A New Harvest Time,” May 1998
• “To be spiritually-minded is life eternal” (2 Nephi
9:39).

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Thank You
for your Attention and Participation
• The Temple and Family History Leader and Consultants stand ready to
help each of you.
• We’re available for
• One on one meetings
• Family Home Evening lessons
• And any other way we can help with this topic
• Temple and Family History Leader = Jimmy Smith
• Temple and Family History Consultants = CJ and Lyne Jorif

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Blessings of Temple Worship
• “We can receive inspiration and revelation in the temple—and also
power to cope with the adversities of life. What she is learning about
the temple as she consistently participates in taking her own family
names to do temple baptisms and confirmations will prepare her to
receive additional temple ordinances, covenants, and blessings, both
for herself and those on the other side of the veil.”
• Prepared in a Manner That Never Had Been Known by Linda K. Burton, Oct
2014

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Blessings of Temple and Family History Work
• “While temple and family history work has the power to bless those
beyond the veil, it has an equal power to bless the living. It has a
refining influence on those who are engaged in it. They are literally
helping to exalt their families.”
• President Russell M. Nelson, Generations Linked in Love, April 2010

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Youth have been Prepared to Contribute to
Family History Work
• “It is no coincidence that FamilySearch and other tools have come
forth at a time when young people are so familiar with a wide range
of information and communication technologies. Your fingers have
been trained to text and tweet to accelerate and advance the work of
the Lord—not just to communicate quickly with your friends. The
skills and aptitude evident among many young people today are a
preparation to contribute to the work of salvation.”
• The Hearts of the Children Shall Turn by David A. Bednar, Oct 2011
• https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-
conference/2011/10/the-hearts-of-the-children-shall-turn?lang=eng

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Youth Able to Contribute to Temple and
Family History Work
• “I recently met several young women in the Las Vegas area who have
been called to serve as ward temple and family history consultants.
They were glowing with enthusiasm about being able to teach and
help members of their ward find their ancestors. They had valuable
skills on the computer, had learned how to use FamilySearch, and
were excited to share that knowledge with others. It was clear that
they had testimonies and an understanding of the importance of
seeking out the names of our deceased ancestors so that essential
saving ordinances can be performed for them in the temple.”
• Young Women in the Work by Bonnie L. Oscarson, April 2018

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Opportunities from the Spirit of Elijah Moving
Across the World
• “Your opportunities and the obligations they create are remarkable in
the whole history of the world. There are more temples across the
earth than there have ever been. More people in all the world have
felt the Spirit of Elijah move them to record the identities of their
ancestors and facts of their ancestors’ lives. There are more resources
to search out your ancestors than there have ever been in the history
of the world. The Lord has poured out knowledge about how to make
that information available worldwide through technology that a few
years ago would have seemed a miracle” (Henry B. Eyring in
Conference Report, Apr. 2005, 82; or Ensign, May 2005, 79).

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Importance of Accuracy in Temple and Family
History Work
• “[Temple and family history work] is moving forward on an
unprecedented scale. A computerized program is being put into place
which will greatly facilitate the accurate preparation of family records.
The salvation of the Lord applies to every man, woman, and child on
the face of the earth. The exaltation of our Father’s children rests
upon the completion of required ordinances, if all are to move
forward on the road that leads to immortality and eternal life. The
determination of accurate family history records and the work which
follows in the temples are basic in this vast undertaking which the
Lord has placed upon our shoulders.”
• The State of the Church by Gordon B. Hinckley, April 1991