Kate's Talk

Kate had to give a talk about family history in the adult session of Stake Conference last night. She was very nervous and very cute as she approached the pulpit. The first thing she said was, "okay, just breathe. I can do this." Then she gave this beautiful talk. The only thing I did to help her with this was to loan her my laptop. One hundred percent of this talk was written by a 15 year old girl.

"Hello my name is Kate Robertson from the Foxboro 5^th ward. Tonight I will speak about Family History. Many people severely underestimate the importance of Family history. I believe this is because they do not understand the doctrine on the topic. D&C 128:18 says “It is sufficient to know, that in this case, the earth will be smitten with a curse unless there is a welding link of some kind or other between the fathers and the children on some subject or other- and behold what is that subject? It is the baptism for the dead.” Notice that this scripture says fathers and children, not the dead and living. It is specifically referring to families. Our work for our dead.

In D&C 128:8 it says, “whatsoever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven” As we continue to bind our ancestors to us, we will feel their presence and know that through this work we, and all of our ancestors, shall be bond together forever. In verse 17 of D&C 128 Joseph Smith called family history “this most glorious of all subjects” Why would he say that? I believe it is because we are saving our family. We are given the opportunity and responsibility to make that welding link between us and our fathers. As we do their work we come to feel and know them. This work means much more to us, than we may think. This is our family we are learning about, growing closer to, sealing to us, and giving to chance to be saved.  The Brethren have told us that we as Latter Day Saints have a duty to fulfill Elijah’s prophesy by making that welding link. These are ties that bind. We are not just saving someone from the past, we are saving our Families and binding them to us for eternity.

 In D&C 128:15 Joseph Smith warned, “And now, brethren and sisters, let me assure you that these are principles in relation to the dead and the living that cannot be lightly passed over, as pertaining to our salvation. For their salvation is necessary to our salvation.”  We are the ones responsible to do the ordnances necessary for their salvation that they cannot due themselves. Millions of our ancestors are waiting for us to find them and preform these ordinances in the temple that will give them the opportunity to have salvation and be united with us eternally. D&C 128: 22 says, “Brethren, shall we not go on in so great a cause? Go forward and not backward. Courage brethren; and on to victory! Let your heart rejoice, and be exceedingly glad. Let the dead speak forth anthems of eternal praise to the King Immanuel, who hath ordained, before the world was, that which would enable us to redeem them out of their prison; for the prisoners shall go free.”

We must set them free. God has enabled us and given us the responsibility to do so. I love the idea that God has provided us with the means to save our families as if they we’re prisoners that we can let free. What we shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and as stated in D&C 128: 8 “whatsoever you record in earth shall be recorded in heaven” ­­Every card we take to the temple and do work for is recorded, not just on earth, but in heaven. Every ancestor you find and bring to the temple, is being given the opportunity to receive those blessings in heaven.

I am so thankful for this work that God has given us to do. I love my family and love that I have been given the opportunity and responsibility to find my family and create that welding link with them by doing their work and feeling there spirit, and the spirit of gladness that surrounds this work. I hope you all can create that welding link with your ancestors as you do their work and in so doing grow to know and love them. As Joseph Smith said, “Let the Prisoners go free!” We are the ones to let them free and I pray that we may be guided in this work of saving our families. In the name of Jesus Christ Amen."