I was raised by parents very involved in what used to be called Genealogy, back when it was harder to do, requiring a lot of time, snail mail overseas, money, trips to Salt Lake etc. Now we can do it in our own homes, with very little if any expense, and in our jammies!

According to Joseph Smith, "The greatest responsibility in this world that God has placed upon us is to seek after our dead. Even before Joseph was allowed to take the plates from the hill, before he received the priesthood, before he was baptized, translated the Book of Mormon, or organized the Church, the ancient prophet Moroni spoke to him the wondrous words of Malachi; that"Elijah would plant in the hearts of the children, the promises made to the fathers, and the hearts of the children would turn to the fathers." In fact, Moroni repeated these same words four times! Do we think they are important?

So, who are the fathers? They are our dead ancestors. What were the promises? The promises were that if our ancestors would come to earth at a time and in places where they would never hear the gospel, that we their descendants promised we would see to it that the saving ordinances would be provided for them.

Sounds like that old video Saturdays Warriors, doesn't it? We don't' know how it was arranged, as to how families were assigned. One of our daughter's patriarchal blessing told her she chose her parents.

We are greatly blessed that those who came to prepare the way, sacrificed to do that. We are drinking from wells we did not dig.

To understand the salvation of the dead, we need to know where they are. We know that area is separated into two spheres, Paradise and Spirit Prison. In Spirit Prison, dwell the wicked or sinful, but also the good people of the earth who died without hearing the gospel. We know this because on Oct 3, 1918, that great prophet, Joseph F. smith, son of Hyrum Smith was given the amazing vision recorded in Sec 138 of the D&C. He was ill, and 80 years old. He had lost his beloved son, Hyrum Mack Smith, an apostle due to appendicitis, that would be easily treated today. Eight months later, Hyrum Mack's wife died from the effects childbirth, leaving the baby and four siblings orphaned. For four years, the entire world had been suffering from millions of deaths from WW1, and as the War was winding down, the pandemic, not epidemic, of Spanish Influenza swept over the world, killing millions more. A tragic, dark time. Pondering on the souls of the millions of dead, Pres. Smith received this vision. The next day was General Conference, where he, though very sick, reported the vision. On Nov. 11, 1918, on the 11th month, the 11th day and the 11th hour, the Armistice was declared, and WW1 was over. A few days later, Nov. 19, 1918, Pres. Smith died, but because of the pandemic, there was no funeral.

So, what did he see in that remarkable vision? He saw that after Christ's death, He appeared in the Spirit World, and organized a mighty missionary force to preach the gospel to those in Spirit Prison. The very same gospel that our missionaries preach on earth. Those who never heard it on earth, but accept it are heirs to Exaltation in the Celestial Kingdom. Those that heard it on earth, but rejected it, can repent from their misery, anguish and captivity and come forth in the Terrestial Kingdom.

However, those who accept the gospel are still held in prison until the saving ordinances are performed for them on earth by living persons. They cannot progress until someone finds their names, and then baptism, confirmation, washing, annointing, endowment and sealings to parents, children, and spouses are performed.

Pres. Wilford Woodruff said, "I wish many times that the veil were lifted off the face of the Latter-day Saints, and they could see into the Spirit World, for if it were so, the whole people with very few exceptions, would lose all interest in the riches of the world, and instead thereof, their whole desires and labors would be directed to redeem their dead."

Demographers have estimated some 60-70 billion people have lived on earth. Boyd K. Packer said in Oct. 1975, "And so the question may be asked, 'You mean you are out to provide baptism for all who have ever lived?' The answer is simple, "yes" for we have been commanded to do it. "You mean the entire human family? Why that's impossible." To that we say, "Perhaps, but we will do it anyway."

Our stake assignment is that we each find a name of an ancestor, prove it is our ancestor and take it to the temple this year. That means just one name...Can you imagine that ancestor who , having accepted the gospel, has a messenger go to him or her with the joyous news that they finally are being released from Spirit Prison.? With shouts of joy, that ancestor prepares to leave, only to realize only they are being released. What about their beloved spouse and children who are being left behind? Joseph Smith, Brigham Young and others have said that the dead are aware of us, and are often pained by our actions. Can you think they might wonder why we are so involved in Facebook, Pinterest or all else of whatever keeps us distracted? Why we are caught up so much in the thick of thin things?

May we each consider these our ancestor fathers and mothers, and try to be a little more faithful in turning our hearts to them.