So Great a Cause

Joseph Smith gave this famous charge to members of the Church when he wrote a letter in 1842: “Brethren, shall we not go on in so great a cause? Go forward and not backward. Courage, brethren; and on, on to the victory!” (D&C 128:22)  We generally read that invitation in isolation and apply it to whatever situation we may be in, which certainly has merit.  But to know exactly what was meant we have to consider the context of the letter: baptisms for the dead.  So his charge it seems was really a call to members of the Church to continue in their efforts to do vicarious baptisms for the dead.  In our day the First Presidency has also encouraged us to likewise seek after our dead and perform temple work for them.  In October 2012 the First Presidency issued a letter to Church members saying this: “When members of the Church find the names of their ancestors and take those names to the temple for ordinance work, the temple experience can be greatly enriched….  We appreciate your efforts to seek out the names of your ancestors and to provide essential temple ordinances.”  There seems to have been particular emphasis from leaders in the last few years since this letter on family history and temple work, encouraging us to participate in this part of the work of salvation. 

                Here’s a sampling of some of the recent invitations to participate in family history work.  In the same month as that letter was given from the First Presidency, Elder Scott asked us, “But what about you? Have you prayed about your own ancestors’ work? Set aside those things in your life that don’t really matter. Decide to do something that will have eternal consequences. Perhaps you have been prompted to look for ancestors but feel you are not a genealogist. Can you see that you don’t have to be anymore? It all begins with love and a sincere desire to help those beyond the veil who can’t help themselves.”  In 2014 Allan Packer also invited us to be participants in family history work: “However, there is one obstacle the Church cannot remove. It is an individual’s hesitation to do the work. All it requires is a decision and a little effort. It does not require a large block of time. Just a little time on a consistent basis will yield the joy of the work. Make the decision to take a step, to learn and ask others to help you. They will! The names you find and take to the temple will become the records for ‘the book.’”  Also in 2014 Elder Bednar encouraged our participation in family history work in these words: “Preaching the gospel and seeking after our dead are complementary parts of one great work—a labor of love intended to change, turn, and purify the hearts of honest seekers of truth. The artificial boundary line we so often place between missionary work and temple and family history work is being erased; this is one great work of salvation.”  Another invitation in 2014 about family history came from President Monson: “The Lord expects you and me to perform our family history work well.  I think the first thing we must do if we are to perform our work well is to have the Spirit of our Heavenly Father with us. When we live as righteously as we know how to live, He will open the way for the fulfillment of the blessings that so earnestly and diligently we seek.”  Also in 2014—apparently that was the year to talk about family history—Elder Andersen gave this invitation to the youth: “I want to challenge each of you to set a personal goal to help prepare as many names for the temple as baptisms you perform in the temple.  Again, my challenge for you is to prepare as many names for the temple as you perform baptisms in the temple.  There is something powerful in searching out someone who needs temple ordinances, learning who they are, and then being part of their receiving these sacred ordinances. This is how you become ‘saviors on Mount Zion.’”

                There are many other recent talks that could likewise be referenced, but the message is clear from the apostles: we should make participation in family history work a gospel priority in our lives and “go on in so great a cause.”