Genealogy Talk in class

Growing up in the church, my father and his mother were really into Family Genealogy. It wasn't until I went with my father to do a few names in our Family History Center when I was about 10, that I became intrigued. I had no clue what it was or what the meaning of it was, but I wanted to do it. I would sit endless hours with my father as he would try to explain things to me, but being not yet even a teenager I believe it all went in one ear and out the other. Yes I worked with him on most of the names, and scanning old pages of my Grandfather's Journal into the computer, but I still had no clue what I was really looking into.
Family History is not just looking at dead people's names and standing in their behalf, yes it has some to do with that, but there is much more. Family History is a way to connect our lives with those of our ancestors. Malachi 4: 6 says "And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers." It is only through this that we are able to return with our Father. For Salvation is an individual matter and Exaltation is a family matter. Your obligation and duty is to help those who have passed through the veil already to be Exalted. So that they too can live with their father again. My grandmother once told me a story of a dream she once had. " I was dying, and once I had died I passed through to the other side, but there was no one there. No one to greet me, Not a soul to say congratulations and welcome home. I cried, what did I do?" Later she had come to the realization or the notion that it was due to her lack of working on family history. If she had done that work there would be those of whom she worked on waiting for her and thanking her for her love and dedication. She then knew how much doing Family History meant to her.
President Eyring once said "For me, knowing that turns my heart not only to my ancestors who wait but to the missionaries who teach them. I will see those missionaries in the spirit world, and so will you. Think of a faithful missionary standing there with those he has loved and taught who are your ancestors. Picture as I do the smile on the face of that missionary as you walk up to him and your ancestors whom he converted but could not baptize or have sealed to family until you came to the rescue. I do not know what the protocol will be in such a place, but I imagine arms thrown around your neck and tears of gratitude"(Henry B. Eyring, “Hearts Bound Together,” Liahona, May 2005, 77–80). Just as we are able to teach and bring the gospel to those here from other families so are others able to do the same in the Spirit World.
In the scriptures it frequently reminds us to pitch our tents toward the temple. If we pitch our minds, and hearts to the temple and follow through with the commandments we have been given to go visit the temple frequently; what maraculous blessings are promised to us! If not only that, but we take our own family ancestor's names what blessings we can provide for them as well. I was told by my bishop one day that if I go to the temple with a question or I am seeking some kind of personal revelation from God, that after I go through and do family names in the temple that when I was done and I ask God the question, I would then have the hearts of those whom I had just completed the work for, also praying with me that I may recieve those answers. What then is not 15 prayers greater than one?
Not only are we able to help our family, to turn our hearts to our family and connect with them, but we are also able to learn of the importance of the Temple. Through our own experiences and personal revelations we are able to teach our children and the rest of our family the importance of being able to worthily attend the temple on our own and with our Spouse. Being sealed for all time and eternity as a family and receiving the blessings of Abraham through the Covenant and passing it onto our children and their future families. It is through the Abrahamic Covenant that we are blessed with posterity, property and priesthood.
I urge each of you whole heartedly to do the names of your family to bring them unto Exaltation so that you and they will be able to live with our Father again some day. Can you not see those grateful faces of those who would kiss your neck and cry for gratitude when you have helped them to do so? I know that I will be able to live with my Father again some day, and through working on Genealogy that I will be able to be with my Family as well. I look forward to the day that I can say "You're welcome, I love you". I say these things in the Name of our Father and His Son Jesus Christ. Amen.