A Season for Redemption: Giving Our Ancestors the Grace We Hope For.

The Easter season is a sacred reminder that through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, we are more than the sum of our faults and triumphs. It is a reminder that no story is beyond redemption. In this season of renewal, we can participate in family history work to carry that spirit of hope and healing throughout the entire year.

Family History As A Work of Grace

You may see family history work as merely names, dates, and documents, but at its heart, it is about Jesus Christ. It is a holy work. One of raising the forgotten, restoring the misunderstood, and remembering our ancestors, not only as they were, but as they can become through our Savior Jesus Christ. It is a spiritual restoration of their stories.

Let's face it, families are messy. Life is hard. Many of our ancestors faced difficult challenges and lived through hard times. Some made serious mistakes. Some were victims of injustice. In our search for them, we uncover their stories and begin to see them with a new perspective. When we show them grace and remember them as more than their worst moment, we are participating in the redemptive power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

What You Can Do This Season

Revisit the Hard Stories

Do you know of an ancestor with a reputation that's a little...complicated? Maybe even a bit unsavory? Try taking a page from Ted Lasso and use the approach of being "curious, not judgmental." Instead of stopping at what they did, ask why? What was going on in their world? Were they dealing with challenges we now recognize, such as mental health struggles or trauma, at a time when there was little support or understanding?

Keeping that in mind, you can dig deeper. Search for additional sources, historical context, or other details that might shed some light on their circumstances and fill in the gaps of their life. You may find a different story waiting to be told.

Share the Good

Upload photos, stories, meaningful memories, or small acts of kindness they showed. This will provide a fuller, more balanced view of that ancestor's life.

Use Words of Compassion

When sharing your memories and stories, use language that uplifts and preserves dignity, even when the truth is complicated. The intent isn't to "sugar coat" the story, but to share honestly and thoughtfully without fueling judgment or negativity.

Find Yourself in Their Story

At times, the challenges our ancestors faced can reflect the ones we face today. When we choose to recognize those shared struggles, it opens the door to compassion, not just for them, but for ourselves too.

Family History As A Work of Redemption

Family history work is redemptive in nature. As we help our ancestors receive sacred ordinances, we can also restore and honor their stories by learning more than just their names and dates. This process doesn't just bless those beyond the veil, it changes us as well. Through this sacred work, we experience our own transformation and bring healing to past, present, and future generations.

Take the Challenge

This season, choose one ancestor. Learn their story. Love their story. And let their story be seen through the lens of hope. Not defined by their past, but lifted by your efforts in the present.

Because every soul is a beloved child of God. And every life deserves to be remembered with mercy.

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