Weekly Family History Activities

A Come, Follow Me Companion

2021: Doctrine & Covenants 89-92

Week 34, August 16–August 22

Come, Follow Me is a resource offered by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is designed to be used in the home to support personal and family scripture study to build faith in Heavenly Father and His plan of salvation and in the Savior Jesus Christ and His Atonement. Come, Follow Me is self-contained and adequate, when used properly. Products and materials designed to supplement this resource, though they may be helpful in some instances, are not necessary for a successful home study program.

Doctrine and Covenants 89-92: "A Principle with Promise"

Doctrine and Covenants 89:18-21

18 And all saints who remember to keep and do these sayings, walking in obedience to the commandments, shall receive health in their navel and marrow to their bones;
19 And shall find wisdom and great treasures of knowledge, even hidden treasures;
20 And shall run and not be weary, and shall walk and not faint.
21 And I, the Lord, give unto them a promise, that the destroying angel shall pass by them, as the children of Israel, and not slay them. Amen.

From Come, Follow Me :

Modern prophets have also warned of harmful substances and behaviors beyond those mentioned in the Word of Wisdom (see Physical and Emotional Health, For the Strength of Youth, 25–27). What are you prompted to do to better care for your mind and body?

Create A Health History

"Have you compiled a family health history? If not, do you know what diseases or health conditions are hereditary in your family? Are you or your family members at risk for diabetes, cancer, heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, or other life-threatening conditions?"

"Decide today how and when you want to begin your family health history! It is a worthwhile project to help you, your children, and grandchildren live longer, healthier lives." Find suggestions, forms to fill out, and read more in Know Your Family Health History • FamilySearch.

Overcoming Anxiety and Depression through Family History Activities

From Physical and Emotional Health in For the Strength of Youth:

Your body is a temple, a gift from God. You will be blessed as you care for your body. Choose to obey the Word of Wisdom (see D&C 89). When you are obedient to this law, you remain free from harmful addictions and have control over your life. You gain the blessings of a healthy body, an alert mind, and the guidance of the Holy Ghost. You will be prepared to serve the Lord. Never let Satan or others deceive you into thinking that breaking the Word of Wisdom will make you happier, more popular, or more attractive.

Christie's Story

Christie's story is found in How Family History Can Combat Feelings of Anxiety and Depression - Church News and Events. It's part one in a series on the healing blessings of family history based on Elder Dale G. Renlund's April 2018 general conference talk Family History and Temple Work: and Healing.

After surviving her first year of teaching in northern Texas as a recent college graduate, Christie Blair decided to take a trip. The first months of teaching are always tough, but dealing with anxiety made them even tougher, she said. But this wasn't a relaxing vacation to Hawaii, the Bahamas, or Mexico. This trip would energize her in a different way.

"Taking pictures of grave sites, finding handwritten documents in small libraries, and just seeing for myself these places I had seen on microfilm . . . all of this energized my soul, day after day." Christie states that it was the strengthening moments on that trip, as well as a family history trip she took two summers later, that helped her manage anxiety and "broaden my world rather than letting it contract and suffocate me."

Many more examples and resources are included in the article. While many with feelings of anxiety and depression have found strength in doing family history, this is not a replacement for professional help in addressing mental health. For more resources, visit mentalhealth.ChurchofJesusChrist.org or talk to a health care provider. See also How these Latter-day Saints found healing through family stories after suicide, abuse, other traumatic events.

You may not be able to take family history trips as Christie did, but find activities using these links:

The 21 Day Family Family Connections Experiment invites you to participate in a family history project to increase connections with family, past and present.

Select from a variety of plans or create your own using the Idea Generator. Visit their Facebook page and Facebook group. If you would like to measure how doing family history affects your emotional well-being, you might want to join the next challenge and take the "before and after" quizes to measure the results. Here is an activities overview found on The Family History Guide's Youtube channel:

Overcoming Addictions Through Indexing

From Physical and Emotional Health in For the Strength of Youth: "Addictions harm your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being. They damage relationships with family and friends and diminish your feelings of self-worth. They limit your ability to make choices for yourself."

What can we learn about overcoming addictions? See the following resources:

Read more in Addressing pornography: How indexing and family history can help. This is part two in a series on the healing blessings of family history, based on Elder Dale G. Renlund's April 2018 general conference talk Family History and Temple Work: Sealing and Healing. If you or someone you love is struggling with pornography, visit addressingpornography.ChurchofJesusChrist.org or talk to a professional counselor.

In the video below, Steven Jezek describes how he was able to feel the Spirit again, overcome addictions, and get baptized because of his experiencing indexing.

Get Started with Indexing

Learn more about indexing here: Indexing Overview — FamilySearch.org. Set a goal to begin or continue participating in indexing. Search "indexing" in The Family History Guide for more instructions and links to videos, articles, webinars, and related activities. See the chart below by Alex Westgate in the article Why Indexing Matters.

(click to enlarge photo)

See How to Host a Great Indexing Challenge, Learn 8 tips for indexing with your kids this summer, and FamilySearch Indexing: Easier Than Ever!.

Also check out Reverse Indexing - BYU FHTL.

Doctrine and Covenants 90:24

"All things shall work together for [my] good."

From Come, Follow Me :

Ponder any experiences you have had that testify of the Lord's promise in Doctrine and Covenants 90:24. Consider recording your experiences and sharing them with a family member or loved one—maybe someone who needs reassurance or encouragement. If there are blessings you are still waiting for, ponder what you can do to remain faithful as you wait to see how "all things shall work together for your good."

Recording Your Experiences

In his October 2007 General Conference address O Remember, Remember, Henry B. Eyring relates why he began writing things down and the blessings of recognizing the Lord's hand in his life.

Read any or all of the following resources, and then discuss ideas you can use to record your individual experiences in a meaningful way:

In addition to recording your experiences as an individual, consider The Benefits and Blessings of Keeping A Family Journal.

Fulfillment of Promises in Your Life

"As you study your scriptures during the next six months, I encourage you to make a list of all that the Lord has promised He will do for covenant Israel. I think you will be astounded! Ponder these promises. Talk about them with your family and friends. Then live and watch for these promises to be fulfilled in your own life." (President Russell M. Nelson, Let God Prevail, October 2020 General Conference)

Find what the Lord has promised He will do for Covenant Israel in Doctrine and Covenants 89-92 and write or audio-record about what they mean to you and those you love. What have been your experiences with these sections of the Doctrine and Covenants?