A Strong Welding Link for good--Keep the Chain Unbroken

This is a photo of my mother--at sixteen--

"An unbroken chain back to father Adam." This is a line from my patriarchal blessing. I was admonished to seek out my kindred dead. Then I heard Pres. Hinckley's rebroadcast talk today. I was reminded of the BYU Devotional given by President Gordon B. Hinckley in November 1999. I taught the Family History class in our ward this past year. I used this same talk as a reference for all of us to be an example and a strong link in our families and do our family temple work.

President Hinckley spoke of his realization of how he was in the middle of seven generations, three before him and three after. He said,"I thought of an experience I had long, long ago. In the summer we lived on a farm. We had a little old tractor. There was a dead tree I wished to pull. I fastened one end of a chain to the tractor and the other end to the tree. As the tractor began to move, the tree shook a little, and then the chain broke.

I looked at the broken link and wondered how it could have given way. I went to the hardware store and bought a repair link. I put it together again, but it was an awkward and ugly connection The chain was never, never the same.

As I sat in the celestial room of the temple to ponder those things, I said to myself, "Never permit yourself to become a weak link in the chain of your generations." It is so important that we pass on without a blemish to our inheritance of body, brain and if you please, faith and virtue untarnished to the generations who will come after us."

I wonder sometimes and have NO idea whatsoever what my life would have been like had I not welcomed the missionaries into my home forty years ago. But, I know there is no doubt that I had the support of my unborn children and felt an influence for good drawing me to make choices that would guide me to His Church. My patriarchal blessing also told me that I was guided to His Church. I believe this with all my heart.

My testimony was formed even before I came here--and never forgot it and looked to the Savior and his great love for each of us and brought us into the fold. I am so grateful that I was willing to hear the gospel message. My faith has sustained me.

I know I made promises to my ancestors to do their work before I came here, and was reminded by the holy ghost on many occasions. There is still much work to do that I have promised, which reminds me to have the sealings of children to parents for my Aunt Alice and Aunt Mary. These ordinances will complete their family circle as it stands. I cannot do it all myself and will think of a way to get this completed.

I appreciate the willingness of my children and grandchildren in doing the baptisms, endowments and sealing work for our family. This kind of work is rarely ever completed, but ongoing. I testify of the outpouring of blessings in doing this work for our kindred dead.

One of my goals for this year besides completing those unfinished ordinances is to compile the photos I have and put them on disc of my own ancestors. I have done most of mine on CD and most of the family photos, but I know there is much more yet to do.

I have several stacks of photos and documents on paper on a table here in my room which need to be organized. I will commit to do them in the next two weeks before moving to American Fork with Aaron and Candice. It just takes time and focus. Right?

God Bless me in the goal, I pray.