Seminary
3 Nephi 25: Temple and Family History Work

“3 Nephi 25: Temple and Family History Work,” Book of Mormon Student Manual (2024)

“3 Nephi 25,” Book of Mormon Student Manual

3 Nephi 25

Temple and Family History Work

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happy family doing family history

Have you ever explained to someone why we have temples or do family history work? How important are family history and temple work to you? While teaching the Nephites, Jesus quoted a message He originally shared with Malachi that included the return of Elijah and his important role in temple and family history work. This lesson is intended to help you participate in family history and temple work.

Your ancestors

Copy the following family history chart into your study journal, filling out as much information as you can.

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four-generation pedigree chart

Reflect on what you know and feel about the lives of your loved ones, what you may like to know, and how they have impacted your life.

  • Why is it important that we seek to know more about our ancestors?

  • On a scale of 1–10 (1 = not interested, 10 = extremely interested), how interested are you in knowing your ancestors? In participating in temple and family history work? Why?

As you study, look for insights that may help motivate you to participate more in this work.

“Before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord”

Using the rich imagery and symbolic words recorded by the Old Testament prophet Malachi, Jesus taught the people of the Americas about His Second Coming to the earth and prophesied about temple and family history work.

Read 3 Nephi 25:1–2, looking for what the Savior taught will happen when He returns to earth. The following definitions and interpretations of symbols may be useful.

  • Stubble: Stubs of plants remaining in a field after harvest that a farmer would burn away

  • Roots: Ancestors

  • Branches: Posterity

  • Healing in His wings: Healing and protective power of the Lord and of His Atonement

  • Calves in stall: Israel will be well-treated and provided for like animals in a stall

  • How would you explain what will happen at His Second Coming according to these verses? What will happen to the wicked?

  • What do you learn from these symbols about the Savior and His blessings to those who follow Him?

Read 3 Nephi 25:5–6 and consider marking what the Savior would do to help the families of the world before His Second Coming. One of the meanings of the word “turn” is to bind, or seal (see Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith [2007], 472). The footnotes in your scriptures can also help you understand these verses better.

If you would like, consider marking where this promise is repeated in each of the standard works (see Malachi 4:5–6; Luke 1:17; Doctrine and Covenants 110:15–16; Joseph Smith—History 1:38–39).

Elijah, an ancient prophet, held the keys of the sealing power. The sealing power makes valid in heaven the ordinances performed by priesthood authority on earth (Guide to the Scriptures, “Seal, Sealing,” scriptures.ChurchofJesusChrist.org).

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Elijah appearing in the Kirtland temple

Read Doctrine and Covenants 110:13–16 to see what happened in the Kirtland Temple in 1836 involving Elijah, Joseph Smith, and Oliver Cowdery.

Because of the restored sealing power, we can do temple work both for ourselves and our deceased ancestors.

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icon, record

  1. Answer the following question:

It is essential to realize that not only did the Savior restore the sealing keys, but it is only through His Atonement that we and those in our families can be redeemed, purified, and receive eternal ordinances and blessings including the sealing ordinance.

Ponder why temple and family history work matters in your life. As you ponder, you may want to watch the video “The Promised Blessings of Family History 2” (4:04), available at ChurchofJesusChrist.org.

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icon, record

  1. Answer the following questions:

    • What experiences have you had with temples and family history?

    • What blessings have you noticed in your life as a result?

Participating in temple and family history work

To help you participate in temple and family history work, do one or two of the following. You may also consider doing something else related to temple and family history work that you feel guided to do by the Spirit.

  • Using your ChurchofJesusChrist.org account, log in to FamilySearch.org. Explore resources to learn about one of your ancestors. Consider beginning with “How do you want to get started?”

  • Text, call, or set up a time to talk to parents, grandparents, or other relatives to learn more about their lives, histories, or conversions to the gospel. Consider making a record of what you learn.

  • Participate in indexing. For help understanding what this is and how to start, consider first watching the video “FamilySearch Indexing—How it Works” (1:48), available at FamilySearch.org.

  • Find names of deceased ancestors that need to have ordinance work performed in the temple on the FamilySearch app or at FamilySearch.org. Consider beginning with “How do you want to get started?”

  1. Explain what you did to begin participating in temple and family history work during your study today. Then answer the following questions:

    • What is something you feel the Lord would have you do to continue participating in temple and family history work? What difference will this make in your life?

As you seek to continue participating in family history and temple work, remember this statement from President Russell M. Nelson:

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President Russell M. Nelson

Anytime you do anything that helps anyone—on either side of the veil—take a step toward making covenants with God and receiving their essential baptismal and temple ordinances, you are helping to gather Israel. (Russell M. Nelson and Wendy W. Nelson, “Hope of Israel” [worldwide youth devotional, June 3, 2018], ChurchofJesusChrist.org)