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I Love Family History! I didn’t always appreciate family history work. That changed when I was baptized for one of my ancestors in the Santiago Chile Temple.

I was a deacon the first time I went to the temple. When I was about to enter the baptismal font, I felt the presence of someone enter the room. I looked up and saw an old man dressed in old clothes. I felt his love and gratitude for me because I was doing his vicarious work. After I was baptized for him and came up out of the water, I looked around for him, but he was no longer there.

I used to think that the temple would provide the names for temple work, so I wasn’t interested in doing family history research. But this experience got me excited about looking for my own family names.

One day I got on my computer and saw that I had received an email from the Church with a family name. I felt that I needed to research more names, so I asked my mother how I could effectively look for names and gather more information about my ancestors.

So far, I’ve found 11 family names, and I know I can find even more. These people never had the opportunity to be baptized while they were on earth, and they have waited a long time for their temple work to be done. I’m glad I can help them through temple and family history work.

Lucas R.,16, Santiago, Chile

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I take graphic design and multimedia classes and have been able to earn an industry certification in Photoshop. I have been able to design shirts for my family reunion and stake youth conference this past summer. Music is also very important to me.

Though people tend to focus on achievements in talents, I think it’s important to remember to have fun, and to use them to uplift and bring light to others. My testimony has been strengthened through pursuing arts.

Alyssa B., 18, Virginia, USA

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I love to do parkour, film videos for the internet, and build businesses! I founded the company Outdoor Hardware Co., a business that helps people preserve the National Parks and Forests in America.

I personally gained a testimony when I made the decision to read the scriptures every single day. The act of choosing God each and every day will truly make a difference. Act on promptings—don’t leave Heavenly Father on “read.”

Jared B., 17, California, USA