“Qualifying for exaltation is like preparing to enter another country,” said Elder Allan F. Packer of the Seventy during the Sunday afternoon session of general conference. “We must each obtain our own spiritual passport. We do not set the requirements but, individually, we must meet all of the requirements.”
Elder Packer said that during this conference the Saints have been taught about changes that will help them be better prepared.
“There has been a renewed emphasis on family history and temple work by the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles,” he said. “Your response to this emphasis will increase your individual and family joy and happiness.”
Drawing from the Doctrine and Covenants, Elder Packer read that “the great day of the Lord is at hand … let us present in his holy temple … a book containing the records of our dead, which shall be worthy of all acceptation.”
He continued, “This ‘book’ will be prepared using the records in the Church’s Family Tree data base. I am checking and adding records to this data base because I want the names of all those I love to be in that book. Don’t you?”
Elder Packer said family history is more then genealogy, rules, names dates and places, but includes one’s present history.
“Like partaking of the sacrament, attending meetings, reading the scriptures and personal prayers, family history and temple work should be a part of our personal worship. The response of our youth and others to prophetic invitations has been inspiring and proves this work can and should be done by all members at any age.”
The Church has provided records and tools to help assist members to do their family history work, Elder Packer said. The only obstacle the Church cannot remove is the members' hesitation to do their work.
“Make the decision to take a step, to learn and ask others to help you. They will,” Elder Packer said. “The names you find and take to the temple will become the records for ‘the book.’”
Elder Packer added, “Relatively few members of the Church are regularly involved in finding and doing temple ordinances for their families. This calls for a change in our priorities.”
“This work needs to be done,” he said. “Not for the benefit of the Church but for our dead and for ourselves. We and our deceased ancestors need the stamps in our spiritual passports.”
