A few years ago, relatives took twins Joseph and Eden Reese to Family Discovery Day at RootsTech, where they were introduced to the FamilySearch Family Tree app and other fun genealogical activities.
The twins were hooked. Attending the largest family history gathering in the world is now an annual tradition for the 13-year-old siblings.
Walking through the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City on Thursday, March 6, the Reese twins, who are members of the Sharon 3rd Ward in Orem, Utah, of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, spoke about how engaging in temple and family history work has blessed their lives.
Along with exploring their family tree and documenting memories, they strive to do baptisms and confirmations for their ancestors in the temple each week, even if its only one name per visit.
“I feel closer to God when I am there, and it helps me have a better week because I’m getting filled with that spiritual power,” said Eden Reese, adding that they recently performed ordinances for siblings of their great-grandparents.
The Reese twins are just two of many Latter-day Saint youth who are feeling blessed and strengthened as they engage in temple and family history work.
For the first time at RootsTech, the Church held a Global Youth Activity for youth ages 11 and 12 who are newly attending the temple and their leaders. The event, attended by more than 4,600, featured messages from Primary General President Susan H. Porter and Brother Bradley R. Wilcox, first counselor in the Young Men general presidency.
“In an era where the rising generation is being kind of characterized as disconnected, not interested, not achieving, sitting in front of a video game, we saw the exact opposite that night [March 5]. These are bright young kids who are thrilled to be here. They are excited. They are energized. They are alert and awake. To me, the future is so bright for these young people. They get it,” said Elder Kevin S. Hamilton, a General Authority Seventy and executive director of the Church’s Family History Department.
Family history is an opportunity to connect with family, said Elder K. Brett Nattress, a General Authority Seventy who serves as an assistant executive director in the Family History Department.
“We live in a world where it seems like, especially our youth, like to isolate on a phone. They think they are connecting; they are actually isolating,” he said. “Family history connects people. It helps us to feel like, ‘Wow, I’m a part of something much larger,' and that connection can help strengthen, especially our youth, during very difficult times.”
The Reese twins have felt and understand that connection.
“It’s really fun because we have connected with our cousins, aunts and uncles,” Joseph Reese said. “We have a shared connection with our family.”
For him, hearing the words “family history” used to conjure boring images of an elderly person sitting for hours at a table with old, dusty papers.
Joseph has since learned that taking a family name to the temple is as simple as using the Ordinances Ready feature on the Family Tree app on a phone or computer. Taking a family name to the house of the Lord provides a more personal, meaningful experience.
“You are doing a saving [ordinance] for all of these people, but when it’s someone you are related to — shared DNA — then it’s almost like you knew this person, ... like you just helped a cousin, and I think that makes it all the more powerful and sacred, because it really is about eternal family,” he said.
