Thought of the Sunday 15

I was seriously blessed this week with regard to family history searching.  Last Sunday I was looking around for my mother's grandfather and great grandfather.  These are family members that have been quite elusive for us.  For some reason I just felt like trying to find them again (for the thousandth time, it seems) and I actually found them!  It was pretty amazing since I have been trying to find more information about them for at least ten years; my mom for longer.  Then on Wednesday and Friday I went to the family history center to find more records (since they have subscriptions to sites I don't), and I found more.  This family has occupied my mind all week and because of that I have been thinking about the importance of the family all week.

The Family Proclamation, written by apostles and prophets in 1995, states that "the family is central to the Creator’s plan for the eternal destiny of His children...The divine plan of happiness enables family relationships to be perpetuated beyond the grave...Happiness in family life is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ."

My family relationships are so important to me and it is clear that Heavenly Father thinks they are important too.  As I do research about my dead ancestors I feel closer to them.  I feel that they know me and are involved in my life even though I can't see them.  I know I will meet them when I die and I hope to be able to greet them by name.  Getting to know them makes me want to strengthen my relationships with my living family members.  We'll see if I come up with any good ideas on how to do that.

The Doctrine and Covenants has this to say about this life and about life after death (D & C 130:2),

"And that same sociality which exists among us here will exist among us there, only it will be coupled with eternal glory, which glory we do not now enjoy."

That sounds pretty good to me.  I am grateful for my family and that I have parents who love me and siblings who care about me and a husband that adores me.  My life is so much fuller with these relationships and I can look forward to having them for the rest of my life and into the eternities.