Thoughts on the talk "Gathering the Family of God" by President Eyring

I really thought I was off the hook this month because stake conference fell on my Sunday. Apparently I wasn’t so lucky. This lesson is from a talk by Henry Eyring “Gathering the Family of God” which is from the April conference this year. I’ve never done a lesson on a talk before, so I hope I do this right. Any uncredited quotes are from this talk and by President Eyring.

            He starts by talking about the plan of salvation. (Have someone read quote 1)

Quote 1 “To describe this gathering, it may be best to begin before we were born, before what the Bible calls “the beginning” (Genesis 1:1). At that time, we lived with Heavenly Father as His spirit children. This is true of every person who has ever lived on earth. You see, the names “brother” and “sister” are not just friendly greetings or terms of endearment for us. They are an expression of an eternal truth: God is the literal Father of all mankind; we are each part of His eternal family.”

            What stands out to you about this quote? (Wait for answers, come up with your own, or use mine.) For me it is that calling one another brother and sister is an expression of an eternal truth. Of course I knew that, but it is a nice reminder. It also reminds me that this not only applies to the members of church, but to everyone. We just don’t usually call everyone that, because that would be, well, weird. (Have someone read quote 2)

Quote 2 “This is part of the miracle of Heavenly Father’s plan. He wants His children to come to earth, following the eternal pattern of families that exists in heaven. Families are the basic organizational unit of the eternal realms, and so He intends for them also to be the basic unit on earth. Though earthly families are far from perfect, they give God’s children the best chance to be welcomed to the world with the only love on earth that comes close to what we felt in heaven—parental love.”

            (You may use my experience here, or share one of your own about when you have felt “the only love on earth that comes close to what we felt in heaven) I want to share an experience I had as a new mother. I woke up in the middle of the night after my emergency c-section, the only light in the room was shining down on my newborn daughter, illuminating her like a halo. I walked over and stood beside her, almost afraid to touch her. This is when I saw my daughter for the first time. Really saw her. I didn’t know her at all. Didn’t know all the things that she would become and do. But I felt an overwhelming amount of love for the speck of a human being before me. It enveloped me completely. I knew as I stood there that this is how my Heavenly Father feels about me. And then I realized that once, my mother had had this exact same feeling for me. And her parents about her. I could feel that love stretching back throughout my earthly generations and stretching forward to those who would come next. That my daughter would one day know exactly how I loved her. It was a stunning and surreal feeling. Granted, I was on a heavy amount of morphine, which might account for the surreal feeling. But there was no denying that overwhelming feeling of love, I have never forgotten it.

Because of the restored gospel, we know that it is possible for the generations that have gone before, and all those who never had a chance to receive the fullness of the gospel in this life to receive it. This is what Elder Eyring refers to as “Gathering the Family of God” (Have someone read quote 3)

Quote 3 ”Our Heavenly Father is anxious to gather and bless all of His family. While He knows that not all of them will choose to be gathered, His plan gives each of His children the opportunity to accept or reject His invitation. And families are at the heart of this plan.”

Elder Eyring talks of the coming of Elijah and the restoration of the priesthood keys. Can anyone briefly relate how and when this happened? Easter 1836 Kirtland temple. (Have someone read quote 4)

Quote 4 ‘I bear testimony that Elijah did come. The hearts of the children—of you and me—have turned to our fathers, our ancestors. The affection you feel for your ancestors is part of the fulfillment of that prophecy. It is deeply seated in your sense of who you are. But it has to do with more than just inherited DNA... It requires sacred covenants made in connection with priesthood ordinances.’

            And those priesthood ordinances require family history work.

You’ve all heard of a family tree. In a family tree, who are roots? (Our ancestors) Who are the branches? (Our offspring) And who is the trunk/stem? (You) What do the branches do for the tree? Well, they hold the leaves and leaves absorb light from the sun and give the tree energy. Just like kids, who soak up light and knowledge and seem to be unending sources of energy. Branches also bear fruit, to create the next tree. Just like our children, who hold the hope for our family’s future. Now let me tell you a little bit about what roots do for trees. First, they nourish the tree with water and nutrients from the soil. As we learn about our family history, we are nourished, just like the tree. We are inspired, enlightened and we grow simply from knowing who they were and how we came to be. Second, they anchor the tree in the ground, giving it strength against the violent storms that assault us. Often roots are two or three times longer than the branches. Imagine how well anchored we become spiritually if we are helping those roots to grow in the gospel. Ever see a tree growing right out the side of a cliff where it has no business growing at all. Those trees are my favorites, imagine the strength of their roots! What about the trunk? What does it do for the tree? Well, it lifts the branches and the leaves into the light. Just as we raise our children in light and knowledge. But, more importantly, it connects the branches and the roots, so the entire tree can grow. We must be that connection in our family as well.

            I want to try a little experiment. (have people read quotes 5-11 aloud. Once they are finished explain that you want them to read them again, but replace the word tree with either the word “family” or the phrase “family tree” whichever they think is more applicable.) Kind of neat how the meaning stays the same, right?

Quote 5 “Trees are the earth's endless effort to speak to the listening heaven.” -Rabindranath Tagore
Quote 6 “A wind has blown the rain away and blown the sky away and all the leaves away, and the trees stand.” -e. e. cummings
Quote 7 “God writes the Gospel not in the Bible alone, but also on trees, and in the flowers and clouds and stars.” -Martin Luther
Quote 8 “Storms make trees take deeper roots.” -Dolly Parton

Quote 9 “If you would know strength and patience, welcome the company of trees.” -Hal Borland

Quote 10 “To such an extent does nature delight and abound in variety that among her trees there is not one to be found which is exactly like another; and not only among the plants, but among the boughs, the leaves and the fruits, you will not find one which is exactly similar to another.” -Leonardo da Vinci
Quote 11 “He plants trees to benefit another generation.” -Caecilius Statius

            Our ability to do family history work has never been greater than it is now. I have seen it change in my lifetime. What are some changes you have noticed? (Have someone read quote 12)

Quote 12 “We do not know what marvels God will inspire people to create to help in His work of gathering His family. But whatever marvelous inventions may come, their use will require the Spirit working in people like you and me. This should not surprise us. After all, these are beloved sons and daughters of God. He will send whatever inspiration is needed to give them the opportunity to return to Him.”

            I recently spoke at the funeral of my lovely grandmother. She and my grandfather have passionately been doing our family history work. I spent a long time reading over both their autobiographies. They are priceless to me. I am so grateful for the many hours they spent on them. And I know that it is my responsibility to keep it going. Not only the family history, but teaching the rising generation the things that we know and learn about our ancestors. I ended my talk at her service with this:

 “This isn’t really the end of her story. It is carried on. It is carried on by her descendants, you and me and anyone who was inspired by her fierce determination, her humility, her devoted faith, and her zeal for life. So go. Go climb a tree. Try to waterski. Rollerskate in a skirt. Get really wild and do some family history. Climb on top of your school (well maybe not) Find your faith. Drive over Black Bear Pass. Cause some mischief. Spend time with your loved one. Carry on her legacy. So her story has no end.” –me

I share this with you because while I was writing it, I realized that although we believe that family history and temple work lead to literal eternal life, I think it leads to a figurative eternal life here on earth as well. If those who come after us carry on our legacy, love us and remember us long after we are gone, then a part of us is eternally here as well.

            As Barbara Kingsolver puts it “Every life is different because you passed this way and touched history.”

            I know how important the work of gathering the family of God is, and I know our lives will be blessed immeasurably when we do it.

Quote 1 “To describe this gathering, it may be best to begin before we were born, before what the Bible calls “the beginning” (Genesis 1:1). At that time, we lived with Heavenly Father as His spirit children. This is true of every person who has ever lived on earth. You see, the names “brother” and “sister” are not just friendly greetings or terms of endearment for us. They are an expression of an eternal truth: God is the literal Father of all mankind; we are each part of His eternal family.”

Quote 2 “This is part of the miracle of Heavenly Father’s plan. He wants His children to come to earth, following the eternal pattern of families that exists in heaven. Families are the basic organizational unit of the eternal realms, and so He intends for them also to be the basic unit on earth. Though earthly families are far from perfect, they give God’s children the best chance to be welcomed to the world with the only love on earth that comes close to what we felt in heaven—parental love.”

Quote 3 ”Our Heavenly Father is anxious to gather and bless all of His family. While He knows that not all of them will choose to be gathered, His plan gives each of His children the opportunity to accept or reject His invitation. And families are at the heart of this plan.”

Quote 4 ‘I bear testimony that Elijah did come. The hearts of the children—of you and me—have turned to our fathers, our ancestors. The affection you feel for your ancestors is part of the fulfillment of that prophecy. It is deeply seated in your sense of who you are. But it has to do with more than just inherited DNA... It requires sacred covenants made in connection with priesthood ordinances.’

Quote 5 “Trees are the earth's endless effort to speak to the listening heaven.” -Rabindranath Tagore
Quote 6 “A wind has blown the rain away and blown the sky away and all the leaves away, and the trees stand.” -e. e. cummings
Quote 7 “God writes the Gospel not in the Bible alone, but also on trees, and in the flowers and clouds and stars.” -Martin Luther
Quote 8 “Storms make trees take deeper roots.” -Dolly Parton

Quote 9 “If you would know strength and patience, welcome the company of trees.” -Hal Borland

Quote 10 “To such an extent does nature delight and abound in variety that among her trees there is not one to be found which is exactly like another; and not only among the plants, but among the boughs, the leaves and the fruits, you will not find one which is exactly similar to another.” -Leonardo da Vinci
Quote 11 “He plants trees to benefit another generation.” -Caecilius Statius

Quote 12 “We do not know what marvels God will inspire people to create to help in His work of gathering His family. But whatever marvelous inventions may come, their use will require the Spirit working in people like you and me. This should not surprise us. After all, these are beloved sons and daughters of God. He will send whatever inspiration is needed to give them the opportunity to return to Him.”