KNITTING HEARTS TOGETHER WITH FUN, FAMILY
HISTORY PROJECTS
Family history work has the power to do
something for the dead. It
has an equal power to do something to
the living. Family history work of Church members has a refining,
spiritualizing, tempering influence on those who are engaged in it. They
understand that they are tying their family together, their living family here
with those who have gone before. Pres. Boyd K. Packer, Ensign Aug 2003
Dress like grandparents—make a movie
of a family story, poetry or music • Family tradition book along with comments
from the family on each tradition • Frame a family picture collage • End-of-the-year
“state of the family,” and awards banquet celebrating the events of the past
year • Dinner at grandparent’s (ask questions and record answers—give candy for
each question asked and answered) and make a trivia game • Photo wall
(ancestors, kids growing up, marriages), remember…your house can “talk” • Time
capsule • Yearbooks • Websites blogs • Write/email grandparents (I used to get
$2.00 per letter from my Gram) • Newsletters and updates – youth as editors • Collect and scan family
correspondence and pix • Seven generations of brides in one picture frame (Pres.
Hinckley) • Use FHE to catch up scrap books, write family histories, blog
etc.(hire a child to help?) • Discover
(or create) your family crest, flag, and/or coat of arms and display • View historical
movies set in time period of ancestors and see how your history fits in • “Guess who” or matching contest with family
history photos – then tell stories • Memory book for parents and grandparents
with pix and memories written by children and grandchildren • DVDs from family
video cassettes with narration (copy for each home) • Label family history pix
and as you scrapbook them, tape record or video the descriptions and stories • Field trips to family history places and
video your adventures • Book of family quotes and sayings • Gigantic family “time
line” at your reunion – paste photo-copies of pictures on it, and write next to
them • Focus on an ancestor each month • Pass on a skill • Create a family song book • Every family
share a story at the family reunion (put them on-line also) • Make a book or
on-line file with stories of the first person in each family line to join the
church • “Pioneer Park” with activity stations of reenactments of family
history events and stories • Missionary map and book of experiences • “Clothes-line” time line • Swing
dance with instructions from the “old folks” •Create a family history wedding
photo display (for a wedding reception, reunion, etc.) • Video tour of your
parents, grand-parent’s and/or your own home •
Plant a tree in memory of an ancestor • Create a “quiet” book for church
with activity pages of ancestor stories and things they did • Family history crossword
puzzles • Celebrate ancestor’s birthdays, anniversaries, and holidays • Family
history stories for children’s school assignments • Quilt for grandparents—block for each
member of family with picture and name • Gram’s “funeral” while still alive –
celebrate her life • Write in each other’s journals • Visit museums and
cemeteries • Book lists of family favorites – read them • A jar of memories—talk about each • G and G’s
Christmas gifts (one for each grand-child) of family stories (simplified and
illustrated by a grand-child)• Grandparent heirloom sharing night • Show and
Tell activity – each person shares one item • Make a family tree • Letters to
each child • Tapes/CDs/DVDs of testimonies • Grave rubbings • Book of spiritual
experiences (gift to parents for Christmas) • Ancestor story quilts/wall
hangings • “Men of God” poster • Pedigree charts and pictures framed and on
walls • Book of homes the family has lived in • Family cook book • Refinish furniture and
heirlooms • Family pen pals •Yearly family and individual fact and goal
sheets • Family history questions in a
jar
The youth have been prepared
“for such a time as this…” They are intelligent and bright. They are proficient
on computers and the Internet. They are a great untapped resource for good in
the world! They have been reserved for these latter days, and they have a great
work to do…This is our day and temple work is what we have been prepared to do.
It is a work for every generation, including and especially the youth of the
Church…We must keep our focus, and remember that the temple is the reason for
everything we do in the church… I know that as we do this, the joyful day will
come when we shall meet our ancestors once again and be able to say to them,
“We did this for you.” Elaine
S. Dalton, Ensign, Nov
2004
