Descendancy Research

We attended a class last week involving a current buzz word here in the valley, namely, “Descendancy Research”, which refers to going back several generations on your pedigree chart, then putting that selected ancestor in the primary position by clicking on “View Tree”, and then coming forward two or three generations to your cousins who were born prior to 1903 (i.e., to avoid violating the 110-year rule). Keep in mind that the general problem that we are trying to prevent could be abbreviated as orphanhood, which I will explain in a moment.

The scriptures warn of the earth being “utterly wasted” and threatens a curse of some kind. Because all relationships will dissolve in the grave if they are not sealed (D&C 132:38), every person will become an orphan unless the appropriate sealing ordinances are performed for him/her in the temple. The pertinent Melchizedek priesthood ordinances are a major part of what distinguishes this latter-day dispensation from the previous dispensation.

We are responsible for contributing to the Church's Family Tree database and furthering the enterprise that will overcome this threat.

The Church policy statement uses the terms “family” and “families” and does not use terms like “in-laws” or “blood lines” or “DNA.” In performing our family history research, we seem to be expected to decide who are our family members, and that conversation usually involves those terms that are not used in the policy statement. Although some of us may want to draw a line somewhere, one could ask why a line needs to be drawn anywhere. Should we not just be trying to prevent that non-family term, orphanhood?

As a final note, you should also notice that the church policy statement is not about adding people to the database. The policy statement that everyone subscribes to is only encountered when you are adding some ancestor to your reserved list.