13 Nov 2012 Spanish
Fork, Utah
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Brother and Sister Anderson asked me to share some of my
most sacred genealogical experiences with you. It is difficult for me, because such
events are tender and deeply true, and I can’t bear the thought of anyone
making light of such things. Still, I told them I would do it, so I ask for the
Spirit of the Lord to be with me as I write them and with you as you read them.
Some forty years ago, before Internet and digitized records,
I searched for the parents of Joshua Perkins [1728-1814]. I knew from the
research of Junius Free Wells [1854-1930], that a man by that name was my 4th
great grandfather. But which one? There
were several Joshua Perkins living near the same place near the same time.
As a result of correspondence with another Perkins
researcher, I was sent a summary of the will of Elisha Perkins[1697-1741] –
right time, right place, right names.
But Joshua was not mentioned in the summary. Eventually, I obtained a
copy of the complete will. Not seeing a connection, I threw it in a folder for
unknown Perkins. About ten years later, when I was really concentrating on the
Perkins, I went through that unknown file, reading every word. And there it
was: On the second page of Elisha Perkins’ will, where the summarizer had
completely missed it, was an entry regarding Elisha’s son Joshua Perkins who
received one shilling. Other sons received plantations and property. Obviously,
Elisha and fourteen-year-old Joshua were not in sync with each other at the
time the will was drawn. Yet there he
was. So I cautiously added Elisha Perkins and his wife Margery Sherrill [1701-1746]
to my pedigree. Since that time I’ve been able to add 5 generations beyond Joshua
Perkins.
In the course of my research, I discovered Joshua Perkins
was a Catawba County, North Carolina “Daniel Boone,” an explorer, a colonizer,
and perhaps a Revolutionary War soldier. I also discovered he was once accused of
stealing a mare! A real horse thief in my family.
But when our family knelt around the altar in the Holy
Temple in Idaho Falls, to seal him to his children in 1982, he was there with
us, full of gratitude to us for eternally uniting his family to him and to
us. The Spirit of the Lord and the
spirit of Joshua Perkins were overwhelming, such love and peace filled us, as
if he was gathering us in his arms.
Another time I was doing initiatories for family members.
While doing the ordinance for one relative, I could feel her there with me, as
real as if a living relative were in the room with me. She went from station to station with me. I
knew her because of the love she shared with me. When the ordinance was
completed, the worker asked me if I had been able to see her because she had
felt her presence as well. I had not seen her, but I had felt her so strongly I
believe I will know her when I see her again.
Our son David does
temple work in Las Vegas for relatives.
He described one of his experiences in 2009:
"I was given my tunic to change into it; went into the stall, wasn't even really focused on relatives themselves. But it felt as I was changing that someone was crying near my shoulder and saying thank you. I felt it was probably William Roy Free [1882-1959]. He was saying very emphatically thank you. I said you're welcome. It was not a big deal. I was happy to do it and would do the endowment in the next few days. It came out of nowhere. It was really powerful and unexpected. I didn't go thinking I would have this kind of experience. It got me to the temple. When you said would I like to do temple work it clicked. I didn't realize someone else would benefit and be so grateful about it. I had a really strong feeling that he wanted to be remembered, that he wanted someone to tell his story. He is glad to be remembered, not prideful or egotistical. Maybe you could tell your children about me he said. I think our relatives would wish to be remembered and have something written about them.”
"I was given my tunic to change into it; went into the stall, wasn't even really focused on relatives themselves. But it felt as I was changing that someone was crying near my shoulder and saying thank you. I felt it was probably William Roy Free [1882-1959]. He was saying very emphatically thank you. I said you're welcome. It was not a big deal. I was happy to do it and would do the endowment in the next few days. It came out of nowhere. It was really powerful and unexpected. I didn't go thinking I would have this kind of experience. It got me to the temple. When you said would I like to do temple work it clicked. I didn't realize someone else would benefit and be so grateful about it. I had a really strong feeling that he wanted to be remembered, that he wanted someone to tell his story. He is glad to be remembered, not prideful or egotistical. Maybe you could tell your children about me he said. I think our relatives would wish to be remembered and have something written about them.”
When we find people in historical records and
do their work, especially if they are related to us, any of us may have such
wonderful experiences. They are
glorious, testimony-building experiences, and they are experiences of gratitude
from the people we serve. Find your true
ancestors and do the temple work for them. If you need help, please use my book
which was written with all the inspiration and energy I could muster. Find it
at www.freefamilyhistorybook.com. [The Andersons asked me to include
the information about the book.]
God bless you and your ancestors. I know
genealogy, family history and temple work are true and essential elements of
the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. In His mercy, He has provided for all to
be saved. And we can have a little part in it by finding our actual ancestors
and performing their temple work for them.
LaRae Free Kerr, M ED
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