Finding Patience

 

History helper


June 20, 2022 

 

Dear Family and Friends, 

I’ve had several opportunities to help people with family history this week. This has mostly been because of a musical production called “Finding Patience.” (Here’s a trailer.) The play tells the history of a local town and shows that everybody wants to be remembered.  On Saturday I and other family history consultants were on site (in a room off the lobby) to help people who were interested in finding their ancestors. In fact, Family Search International sent experts in African-American research to speak after two of the productions.  It was a big deal! 

Lots of people were interested.  Many of the cast members wanted help with their family history and I was soooo happy to meet them and help them.  Some even came for help in between their scenes!  I get to help again this coming Saturday! 

Finding history

                                                        https://www.findingpatiencemusical.com/ 


Find your patience


The last prophet of the Old Testament foresaw this interest in our families when he said, “And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers….” (Malachi 4:6)  I had this interest planted in me by my grandmother who lived with us when I was a child.  Orphaned when she was 10, Grandma rehearsed her history to us over and over again--like Coleridge’s ancient mariner--compelled to rehearse her story to everyone she met.  

Grandma Belle's family


Grandma was raised by an elderly widow woman whom she called “Aunt Belle.” Having a soft spot in my heart for women who raise other people’s children, I researched Aunt Belle and discovered that she had one daughter of her own--a little girl named Ola.  Ola was born a few months after her father’s death and then died at the age of two.  Belle had no other children.  I don’t know if my grandmother knew about this tragedy in Aunt Belle’s life or if Aunt Belle kept it to herself. But now we know and Ola is not forgotten.  Ola was joined to her parents in a holy temple just a few months ago. 

I know families can be together forever through the work we do in temples.  When our Savior was on the earth, he gave this authority to Peter saying, “I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven….” (Matthew 16:19)   My grandmother is no longer an orphan, and Ola is with her family.  Old Testament prophet Ezekiel saw in vision water flowing from a temple--water that healed everything it touched.  (See Ezekiel 47:1, 8, 9) I know that the work we do in temples touches and heals families.  I feel blessed to be able to help so many people find their families. 

 I love you all, 

❤️Sister Manwaring 

Family History Helpers



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