— President Gary Clinger, Highland 2nd Ward
In recent months I have felt deeply that the connection between the spirit world and our physical world is far closer than we realize. Last month at the birth of my first grandchild, a baby boy, I felt that closeness in a profound way. The veil felt very thin, as though heaven itself was surrounding us and rejoicing with us. I had a similar experience as my youngest daughter received her temple endowment. In that sacred space, surrounded by eternal covenants, it was unmistakable that we were not alone. These moments remind me that our ancestors are not distant observers; they are active participants in the work of salvation on the other side of the veil.
In the scriptures we learn that this sacred connection across generations is integral to God’s plan. Through the prophet Malachi, the Lord declared that He would “turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers” (Malachi 4:6). The Prophet Joseph Smith taught that “we without them cannot be made perfect; neither can they without us be made perfect” (D&C 128:18). Temple and family history work is not a secondary or symbolic endeavor; it is essential to our relationship to our Savior, Jesus Christ. President Russell M. Nelson taught, “I promise that as you increase your time in temple and family history work, you will increase and improve your ability to hear Him.”
Our ancestors are deeply invested in this work because it unlocks blessings they cannot obtain without us. The covenants we make in the house of the Lord bind families together for eternity, but eternity does not begin later—it includes now. As we make and keep sacred covenants, we can be bound together in love, purpose, and power today. President Gordon B. Hinkley taught that temple work “welds families together in a bond that death cannot break.” When we engage in this work, we step into a holy partnership with heaven. We discover that the veil is thin and that the blessings are immediate for us, our families, and generations on both sides of the veil.
We are blessed to have access to miraculous technology that assists us in this work. We also have dedicated temple and family history consultants in our wards who are eager to help us in this work. As we begin 2026, may the Lord bless us to find, prepare, and take family names to the temple.
President Clinger