Brothers and sisters, welcome to Temple and Family History Leadership Instruction. We're pleased to welcome Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles who presides at this meeting. Additionally, seated on the stand tonight are members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Elder D. Todd Christofferson, Elder Neal L. Anderson, Elder Gary E. Stevenson, Elder Ulissi Suarez. I'm Elder Dale Renland, and I've been asked to conduct this session. Also joining us in this session are Elder Terrence M. Vincent of the Presidency of the Seventy, Elder Bradley Defoster of the Seventy, Executive Director of the Family History Department, Brother Steve Rockwood, Managing Director of the Family History Department, Brother Tom Coburn, Managing Director of the Temple Department, Bishop Dean M. Davies, First Counselor and the Presiding Bishop Rick, and Sister Joy D. Jones, Primary General President. We recognize other General Authorities, Area Seventies, and General Auxiliary Presidencies and their boards and spouses. Thank you all for being here this evening. We're delighted to have in the audience Elder's Quorum Presidencies, Relief Society Presidencies, and Temple and Family History leaders and consultants from as far away as New Zealand, England, Canada, as well as from all over the United States. We welcome as well the internet viewers who are joining with us in these proceedings. We'll begin the meeting by having the invocation offered by Sister Joy D. Jones. Then we'll be favored by a special musical number, The Family Medley, arranged by Tiffany Hobson with a duet by Zachary D. and Sarah Jane Watts with Natalie Ball at the piano. Our Father in Heaven, we thank thee for the privilege that this is to gather and participate in this wonderful evening of Temple and Family History leadership instruction. We are thankful to thee for the work of salvation, for the great progression across the earth as we see participation in the gathering of families, both on this side and across the veil. We're grateful for this marvelous work and for the devotion of so many who strive to assist individuals and families in being strengthened and connected. And we're grateful for the great gathering that is taking place this week in Roots Tech and for all those who seek to strengthen their family ties. We pray a blessing upon that event. We're grateful that we have members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles with us this night. And we pray that thou will bless them and that thou will help us, that our hearts will be open to listen and to understand, that the Spirit will guide us to act upon the things that we hear and feel this night. We thank thee for the guiding hand of our living prophet. And we pray a special blessing to be upon him that he might be guided, blessed, and strengthened. We express our love and our gratitude to thee for the gift of thy Son, our Savior. We pray for thy spirit now to assist us in this wonderful gathering together in the name of Jesus Christ, amen. To share my life with them through all eternity. These can be two years' plan. I always want to be with my own family. The Lord has shown me how I can. Our Father has a family. It's me. It's you, all others, to me are His children.  This is how He shares His love. His Spirit warms my soul. My Savior's love to be with me. Thank you for the wonderful music and thank you, Sister Jones, for the invocation. I'll now announce the rest of the program. It's a memory test for you. I've been asked to be the first speaker. After my remarks, we'll hear from Elder Gary E. Stevenson. We'll then have a moderated discussion led by Elder David A. Bednar. Participating in the panel will be Bishop G. Paul Weiner, Josie Tate, Elder's Quorum President, Christopher Ellen Mendoza, First Counselor in the Elder's Quorum Presidency, J. Lynn H. Simmons, Relief Society President, Jessica Stoffer, First Counselor in the Relief Society Presidency, Stephen L. McConnell, a Templin Family History Leader, and Sierra S. Tate, and Ethan S. Simpson, Templin Family History Consultants. Following that discussion, Elder Bednar will be our concluding speaker. I'm anxious to hear from Elder Stevenson and Elder Bednar. They're my dear friends and colleagues in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. And we serve together on the Templin Family History Executive Council that has been chaired by Elder Bednar so wonderfully for this past year. Following Elder Bednar's remarks, we'll sing as a congregation the day Don is breaking, hymn number 52. The chorister will be Chris A. Whitehead, with a component by Philip B. Dunn, both from the Family History Department. The benediction will then be offered by Elder Bradley D. Foster. What response would you get if you asked award Templin Family History Consultant? Who trains you? Who is your leader? Who gives you assignments? To whom do you report? And who helps you? If you get, I'm not completely sure as a response, or a blank stare, why might the award Templin Family History Consultant be confused? Is it because things have changed in the past year and they're still trying to understand and implement the new direction? Or is it because the Bishop and the Elder Scorum President have not communicated which of these leadership patterns, number one in blue, number two in red, number three in green, or number four in purple, that they're using? Let's look at number one, the blue pattern. A consultant reports to the award Templin Family History Leader, who works closely with the Elder Scorum Presidency, who supervises the work under the direction of the Bishop. To deviate from this standard leadership pattern requires a good reason, concurrence of the stake president, and confirmation by the Holy Ghost. In very small wards and branches, some of these callings can be consolidated, as shown in the next three slides. If award Templin Family History Leader has not been called, a counselor in the Elder Scorum Presidency acts in that role. This is because the Elder Scorum President generally delegates this responsibility to one of his counselors. If the Elder Scorum President has not delegated this assignment, the leadership pattern looks like this. If the Bishop hasn't delegated to the Elder Scorum President, the pattern looks like this. Bishops and Elder Scorum Presidents, please pick number one, two, three, or four, and don't keep it a secret. The effective use of award Templin Family History Consultants is crucial to fulfilling a divinely appointed responsibility. Squandering the faithful willingness of award Templin Family History Consultant is disheartening. The leadership pattern in the ward should not be ambiguous for the consultants. We strongly recommend pattern number one for most wards. To help all ward leaders accomplish the work of salvation, the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve have authorized a Templin Family History Coordination Meeting and award Templin Family History Plan. Let's first look at the plan and then the coordination meeting. A simple ward Templin Family History Plan is developed and discussed by the Ward Council and approved by the Bishop. The plan includes ways to lift the ward's overall vision and attitude toward Templin Family History work. Award Templin Family History Plan could address how to involve 10 and 11-year-old children in Family History work, encouraging them to qualify for and use a limited-use temple recommend at the appropriate age, how to involve every new convert, 11 years and older, in the Family History work, and then facilitating, obtaining, and using a limited-use recommend. The plan could include how to help ward members who don't have their own four generations entered in Family Search and how to help with temple preparation of individuals as assigned, and how to encourage, coordinate, and facilitate temple attendance. And this is very important without establishing quotas or reporting systems for temple attendance. To effectively engage Templin Family History Consultants, a Ward Templin Family History Coordination Meeting may be held. Having a group of dedicated people come together generates enthusiasm for the work and keeps the minds of ward leaders as they help, it keeps Templin Family History work on the mind of ward leaders as they serve ward members. The purpose of the meeting is to coordinate Templin Family History work in the ward, including implementing the Ward Templin Family History Plan. The meeting is held regularly. The Ward Templin Family History Leader attends and conducts the meeting with Ward Templin Family History Consultants. As often as circumstances warrant and allow, a member of the Relief Society Presidency and a member of the Elder's Quorum Presidency attend. On occasion, even full-time missionaries could be invited. With a simple and clear Ward Templin Family History Plan, the Coordination Meeting need not be long. Remember, it takes an awfully good meeting to be better than no meeting. The meeting should remain people-oriented, and at times need not be held in person. The goal isn't to hold a meeting. The goal is to coordinate Templin Family History work in the ward. Text messages, emails, and phone calls can oftentimes accomplish the needed coordination. Other times, the meeting may be more infective when held in person. These are the invitations. Please clarify leadership patterns for Ward Templin Family History Consultants and implement Ward Templin Family History Coordination Meetings and Ward Templin Family History Plans. As you do so, the Lord will hasten His work on both sides of the veil, and you will be blessed in the process. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen. Thank you, Elder Rendland. What a blessing it is for me to participate with you this evening in this leadership session under the direction of Elder David Bednar. Lisa and I were recently in Rome for the VIP open house of the newly completed Rome-Italy Temple. The eternal city is now fittingly graced with a temple where eternal ordinances will be performed. Located just about seven miles from city center Rome, the temple complex is situated on 15 beautiful acres. Once a productive olive tree orchard, with remnant trees preserved from that very orchard. Mine was the blessing to conduct tours with VIP attendees, prominent and influential leaders in local and national government, religion, education, and business. We particularly enjoyed the tour segment in the baptistry standing beside the Italian terracotta adorned baptismal font. Many were deeply interested in learning how we extend the invitation to receive the ordinances of baptism to loved ones on the other side of the veil as we perform proxy baptisms in the temple. The joy of introducing the ordinance of proxy baptism to our friends was only surpassed by the privilege of describing the sealing ordinance in the sealing room of the temple. I really don't recall one person who did not seem visibly touched as the doctrine of eternal family and eternal marriage was described, along with the great plan of happiness in the Atonement of Jesus Christ. I will forever remember the spirit bringing both me and an esteemed religious leader of another faith to tears as I describe this sacred ordinance there. Here I am in the beautiful visitor center following a temple tour with the head of UNICEF in Italy. We felt deeply connected after nearly two hours together. Now this temple built in Rome stirred the emotions of the citizens of Rome and Italy and did the same for me. Let me explain. Within hours of being on the temple grounds of the temple, I began contemplating the ordinances of salvation and exaltation performed in the house of the Lord. This turned my heart to my father's faithful ancestors, whom I owe so much. I have roots in Italy, I thought. Even a great-grandfather and great-grandmother, and yet I can't articulate the generational links back to them. This thought did exactly what Elder Foster would hope it would do. I knew that I had tools that I could turn to, and one of these was the Family Tree App on my phone. I'm going to turn my phone on and do the passcode before I put it on the screen for you. I remembered that my bloodline came through my mother and her father, my grandpa, Hall. Now I didn't know Grandpa Hall because he died six years before I was born, but his mother was my grandma Rose Warren. I was six years old when she passed away, and I barely remember her. Her mother was Marie Staley, and Marie Staley was a young girl when she immigrated from Italy to the United States with her family. Now here's her mother and father, Jean-Pierre Staley and Jean-Marie Staley. Now if we go to Jean-Pierre Staley, we can see that he was born in Torino, Piedmonté, Italy, northern Italy, and we can go to his death record here. And in his death record is a journal entry that was made by someone who was part of the Handcart Company, of which he was a member referencing his death. We read, passed over several creeks, camp at 4 p.m. on the side of the plat, opposite to Ash Grove. Brother Peter, they gave him a name Peter rather than Pierre. Brother Peter Staley died today. He was from Italy. Now I go from his death record in his pedigree to the memory section. And here in the memory section, I find a journal that was made by his daughter Margaret, my great aunt, describing how the gospel came to her people, the Wadizians, in Italy when she was only five years old. When Lorenzo Snow and other missionaries arrived around 1850, the Jean Pierre Staley family was baptized at that time. And so in her journal, which we found on our family search app, she described, in November 1855, President Franklin D. Richards came to the house hiding from the mob and asked for something to eat. My sister, Suzette, mixed enough goat's milk for them to drink, and mother set bread, butter, and cheese on the table. When they were ready to leave, Franklin D. Richards told mother, the family should go to Zion. Mother thanked him for his goodwill, but she had no hopes of it. Miraculously, two weeks later, Pierre Staley, his wife, and children sailed on a ship. After a stormy passage, they arrived in New York and joined the first hand car company from Iowa to Salt Light. You can see this picture, which Leon Parsons painted, of Margaret and Marie Staley on the Pioneer Trail. She then continues in her journey, in her journal. The last time mother helped father in the wagon, he told her he could not come to the valley but to be patient that the rest of them would reach the valley. When mother went back to the wagon, father was dead. When the grave was dug, father was wrapped in a sheet and placed between two layers of sagebrush. He died on the plat. Well, Marie Staley, now a widow with four children, arrived safely in Salt Lake Valley. Life was difficult, but she and her children were faithful. Her daughter also named Marie, my great-great-grandmother. She raised a faithful, gospel-centered family of 13 children. Now, can you see how this experience led my thoughts to family and ancestors? Their faith and sacrifice inspired me leading to my desire to share my newfound inspirational story with my family. Although I shared this information with all my sons, I was especially anxious to share this story with my third son and his family. He married an Italian girl from Pittsburgh, and I knew this story would add to his family's rich Italian legacy. I encouraged him to teach about the faith of their Italian ancestors in a home evening so it could become an inspiration for them. So now, as each of you consider what you might do in your calling, perhaps one of the most productive things would be to teach and demonstrate these valuable tools, which are literally at our fingertips. As I demonstrated with my phone, can be done with everyone. Just simple things like assuring that my family pamphlet is in every member's hands, or demonstrating and familiarizing the members of your ward with the Family Search app. This will assure that families and individuals in their homes will participate in activities that will lead them to the temple. The home, the family, and the temple are inseparably connected. One leads to another. In no other work are we more home-centered than in temple and family history work. I've previously said understanding the eternal nature of the temple will draw you to your family. Understanding the eternal nature of the family will draw you to the temple. President Nelson has said, the earth was created and this church was restored so that families could be formed, sealed, and exalted eternally. And so I offer my testimony of this to you and a testimony of the blessings that can come to us through family history, which I add to testimonies which we will now view of others of the same. And I offer that in the name of Jesus Christ, amen. While temple and family history work has the power to bless those beyond the veil, it has an equal power to bless the living. It has a refining influence on those who are engaged in it. This is how you and I become saviors on Mount Zion. There is a joy and satisfaction that is only understood through spiritual feelings. We are linked to them forever. As an apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ, I leave my blessing upon you with a promise that if you look beyond the bonds of time and mortality and help those who cannot help themselves, you will be blessed with more closeness and joy in your family and with the divine protections afforded those who are faithful in His service. As you respond in faith to this invitation, your heart shall turn to the fathers. The promises made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob will be implanted in your hearts. Your patriarchal blessing with its declaration of lineage will link you to these fathers and be more meaningful to you. Your love and gratitude for your ancestors will increase. Your testimony of and conversion to the Savior will become deep and abiding. You'll find not only protection from the temptation and ills of this world, but you'll also find personal power, power to change, power to repent, power to learn, power to be sanctified, and power to turn the hearts of your family together and heal that which needs healing. I testify that God the Father wants His children home again in families and in glory. And I promise you the inspired help that you seek and need in the name of Jesus Christ, amen. Well, brothers and sisters, I am delighted to be here with these faithful Latter-day Saints. These are real members of a real Word Council, presided over by Bishop Paul Weiner. Bishop, would you please introduce the members of your council for us, please? Yes. This is the Relief Society president, Sister Simmons, Elder's Quorum First Counselor, Brother Mendoza, the Temple and Family History Leader, Brother Steve McConnell. We have our Youth Consultant, Ethan Simpson, and then we also have another Youth Consultant, Ciara Tate. And the first counselor in the Relief Society president, Sister Stoffer and the Elder's Quorum president, President Tate. Thank you, Bishop, very much. Now, I need all of you to confirm. We do not have a script. We do not have teleprompters, right? Have we rehearsed what we're going to say? No, no pressure. I just want to give one guideline as we begin. I will never ask a question that has one right answer that I'm trying to get you to say. Typically, people, when we ask questions, are terrified, thinking that you have to figure out the answer that I have in my head. I have no answer in my head, Ciara. I'm just going to ask questions so that we can begin to talk. What did you hear? I'm not asking you what was said, but what did you hear in the teachings of Elder Renland and Elder Stevenson today? Please. That we need to have a plan, a family, Temple and Family History Plan for our award. Is that new to you? Yes. Did everybody get that? Other thoughts about the plan? Since that was introduced tonight, any initial thoughts? Please. Everyone needs to have an account. They need to get it started and at least have their four generations of history done back. Good. What about the award plan? Yes. I think it's very important that we keep open communication between our auxiliaries so that those meetings can go a little more flawless so that we can communicate more clearly to our bishop and anyone at the award family history person. Is it possible to have a simple award temple and family history plan that doesn't become so burdensome, so bureaucratic, so complicated that it gets in the way? What would be necessary to keep it that simple? I think part of that plan is, like it said, it doesn't need to be a formal meeting. It could be a text. It could be an email. It could be a phone call. It could be maybe after church, of course, a little short discussion in the hall. Something that's informal will definitely help facilitate that. Good. It is a simple plan. It could be focusing on new converts in the ward. But we don't do simple plans well. We do complicated plans that nobody pays attention to. So how do we get a simple plan that people can really understand and work with? Bishop, I've got to pick on you. What do you think? I think if we remember the true purpose of what we're doing here is to convert those here on Earth and beyond the bell, if we remember that the true purpose is to direct everyone to the temple, that if you do that, then you can focus on the individual and not on a plan. And I like that because sometimes it's been difficult in my own life to find four names this month. And instead, this new plan individualizes it to every family within each ward. Good. Let me give a quick example. You won't believe this number when you hear it the first time. Trust me, it's true. Every year in the church, 500,000 people, half a million people become eligible for first-time temple ordinances. Youth converts half a million. I think if we just had a simple plan, what do we do in the ward to help people prepare to worthily receive, remember, and honor temple ordinances? Please. I think as we quickly identify those that are ready or have not taken those steps to incorporate into that plan so that we can make sure, as a ward council, that we're identifying and finding ways to give them the tools to get to that part. Now, can I ask you a question? Of course. And I don't have an answer. I'm trying to get you to guess. We over-program this way too often in the church. We make it too formalistic, home-centered, church supported. How do we support what should be happening in the home without supplanting and taking over what should be happening in the home? Please. I think our youth are very like a great asset to us, because once we start with them and we start teaching them how to use the app, and they start learning how to do the programs, they teach the parents, and they usually pass information down. I know my daughter did consult them for a while, and I didn't have a family search account before she started it. And as soon as she got into that and she started learning all the different things on the app and the games that she could do, she got me interested. And we started it. And I started opening my account. And so I think the youth play a big part in this, because they can definitely motivate the parents and other siblings. What's your favorite game? I do like the one where you take a picture yourself to see which relative you look the most like. My wife hates that one. Sorry, Susan. Sienna, you were nodding your head as she was talking about that, and when she made reference to the youth. What are you thinking? I was just thinking that I could help my little brother learn how to do it, because I think he knows how a little bit, but I can help him more and help my parents to know how to do it and stuff. Outstanding. OK, so the objective of the plan is to have simple, basic, fundamental targets related to this work of salvation. What else did you hear in the teachings of Elder Rennlund and Elder Stevenson? Well, I heard that Bishop Weiner needs to pick a number. We're already knocked. I think we just made a point. Now, what's really great is that there are other members of Ward and Branch Councils all over the world watching this right now doing the same thing. So what's got to happen? See, he thinks he's already picked one, and he has. What is it going to take? So a little bit of communication that we're all on the same plan, that maybe in formal meeting, maybe at first it's more formal, but not long, but more formal. And that we're all on the same page, and then we continue that momentum. Good. Other thoughts? We were backstage, and I put my hand on Bishop Weiner's shoulder, and I said, pick number one. And he nodded, so. Good. So President, if I can call on you, lots of things have been adjusted. We talk about all these changes. I'm not sure there's that many radical changes. We've made some adjustments. What's it been like for you as an Elder's Quorum President? I have a great presidency, and it's brought us together. They support me. I think the Bishop has broad shoulders, but I think we're able to shoulder more. And it's really brought the Relief Society and the Elder's Quorum closer together. We're in constant texting and communication to help our neighbors. So if the Bishop picks number one, again, this is not a quiz. What do you see your role to be? Well, I see me working with Brother Mendoza, who's working hand-in-hand with Brother McConnell. And to streamline that communication, so I am acting under the inspiration of the Bishop, but having multiple hands in the work. Good. Very good. Other things that you heard in their teachings that stood out to you, please. I think of renewed excitement in trying to find your ancestors and get to know them. Something that I can learn and implement in myself is looking at all the pictures that were put in and all the entries, and whether my lineage has four generations or more, it's still to implement the stories that my ancestors have and be able to look that up quicker so I can teach my kids. OK. Can I make a suggestion? We have a tremendous capacity to be innovative and create new stuff. I'd recommend we don't do that. At first, if everybody will just use the tools that have already been developed, if they'll get the Family Tree app, because in the background, the folks in the Family History Department are developing remarkable tools that are not going to be replicated by folks working in award council. So this becomes a point of departure. Now, my question is for the two of you. How do you help older folks learn how to do this? What have you learned? What was the question? Now, you are demonstrating really good communication, because instead of faking it, you're asking, Brother Bednar, what are you talking about? That's very helpful. What have you learned about helping people use these digital tools, iPads, phones, stuff, to use the app to do family history? As you've been teaching and helping people, what have you learned? Well, I think that it's just a really easy app to use, and that if we just teach them how to use it, then they can pick it up really quick and use it. Have you been successful at doing that? Yeah, I've tried. Good. Yeah, please. I think if we teach them how to do family history, they can teach other people, and it could spread, and other people could tell them, and then they can get the family names into the temple and baptize them, so they could be with their family again. That's a brilliant answer, because the only way you ever learn how to really do it is by teaching someone else. But somebody has to get that started. So if you help me learn how to do this, then I can teach my family. And while I'm teaching them, I'm really learning how to do it. OK. Please, Bishop. I have a question. On the app, in the history with searching for our ancestors, it's been really difficult if you hit a roadblock. I know we were talking, Brother Mendoza, that you hit a roadblock with a finding family. You even traveled to the country of where your family was, and it found out the courthouse had burned down with all your records in it. What do we do as consultants to help when we hit those roadblocks with the members? And a two-part question is, what do we do with the member that says, I don't need to do any more temple work? Good. Great questions. I'm about to do something you can't do in your ward council. You ready? Brother Rockwood? But before he begins, we do have a special deal. And that is, because of your participation here tonight, you call me and I'll call him. Well, actually, I would suggest you can do this in your ward council, because the answer was in your question. You said, how do we get help? And on the app and on the website, there's this wonderful button called Help. And so literally, we want to make sure you can always go to a person or to a place for help. Now, the person will be your ward, temple and family history leader, and or the consultants. But we're going to love it when they have the answers. But we're going to love it even more when they say, I don't know. Because that then will initiate the spirit.  And I promise you, if you push help, you will tap into that network. And you will be guided to even the toughest questions like the Dominican Republic. How was that? Great. Good. Other thoughts that have come to your mind or things that have occurred since you've listened to Elder Rendlin and Elder Stevenson? Please. I just kept thinking this whole week how important it is to get the sisters all signed up to have their account. Mainly because I love the emails that I get from the account. I don't have to, I guess, put forth as much work, because they just come to me. And then I have ordinances I can sign up for, or there's hints. So I just felt like how important it was for each sister to be able to get their account started so that they can start to get those emails or those notifications, which makes it so simple for them to just dive in and start figuring things out or going and doing ordinances. Great. Now, as we talk about the plan and then coordinating, Elder Rendlin already has mentioned that we don't have meetings to have meetings. There's a reason it's called a coordinating meeting. We coordinate in a number of ways, if necessary, in a face-to-face meeting. But the objective is to coordinate not to have a meeting. And sometimes, we mistakenly think we're doing our work just because we attend meetings. And that's not the case. In the formulation of the plan, we've talked about new people having opportunities to receive temple ordinances. And there are lots of them in every unit. One of the things I have found fascinating recently is that among the different age groups within the church, the age group increasing most rapidly and submitting names for temple ordinances are children. Sister Jones, this is an invitation, not a command. Anything you would care to offer about children and what we're talking about with temple and family history were plans and coordination? I would love to, Elder Bednar, thank you. Honestly, I've been doing a little research. I've been talking to temple presidencies in our area and asking what they've noticed in their baptistries lately. It's been quite remarkable to hear that children are coming to the temple. They embrace this age group progression so beautifully, moved into young men and young women, and recognize the opportunity to qualify for limited use recommends. They're coming to the temple, but not only are they coming to the temple, they are coming with family names to perform ordinances for. And this is even better. They're bringing their families with them. That's what I've been told over and over. They are bringing their families with them. They are leading us. The children have the ability to lead out. They love the temple. And I've talked to many 11-year-olds who have already committed to be in the temple every week. So that's pretty exciting. Thank you very much. I'm not trying to suggest what should be in a plan. I'm just trying to give some suggestions and some options. One other one. In many places where we have close proximity to a temple, we have missionaries who will receive a call. And because of challenges with visas, the time that it takes for the visa to be received, they may have two, three months before they will go to the MTC. Now, this is not a rule. We don't have to regiment everything. But those young people can serve as ordinance workers in the temple. That's happening all over the world. And they're qualitatively different missionaries when they have served in the temple as an ordinance worker for a few weeks or months before they get to the mission field. In relation to that, for priesthood leaders everywhere, every single return missionary, as soon as he or she gets home, ought to be considered to be an ordinance worker as soon as they get home. Sometimes they return, they languish, they're not called to anything in the ward. They can serve in the temple in a very powerful way, both in the service that they offer and in the blessings that they receive. What else have you been thinking about in terms of a plan and coordinating in the app? Anything? Please. I was just going to say that I'm really excited about this FamilySearch app. I'm excited to project some excitement to my Relief Society sisters. Once you open that app, it's really, really exciting to hit all of the different information that you can reach at your fingertips. It's amazing. I was actually walked into FamilySearch yesterday for the very first time. And I spoke with two sweetest senior missionaries. And I believe it was Sister Parker that said, this is so cool, I just found a really great way to get my teenage grandsons really excited about family history. I just asked them to take a selfie and then attach their testimony to the picture and upload it to FamilySearch. Isn't that brilliant? Fantastic. Wouldn't you love to have read your great-great-grandfather's testimony on the back of his selfie? Thank you. You two need to make sure you do that. OK. All right. It's a deal. Well, Bishop, we could go for a very long time. We're not going to. But I want to give you the final word in this setting since I have the opportunity to go to the pulpit in a minute. Anything you want to say to these folks and to all who are listening about the things that we've tried to learn tonight? You know, I just think it's really important that we kneel down before our Father in heaven and pray to Him for the guidance of the Spirit in this work. This is a very important work, as you can tell, from the general authorities that are here supporting this. Our Heavenly Father knows that this is important and He will answer our prayers if we just kneel to Him and ask for His guidance. And it's exciting. It's a great work, and there's nothing but good that will come from our coordinating councils and our teaching of all the families and our wards. Good. Fantastic. Thank you. We very much appreciate all of you taking your time. Thank you for your inspired observations tonight. You have represented members of ward councils all over the world, and you've done it fabulously well. And I don't know when, but I'm coming to one of your coordination meetings. I'm not coming as an auditor. I just want to see what's developed over time and what you're doing. And I want to see if you've got yourself and your selfie with your testimony on the back. Okay? Do you want me to get your cell phone so we can have a call, Steve? We'll get it. Thank you. You're very welcome. Thank you. Brothers and sisters, the spirit, the spontaneity of what we have just seen and hopefully the simplicity needs to occur again and again and again all over the earth. Elder Foster serves as the executive director of the Family History Department, and I told him before this gathering that I would invite him to express the wish of his heart. Elder Foster, please. Thank you, Elder Bednar. We pray about this all the time. This would be the wish of our heart that we would listen and do as Elder Rendlin's talked about, to call these new, this new calling of a Temple and Family History leader, and then bishops have them recorded in your clerk and leader resources. We need to know who they are, and then we can talk to them and have everybody have the opportunity to learn about the Family Tree app and have it downloaded. This blesses people, as Elder Stevenson demonstrated, to first discover who they are, which will lead you to discover who your family is, which ultimately will lead you to discover how you're connected to your Heavenly Father in that story. Please do that, and everyone will be blessed with that. Thank you. Thank you, Elder Foster. Elder Rendlin, anything you'd like to add as we prepare to conclude? Just to say that the Family Tree app is like a gateway drug. It's almost, it should have, it should have a warning. This is a doctor telling you this. Because it's addictive. And I think that what a remarkable thing, the other thing that's not on the app, there's no button that says feel guilty. It's amazing.  And I think it's just a remarkable thing, and it is the Lord has opened the way to make this possible. Elder Stevenson, please. Any final thoughts you want to convey? Thank you, Elder Bednar. You know, we talk about technology so often as we're talking about technology, we're talking about the hazards and the worries and the concerns and the screen time. And here we are together talking about technology in such a positive way, and all of the positive elements and aspects. It seems that this is a place where technology is filling the measure of its creation. And so we should be embracing it and letting our children and families embrace it as well. Thank you. We conclude with this statement from the prophet Joseph Smith. The building up of Zion is a cause that has interested the people of God in every age. It is a theme upon which prophets, priests, and kings have dwelt with peculiar delight. They have looked forward with joyful anticipation to the day in which we live. And fired with heavenly and joyful anticipations, they have sung and written and prophesied of this our day. But they died without the sight. We are the favored people that God has made choice of to bring about the latter-day glory. It is left for us to see, participate in, and help to roll forward the latter-day glory. A work that God and angels have contemplated with delight for generations past, that fired the souls of the ancient patriarchs and prophets. A work that is destined to bring about the destruction of the powers of darkness, the renovation of the earth, the glory of God, and the salvation of the human family. Unightedly, the three of us who serve in the Temple and Family History Department, all of the members of the Quorum of the Twelve who are seated on the stand, I give voice to our united witness of the truthfulness, the divinity, and the reality of this work. We invoke upon you the blessing that you may see, that you may participate in, and that you may be blessed both now and throughout eternity by the lessons that you learn and through the service that you give in the sacred name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. Amen. Our dear Heavenly Father, as we as Thy children who have participated this night bow our heads before Thee and give Thee thanks, Father, for Your beautiful plan, for all of Your children. We're grateful for Your Son, the Savior, who's come to redeem us. Father, we're grateful this night that we have Thy Church and living apostles and prophets to teach us. Bless us that we'll remember what we heard and what we felt, that we'll be honorable in our stewardship that each of us have, that we'll be grateful that we can participate, that these are our days in helping to build the kingdom on both sides of the veil in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.


U.S. deploys additional resources to Middle East due to Iran threat. The Pentagon deploys additional resources to the Middle East as Israel and the United States prepare for a possible Iranian attack on Israeli targets in the country and the region as a whole according to CNN. According to an anonymous American official, the aim of the move is to bolster regional deterrence efforts and increase force protection for U.S. forces. The Pentagon is working on enhancing the air defense of American troops stationed in Iraq and Syria, which have been subjected to over 100 attacks by Iran-backed proxy forces from October to February. The U.S. does not anticipate Iran to attack American forces in retaliation but is relocating forces just in case. U.S. President Joe Biden expects Iran to attack Israel sooner than later. I don't want to get into secure information, but my expectation is sooner than later. Biden told reporters when asked how inevitable an Iranian attack on Israel is. He also addressed Iran and said don't. He also noted that the United States is devoted to the defense of Israel. We are devoted to the defense of Israel. We will support Israel and we will help defend Israel and Iran will not succeed, Biden said. In early April, the Israeli military attacked the Iranian consulate in Damascus. The building was completely destroyed and a high-ranking Iranian general was killed in the attack. Amid this, Iran has repeatedly threatened to retaliate for such a strike. The White House has stated that the threat of an attack on Israel is real. It was reported that on April the 12th, sirens, warning of a missile strike, sounded in northern Israel. Over 50 rockets were launched across the country from Lebanon. The responsibility for the rocket shelling of the Galilee Peninsula was claimed by the Hezbollah Group. In its statement, the Lebanese group claims to have launched dozens of Katyusha rockets. A man has died and seven other people, including two children, are hurt after a pile on supporting cable cars collapsed in Turkey for an unknown reason. One of the supports of the Tuniktip cable car fell and one of the moving cabins fell off. The cabin, in which there were eight people, hit an overturned pole and collapsed. People fell onto a rocky area, multiple medical teams and firefighters were sent to the scene. A helicopter was sent to evacuate people from other cabins. One person was killed and eight were injured. Anadolu Agency identified the deceased as a 54-year-old Turkish man. The governor's office named Memiz Gumas, a Turkish national, as the man who died in the incident and confirmed those who were injured were taken to hospital. Two children were among the injured in the accident at the Tuniktip cable car passengers and some of the facility's 35 other cable car pods were left stranded in mid-air as engineers battle to restart the system. The cable car carries tourists from Kanyolte Beach to a restaurant and viewing platform at the summit of the 618-meters Tuniktip peak.It is run by Antalya Metropolitan Municipality.


What are run down the crown range this morning? I tell you what these vehicles are built for the purpose We've stopped off for a bit of breakfast here at Mickey Finn's in the arrow town and off off to Queenstown I think it is a bit after that who knows what we're going to be doing there I think from all after that once again I don't really know what we're doing that and then through to Naysby this afternoon Once again, don't really know what we're doing there There's an emerging pattern here folks and and really that's the beauty of it We get given a set of notes and they just take us to the next spot pretty much the next 20 kilometers is a completely unknown beast and when we get there we don't know what we're going to be doing as well So it's actually a heck of a lot of fun and a nice day for a bit of a walk. So it's true. What do we make our way?