Genealogy

• D&C 128:16-18

"the earth will be smitten with a curse unless there is a welding link of some kind or other between the fathers and the children"
Welding link based on baptisms for dead.
"For we without them cannot be made perfect; neither can they without us be made perfect. Neither can they nor we be made perfect without those who have died in the gospel also"
"it is necessary ... that a whole and complete and perfect union, and welding together of dispensations, and keys, and powers, and glories should take place, and be revealed from the days of Adam even to the present time."

• Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith, p.475

(Citing: History of the Church, 6:312–13)
"The greatest responsibility in this world that God has laid upon us is to seek after our dead. … For it is necessary that the sealing power should be in our hands to seal our children and our dead for the fulness of the dispensation of times—a dispensation to meet the promises made by Jesus Christ before the foundation of the world for the salvation of man. … Hence, God said, ‘I will send you Elijah the prophet’"

• David A. Bednar, "The Hearts of the Children Shall Turn", General Conference, October 2011

• George D. Durant, "Branching Out on Your Family Tree", Ensign, April 2007, p.44

An article suggesting researching horizontally. (ie. doing "backward" genealogy)

• Loretta Evans, "It's All Been Done", Ensign, July 2007, pp. 28-31

Thoughts on what you can do when your family line has been researched extensively.
Have you made records of your own life? (p. 28)
Do you have accurate records of your immediate family? (pp. 28-29)
Do you have copies of you ancestor's records? (p. 29)
Have you checked your genealogy for completeness and accuracy? (pp. 29-30)
Have you found your ancestors in original documents? (p. 30)
Do you have a family organization? (p. 30)
Have you considered descendancy research? (p. 30)
What do you know about your ancestors' lives? (pp. 30-31)
Do you have family photographs or documents? (p. 31)
Do you own family heirlooms? (p. 31)
Do you have time to serve others in family history? (p. 31)

• Adam C. Olson, “Turning Hearts in a Land of Temples,” Ensign, Oct 2007, 64–69

Describes how some Taiwanese have been able to trace their genealogy back over 100 generations.

• “Latter-day Saint Voices,” Ensign, Oct 2007, 70–73, Sections, "Uncle Gilberto's Memory", "Who Turned My Head?"

A couple of experiences are shared regarding how individuals were helped to find their ancestors.

• “Starting from Scratch,” Ensign, Feb 2008, 42–45

Cross-References

• Baptism for the Dead
• Family
• Sealing