Perhaps our understanding of priesthood genealogy is so broad that we expect all Church members to think of priesthood genealogy as we do. In our understanding it includes the whole plan of salvation, in which, through righteous living and revealed sacred ordinances, families are bound together eternally, worthy to live in the celestial kingdom in the very presence of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost in an exalted, resurrected state. Perhaps we have been too subtle.
Stated, then, in simple words, I say to every member of the Church that you have a personal, individual responsibility to become engaged in priesthood genealogical activity. The real impact of the priesthood genealogy program is one of individual responsibility. The actual work must be performed by individuals, not by organizations. What is everybody’s business is nobody’s business, so I must say that this work is your individual responsibility.

—Elder Marvin J. Ashton

Last week last General Conference inspired me with a concept of how impressive and important one of us, just one of us, raised to Godhood would be. It would justify the universe. It would be enough for God to make it his work.

A few days later in that opening from being asleep to being awake, I half dreamed about that one God, son or daughter of God, and his attitude to the people who got him there. He would dance with the ones that brung ’em. He would make ever effort, having ascended, to reach down and lift those further down.

Then, coincidentally, I got up to read the next talk on my list from the October 1972 General Conference. It was Elder Ashton’s talk, quoted above. Coincidentally. Ha!

No one can be made perfect until their life is perfected. All things are before our face in heaven, they say. We ourselves are not perfect–we lack sufficient love or forgiveness or gratitude or delight for the people and places and events of our lives–until we have done all we can to make them perfect also. This may not mean deification. The utter ability and endles time and means of that divine person means they can perfect everyone up to the point their free will can possibly bear. But not beyond. A shattered will is also imperfection.

Those loved ones who themselves ascend to heaven will turn and do the same to their own lives. For those who do not, their perfecters will. Would a loving Father in Heaven neglect his children? Never. Neither would a loving earthly father in heaven, or a mother, or son, or great aunt.

So from that one deified soul ascension and perfection moves out in a spreading, mounting wave. The rock cut out without hands has created a splash that will roll over the whole earth.

That is genealogy work.

Other Posts from the October 1972 General Conference, Friday Afternoon