The Spirit of Elijah & Why the Youth Were Prepared for This Work | David A. Bednar (2011) | LDS

Send us Fan MailIs family history work really just for older people — or were the youth prepared for exactly this moment? In this episode of Thinning of the Veil, host Tia Smith shares a classic that feels more timely than ever: Elder David A. Bednar's October 2011 general conference talk, "The Hearts of the Children Shall Turn." For Latter-day Saints (LDS), it's a prophetic call about the spirit of Elijah — and the rising generation's key role in hastening the work.Elder Bednar traces the sequence of the Restoration — the First Vision, Moroni quoting Malachi's promise of Elijah, and the return of the sealing keys in the Kirtland Temple on April 3, 1836 — to show why turning our hearts to our ancestors is among the highest priorities of heaven. He teaches that the sealing authority Elijah restored is what binds families on earth and in heaven, and that "neither can we without our dead be made perfect." Then he turns directly to the youth: family history has no age limit, their fingers "trained to text and to tweet" were prepared to accelerate the Lord's work, and as they search out their ancestors and take names to the temple, they'll be protected against the adversary and their conversion to the Savior will deepen.Tia frames the talk with a practical plea from years in this work: don't overwhelm new researchers with everything at once — it's a "fire hose to the face." Start simple (the "ordinances ready" button), let them have their own revelatory experiences in the temple, and be ready to be eclipsed by a generation that will take this work farther than we can imagine — now aided by tools, including AI, that make the search faster than ever.Q: Is family history work only for older people? (LDS)A: Elder Bednar teaches there is no age limit in the scriptures for this work. He calls the rising generation in particular to learn the spirit of Elijah, search out their ancestors, and take names to the temple.Q: What is the "spirit of Elijah"?A: Quoting President Russell M. Nelson, Elder Bednar describes it as a manifestation of the Holy Ghost bearing witness of the divine nature of the family — drawing people to identify, document, and cherish their ancestors.Q: What blessings did Elder Bednar promise the youth?A: That their hearts would turn to the fathers, the promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob would be planted in their hearts, their patriarchal blessings would become more meaningful, their conversion to the Savior would deepen, and they'd be protected against the adversary.The hearts of the children are turning — and the rising generation was prepared for this very work.▶️ WATCH & LISTEN🎬 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thinningoftheveil🌐 Website: https://www.thinningoftheveil.com🎧 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/thinning-of-the-veil/id1753511394🟢 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6jWCfMHkZXwnSwy2b98J4M🎵 Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/a0a45561-d4c2-46d3-af8d-a1e967a21a25📖 BOOKPatterns of Revelation — Spiritual Foundations for Hearing God's Voice: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BW36MG9B📱 CONNECTInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thinning.of.the.veilFacebook Group (Gathering of the Gatherers): https://www.facebook.com/groups/1429562078443774Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/thinningoftheveil💛 SUPPORT THE SHOWVenmo: https://account.venmo.com/u/thinningoftheveilPayPal: https://paypal.me/thinningoftheveil✉️ Have you had a thinning of the veil experience? Email [email protected] — your testimony may be exactly what someone needs to hear.#ThinningOfTheVeil #SpiritOfElijah #FamilyHistory #Temple #LDS #LatterDaySaints #DavidABednar #RisingGeneration #ComeFollowMe #ElijahCITATIONS:David A. Bednar, "The Hearts of the Children Shall Turn", Oct. 2011: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2011/10/the-hearts-of-the-children-shall-turn?lang=engSupport the show