Family History

Treasure of Heart and Spirit
By Sherlene Hall Bartholomew

I beg forgiveness for failing to emphasize enough the most obvious source for success in “The Search” after our very living and dead.  For years I have given at least passing mention to family history efforts in my personal prayers.  However, I have in more recent times realized that I am no longer so immortal as in my teens.  Consciousness of passing time has weighed heavily, evoking prayers over my ancestral search that is increasingly specific and pleading. 

I believe our Father is very practical in His hope to keep us, His children, coming Home, in sweet communion.  If He blesses us without our asking, how are we to recognize answers and the Fount for such?  How can He guide our hand, unless we accept His invitation to reach out for His?

Through this column and others, we try to provide experience and ideas that might be helpful.  We can’t imagine, though, what adventures lay in store when we invite the Spirit to guide our footsteps, inviting His input, as we set goals.  What blessings are realized when we make our desire to do family history a matter of focused, specific prayer!

I confess that, in retrospect, my “golden” Internet cousin finds were, yes, contacted using methods shared in more recent and in subsequent columns, but the best of it was engineered in ways no earthly guide could anticipate, by Unseen hands, in answer to prayer.

Another unforeseen blessing that has come from increased networking, in active family history effort, is not only the natural bonding among relatives, but the strength and comfort that come as we share our life experience.  We are thereby positioned to draw on our enlarging family circle’s participation–not only in times of joy, but also in times of crisis and sorrow.

In an earlier column I mentioned some trials of my own and the inspiration our family felt as we attended the funeral of our beloved aunt Joyce Hansen Hall.  One of the most glowing tributes I have ever heard given a mother was given there by her daughter-in-law, Jeannie Hall.  I got a letter from Jeannie this morning that touched my heart.  I am sharing it not only with all our family, but also with you readers, because I think this is a beautiful example of blessings that come when we turn our hearts to our fathers.  As we face our own trials and share our burdens, we also encourage each other by example, as Jeannie does here, with her faith and insight:

Dear Sherlene,

I have truly enjoyed reading your e-mails and being more in touch with the Hall Family.  We are currently researching my Polish roots and even with all the horse thieves my father has warned me about, my sisters and I are grateful for our heritage.  It has also brought joy to my parents to discuss the past.  I don’t know if you remember that my sister and I are converts.  My dad is still a little (understatement) unhappy about the Church, but I do think he loves the way his daughters are “turning out.” 

This fall has been challenging for the Alan Hall family, with my surgery, Grandma’s sweet, but painful passing, my dad’s knee replacement surgery and hardest of all, the upcoming surgery of our precious six-year-old grand-daughter, Morgan Michelle West.  She will be entering Primary Children’s Hospital this Tuesday morning at 6:30 A.M. in preparation for major surgery on her pancreas.  She was hospitalized for eight days in October (of course the same time my dad was up here at the McKay-Dee).  Since then this very brave little first grader has attended school and all other functions with an NG tube inserted in her nose going to her small intestine.

This tube is hooked to a pump that puts nutrients into her body for 18 hours each day.  She can eat nothing by mouth but a few ounces of clear liquids – thus by-passing the pancreas.  

We felt great love and strength when all of you came to honor our beloved grandma and grandpa.  I am calling upon that power of family love, prayer, and sure knowledge of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, to beseech the Lord in behalf of our little Morgan.  We will be grateful for your prayers on Wednesday and in the many painful weeks to come.  We have faith that our Heavenly Father knows and loves her even more than we do (although that is hard to comprehend), but a grandma’s heart is heavy and so willing to trade her places if it were only possible.

I hope your dear mother is feeling better.  I watch my own parents struggle through the challenges of declining health.  I hope I can be equally gracious and brave. This is a beautiful, but demanding time of life–one that leads hopefully to growth, kindness, empathy, greater love, and service.  Please give our love to your parents, and all the family.  We will be thankful for your prayers.

Love, Jeannie

I have in this past month received letters from other cousins who represent other paths in terms of religious belief and orientation, filled also with their light of love and strength. They have shared their concerns, as I have shared mine, and I have been so blessed by their thoughts, faith and prayers.  Elijah’s quest, inspired as it is by a loving Father watching over all His children, not only turns our hearts to our fathers, but to each other.

In these next columns are tips for finding cousins near and far by placing queries on the Internet and doing searches there.  Also coming are tips for setting up effective websites-another great source for finding new cousins.  What marvelous resources are now ours, as our Father hastens to bring about His purposes on behalf of both the living and dead: 

For behold, this is my work and my glory-to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man. (Moses 3:5).

What honor and blessing our Lord bestows, as our own hearts turn, as they do when enlisted in His great cause!

Sherlene Hall Bartholomew, copyright 2003