Hi! I’m Wendee Pease. I was recently called as a Ward Temple & Family History Consultant.
In the past, I attended the temple without finding and bringing a family name. I knew there were always names prepared and ready for ordinances, so I simply did the work for whoever I was given. I thought genealogy was something I’d do someday—maybe when I was really old. (I say really because I’ve lived more than half a century, but I don’t consider myself old! I tell my siblings I’m the “wisest,” never the oldest—or the dreaded “O” word.)
At various times a family member would give me a family name to take to the temple for a specific ordinance. I felt happy knowing I was helping my ancestor, but I didn’t follow that name through to ensure all their temple work was completed.
Looking back, I realize I saw those printed temple cards as just names. Some belonged to people born over a century ago in faraway places. But I rarely paused to see them as real individuals—my own family— who had lived full, vibrant lives and were waiting for their work to be completed. I didn’t feel the urgency to help them, even as they patiently waited to continue their spiritual progression. My focus was on attending the temple regularly, rather than truly redeeming my family.
That’s not to say that regular temple attendance isn’t wonderful—it blesses your life immensely, as well as the lives of those you serve. But adding a deeper focus of saving each ancestor, one by one, has changed everything for me.
“Any work you do in the temple is time well spent, but receiving ordinances vicariously for one of your own ancestors will make the time in the temple more sacred, and even greater blessings will be received.”
Now, when I print a temple card, I see a person, not just a name—a beloved family member, and I feel personally invested in their journey. Their stories matter. And I want to know them. I want to get that one all done.
I hope and pray that this website inspires you to seek out your kindred dead and ensure that all their ordinances are completed in the temple. Take the time to learn about them—where they lived, what their lives were like, and the events of their time. Record what you discover, along with your thoughts and impressions, as you explore your family history. This work will bless your life, the lives of those who came before you, and the generations that follow. Your efforts will forge eternal connections and bring lasting joy.