The Time Had Come To Reignite My Family History Search

As an African American convert to the church, I knew that researching my ancestors would be a challenge. The biggest obstacle to tracing my African-American lineage would be slavery, an institution that broke family bonds and made record keeping nearly impossible. I already knew very little about my family beyond my grandparents. That’s why after an initial start to my family history research (and many hours of frustration), I ended up taking a 4 year hiatus. I felt defeated at the time but I held on to hope that the answers I needed would be revealed to me in due time.

After a not so subtle dream and a Sacrament meeting full of talks on family history, I received revelation that the time had come to reignite my family history search. So I dusted off my old FamilySearch.org account and began the work once again. To my surprise, I had so many more opportunities open to me now compared to before. More resources for African American genealogy were available through Ancestry.com and other websites. My grandfather and the eldest member of our family, who previously lived in another state, just moved to Maryland and he was able to give me so much information about his parents and grandparents.  Another family member of mine, who has been a great record keeper, gifted me with numerous documents including obituaries, birth certificates, death certificates, pictures and letters. I never knew before how much information she was sitting on! Newly equipped with only first names of family members who were born into slavery and the name of a small town in South Carolina, I was able to find (through the magic of the Internet) the slave owner’s records with my ancestors’ names and birth years listed! It was like my ancestors had just opened the floodgates and released the jackpot of family history goodness on me!

In an April 2017 talk by Pres. Henry B. Eyring, he says “We do not know what marvels God will inspire people to create to help in His work of gathering His family. But whatever marvelous inventions may come, their use will require the Spirit working in people like you and me. This should not surprise us. After all, these are beloved sons and daughters of God. He will send whatever inspiration is needed to give them the opportunity to return to Him.” (https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2017/04/gathering-the-family-of-god?lang=eng)

I am so grateful that God sent me the inspiration to help complete His work. I am even more grateful that I was in the right position to receive this inspiration. I have gained many blessings from this family history journey besides having many names to take to the Temple for performing ordinances. This has given me the opportunity to draw closer to my family members. Being the only LDS member of my family has been a challenge at times, and working on family history with my aunt and grandfather has allowed me to share the gospel and learn the oral histories of my family. My testimony of the Gospel and my faith has been strengthened by allowing the Spirit to work through me. The Lord has blessed me in my efforts to do family history work. The “Spirit of Elijah” is strong and I can feel it guiding me and revealing the knowledge I need to help my ancestors return to Heavenly Father. It is my hope that others will be able to receive this inspiration in the gathering of Heavenly Father’s family.

Tyese Knight
Eldersburg Ward