The Spirit of Elijah

[_madeleine]

Also, Matthew 17:10-13

Then the disciples asked him, "Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?" He said in reply, "Elijah will indeed come and restore all things; but I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him but did to him whatever they pleased. So also will the Son of Man suffer at their hands." Then the disciples understood that he was speaking to them of John the Baptist.

[_Wisdom Seeker]

So Bishops and Stake Presidents have been offering some extra ephasis to members to attend family history seminars and use the resources at the Riverton family history center.

Seems as if very few are: "catching the spirit of Elijah." The Riverton family history center with its 150 or so computers sit idle while only a dozen or so people ever attend.

However there are some who want to do it. I met a guy who is quite interested in re-doing the temple work that has already been done by others. I believe he wants to get the credit for what some second or third cousin or aunt or uncle has already done. I believe it is so he can be a Savior to his kindred dead.

[_Wisdom Seeker]

What are the rules for doing work for the dead if a death date is incorrect? Do they redo the work?

[_Wisdom Seeker]

Do you have anything solid to reference on a few names that have been done more than 10 times?

I was looking over my notes from a meeting I had with a person in charge of family history and the submitting of names for temple ordinances. He stated that there had been some names that had work duplicated in the temple as much as 1460 times. He also stated that it takes 17 man hours to have all the ordinances done.

He also stated that the spirit of Elijah exists in the family history buildings and that while some believe they can see or feel the spirit of those who have gone before in the temple, more people feel this spirit of deceased family members in family history centers.

I would guess that the majority of temple ordinances being done are for names already in the system being duplicated over and over. From what I understand it is up to family members to do the work of their kindred dead and since most people are too busy to search they simply accept the names found in the system so they can enjoy a lovely date at the temple.

[_Buffalo]

Do you have anything solid to reference on a few names that have been done more than 10 times?

I was looking over my notes from a meeting I had with a person in charge of family history and the submitting of names for temple ordinances. He stated that there had been some names that had work duplicated in the temple as much as 1460 times. He also stated that it takes 17 man hours to have all the ordinances done.

He also stated that the spirit of Elijah exists in the family history buildings and that while some believe they can see or feel the spirit of those who have gone before in the temple, more people feel this spirit of deceased family members in family history centers.

I would guess that the majority of temple ordinances being done are for names already in the system being duplicated over and over. From what I understand it is up to family members to do the work of their kindred dead and since most people are too busy to search they simply accept the names found in the system so they can enjoy a lovely date at the temple.

The temple is all about giving members busy work, like digging ditches and then filling them up again.

[_Wisdom Seeker]

The temple is all about giving members busy work, like digging ditches and then filling them up again.

It appears to me that those who have really caught this spirit of Elijah have also occupied so much of their time in searching for kindred dead and doing temple work that their children have turned their hearts away from their parents. The good news is, the family history libraries are for the most part empty. Most of those who are going to the temple don't have time to collect family names so William Smith gets his endowments done again.

[_Tad]

Like Lucinda, I think it's a neat thought that ancestors are being acknowledged. As for the ebb and flow of local genealogical effort and enthusiasm, I think it really depends a lot on how hard local leaders push it. Give a talk on family history, a few people perk up and do some work. Give a talk on fast offerings, some are touched to donate or donate more. Etc., etc.

Question on Elijah for those in the know:

In D&C 110:12, Elias appears to Joseph and Oliver. Then in verse 13, Elijah appears. Who is the Elias of verse 12? The Bible Dictionary states that "a man called Elias apparently lived in mortality in the days of Abraham," and that entry references the D&C Section 110 account. The skeptic in me thinks that Joseph didn't know that Elias was the greek form of Elijah (see the beginning of the same BD entry). I don't know of any biblical or Book of Abraham reference, or any other historical or anecdotal reference, for a contemporary of Abraham named Elias, other than this LDS Bible Dictionary entry. Did Elder McConkie (or whomever) just pull this out of his hat while writing the LDS Bible Dictionary?

I believe the same issue exists with Isaiah and Esaias, but I don't recall the details. The LDS Bible Dictionary states that there was a contemporary of Abraham named Esaias, confirming D&C 84:13. Again, Esaias is a greek form of Isaiah.

So we have two characters that lived in the time of Abraham with greek names that happen to be translations of later prophets' names. This seems too convenient.

[_Joseph]

Just as so many other things in organizations it depends a lot on what the leaders like. Get a leader at the top who likes pioneer history and you have kids and folks running around on old trails pretending to be handcart pioneers. Get another leader who likes genealogy and you will see it come back again.

It is cyclical.

[_Tad]

Question on Elijah for those in the know:

In D&C 110:12, Elias appears to Joseph and Oliver. Then in verse 13, Elijah appears. Who is the Elias of verse 12? The Bible Dictionary states that "a man called Elias apparently lived in mortality in the days of Abraham," and that entry references the D&C Section 110 account. The skeptic in me thinks that Joseph didn't know that Elias was the greek form of Elijah (see the beginning of the same BD entry). I don't know of any biblical or Book of Abraham reference, or any other historical or anecdotal reference, for a contemporary of Abraham named Elias, other than this LDS Bible Dictionary entry. Did Elder McConkie (or whomever) just pull this out of his hat while writing the LDS Bible Dictionary?

I believe the same issue exists with Isaiah and Esaias, but I don't recall the details. The LDS Bible Dictionary states that there was a contemporary of Abraham named Esaias, confirming D&C 84:13. Again, Esaias is a greek form of Isaiah.

So we have two characters that lived in the time of Abraham with greek names that happen to be translations of later prophets' names. This seems too convenient.

Does anyone care to provide some insight on this?