Family Discovery Day: A Gift Passed from Generation to Generation
Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and his wife Melanie, not only spoke of a gift passed from generation to generation, but demonstrated it in an hour of conversation, interviews with their grandchildren, and scenes from the British pageant during Family Discovery Day at RootsTech 2026.
They noted that as temples are rising across the world, the Lord is eager to link together His eternal family and give us access to power beyond our own. Sister Rasband said, ”In performing crucial temple work of binding together our past, present, and future” we are “uniting families for eternity.”
Elder Rasband said, “We recognize that our faith is not ours alone. It is a gift passed from generation to generation, as we honor the sacrifices and devotion of those who came before us with testimonies often born through trial and unwavering trust in the Lord. Their stories now become linked to and a part of our own.
“Creating a heritage of faith is a sacred stewardship, as each generation strengthens the next. When we link our lives to those that came before and to those who will follow, we form a chain of faith that leads directly to Jesus Christ, giving us purpose and belonging,” noted Sister Rasband.
She pointed to Helaman 5 where Helaman had purposely taught his sons, Nephi and Lehi, about their ancestors’ faith in Jesus Christ and reminded them to “remember, remember”. “Their remembrance gave them strength in moments of peril. And their faithfulness to Christ brought heaven’s power. By living true to our commitment to Jesus Christ, we have our own link to a growing legacy of discipleship,” she said.
Elder Rasband shared two stories of faith from his own ancestors.
“In May of 1833, my fourth great grandfather, Ashael Perry, traveled from northern New York to Kirtland, Ohio. Not yet a member of the church, but yearning, yearning, to meet the prophet Joseph Smith. He arrived just as the first council convened to plan the building of the Kirtland Temple. During that meeting, many objected, because the church was too poor, and the temple project seemed so grand, but Ashael’s faith would not be deterred.
“He and a few friends quietly counted their funds, and despite the cost of their journey home, he stepped forward. My grandfather approached Joseph Smith, pulled out a $ 5 gold coin, and presented it to the prophet. Joseph stood before the council and held up the coin, then speaking energetically, he said that the work had commenced, and the House of the Lord would be built according to the pattern presented by the Lord Jesus Jesus Christ.
“To me, that act of humble sacrifice was more than a donation. It was a beautiful expression of my ancestors’ budding, yet profound faith. In time, the Perry family joined the church, received their blessings in the Nauvoo temple, and later crossed the plains to Utah and are buried in Springville, Utah.
He continued,“This is one of many stories in my family history that has echoed through the generations, and has touched my soul deeply and united our family. Brothers and sisters, whether you are a first generation member of the church, or a 10th generation member, you can build your family’s legacy of faith that unites and binds generations together.”
Elder Rasband shared a second story about his ancestors.
“The Prophet Malachi taught that in these latter days, the hearts of the fathers will turn to the children, and the hearts of the children will turn to their fathers. My heart, for one, has been turned to my ancestors, and I will be forever grateful for the heritage they left behind, a legacy of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
“My great grandmother, Sarah Elizabeth Moulton, was born in Gloucester, England, in 1837. When she was four-years-old, her family was converted to the gospel and baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. At that time, their great desire was to emigrate to America, to be with the majority of the saints. By 1856, the Moulton family had seven children, and 18-year-old Sarah was among them.
“With the help of the Perpetual Immigration Fund, and bits of savings in a fruit jar, the family set sail from Liverpool, England, to America. Before departing, the family was promised that if they would go to Utah, they would make the journey safely without losing even one member of the family. The Moultons arrived in America and ultimately joined the ill-fated Willie Hancart Company.
“It is difficult for me. Surrounded by the comforts and amenities of modern life to imagine the daily misery of Sarah and of the remarkable men and women who traveled with her. Can we imagine, day after day, the blistered feet and hands, the sore muscles, the dust and grit, the sunburn, flies, and mosquitoes, the ever-dwindling food stores and scarcity of water?
“By October, they were trapped in a snowstorm, below Rocky Ridge on the Sweetwater River, about 350 miles from Salt Lake City. When Brigham Young learned of the mortal danger of the struggling travelers, he quickly made a call for men, food, and supplies to leave and render assistance.
“As the rescuers finally reached the Willie Camp, they were greeted with indescribable joy and gratitude from the frozen and starving saints. When the survivors finally completed the journey and arrived in Salt Lake City, 66 of their company had died, and many suffered from frozen feet and limbs. But the promise to the Moulton family, and that blessing in England, had been fulfilled. They had not lost even one of their children, including a baby born on the ship from Liverpool.
“Gratitude and appreciation toward one of the young rescuers, John Bennett Hawkins, blossomed into romance and love for Sarah. On December 5, 1856, they were married, and later had 10 children, including my grandmother, Esther Emily. This great heritage of faith and endurance lives on in the generations that have followed the pioneers by their descendants, as well as those who have been touched by the incredible devotion to a cause greater than themselves.”
A group of performers from Nauvoo’s British pageant then performed the story of Ann and George Cannon, Sister Rasband’s ancestors. The Cannons had heard the gospel in Britian from John Taylor and yearned to come to Zion, saving for some time to make the journey. But Ann never saw the Zion she yearned for. She died on the journey and was buried at sea. Still, through her six children her faith is carried by descendants who number in the hundreds of thousands.
Share Your Ancestors’ Faith; Strengthen Your Grandchildren
So with, stories of faith behind them, the Rasbands look to their grandchildren to carry on the legacy. They were joined on the stage by many of them, including three returned missionaries who shared how knowing their ancestor’s faith had buoyed them in their lives.
Haley, a granddaughter and a returned missionary from Brazil said, “On my mission, there were moments when it got really, really tough, and I would feel the strength and the faith of my ancestors buoying me up when it got hard, and it helped me to keep going, and so for that, I feel extremely grateful.”
Ellen, another granddaughter said, “I love the temple more than anything.” She had been taught to find family names to take to the temple in ordinances ready on FamilySearch, and took that skill to Spain. “I had this friend who had just barely gotten baptized, and she wanted to go to the temple more than anything. She was able to research her ancestor’s names, and we went to the temple and I could see the joy on her face.”
Modern Pioneers
Elder Rasband said, “I have met many modern pioneers throughout the world, and I have seen that legacy carried on through them. As modern pioneers, our personal journeys may be no less daunting, but we are creating a heritage of faith for those who will follow us. As I look upon my own children and grandchildren, and at the host of God’s children across the globe, my fondest hope is that we will continue in this sacred heritage built upon the faith and teachings of Jesus Christ. Whether you have multiple generations of Latter-day Saint ancestry, or if you are the first modern pioneer in your family, build upon and continue the legacy of these great men and women who have come before us.
“What move them on? What pushed them forward? It was a sure testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ. I did not pull a handcart across the plains, but as a great grandson of pioneers, What they felt, I feel and what they knew, I know. That Jesus is the living Christ, the Son of God. I love him, and this is his church.”
See the video of this presentation here: