The Missing Link in Temple and Family History Work Nobody Talks About with Rachel Trotter

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Before we start the episode, I have a small favor to ask.
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It's free and it's simple, but it really makes a big difference.
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Thank you so much for being here.
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Welcome back to Temple Bound.
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Today's episode is one of those must-listens I want you to share with everybody.
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We're meeting with Rachel Trotter, an expert storyteller and family history educator who helps people not only just document their family history, but helps individuals pick up the pen of their lives to create the future that they should create for themselves.
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I'm very excited because we're going to talk about how we can help our youth develop a love for family history and for temple work in a way that will help them feel like they belong.
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So if you're struggling with any relationship in your family and trying to find a way to create connection, the power of storytelling is for you.
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Enjoy the show.
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All right.
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Well, Rachel, welcome to Temple Bound Take Three with all the technical issues we've experienced.
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The adversary is totally wanting our audience not to hear this episode.
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So we are making it happen no matter what.
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So please pay attention.
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Everyone, this has been such a great thing to get going here.
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Rachel, introduce yourself, please.
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Tell us what you do and why you're passionate about it.
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Okay.
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So my name is Rachel Trotter.
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I live in Ogden, Utah, which is about 35 miles north of Salt Lake City.
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Um I am a mother of, I'm a wife and a mother of six.
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Um, my kids are mostly grown.
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I just have one living at home, and I have two, almost three grandchildren that actually live in Kansas, which is really sad.
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They live far away.
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But it's just the best.
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Grandparent, all the hype is true about grandparenting.
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Um, but I um I have worked, I've I've been telling stories my whole life.
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I love storytelling.
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I love telling people's stories.
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And I worked as a newspaper reporter for about 15 years for our local newspaper.
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Um, I was raising my family and doing it from home.
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And then as the newspaper industry was starting to die out, I got in touch with a colleague.
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She reached out to me and asked if I could help write a life storybook for someone that she was working with.
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And I jumped on board.
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Um, I knew him well and I was excited to jump on board with the project.
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And then as we started talking, we decided that we wanted to do this as a career, the both of us.
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We wanted to start telling people's life stories.
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We wanted that to be a part of who we were and what we did.
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And so we started this business called Evalog.life.
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Um, she's the owner of the business.
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I've always have just been like a contractor.
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And so we have worked together with that.
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And then the business started getting so big of doing oral histories, writing life storybooks and all of that, that I kind of formed my own business where I work with my husband.
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Um, he's an avid family historian and he does research work and I do the storytelling.
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And so I still work with my colleague Rhonda.
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We just actually wrote our first book with a traditional publisher.
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It will come out in December.
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Oh, what's it called?
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It's called Changing the Ending, Writing Your Life Story.
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And it's about how writing your life story changes can change the ending of your life.
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Um, because you see who you are, you see the changes, the good things that you've done in your life and makes you want to be better.
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I have I have to double-click on that.
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I'm so sorry.
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This is like such a new part of the same discussion that we've had so far.
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So you're talking about this idea that when we write down our life story, meaning our history, it changes the direction of our of where we end up.
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Yes.
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Yes.
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We have found this to be true so many times.
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And what happens is we'll do these oral histories with people and they will talk about these parts of their life and the really hard things and the really good things and all of the all of that.
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And then they say, Hey, I'm pretty great.
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Like I got through this and I triumphed, and I never thought of it that way.
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But sometimes if you don't give a voice to it, if you don't share it, if you don't write it down, if you don't tell it, you don't realize what you did in your life.
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And so oftentimes, you know, making a record of it can change your trajectory because it gives you, it gives you strength, it gives you hope that you can continue on, that you can keep doing the things that you've been doing.
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Because how many times do do we say, hey, I my life isn't that interesting?
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I haven't done that much.
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But when you start telling someone about it, you do realize, hey, that was really hard.
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Or hey, being a stay-at-home mom had its issues, but I did it.
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Or hey, my fertility issues, they were a struggle, but I got through it.
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You know, there's all these different elements of things, or my faith crisis, or the fact that my I don't have a great relationship with my mom, or I had this terrible boss.
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Like the list is endless, right?
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Right.
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And sometimes they're just simple things, but you realize that you got through it.
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And then sometimes they're really hard things, like a terrible cancer diagnosis that you beat, or maybe you didn't solve a problem in the best way.
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But talking about it makes you realize I can do better.
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So there's just so many elements.
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And so we just have found over and over again that a lot of times telling your story can make the ending of your story better.
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That is such a powerful comment.
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Tony Robbins talks a lot about this, where he mentions when he's trying to help people understand the way we frame our experiences in life have so much to do with the meaning that we get to electively assign to it, and that produces completely different outcomes.
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You know, they say that like horrible um tragedies that we experience can either define or refine our life and our purpose.
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And so when we look backwards, you know, I think of Victor Frankel, who wrote the book Man's Search for Meaning, which, if no one's read, if if you haven't read that, please go read this book.
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It's a story of a story, it's his story of how he went through the Holocaust and how he makes this point that life is this quote, life is never made unbearable by circumstances, but only by lack of meaning and purpose.
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And so when we talk about temple and family history work, I think what we're talking about is purpose.
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I think we're talking about the true meaning behind these things and this thing that we get to do as human beings with our agency to assign a meaning to it, to have it be a hero story or have it be a defining nature of what's wrong with us.
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Because we all wonder when we suffer, why are we the ones who go through this?
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So that's a beautiful story of a book of helping us understand the importance of writing our own story.
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Yeah.
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And and it's interesting because in a lot of the work that I do, sometimes people are telling their ancestors stories.
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And I always say, okay, great, tell that story, but then tell your story.
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Because if you tell your own story, it's yours.
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Um, you know, your granddaughter isn't trying to guess how you were feeling about something later on.
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You can tell us how you feel about it.
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And so it's so important to tell your own story because it's your story to tell.
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It's such a powerful comment, especially as we look at Templand family history work.
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So thanks for letting me interrupt and double-click on that.
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Let's get back to your background because I would love for you to talk about your your experience as a 13-year speaker at RootStack.
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Yes, yes.
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So so what happened is I my husband is loves family history work.
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He works for Family Search.
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He has only worked for Family Search for 11 years, which is kind of a long time.
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But anyway, at the time, he was just really into family history work.
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He had this huge connection to it.
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And I was more of a not my season kind of a person.
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Like I have all I have my kids at home.
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I'm really busy.
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This is just not something I can do.
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And he said, Well, will you please just come to Roots Tech with me?
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And I said, Sure, but I'm gonna come as a newspaper reporter because I'm just gonna make a little money at this while we're going here.
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So so I I went to as a reporter and I went to the media night.
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And when I went, I was sitting there and they were talking about like the storytelling side of family history, and they were talking about how important it is and the Emory University study where they talk about how youth they found that youth know who they are if they know their family stories.
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And as they talked, I had this like aha moment of I've made so many mistakes as a parent, but this is something I may have gotten right.
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Um, my husband and I, we sit at the dinner table and tell our kids family history stories all the time.
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And this is making an impact on their lives.
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Um, they know these stories and they don't even know they know them, if that makes sense.
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Like they know this is just a part of who they are.
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And so at that moment, I thought there is a place for me at the family history table.
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Um, storytelling, there's something to this.
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And when people know their stories, it means something.
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And so when I stopped being a reporter and started doing this family history work, my colleague and I, Rhonda Lauritsen is her name, um, we thought, you know, we could maybe speak here and talk about what we know.
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And so we applied to speak.
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And then for the last, I believe, maybe 11 or 12 years, I have been a speaker at Roots Tech, um, where I've talked about the power of oral history.
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I've done oral history teaching every year, um, but then I've taught other things too.
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And a few times I've been asked to speak on um the Latter-day Saint Day or the Church's Day.
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I I don't, it's I think it's called Family Discovery Day or something specific.
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We'll have to look that up.
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Yeah, yeah, but it's like it's the day where like as a members of the church, because everything is is really about more uh ancestry.
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So I remember the sponsors are like ancestry.com and stuff.
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They're not specific to the church.
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But there's a day where it's very free to talk about temples as well and be very like really in uh intentional about the the church's doctrine.
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Yes, and so I've had the opportunity to speak about that, which is just near and dear to my heart because I have seen how temple and family history work, first of all, is one work.
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I think temple, family history work, and missionary work, they're all one work.
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And I love to bear testimony of that when I can and to talk about the way that I've seen it change people's lives in my own family and in other and with other people and with youth.
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Like youth being involved in family history work, I believe it can make all the difference for them.
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There is so much coming at them all the time.
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And if they can have a moment, first of all, where they have peace, second of all, where they're giving service where it's not being monitored by social media, and third of all, where they can feel accepted and loved, let's give it to them.
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Let's get them there, let's have it happen, you know.
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And I feel that like that is so important.
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And I've seen it change my own children's lives, but I also have seen it change the lives of other youth, like in my ward and in my stake and churchwide, really.
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Yes, it's the most powerful message I think that we can communicate regarding temple and family history work is the we talk about the spirit of Elijah, we're talking about the power of belonging.
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When we talk about the spirit of Elijah in Malachi, the hearts of the children turn to the fathers and their children's, and what we're really talking about is helping what you said earlier happen is that when people, when children know their family stories, they know who they are, and who they are as a child of God, and they can belong.
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And when they when they have their family's family stories known and write their own story, as we're we're really emphasizing this go-around of this take of our episode together, we're starting to recognize that it's in that moment that we we start to wake up and realize the purpose of our existence.
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And with great purpose, we can overcome so many things in life.
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Um, it gives us a higher aim as well because we recognize where we're going.
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And as it was once said, that without a higher aim, suffering destroys, right?
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Like this is a quote from uh Frederick Nitzel.
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Without a higher aim, suffering destroys.
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With a higher aim, suffering refines.
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And so when we know our purpose and we give meaning to those things, those difficult times through the connection of our families give our children a sense of belonging.
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And I've said this to you offline, I've never shared this before on the show, but I feel like I should.
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Is is that my personal journey when this is we we know what it's like to not have the hearts of the children turned to the fathers.
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One of my sons didn't have their heart turned towards us for the greater part of a decade where there was little to no relationship.
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And I am so I just want to explain that the transformation, the end is that we're now the closest of friends.
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Not just, not only is there a healthy relationship, but there is a closeness that can only be described as a miracle.
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And I think that's what we're we're really trying to communicate.
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And the storytelling is is the the vehicle by which the belonging is created.
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It feels like storytelling is that thing that connects temple and family history in the most beautiful, organic, and natural way possible.
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Yes, I I I totally agree.
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And I think the other thing that I I wanted to bring up too is so this last year at Roots Tech, I part of what I do at Roots Tech, which, and I don't know if we explained what Roots Tech is.
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Oh, yeah.
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Please tell people who don't know what this is, because this is a little bit like if you're into these things and you're nerdy like us, we know.
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But if you're like if you're like dabbling in what's Root Tech, Roots Tech, or if you're in Africa, what is that?
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Yeah, so it's the largest family history conference in the world.
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Um, it's held in Salt Lake City at the right before the ending of winter.
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Um, and it's sponsored by Family Search, which is the family history department of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
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But there are everyone who does family history comes to this conference.
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So, you know, if you if you do work on Ancestry, Ancestry is a huge sponsor.
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Um uh My Heritage is a huge sponsor.
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There's just so many that come to the table to participate in this conference because everybody is there.
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Um, they have keynote speakers who are inspiring, and then there's classes that you can attend from experts on every subject from AI to family storytelling to um archives to um DNA, like there's just all of these things that you can learn about at Roots Tech, and it is a really soul-filling weekend to be able to attend.
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But as part of what I have had the opportunity to do at Roots Tech, is I'm part of the media team.
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And so we have the chance to interview everybody who is associated with Roots Tech, so all the keynote speakers, um, all of the experts in the field.
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And one of the best opportunities I have had is to be able to interview some of our church leaders.
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And so this year, the day before I was speaking about taking youth to the temple, which was what I was speaking on for um Family Discovery Day, um I had the chance to interview Elder Bragg, Elder Mark Bragg, who is now the um the 70 who is over Family Search.
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And so I said to him, I said, so this is kind of awkward, but tomorrow I'm teaching this class about taking you to the temple.
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And I said, What do you want people to know about taking youth to the temple?
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Because I thought I can go back to my hotel room, I can update my presentation with whatever you say, if it's different.
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And what he said was so simple yet so profound.
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And he said, You need to make sure that your youth know that this work begins and ends with the savior.
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And that just hit me so hard because I thought, well, yeah, of course.
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Like what how did I not have a picture of Jesus Christ at the beginning of my presentation, you know?
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Um, so of course I added that in.
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And then um, but there's so much truth to that.
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Like, he is why we do everything, he is why we were we are here, and he is the one that's leading us back to our heavenly home.
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And including him in this work with our youth is the key.
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And if they know him and understand him and want to feel that spirit of Elijah, feel the Holy Ghost testifying to them, they need to know that the savior, and I tell this to my kids all the time, that the savior has your back and he's there to guide and lead you along.
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That is um so wonderful that he shared that.
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And I it's a great reminder because we tend to just get so busy in all the things that we forget to bring it back to the the the why of it all.
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And we were talking about that at the beginning, the why in this case is always the savior, and to apply that to some of our earlier discussion, talking about children, how they're big children, they're big challenges, feeling like they belong somewhere, is that when I just get the sense that as they start to connect to their families through stories, as they start going to the temple and taking names, they start to feel his presence more.
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And and when they can consciously make that connection of what I'm doing now is tying me to the savior in a relationship, then they start to have the ultimate connection of belonging to the person who loves unconditionally.
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And and through that love, they can see their their life through all these different lenses that we've talked about.
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So, what a wonderful share that that is there.
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You know, you mentioned earlier, Rachel, that you you have you have a family that you have applied these principles.
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I mean, you're you're you're you're a power couple, you and your husband, in terms of temple and family history in a unique way that I don't think most people have, and you've done that really well.
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How have you helped your kids in your home with either storytelling or temple?
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Like what have you done, what are some of those things that maybe you could share in terms of tips that you've seen in either in your family or in your ward that you have done that have helped?
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So in our family, we always kind of have this running narrative of family stories that we talk about.
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We talk about the people who didn't choose the path of the church and um what how things are.
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We choose people who did.
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My my father is a convert to the to the LDS church, and so I he's the only member on my on my dad's side.
00:19:10.640 --> 00:19:21.200
And so it's been we've been really blessed because we have these really close family members we've been able to do temple work for, um, people that I actually knew growing up.
00:19:21.440 --> 00:19:30.240
And so I can tell those stories of them because I knew them, or my dad told me about them, so I can pass along what he shared.
00:19:30.400 --> 00:19:32.480
Um, and so we we have that going.
00:19:32.720 --> 00:19:44.640
And then when we take a family name to the temple, we've made a really big habit and practice of always looking at the relationship and seeing like who, how are you related?
00:19:44.960 --> 00:19:47.279
And what side of the family is this?
00:19:47.440 --> 00:19:50.400
And oh, look, they have your name.
00:19:50.640 --> 00:20:00.960
Um, we have been really, we deliberately named our kids after people in our family history and people that they knew so that we could really they could relate to who they are.
00:20:01.119 --> 00:20:10.480
Um, another thing that we have done is taken family, we we have taken deliberate family vacations to places where we have family history.
00:20:10.640 --> 00:20:25.200
So my dad is from Texas, and we've gone to Texas and we've gone to our family cemetery several times that we have a family cemetery there, and we've taken our kids, and they can see the names that they've done the work for.
00:20:25.440 --> 00:20:28.960
And that is a really sweet experience to have that.
00:20:29.119 --> 00:20:53.680
But then we also have gone, like my husband has a lot of polygamy in his family, and we have some cemeteries where a lot of them are buried, and they had this really special program a few years ago, and we were getting ready to go to Disneyland, and on the way, we stopped at this event, and we told our showed our kids all the headstones and talked about these people that my husband had done the research on.
00:20:53.920 --> 00:20:56.799
So we just have this narrative that goes on.
00:20:56.960 --> 00:21:06.640
And then as far as the temple itself, I think just making it a priority in your own life as parents goes a long way.
00:21:06.880 --> 00:21:20.400
And then once they are old enough to start going, either and doing baptisms or other work, making it something that you don't always do together, but that you do together sometimes, you know, making that time a priority.
00:21:20.480 --> 00:21:26.960
And even from the time they were small, anytime we would travel, we always go find the temple.
00:21:27.440 --> 00:21:31.279
And we couldn't always go in the temple, but we find a temple and take a picture.
00:21:31.519 --> 00:21:39.839
And then we had this tradition for years where on um like President's Day, we would go see every temple along the Wasatch front.
00:21:39.920 --> 00:21:52.240
So we would start up in Logan and we would end up in like Provo, or if we had the time, like as far as you know, Mantai or whatever, we'd stop at every temple, we would take a picture, and then we would just talk about it.
00:21:52.480 --> 00:21:59.519
And um, not necessarily details of what happens inside, which we get to talk about that more now than maybe.
00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:02.960
We did at the first, but of raising our kids.
00:22:03.039 --> 00:22:06.240
But I just think it was just a part, it's just a part of our life.
00:22:06.480 --> 00:22:13.920
And it doesn't have to be something that you talk about every day, but it just needs to be a part of the conversation.
00:22:14.240 --> 00:22:16.720
I I think there's something so powerful in all those things.
00:22:16.880 --> 00:22:18.960
There's many things that you mentioned that we don't do.
00:22:19.119 --> 00:22:25.119
We do travel and go to those temples, and it's cool because you get to express that company's cult, that company.
00:22:25.200 --> 00:22:27.519
Sorry, my professional podcast was bubbling in.
00:22:28.240 --> 00:22:33.200
You get to experience that country's uh culture through the lens of the savior when you go to the temple.
00:22:33.279 --> 00:22:35.039
And there's something really special about that.
00:22:35.200 --> 00:22:48.880
I also think something that spoke to me that was really strong, Rachel, was that I think that we we do our whole family a disservice when we don't think we have something special to say about our own story.
00:22:49.119 --> 00:22:50.880
Kind of tying it back to your book.
00:22:51.119 --> 00:22:58.960
As you were talking, I had this memory of driving with my wife and four boys when we were on a vacation together.
00:22:59.119 --> 00:23:03.440
And this was during a difficult time in our family where connection was a struggle.
00:23:04.640 --> 00:23:09.680
And I was just, it was it was kind of later at night, and we were driving, and there was just the sound of the road.
00:23:09.759 --> 00:23:11.279
It was dark outside.
00:23:11.599 --> 00:23:16.000
And I just had this like memory of something funny that happened, and I laughed.
00:23:16.160 --> 00:23:18.960
And one of my kids was like, What are you laughing at?
00:23:19.119 --> 00:23:37.039
And I told them the story, and it started this snowball effect of like, tell me another story, tell me another story, and it did something to all that memory is is so near and dear to my heart because the power of connection through story.
00:23:37.279 --> 00:23:38.480
We all know it when I say that.
00:23:38.640 --> 00:23:49.680
When I say that, I'm not saying anything to the audience that doesn't already know it, but I think what I feel called to say right now to people listening is do not let the adversary diminish the power of you.
00:23:51.279 --> 00:24:02.000
To to recognize the greatest, sometimes the greatest way we can honor the savior is by sharing our stories with our children, with our parents, with our friends.
00:24:02.240 --> 00:24:06.160
Um writing them down, I think I've oh you've definitely opened my eyes to that, Rachel.
00:24:06.319 --> 00:24:14.079
I just think that in the telling of stories, we we manifest the existence of our savior, even if he's not explicitly mentioned.
00:24:14.319 --> 00:24:27.839
Just us like if we can just be honor honor the fact that our existence matters, and by sharing that, we model to our children um and to our anyone else that we matter and that maybe they matter too.
00:24:28.079 --> 00:24:28.400
Yeah.
00:24:28.559 --> 00:24:30.880
So I just wanted to say that briefly.
00:24:31.440 --> 00:24:33.039
I think it's really interesting.
00:24:33.279 --> 00:24:39.279
You know, we have a really large age span, our there's 16 years between our oldest and our youngest.
00:24:39.599 --> 00:24:51.039
And I think we were a lot more deliberate about telling those stories with our elders than we have, we have just this one awesome little bonus that is still at home with us.
00:24:51.359 --> 00:24:55.119
And um, we my husband is actually her Sunday school teacher.
00:24:55.359 --> 00:24:55.920
Oh, wow.
00:24:56.160 --> 00:25:02.559
And on Sunday, he told a story to the whole Sunday school class about when we when he and I were sealed.
00:25:02.720 --> 00:25:09.920
And it was a really tender story because he only had an aunt and uncle there, and I had like a room full of people.
00:25:10.400 --> 00:25:21.359
And but what he talked about is kneeling across the altar, and he knew that I was his family, and that we would create ever, you know, we would create a family.
00:25:21.599 --> 00:25:25.200
And she had never heard that story before in that way.
00:25:25.359 --> 00:25:30.240
And she came home and she said, Mom, dad told the coolest story about you today.
00:25:30.559 --> 00:25:39.119
And um, it touched her deeply, but it also touched those other kids because their parents said something to me about it.
00:25:39.359 --> 00:25:56.160
And I think sometimes we hesitate to be too vulnerable, but I think those vulnerable moments are where the spirit speaks to us and that it's important to take advantage of those when they come, when when you feel it and when you feel like you need to share.
00:25:56.400 --> 00:26:04.000
And um, I think that's something that I've learned in the storytelling business is don't hesitate to tell the story.
00:26:04.160 --> 00:26:11.759
And I think that's one thing with when I was um working with the young women, I never hesitated to tell a story.
00:26:11.920 --> 00:26:16.240
Um, because that is where the spirit speaks to us.
00:26:16.799 --> 00:26:17.200
Yes.
00:26:17.359 --> 00:26:23.839
Um I feel incredibly moved in every way you can imagine to ask you as a professional storyteller, Rachel.
00:26:23.920 --> 00:26:26.160
You said the first lesson is don't hesitate to tell the story.
00:26:26.319 --> 00:26:26.960
Love that.
00:26:27.200 --> 00:26:30.240
Can you teach me how do I tell an effective story?
00:26:30.400 --> 00:26:34.319
Is there is is it just am I overcomplicating it by looking for steps?
00:26:34.480 --> 00:26:38.960
Or is um, do you have any advice you can give me in terms of anything?
00:26:39.200 --> 00:26:40.559
Because you're a professional storyteller.
00:26:40.799 --> 00:26:42.960
How do I tell my story powerfully?
00:26:43.440 --> 00:26:53.599
So I think the biggest thing I can say, so it's important to tell the facts and the details of the story, but the most important thing to tell us is how it made you feel.
00:26:54.079 --> 00:26:54.400
Okay.
00:26:54.960 --> 00:26:55.599
The why.
00:26:55.839 --> 00:27:01.119
Tell the why behind the story, because that is what people will remember.
00:27:01.759 --> 00:27:06.480
People won't remember necessarily the names or the dates.
00:27:07.039 --> 00:27:12.319
It will be written down so that the family historian people can record it, which is so important.
00:27:12.960 --> 00:27:15.440
But make people feel.
00:27:15.839 --> 00:27:21.599
Tell us how you feel, because that's the key that's gonna help us remember.
00:27:21.759 --> 00:27:28.559
That's the key that's gonna help us feel the spirit when they're listening to those stories.
00:27:29.359 --> 00:27:31.839
You know, um, I've been that's so powerful.
00:27:32.079 --> 00:27:39.599
I I have tried in my career, I I I was a part of some coaching groups that talked taught how to coach.
00:27:39.839 --> 00:27:47.440
And what we found was, and what we found was that connecting on the emotion wasn't like like a great tool.
00:27:47.519 --> 00:27:49.599
It was the only thing that mattered.
00:27:49.839 --> 00:27:59.920
Because people are able to resolve their own issues in many cases, just when they feel validated and they feel like again, going back to this word of belonging.
00:28:00.079 --> 00:28:08.319
So when I hear you say that, I think about how powerful it is that people understand, especially our kids, that whatever they're feeling is normal, natural.
00:28:08.480 --> 00:28:19.599
And if if they have someone else who's feeling it with them, then they it just opens up all sorts of possibilities of how they can use that to help them grow versus like negatively define themselves.
00:28:19.759 --> 00:28:24.079
So, like when it comes to those feelings, I know I know what you're talking about.
00:28:24.240 --> 00:28:27.839
From it's it's I think you're talking about the full range of emotions, is that right?
00:28:27.920 --> 00:28:31.359
Like anything you were feeling at all, as long as it was real for you, that's what you share.
00:28:31.680 --> 00:28:31.920
Right.
00:28:32.079 --> 00:28:32.400
Yeah.
00:28:32.640 --> 00:28:47.279
Just don't don't forget, like telling the the who, what, when, where part is important, but the why and the how are the biggest most important parts of the story.
00:28:47.440 --> 00:28:50.799
And if you forget those, then you're gonna lose people.
00:28:51.119 --> 00:28:53.519
You know, um, people aren't gonna listen.
00:28:53.680 --> 00:28:56.240
And I think that I think that's the key.
00:28:56.640 --> 00:28:57.440
Amazing.
00:28:57.680 --> 00:29:00.480
Um, any other advice in that space?
00:29:00.720 --> 00:29:03.200
I kind of want to keep clicking until you're exhausted.
00:29:04.480 --> 00:29:11.920
No, you said well, one of the things that um Rhonda and I often will say is like, do it now and it will be enough.
00:29:12.240 --> 00:29:16.240
So anything that you do today is more than what you did yesterday.
00:29:16.480 --> 00:29:20.400
So don't get down on yourself because you didn't do it.
00:29:20.799 --> 00:29:23.920
Don't try to eat the elephant in one bite.
00:29:24.240 --> 00:29:25.759
Take a little bit at a time.
00:29:25.920 --> 00:29:27.200
Do a little bit at a time.
00:29:27.359 --> 00:29:32.720
One of the really cool things that um Family Search has is called this memories app.
00:29:32.799 --> 00:29:40.079
And I don't know if you're familiar with it or if you've um, but it has questions and there's a microphone in the app.
00:29:40.240 --> 00:29:43.519
You just click on that microphone and you can talk about it for five minutes.
00:29:43.759 --> 00:29:55.359
And then the other cool thing about it is it ups it uploads it to Family Search and you tag all the people that are in that story, and then it automatically goes to their page.
00:29:55.680 --> 00:30:02.160
And so you're spending five, 10 minutes and you've told a story.
00:30:02.799 --> 00:30:08.400
And I think that there's so like, why aren't we doing that with our kids every Sunday?
00:30:08.640 --> 00:30:12.640
You know, why aren't we having our kids tell their stories every Sunday?
00:30:12.880 --> 00:30:14.960
Just pick one of those questions and tell it.
00:30:15.200 --> 00:30:25.119
And I think one thing I learned, we had been invited to go to, you know, one of the new family search centers, which I can't plug those places enough.
00:30:25.200 --> 00:30:25.759
They're so cool.
00:30:25.920 --> 00:30:27.519
There's so many cool things there.
00:30:27.759 --> 00:30:33.119
And one of my sons had gone into the booth and it was just T and I and he was trying it out.
00:30:33.200 --> 00:30:41.119
And this, and I and I haven't been there for a while, so I don't know if they still have this, but they have this person come on and ask questions.
00:30:41.599 --> 00:30:47.200
And it was so enlightening to hear my son's answers to those questions.
00:30:47.440 --> 00:30:53.440
So we talk a lot about let's, you know, us in our age group, we should tell our stories.
00:30:53.599 --> 00:30:55.440
We need to interview our parents.
00:30:55.680 --> 00:30:58.240
Uh, yeah, we need to talk to our kids.
00:30:58.480 --> 00:31:05.039
Like, have our kids tell us things because first of all, hearing their voice 10 years from now, it's magic.
00:31:05.440 --> 00:31:06.400
It's wonderful.
00:31:06.799 --> 00:31:10.720
And then, second of all, their perspective is so unique.
00:31:11.039 --> 00:31:13.440
Like they have such great perspective about things.
00:31:13.599 --> 00:31:17.519
I remember they asked my son what his favorite vacation was.
00:31:17.839 --> 00:31:21.359
And I was so surprised to hear what he said.
00:31:21.599 --> 00:31:24.960
I thought it would be, you know, some glamorous place that he went.
00:31:25.039 --> 00:31:26.799
And it was something really simple.
00:31:27.279 --> 00:31:31.359
And I just think we don't always ask our kids those questions.
00:31:31.759 --> 00:31:40.480
And it's important to give them an opportunity to share and to and to let them think about what those feelings are.
00:31:40.799 --> 00:31:42.400
Well, it's the whole purpose of your book.
00:31:42.640 --> 00:31:47.599
I mean, I for me, I feel like I've just stumbled into a uh a gold mine.
00:31:48.079 --> 00:31:50.880
You know, how can we help our children's mental health?
00:31:51.039 --> 00:31:54.319
And one of the great tools is helping them tell their story.
00:31:54.480 --> 00:32:05.519
So if we can encourage them to do that, the fruits of that investment are impossible to fully pin down because you think about how they're verbally processing their own experiences.
00:32:05.759 --> 00:32:08.559
Hopefully they feel safe to share difficult things.
00:32:08.799 --> 00:32:14.880
But um, no matter what, the more they talk, like you said, the more their their outcomes will change positively.
00:32:15.119 --> 00:32:17.759
But then you have like the actual connections of the other stories.
00:32:17.839 --> 00:32:35.759
And if we all like you said, if we all did that across the world every week, every time we're tagged in another person's story, we could not only see our life from a place of existence, but from other people's perspectives, which I think would would help us feel again like we're connected and belong literally as we go through that.
00:32:35.839 --> 00:32:53.039
And then you think about the rippling rippling effects of hearing their own stories for themselves, as well as their descendants, as well as like there's just an infinite number of blessings that come from us every Sunday, coming and hitting record and just answering questions and telling stories that are real for us.
00:32:53.200 --> 00:32:59.519
I think it's truly um an untapped miracle that I think in time we will understand.
00:32:59.599 --> 00:33:02.559
Wow, that was at our fingertips all that whole time.
00:33:02.720 --> 00:33:05.039
And not to feel bad though, you said that on your website.
00:33:05.119 --> 00:33:07.759
I just want to you I I when you said that, I was like, where's that from?
00:33:07.839 --> 00:33:09.119
It was from your website.
00:33:09.279 --> 00:33:14.480
You have that on your evalog.life website where you help people write their stories.
00:33:14.559 --> 00:33:16.880
It says, Tell your story with evalog.life.
00:33:17.200 --> 00:33:19.359
The handle is do it now and it will be enough.
00:33:19.519 --> 00:33:21.440
I didn't know what that meant until you just said that.
00:33:22.160 --> 00:33:23.599
You're just saying, don't feel guilty.
00:33:23.839 --> 00:33:25.279
So is there a lot of guilt with people?
00:33:25.440 --> 00:33:26.720
Because I don't like guilty.
00:33:27.119 --> 00:33:28.880
People have so much guilt.
00:33:29.039 --> 00:33:42.799
And and then what happens is then so they feel that guilt and then they just don't do it because you know, you don't know where to start, you don't know where to end, you don't know, and stop, stop doing that and just do it.
00:33:42.960 --> 00:33:52.880
You know, even if you do the memories app and you record five minutes, that's more than what you did 10 minutes ago, you know, like yeah, just just tackle it a little bit at a time.
00:33:53.039 --> 00:33:57.519
And that's advice that my husband actually gave me when I was writing my first book.
00:33:57.680 --> 00:34:03.599
He said, Rachel, you you know how to write vignettes, you've been doing it as a reporter for 15 years.
00:34:03.759 --> 00:34:20.400
He's like, tell this person's story in small stories, and then you're gonna have the whole thing because you're just telling these stories, and that's what right when you write a whole book, it's a collection of small stories put into one big book.
00:34:20.639 --> 00:34:24.320
And if you think of any book that you read, that's what it is.
00:34:24.559 --> 00:34:31.920
It's a series of stories put together into one big story, and um, and we overthink it, and so then we just don't do it.
00:34:32.079 --> 00:34:35.280
And you can start in the middle, you can start at the end.
00:34:35.440 --> 00:34:51.360
Um, I had a client that was really struggling to write the a book she was writing about her, she's actually still writing it and she's doing amazing, but she's writing a story about her daughter who passed away um in an untimely death, and she was really stuck.
00:34:51.679 --> 00:34:54.880
And I said, let's just write the end.
00:34:55.199 --> 00:34:58.960
Let's write the end so that you know where you're going.
00:34:59.440 --> 00:35:01.280
And so that's what we did.
00:35:01.440 --> 00:35:04.400
And then it was like her eyes were opened.
00:35:04.480 --> 00:35:10.480
She then she could start writing all the other parts because she knew where she wanted it to end.
00:35:10.639 --> 00:35:14.159
And I think we have to find that sweet spot.
00:35:14.239 --> 00:35:15.679
It's different for everyone.
00:35:15.920 --> 00:35:19.039
Um, not that doesn't work for everybody, but it worked for her.
00:35:19.280 --> 00:35:26.079
And I think we have to find that sweet spot and go with it and stop overthinking the fact that we don't know how to start.
00:35:26.239 --> 00:35:29.840
Just start somewhere and the rest of it is gonna come together.
00:35:30.159 --> 00:35:39.760
I I'm gonna quote a good friend of mine by the name of Chris Smith by saying, What you just said makes me realize that the power is picking up the pen.
00:35:40.000 --> 00:35:40.480
Yeah.
00:35:40.800 --> 00:35:43.599
The power is in picking up the pen.
00:35:43.760 --> 00:35:47.440
Like it's it's not about perfection, it's not about depth or whatever.
00:35:47.519 --> 00:35:52.800
Like you said, just do what you can when you can and let everything else go because our stories are infinite.
00:35:52.960 --> 00:35:57.440
They began forever before we came to this place called Earth.
00:35:57.519 --> 00:36:00.159
They're gonna keep going forever after we leave.
00:36:00.400 --> 00:36:03.840
So the point isn't trying to put our arms around completion.
00:36:04.079 --> 00:36:11.599
And I don't even think, you know, they talk about family history being the, you know, the tree, planting the seed for a tree that we'll never enjoy.
00:36:11.679 --> 00:36:12.800
I don't think that's true.
00:36:13.039 --> 00:36:16.960
I think there are trees that we will that we will benefit future generations with.
00:36:17.119 --> 00:36:21.039
I think family history, the power isn't just picking up the pen.
00:36:21.119 --> 00:36:27.920
And it's more than just like creating a history, it's about authoring your life.
00:36:28.159 --> 00:36:31.199
Like that's the power in what we're talking about.
00:36:31.280 --> 00:36:33.519
Um, and I am so like just moved.
00:36:33.679 --> 00:36:36.559
I I my next question to you is like, what so what do you do?
00:36:36.719 --> 00:36:38.079
Because like I think you have this idea.
00:36:38.639 --> 00:36:42.480
I don't mean to sound so pointed when that question, but like it's like, what do you do?
00:36:42.639 --> 00:36:53.599
It's this idea that like you are telling people just pick up the pen, go on to memories on the app, hit record, just do a little here and there, and over time, whatever you do is going to be magical.
00:36:53.679 --> 00:36:55.599
Well, it's like it's again, it's all gold.
00:36:55.840 --> 00:36:59.440
So there's it's just a matter of how much you decide to consistently do.
00:36:59.679 --> 00:37:02.559
So, how do you help people with that with your company?
00:37:03.519 --> 00:37:07.920
Um, well, I think we just the biggest key is to stay consistent.
00:37:08.159 --> 00:37:08.480
Okay.
00:37:08.639 --> 00:37:19.119
So one one thing that um I like to encourage people to do is to is just to start a habit of writing every day or writing every week.
00:37:19.519 --> 00:37:21.840
Um, every month isn't really quite enough.
00:37:22.000 --> 00:37:25.440
You kind of need to probably be writing at least every week.
00:37:25.599 --> 00:37:32.400
Um, but my thing is write 500 words a day and before, and that's a page, that's one page of writing.
00:37:32.639 --> 00:37:39.679
Um, and once you start getting in the habit of that, then you've created this habit and you can start doing it.
00:37:39.920 --> 00:37:44.000
Um, for me personally, so like the cobbler's children have no shoes, right?
00:37:44.480 --> 00:37:48.719
I am helping other people, and so sometimes I'm not the greatest.
00:37:48.960 --> 00:37:54.880
But what I do is I make sure without fail that I journal every Sunday night.
00:37:55.039 --> 00:37:56.159
Like that's what I do.
00:37:56.320 --> 00:37:57.440
I make sure that I do.
00:37:57.599 --> 00:38:00.480
Maybe it's only a page, maybe it's three pages.
00:38:00.719 --> 00:38:11.039
And then when I'm feeling like really great, I try to write a story of like my youth or about my parents or something along those lines.
00:38:11.199 --> 00:38:20.159
And so I and then as soon as I write that story, I put it on family search so that it just is there, it's a place, and it's sitting there.
00:38:20.400 --> 00:38:26.000
So even if I never finish the book, I have a lot of stories that are gonna be there.
00:38:26.159 --> 00:38:33.679
But the biggest thing for me is is I'm gonna journal every week and I'm gonna talk about my spiritual highlights of the week.
00:38:33.920 --> 00:38:38.400
And as long as I'm doing that, then I'm being consistent.
00:38:38.719 --> 00:38:41.119
And so I think that's the biggest key.
00:38:41.280 --> 00:38:42.719
We have to be consistent.
00:38:42.880 --> 00:38:51.360
And, you know, sometimes when we're writing our own stories, or if you're writing an ancestor story or whatever you're choosing to write about, you're gonna get writer's block.
00:38:51.519 --> 00:38:54.880
You're gonna feel stuck because that's just the nature of writing.
00:38:55.039 --> 00:38:59.280
But don't stop writing, take a break and write about something else.
00:38:59.599 --> 00:39:05.840
You know, um, don't stop writing your story or your ancestor story, just take a break and write about something else.
00:39:06.079 --> 00:39:06.800
Look online.
00:39:07.280 --> 00:39:11.519
There's millions of web pages that have writing prompts.
00:39:11.760 --> 00:39:18.159
Look online, find a writing prompt, and write about it for a day or for a week while you're just having a break.
00:39:18.320 --> 00:39:21.039
I have the same client that I shared about.
00:39:21.280 --> 00:39:24.239
Um she was having writer's block.
00:39:24.400 --> 00:39:40.880
And so instead of writing the story that was so hard for her to write, she took a couple of months and she wrote some very spiritual, deep, poignant thoughts that she had had about a class that she was teaching, um, an institute class she was teaching.
00:39:41.039 --> 00:39:44.559
And so she wrote about these Bible stories and what they meant to her.
00:39:44.800 --> 00:39:47.679
Like, how wonderful for her to pass along.
00:39:47.920 --> 00:39:49.280
It's is her book finished?
00:39:49.599 --> 00:39:49.920
No.
00:39:50.239 --> 00:39:54.719
But she took a break and now she's back at it, but she never stopped writing.
00:39:54.880 --> 00:39:56.159
And I think that's the key.
00:39:56.239 --> 00:40:00.320
Just keep writing, don't, don't stop or keep recording.
00:40:00.400 --> 00:40:08.159
Like if writing feels too overwhelming, our phones are this wonderful little tool that you can just record your voice talking.
00:40:08.719 --> 00:40:09.840
And that works.
00:40:10.000 --> 00:40:12.079
That's more than not doing something.
00:40:12.320 --> 00:40:13.280
Is there a difference though?
00:40:13.440 --> 00:40:16.960
Like, in so that's a good question I have because I mean I'm I'm not trying to be funny.
00:40:17.039 --> 00:40:24.320
Literally, if I if if you're leaning on my writing to understand what I'm saying, you will have a better time with high highlighters because I cannot write well.
00:40:24.480 --> 00:40:28.960
My handwriting, I've been told before, makes chickens look articulate.
00:40:29.119 --> 00:40:38.639
I I for me, what do so I've been doing what I've been doing since I've been on this journey is I'll just like video myself and I have a loom video is what I do.
00:40:39.039 --> 00:40:46.800
I'll try to do that three or four times, three or four times a week where I just get on and I just kind of recap everything and I just I honestly offload emotionally a little bit too.
00:40:46.960 --> 00:40:51.519
Um, but I've always wondered, like, I think I'm missing something by not writing though.
00:40:51.599 --> 00:40:53.440
Like, what are your thoughts on that?
00:40:53.840 --> 00:40:56.639
Well, for me personally, writing is the key.
00:40:56.800 --> 00:41:03.039
Like writing, you know, writing it down gives it meaning, but I don't think that's the rule.
00:41:03.360 --> 00:41:08.239
Um, we we have technology for a reason.
00:41:08.480 --> 00:41:14.559
Um, technology, like, you know, people talk about how terrible the internet is or how bad it is.
00:41:14.880 --> 00:41:18.639
No, we have these things here for our growth and learning.
00:41:18.960 --> 00:41:20.480
Let's take advantage of them.
00:41:20.719 --> 00:41:24.000
You know, this our meeting right now is a Zoom meeting.
00:41:24.079 --> 00:41:24.239
Yeah.
00:41:24.639 --> 00:41:27.920
It's being transcribed, it's being written down.
00:41:28.239 --> 00:41:34.239
Um, but this is an oral conversation, but it's being written down somewhere.
00:41:34.480 --> 00:41:39.360
And so let's use that technology, let's use it to our advantage.
00:41:39.599 --> 00:41:43.119
Um, don't do something because you feel like you're not good at it.
00:41:43.280 --> 00:41:49.039
Don't, you know, this is a double negative, but don't not do it because you think you're bad at it.
00:41:49.199 --> 00:41:51.440
Find an alternative way that works for you.
00:41:51.679 --> 00:41:51.840
Okay.
00:41:52.000 --> 00:41:54.320
And we have all this technology to do it.
00:41:55.280 --> 00:41:56.320
Don't hold back.
00:41:56.400 --> 00:41:58.320
Like, find what works best for you and do it.
00:41:58.639 --> 00:42:00.000
Yeah, I think I go ahead.
00:42:00.719 --> 00:42:08.000
Well, writing, but you know, having said that, writing stuff down like it brings it to life, right?
00:42:08.239 --> 00:42:14.079
Um, I don't like writing stuff down is the best way to keep the record.
00:42:14.320 --> 00:42:19.119
Um, but we have this other technology that's gonna write it down for us if we speak it.
00:42:19.280 --> 00:42:20.320
So that's okay.
00:42:20.559 --> 00:42:21.360
I appreciate you, Dan.
00:42:21.679 --> 00:42:24.079
I appreciate the way you handled that because ultimately I think you're right.
00:42:24.159 --> 00:42:25.360
The studies are absolute.
00:42:25.519 --> 00:42:29.760
When we physically write things down, there's a rewiring that occurs mentally.
00:42:29.840 --> 00:42:31.679
Like there's something there that's that's peace.
00:42:32.000 --> 00:42:34.320
Now listen, verbal processing also is real.
00:42:34.559 --> 00:42:39.360
And some people like me who have horrible handwriting are going to be more consistent with the verbal.
00:42:39.440 --> 00:42:49.280
So I think your message is like there is this thing, there's something very magical and special about writing, and to encourage that as much as possible, but don't let that get in the way of getting it done.
00:42:49.440 --> 00:42:53.920
Done is better, done is better, done and consistent is better than perfection in this case.
00:42:54.079 --> 00:42:58.079
And so, like you say, this idea of just don't feel bad about it.
00:42:58.159 --> 00:43:05.039
So, like for me, I'll continue to stay in that vein and and I'll encourage myself to grow into that physical writing.
00:43:05.119 --> 00:43:15.679
Cause I think for our kids in particular, like if my son didn't have a preference, I'd be like, don't talk if you can write, because your realities will change by write like physical writing.
00:43:15.760 --> 00:43:17.280
I think there's something magical about it.
00:43:17.440 --> 00:43:20.239
So, Rachel, this has been such a powerful conversation.
00:43:20.480 --> 00:43:25.199
I I feel like we could go on for hours, and heaven knows we have already trying to get this episode recorded.
00:43:25.360 --> 00:43:29.119
So I'm gonna wrap things up with some rapid-fire questions for you.
00:43:29.360 --> 00:43:32.159
And um, and this is how I finish all my shows.
00:43:32.239 --> 00:43:34.079
So let's start off with your company.
00:43:34.239 --> 00:43:35.599
How do people get a hold of you?
00:43:35.679 --> 00:43:41.440
How do they learn more about what you do in your company to help help them tell their story?
00:43:41.760 --> 00:43:42.079
Okay.
00:43:42.400 --> 00:43:45.519
So the company that I work with is called Evilog.life.
00:43:45.840 --> 00:43:47.360
Um, you can go to our website.
00:43:47.519 --> 00:43:51.519
We have like a questionnaire page that you can fill out and get get to us.
00:43:52.000 --> 00:43:56.159
Um, my my LLC on the site is called TNT Solutions.
00:43:56.320 --> 00:43:59.840
And my husband said, wouldn't it be nice if we had our webpage all the way done?
00:44:00.320 --> 00:44:03.199
Because I most a lot of my work is word of mouth.
00:44:03.360 --> 00:44:08.719
But I like emailing me is a great way to reach out and let's just do the email.
00:44:08.800 --> 00:44:10.079
I think that'd probably be the best way.
00:44:10.159 --> 00:44:13.679
Because there is a website and I went through it, but it sounds like there's a lot of ways to work with you.
00:44:13.760 --> 00:44:24.320
So if any of this, if any of this episode has spoken to you on any level, no matter where you are in the world, email Rachel and uh what email would you like to use?
00:44:25.199 --> 00:44:28.639
The best email is gonna be rachel t at evalog.life.
00:44:28.719 --> 00:44:30.719
And I'm hoping that you can put that in a like some.
00:44:31.119 --> 00:44:32.320
We will put that in the show notes.
00:44:32.400 --> 00:44:33.760
That will be added to the show notes.
00:44:34.000 --> 00:44:34.239
Yeah.
00:44:34.320 --> 00:44:41.280
Um, but it's yeah, it's just R-E-C-H-E-L-T at E-V A-L-O-G-U-E dot life.
00:44:41.679 --> 00:44:44.639
Um if you you know, if you were that good that you wrote that all down.
00:44:44.719 --> 00:44:52.079
But um, yeah, that's the best way to reach me um and to get a hold of me, and then I can guide you to the right, whatever you may need.
00:44:52.239 --> 00:44:52.880
So yeah.
00:44:53.119 --> 00:44:53.679
I love that.
00:44:53.760 --> 00:44:55.519
And I I just thank you for saying that.
00:44:55.679 --> 00:45:02.960
You know, I I'm very loud about promoting what you do because um of all the benefits that we talked about and all the things that are there.
00:45:03.039 --> 00:45:12.320
This this is a missing link, this thing called storytelling in the creation of belonging and identity as it pertains to the spirit of Elijah, as it pertains to Jesus Christ.
00:45:12.480 --> 00:45:14.239
I think there's something so powerful about that.
00:45:14.400 --> 00:45:14.719
All right.
00:45:14.880 --> 00:45:20.320
Next question is Um, where in the world have you been that you've loved, or where's someone in the world you're excited to?
00:45:20.400 --> 00:45:22.000
You oh, let's do this one instead.
00:45:22.239 --> 00:45:26.239
Where what's a foreign temple you've been to that, because you mentioned you go to temples when you travel.
00:45:26.320 --> 00:45:30.320
What's a temple you've been to when you traveled that just you were super connected with?
00:45:30.960 --> 00:45:34.639
So, oh gosh, that's hard to say.
00:45:34.800 --> 00:45:36.079
Um I know.
00:45:40.239 --> 00:45:50.400
I uh, you know, we my son um served a mission in um Roseville, California, which is not a foreign place.
00:45:50.719 --> 00:45:53.840
Um, but he happened to be in the and I know we're trying to wrap up, so I'll try to make this.
00:45:54.159 --> 00:45:54.880
No, we're not in a hurry.
00:45:54.960 --> 00:45:57.599
I just wanted to this is just kind of like landing the plane eventually.
00:45:57.840 --> 00:46:04.559
But but when he served, um he served in Paradise, California, and I'm not sure if you're familiar, they had a big fire there.
00:46:04.639 --> 00:46:05.039
Yeah.
00:46:05.280 --> 00:46:08.079
And he was serving a mission when the fire happened.
00:46:08.719 --> 00:46:15.199
And his mission president called him and said, You have five minutes to get you and the missionaries out of paradise.
00:46:16.239 --> 00:46:27.920
And so it was just such a testimony-building time for him and for me as a mom, because I didn't know for some time if he was okay.
00:46:28.639 --> 00:46:36.880
So as soon as he came home from his mission, um, we turned around and went back because he needed to have some closure.
00:46:37.119 --> 00:46:44.960
And um, so we, but in that, we went to Oakland because he had been telling people about the Oakland Temple all through his mission.
00:46:45.119 --> 00:46:48.480
And so we went to the Oakland Temple because he wanted to go.
00:46:48.800 --> 00:46:53.599
And we just had such a beautiful experience with our son there.
00:46:53.840 --> 00:47:00.000
And I would say um that was a really sacred, beautiful experience visiting that temple.
00:47:00.880 --> 00:47:02.239
So great story.
00:47:02.400 --> 00:47:06.400
It's impossible to do a rapid fire in a sense that you can't tell the story.
00:47:06.480 --> 00:47:07.599
The story is where the magic is.
00:47:07.679 --> 00:47:08.239
So take your time.
00:47:08.320 --> 00:47:09.199
That was beautiful.
00:47:09.440 --> 00:47:10.800
Um, okay, great.
00:47:10.880 --> 00:47:14.079
Let's let's um so this is the family history part of my show.
00:47:14.239 --> 00:47:16.000
Usually we spend a lot more time honestly talking about temples.
00:47:16.079 --> 00:47:17.599
So this has been really I know, right?
00:47:17.840 --> 00:47:21.679
Yeah, this has been really fun to really lean in on this because this was the thing that got me involved.
00:47:21.840 --> 00:47:29.199
So let's talk now about um uh a and a relative not living that you feel connected to and why.
00:47:29.760 --> 00:47:30.960
Oh gosh.
00:47:32.079 --> 00:47:38.960
So I had this relative um that I have a quite a few relatives on my dad's side that I knew.
00:47:39.119 --> 00:47:43.519
And I had this one relative, it was my um my great aunt.
00:47:43.679 --> 00:47:51.599
Um, her name is Florence, and I thought that we had done all of my grandmother's family's work.
00:47:52.320 --> 00:47:58.719
And we were trying to kind of gather some things because we my dad had passed away and we were gonna have him sealed to his family.
00:47:59.199 --> 00:48:10.159
And so I was doing making sure that we had everything, and her name popped up that we had not done her endowment or her initiatory.
00:48:10.480 --> 00:48:16.559
And my husband has always been like, he's the records guy, he's you know, always made sure that all of that was done.
00:48:16.639 --> 00:48:19.280
And I would be like, Okay, let's take these names and go.
00:48:19.519 --> 00:48:21.519
And I actually found her.
00:48:21.760 --> 00:48:22.079
Wow.
00:48:22.239 --> 00:48:23.760
And realized I had missed her.
00:48:23.920 --> 00:48:30.159
And she's an aunt that whenever we went to Texas to visit my grandparents, we always went over to her house to visit.
00:48:30.400 --> 00:48:35.519
And I loved and adored her and her daughter, who was actually the same age as my grandma.
00:48:35.679 --> 00:48:44.159
My grandma was also a bonus, like my cute little Eliza, my youngest daughter, who is she's named after my grandma.
00:48:44.239 --> 00:48:45.440
They're they have the same middle names.
00:48:45.519 --> 00:48:46.880
But anyway, it's really cool.
00:48:47.360 --> 00:48:54.239
Another story for another day, but anyway, um, but finding that and then taking that to the temple.
00:48:54.400 --> 00:49:04.159
And then when I went and did the work, um the in the initiatory, the lady said to me, she said, Is this a relative that you know?
00:49:04.480 --> 00:49:05.519
And I said, Yes.
00:49:05.599 --> 00:49:08.960
And she said, I can feel, I can feel that.
00:49:09.519 --> 00:49:15.519
And um, it was just so beautiful to like see that all come full circle.
00:49:15.679 --> 00:49:19.679
And then I've have since been able to get all of the rest of her work done.
00:49:19.920 --> 00:49:24.320
And um, I just can't wait to see her again and talk about it.
00:49:24.719 --> 00:49:26.000
Great story.
00:49:26.239 --> 00:49:30.079
Um, yeah, it's fun having a professional storyteller on the show, by the way.
00:49:30.159 --> 00:49:32.559
You just you do so much of the lifting, it's been great.
00:49:32.800 --> 00:49:33.920
Last question.
00:49:34.159 --> 00:49:36.480
This this is my same question with all my guests.
00:49:36.639 --> 00:49:38.880
This is a family history recording right now.
00:49:39.280 --> 00:49:49.039
Your your kids, kids, kids are gonna see this and you at this stage of your life, what message would you leave for them regarding this topic that we covered today?
00:49:50.000 --> 00:50:30.320
Um, I just want my I think I just want my children to know that like this, you know, we've talked about the storytelling, but in terms of temple and family history work and missionary work and all of those things, that this is all one work and how grateful I am to them for listening, to listening and being a part of this work with me, um, giving me feedback or remembering the stories so that we can talk about them and laugh about them over and over again, but also those really beautiful moments.
00:50:30.639 --> 00:50:36.320
Um, just at Easter time, we we took all of our kids to the temple that were here.
00:50:36.480 --> 00:50:50.880
Our daughter that's on a mission wasn't here, and then our youngest babysat, the grandkids, but we did ceilings and um being able to look at them all gathered around the altar, my husband and I that was beautiful.
00:50:51.119 --> 00:50:59.599
And just to thank them for choosing for using their agency to choose this life and to choose this eternal life.
00:50:59.760 --> 00:51:03.199
And when things get hard, I hope they remember.
00:51:03.440 --> 00:51:09.199
I hope they remember those moments where they felt the spirit and want to keep seeking after it.
00:51:10.079 --> 00:51:12.960
Rachel, thank you so much for being on the show.
00:51:14.159 --> 00:51:17.519
And for all of you for tuning in, thank you so much for tuning into Temple Bound.
00:51:17.679 --> 00:51:20.239
I am so grateful for you to get to this point of the show.
00:51:20.480 --> 00:51:31.679
Please remember that you matter, that you belong in the family uh of our father, and that there is nothing that that that can ever take that away.
00:51:31.920 --> 00:51:34.480
So thanks all for tuning in until next time.
00:51:34.800 --> 00:51:41.039
Temple Bound is brought to you by the Light on a Hill Foundation, a nonprofit aimed at building and strengthening families across the globe.
00:51:41.199 --> 00:51:46.719
Produced by Heather Humphreys, with show notes and social media managed by Isabel Dizon and Kimberly Simbafon.
00:51:47.119 --> 00:51:49.119
Wardrobe by Anne Collar.
00:51:49.280 --> 00:51:56.639
These views and opinions expressed by the host and guests are on their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints.
00:51:56.880 --> 00:52:01.599
Thank you for joining us today as we continue learning, growing, and striving to bind our lives closer to Saviour.
00:52:01.760 --> 00:52:02.480
Until next time.