The 2026 RootsTech Conference was packed with information to deepen family history work for members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Latter-day Saints strive to bring families together through family history. This is not only to better understand ourselves and our families, but also to bless God’s family and help our ancestors receive the blessings of salvation.
In the 2026 Temple and Family History Leadership Leadership Conference, Elder Patrick Kearon of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles encouraged Church leaders to experiment with family history resources, help others do the same, and see for themselves why people are drawn to family history work.
“Experience the light and joy it brings,” he said. “We are children of God, and God wants us to gather safely in His home with our families, friends, and loved ones.”
Experts at the 2026 RootsTech Conference shared several resources and practical tips for Latter-day Saints in family history work.
Now that the ceremony is ready, “Add What You Know” in FamilySearch
The Ordinance Preparation Tool in the FamilySearch Family Tree app searches a member’s family tree to find ancestors who need to perform temple ordinances on their behalf.
Elder Mark A. Bragg, a General Authority Seventy and executive director of the Church’s family history department and president of FamilySearch International, suggested starting with this tool for those who may feel overwhelmed just thinking about doing temple and family history work.
Elder Bragg also encouraged the principle of “add what you know.” The idea is simple. If you have family photos, memories, or even a favorite recipe, start your family history by adding that information to FamilySearch.
Elder Bragg said this practice helps individuals remember that they don’t just bring names to the temple; they bring people with them. Anything that opens the door to Elijah’s spirit, he said, is “worth the effort.”
An added benefit of adding “What You Know” to Family Search is that the information is available to others in your family tree. So relatives can share the joy of family stories.
Use the Church History Library
The Church History Library is the official archive of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Emily Stanford Schultz, customer experience manager for the Church History Library, shared several ways to take advantage of newly available resources and recent updates to uncover and enrich your family’s story.
The Church History Library’s collections include oral history, manuscripts, diaries, photographs, biographical databases, and Church History Catalogs.
Schulz said the Church History Inventory allows people to “find their family in the history of the Church.”
During the RootsTech session, Schultz shared the story of finding a letter from one of his ancestors to Church President Joseph F. Smith regarding a call to ministry. The letter was unknown to her mother, but she was able to read it with her.
“There are so many beautiful colorful stories on these records,” Schulz said. “It’s great to find gems of history.”
involve the whole family
Researchers have found that doing family history, which involves sharing family stories, can actually help reduce anxiety, increase self-esteem, and increase resilience.
In 2023, researchers at Brigham Young University found that family history knowledge is associated with healthy identity development in adolescents. In 2020, researchers at Emory University found that when children learn family stories, it creates a shared history, strengthens emotional bonds, and helps them make sense of their experiences when something doesn’t make sense.
During the RootsTech session, Jennifer K. Davis and Emily Oldroyd shared how they have involved children in family history, including using activities in Friends magazine, FamilySearch.org, the FamilySearch Family Tree app (available on iOS and Android), the FamilySearch Together app (available on iOS and Android), and the FamilySearch Memories app (available on iOS and Android).
Oldroyd said her son enjoys the activities on the Together app.
“This is what attracted him,” Oldroyd said, adding that the Memories app was a great way to “add to what you know” by writing down memories, recording audio memories and sharing photos.
Davis said sharing her family’s story with her children has blessed her and her family. She said her son asked to be told bedtime stories and she told him stories of her ancestors’ lives.
“Hearing his family talk, he felt surrounded by family and love,” Davis said. “And that gave him the peace he needed to fall asleep. He just wanted to feel connected to his family.”
