Come Follow Me & Family History: Ezra 1; 3-7 and Nehemiah 2; 4-6; 8
Imagine spending weeks rebuilding a city wall only to have people constantly try to distract you.
As he and the people worked to rebuild Jerusalem, their enemies mocked them, threatened them, and repeatedly tried to lure Nehemiah away from the work.
His response has become one of my favorite verses in scripture:
"I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down." (Nehemiah 6:3)
Every time I read those words, I ask myself:
What is the great work God has given me?
As a wife and mother, it's easy to feel like my days are filled with ordinary things—reading bedtime stories, helping with homework, wiping sticky counters, folding laundry, and making dinner. It's also easy to wonder if preserving family stories, interviewing grandparents, labeling old photographs, or writing in my children's journals can wait until life feels less busy. But Nehemiah reminds me that some work is simply too important to "come down" from.
President Russell M. Nelson has taught that gathering Israel is "the greatest cause on earth."
That gathering happens in many ways. It happens through missionary work. It happens in the temple. And it also happens as we discover, preserve, and share the stories of our families.
Every story we save keeps someone from being forgotten.
Every ancestor we discover is another child of God remembered.
Every family name we take to the temple is another invitation extended.
Every memory we record strengthens the generations that follow.
These may seem like small acts, but they are part of the Lord's great work. Like Nehemiah, we will always face distractions. There will always be another load of laundry, another notification on our phones, another television show to watch, or another reason to put family history off until tomorrow. But perhaps the invitation in Nehemiah's words is not simply to work harder. Perhaps it is to remember why the work matters.
As I prepared a family history workshop, I looked for an ancestor whose story I could share. That's when I came across Matilda Grant—a woman in my family tree with no parents attached to her.
I knew finding them wouldn't happen in a few minutes. It would require time, careful research, and a willingness to set other things aside for a season while I focused on this eternal work.
Little by little, the pieces came together.
Eventually, I found them.
Not long afterward, I had the privilege of taking Matilda's name to the temple and participating in the sealing ordinance for her and the parents I had prayerfully identified through my research. It was one of the most sacred experiences of my life.
Moments like that remind me why this work matters.
This isn't simply about filling in branches on a family tree. It's about helping gather Israel, strengthening families across generations, and extending the blessings of the gospel to God's children.
I am so grateful to be part of this great work.
The wall Nehemiah built still points us to God's faithfulness. The stories we preserve today can do the same for our children, grandchildren, and generations yet unborn. So this week, choose one small way to participate in the Lord's great work.
Write down a funny thing your child said.
Call a grandparent and ask about their childhood.
Label a family photograph.
Record a favorite family tradition.
Take one family name to the temple.
Small acts, done with love and purpose, become part of something far greater than we can see.
Like Nehemiah, may we be able to say:
"I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down."
ACTIVITY: One Small Step in a Great Work
Read Nehemiah 6:1–4 and discuss why Nehemiah chose to stay focused on the work God had given him.
Then ask:
- What "great work" has Heavenly Father asked our family to do?
- How can we help gather Israel in our home?
- Why are small acts still part of a great work?
Choose One Small Step
As a family, choose one activity to complete this week:
☐ Record a favorite family memory.
☐ Interview a grandparent or older relative.
☐ Label five old family photographs.
☐ Add one memory or photo to FamilySearch.
☐ Use Ordinances Ready to find an ancestor to take to the temple.
☐ Write in your family journal.
☐ Learn one new story about an ancestor.
☐ Write down something funny or meaningful that happened today.
Reflection
When you've finished, write your answer below:
This week, our family's "great work" was...
How did this small act bless our family?
Great works aren't usually accomplished all at once. They are built one faithful step at a time. Every story you preserve, every ancestor you remember, and every temple ordinance you help make possible is part of the Lord's great work of gathering Israel.
to download/print this week's activity simply click here or on the image below
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