In October 2022, a group of missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints travelled from Papua New Guinea to Sydney to participate in temple and family history work.
The Church of Jesus Christ teaches that God has prepared a way for family relationships to continue throughout eternity. This is made possible through ordinances performed inside holy temples.
During the past few months, missionaries from Papua New Guinea gathered information about their deceased ancestors and, in the Sydney Australia Temple, they performed the necessary ordinances on behalf of these ancestors.
One of these young missionaries, Elder Ipuku, said, “One of the best experiences I had inside the temple was performing ordinances for my mother. I reported to the Missionary Training Centre (MTC) last year. I was in MTC for a week when I received a devastating call from home that my mother had passed on…I am forever grateful for the Atonement of Jesus Christ…[When I was inside the temple], I really felt that my mother was around.”
Sister Imelda Wari also performed ordinances for her deceased family members. She said, “Those are my family. I love them and I need to be with them.”
Elder Gia Wari said that being sealed to his parents, "it was a great feeling, because [it felt like] they were just right next to me.”
Sister Uinise Hosea—who with her husband, President Charles Hosea, lead and support the missionaries of the Papua New Guinea Lae Mission—commented on the missionaries’ experiences.
“The testimony of these [missionaries] is knowing they have unlocked the gates for their relatives. Their families on the other side are now able to be part of the gospel.”
Elder Dale G. Renlund of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught that as individuals engage in temple and family history work, they will gain personal power, including the power to change, repent, learn, be sanctified, turn the hearts of the family together and heal that which needs healing.
Church Newsroom states: "Jesus Christ taught that 'except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God' (John 3:5). For those who have passed on without the ordinance of baptism, proxy baptism for the deceased is a free will offering. According to Church doctrine, a departed soul in the afterlife is completely free to accept or reject such a baptism — the offering is freely given and must be freely received. The ordinance does not force deceased persons to become members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, nor does the Church list deceased persons as members of the Church. In short, there is no change in the religion or heritage of the recipient or of the recipient's descendants — the notion of coerced conversion is utterly contrary to Church doctrine."
Watch an introductory video about proxy ordinances performed on behalf of family members who have passed away.