For most of her life, there were little things that Ayan Giddins couldn’t understand or explain about herself, such as why she loved coconuts, humidity and being around small animals.

The answer became clear, and the 23-year-old felt “empowered,” when she visited her ancestral home of Ghana last summer.

“When I was in Africa, I connected with my ancestors,” she said. “I think there comes a powerful point in everyone’s life where when you connect to where you came from; it gives you more verve and gives you more purpose for where you are going to go. ... Connecting with my ancestors filled me with more relevance and purpose, and I’m excited for a future with that.”

Giddins shared her experience as a member of a five-person young adult panel discussion on the topic of temple and family history work in front of thousands during an “After-Party” at RootsTech on Friday, March 3. The free event for young adults also featured live music, food, family history activities and a visit from an Apostle of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Elder Gerrit W. Gong, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and his wife, Sister Susan Gong, attended the event and participated in the young adult panel, the night before they delivered a keynote address during Family Discovery Day.

Elder Gong spoke about RootsTech in a Instagram Live Q&A on Thursday, March 9.

“We were so happy to gather this past weekend,” he said in the video. “RootsTech was a hybrid event [both online and in person] this year, so we had thousands of people come to the convention center and more than 3 million people online. That number will grow because people will continue to watch various segments. We loved the Friday evening young adult After-Party, with some 4,200 wonderful young adults there.” 

Holden Wiese, a 27-year-old from Sandy, Utah, and Kenna Barney, a 24-year-old from West Valley City, Utah, shared lessons they learned about the power of family history work.

“I like when Elder Gong emphasized relationships and how the Atonement of Jesus Christ heals families on both sides of the veil,” Wiese said. “I also liked the way he spoke about family history as a way of connecting ourselves to the Savior.” 

“I felt so touched when Elder Gong spoke about how relationships truly are the most important things in our life,” Barney said. “Reflecting on that, I see how my relationship with the Savior and with my family are essential [because] they give me identity, purpose and fulfillment.” 

Elder and Sister Gong with young adult panel

The RootsTech After-Party featured young adult emcees — Mary Hallman and Tanner Linton — and a five-person panel of Jasmine Knowles, 27, from Los Angeles, California; Jonah Brooks, 21, Orem, Utah; Giddins, from Orem, Utah; Madison Rose, 29, Denver, Colorado; and Faisiota Faumui, 23, St. George, Utah. The panel members shared a wide range of personal experiences and perspectives. 

“Thank you for being here tonight,” Elder Gong said. “We need everyone’s help to assemble the family tree of humanity.”

Elder and Sister Gong invited the young adult panel to discuss three topics related to temple and family history work:

Faumui said he was called to be a ward family history consultant and found family history work to be “so boring.” His perspective changed as a missionary when his mission president taught the missionaries to use family history in missionary work.

“I came to understand the true purpose of family history to bring us and our families closer to Christ. That just changed my perspective,” he said.

Rose, a recent Latter-day Saint convert, is only beginning to discover her family history.

“The dawn is just breaking. I have so much to do,” she said. “My little family tree is very, very small on FamilySearch. But I am really excited about the journey I have ahead.”

Elder Gong and Sister Gong encouraged the young adults to engage in temple and family history work and to receive the Lord’s promised blessings at they do so. 

“We are living in a time of miracles. There is a remarkable convergence of the Spirit of Elijah, technology and our drawing closer to our Savior through temple ordinances,” he said. “Think of more temples coming to more people closer in more places than ever before. Think of drawing closer to God, our Father, and Jesus Christ through the ordinances and covenants in each temple. And think, third, millions of family names in all these different homelands are waiting for us so we can connect, belong and unite our families for eternity.”

The blessings are real, and they are for each of us as we come unto Jesus Christ and unite families for eternity, Elder Gong said.

“Through Jesus Christ and His Atonement, we and our families can be happy and forever, healed and at peace on both sides of the veil,” he said.

ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7tbTEnJ%2BuqpOdu6bD0meaqKVfobKisMSrqmhqYGeAcH%2BOamtoamNrgHWAkWtmnqSUmr9us8SrqaKsXax6qLvNoGSsoaOpsrN5xqiloGWppMKvs4yam66kpGK9orrEpWSrp5%2BpwLWxwqFka2hiaA%3D%3D