THINNING OF THE VEIL

M. Catherine Thomas is a scholar of the gospel of Jesus Christ and who taught at BYU in the Ancient Scripture Department. She has authored numerous articles and books. This episode is a reading of her article called "The Brother of Jared at the Veil", which was included at a BYU Symposium. Catherine describes in detail the relationship between our own journey within the temple endowment...

The Book of Mormon was written for our day and within that holy text is written a most sacred endowment experience. The Brother of Jared's remarkable journey takes him through the wilderness, eventually arriving at Mount Shelem. During his sacred experiences, the Brother of Jared learns about patterns of revelation and the importance of making covenants with the Savior. His journey truly deta...

In this episode of the Gathering Academy, Colette goes over how to detach a source from a person in FamilySearch and reattach it to the correct ancestor. She also discusses the decision making process of determining which person the source is actually referencing, giving more confidence to the sometimes confusing process of making sure the records are accurate. YouTube: Help! The FamilySearch Sour...

In October 1989, in General Conference, Elder Haight testified of an experience that brought him to the brink of death. In that very real fight for life, he had a very sacred experience. He was taught things to wonderful to comprehend and viewed things of an eternal nature. The most important lesson learned in this holy, revelatory experience was that the Savior Jesus Christ suffered and died that...

Elder Richard G. Scott and his wife, Jeanene, felt a very large pull to do family history in their own family, leading Elder Scott to testify boldly of the blessings, responsibilities, and power that come from participating in this sacred work on numerous occasions. In the October 2012 General Conference, the power of his testimony touched Sister Wendy Nelson so much that she dedicated more time t...

"Have you prayed about your own ancestors’ work?", asks Elder Richard G. Scott. Have you prayed that intercessory prayer on behalf of your ancestor's? Have you asked who needs help on the other side of the veil? Jessica Gall, Karen Bowen, and Nelda McAllister all felt prompted to ask that very sacred question in heartfelt prayer. And while these sisters have never met, they received...

The Lord has been drawing Toni Jackson into the work of genealogy beginning at age 4. She has had thinning of the veil experiences all of her life because she is the soul descendent seeking to bring her ancestors into covenantal relationships with the Lord. Beginning at her own conversion and spanning decades, the Spirit of Elijah has been her guide in helping her connect with her ancestors from p...

The Book of Mormon was written for our day and the testimonies included in that sacred book are relevant to preparing us for future ministrations, not just  spiritual guidance for the here and now. Why would the 3 Nephite story be included in this holy text? Is that story important and relevant to us who are living in the last days? This episode explores the reasons behind a renewing of our bodies...

Anyone who has engaged in the work of the Gathering of Israel through Family History work, inevitably hits a brick wall. Frustration follows with eventual giving up on the whole process. In this episode Colette walks you through her tips and tricks to help with these very difficult dead ends with encouragement and a skill set that would make any genealogist proud. Our ancestors on the other side o...

In this episode, Tia Smith, reads this very instructive article written by Clyde J. Williams, a former BYU Professor of Ancient Scripture, for the book, "The Book of Mormon: 3 Nephi 9–30, This Is My Gospel." In this article, Professor Williams points out the patterns inherent in the lives of the 3 ancient Nephite apostles, that lead them to one of the most sacred gifts any mortal can att...

In Hebrews 13:2 it reads,  "Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares." How many times have we been visited by angels and not even realized it? How many times have unseen hands helped us in our most trying circumstances? Some of the strangers that we could be entertaining are the 3 disciples of Jesus Christ from the Book of Mormon. They ha...

Sometimes it may seem that we do not know a lot about the Spirit World and yet it is something that we are encouraged to study regularly. In this talk given by Curtis Jacobs at BYU Education Week,  in 2020, we learn that there are a lot of sources that point to the doctrines of Pre-mortality, the Plan of Salvation and the Spirit World. As a former Institute teacher, Brother Jacobs understands the...

In FamilySearch there are many different icons. One of the least understood of the icons is the Yellow Temple. In this episode Colette teaches what a yellow temple is and how to change it from yellow to green. It is a simple process which takes some sleuthing skills, but well worth the extra effort. Finding missing information is now easier than it ever has been. Taking up the challenge will be su...

Our premortal existence, mortality, and the spirit world are all connected because of familial love. Fredrick Hurst became a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. He was asked to work tirelessly on making sure the the Salt Lake Temple was finished. The sacrifice was great, but as in all things, the spiritual blessings obtained through his sacrificial work were even greater. Fr...

Brent L. Top and his wife, Wendy, have authored several books about death, the spirit world, and doctrines related to pre mortality, including "What's on the Other Side?" and "Beyond Death's Door". In this episode Brent and Wendy discuss why they have been drawn to the subject of death and what they have learned from their dedicated studies of the doctrines of the Chu...

There is so much more to becoming a sanctified one, than we can comprehend. Kevin Packard illustrates some of the inherent patterns in that process. The lunar cycle, sacred Jewish holidays and the planting and harvest seasons, all play a role in this overarching invitation to become like our Savior Jesus Christ. Brother Packard explains why the Gathering of Israel is supremely important as we desi...

Are you unsure about attaching a source on FamilySearch? Which record is actually the correct record? How do I attach important information to my ancestor? Records are important when trying to find and add ancestors. There are millions upon millions of vital statistics in FamilySearch and in this episode, Colette reviews how to make the correct decision of what information should be added to your...

Living in the latter days is not for the faint of heart. Satan is raging, wars are spreading across the face of the whole Earth, and contention is at an all time high, resulting in devastating consequences. How does the Lord combat all the evil forces at play? He calls upon the "Sanctified Ones" to fight in His holy army, armed with the power of the generations. In this episode, the sacr...

Prophecies from the past, including from Isaiah, talk about a people who would have the power to fight against the dominions of Satan in the latter days. The Sanctified Ones, carry powers and spiritual gifts that help them to not only conquer Satan but also allow them to be welcomed into the presence of the Savior. Who are the "Sanctified Ones"? What priesthood powers do these saints of...

In this BYUI Devotional talk by Elder Bednar, he describes the power by which the children of Israel were saved from the destroying angel. In our day we are seeing plagues of various kinds and many destroying angels spreading destruction on the world, nations, congregations, and our families. These tragic events have been warned of for generations and now they are upon us in full force. There is a...

Have you ever wondered how to use genealogical resources to locate records more effectively when trying to unite families? In this Gathering Academy episode, Colette teaches the step by step process, beginning with receiving a name through a thinning of the veil experience, of how to utilize each available resource to reunite missing family members. The Lord is hastening His work through technolog...

Elder Richard G. Scott testifies that if we will pray about our ancestor's work, we will have help given from both sides of the veil. One common way that information seems to flow from the other side of the veil is through dreams. Elizabeth and Amie, both experienced that help while they were sleeping. The Gathering of Israel on the other side of the veil necessitates communications that requ...

Christian Blake was taught by his mother at a very young age to value those who came before. He became interested in the stories of his ancestors and would accompany his mother to the Family History library often. It was then that the Spirit of Elijah took root in his soul and he continued to have thinning of the veil experiences in his youth. However, as life always does, he experienced some pret...

Gordon B. Hinckley, in the April 1989 Conference, read this talk written by the Prophet, Ezra Taft Benson. There are talks that seem to span the generations of time, and this particular talk about pride is one of the most influential. Most latter day saints have in their minds what they think pride is, but President Benson adds clarity and definition to one of the least understood human frailties....

Do you need help getting your ancestor's work done? Is there an easier way to allow family and friends to help you? In this short Gathering Academy episode, Colette runs through how to best use the Family Groups function in FamilySearch. Using this function essentially creates funnels that any invited family member or friend can access at any time. In temple work,  "Many hands make light...