1. Belief in Eternal Families: The LDS Church teaches that families can be together forever through eternal marriage and sealing ordinances performed in temples. This belief motivates members to diligently research and document their family histories.
2. Temple Work: Genealogical research is essential for performing temple ordinances, including baptism for the dead, which is a practice of vicarious baptism on behalf of deceased ancestors who did not have the opportunity to be baptized during their lifetime.
3. Family History Centers: The LDS Church established Family History Centers around the world, providing free access to genealogical resources, computers, and expert assistance to help members with their family history research.
4. Microfilm Collection: The LDS Church has microfilmed millions of genealogical records from archives, libraries, and government offices worldwide, making these records easily accessible to members.
5. Genealogical Software: The church developed its own genealogical software, FamilySearch, which allows members to organize, store, and share their family history information.
6. Volunteer Contributions: Many LDS Church members volunteer their time and expertise to assist others with genealogical research, contributing to the church's extensive genealogical records.
7. Genealogical Libraries: The church maintains a large genealogical library in Salt Lake City, Utah, as well as smaller genealogical libraries in many countries, providing members with access to a vast collection of genealogical resources.
8. Indexing Projects: LDS Church members volunteer their time to index genealogical records, making them more easily searchable and accessible to researchers.
Through these efforts, the LDS Church has accumulated one of the world's largest collections of genealogical records, which members use to perform temple ordinances, connect with their ancestors, and strengthen their family ties.