Arizona Temple And Bavarian Family History: An Overview

Family History plays a vital role in understanding who I am. As I learn more about my roots, I begin to see my place in Heavenly Father and Jesus’s eternal plan of happiness. More importantly, I believe I call down the blessings of heaven as I serve those ancestors who have gone before me. During my January-February 2025 trip to Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona, to visit family and take care of my aging Dad, I had the opportunity to serve my ancestors and understand my family history in a much deeper way. This blog post will discuss in depth what I experienced and learned.

Summary of my Arizona Temple and Family History Experiences

In mid-February I wrote this brief Facebook summary of my trip: “During the last several weeks that I’ve been in Arizona, I’ve had the opportunity to go to the #HouseOfTheLord at the Tucson, Mesa, and Gilbert LDS Temples. Because of where my dad is staying in Tucson, and where my sisters and son and grandchildren live, and where my cousin’s house is in Tucson (where I stayed from January 11 to February 15,) I was able to visit a Temple probably on an average of a little bit over once a day every day during the 30 plus days I was in Arizona. That’s significantly different than driving 2 1/2 hours to go to the Atlanta Temple or almost 3 hours to go to the Nashville Temple from our home in Chattanooga, Tennessee!

During that time I was able to do (at least) 94 temple ordinances for my direct line ancestors, nearly all of whom came from the Falkenburg area of Bavaria, Germany.

I’d discovered them on our European family history research trip in October, 2024, thanks to the guidance of my father Gene L. Kuhns, and the help of so many others. There are tons of miracles that happened and an amazing number of experiences, and I will write more about them all later, but I wanted to do a placeholder and at least express my gratitude and amazement for all the help received. #familyhistory #FamilySearch #templework“.

Understanding Heavenly Father’s Plan Of Happiness

Central to understanding WHY I do family history and temple work for my ancestors is an understanding of the nature of who we are as humans. Revealed truths teach us that we are each eternal children of our Heavenly Father, and brothers and sisters with each other and with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We existed before we came to this world. God and Jesus created this world for us to live on and to show we could be obedient to commandments, so we could return and live with Them and our families for forever. And we continue to exist and can continue to progress after we die.

Heavenly Father set up rules, acts, and covenants – such as baptism and marriage – that we each must agree to and do. But what of those people who never get the chance to hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ, get baptized, married, etc.? Revealed truths teach us that those who die without an understanding of the Gospel will get the chance to be taught Christ’s doctrines of salvation and exaltation.

Connecting Through Temple Work

For members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, such as myself, family history research is connected to temple ordinance work. In sacred temples throughout the world, we are able to do proxy work – such as the baptisms for the dead mentioned by the Apostle Paul in the Bible’s New Testament, — individual sacred Priesthood ordinances, and binding couples and families together for forever, in sacred marriage ceremonies. In this way, those who accept Christ’s Gospel – even those who have passed on — can have the saving ordinances done for them. Then, they have the CHOICE to accept Christ, His Gospel and saving ordinances, even though they are on “the other side of the veil.”

(More about Heavenly Father’s Plan of Happiness can be learned from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints). Since each of these are done by proxy, individually, family history temple work requires that each individual ancestor be researched, and as much data collected as possible, so the person is as unique in ancestral data records and temple work as they were in real life. Then, temple work and ordinances are done for that individual.

Important Dates And Family History Timelines: Wisconsin, Bavaria, and Arizona

Here’s a chronological overview of Wisconsin, Bavaria, and Arizona family history research and temple experience:

• 1500s-1840s: Kunz, Mark, Vollath, Härtl, Schneider, Kraft, and other ancestors lived in and near Markt Falkenberg, Kreis Tirschenreuth, Oberpfalz, Bavaria, Germany
• 1840 Johan Kunz, his wife Viktoria Mark, and their children, including my grandfather’s great-grandfather Eugene, immigrated from Falkenberg, Kreis Tirschenreuth, Oberpfalz, Bavaria, Germany, to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, finally settling in Hartford, Washington County, and Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Our last name was changed to KUHNS or KUNTZ. The Kunz and Mark parents and siblings stayed in Bavaria
• 1860s-late 1900s. As time passed, connection between the immigrants and their Vaterland was lost
• 1970 in Milwaukee, I started family history research, trying to figure out where in Germany the KUHNS/KUNZ line came from. I searched in vain for decades
• 2015-2019: Through a series of miracles (which I’ll discuss elsewhere), I “found” that the KUNZ line came from Falkenberg, Tirschenreuth, Bayern. I even discovered the KUNZ family home!
• 2019: I learned of MARK and VOLLATH family relatives from Falkenberg, and got in touch with them. When my 90-year-old Dad learned that I’d made these family connections, he encouraged me to go to Bavaria. Then Covid-19 and the war in Ukraine hit, and my wife Marnie and I put our travel plans on hold
• October, 2024: We finally made the trip to Falkenberg, where we not only met relatives we’d connected with before and visited the home Johan Kunz and Viktoria Mark Kunz and their kids had left from, but we also visited several other family farm homes – including the ancestral property (and newly-discovered relatives!) of the KUNZ family
• December, 2024: My Dad leaves his home in Wisconsin for his annual snowbird visit to my sister in Phoenix. My wife and I plan on picking him up in late February, as we visit my son nearby, then take him in March to Seattle to stay with my brother
• Early January 2025: Dad gets weaker and sicker, finally going into the hospital, where he is diagnosed with sepsis, UTI, and other problems. From this Phoenix hospital, he goes into rehab
• Mid-January: I change my plans to go to Phoenix alone on January 13^th, then change them again and fly out after a major Georgia snowstorm on January 11^th to help with (maybe) final arrangements for Dad
• Mid-January: My sister and I do a “jail break” with Dad to get him out of the rehab center he hated, and down to an assisted living group home owned and managed by my niece and her family. Dad is surrounded by family and starts getting better
• I stay at my cousin’s home in Tucson, 20 minutes away from where Dad is, and 10 minutes away from the Tucson LDS Temple!
• Dad sleeps and recovers a lot. During that time, I take the opportunity to “hang out”, get my mind and spirit clear, and do proxy work for my ancestors, at the Tucson temple
• I also get to visit my grandkids and other family in the Phoenix area, where I get the chance to attend the Gilbert and Mesa temples
• February 7: Marnie flies to Phoenix. We spend our anniversary and Valentines Day in Phoenix and Tucson, doing a LOT more temple work
• February 15: After a hectic day hectic Valentine’s Day and a nice morning in the Tucson temple wrapping up a lot of family ordinances, especially eternal family sealings, Marnie and I say goodbye to Dad and head back home to Georgia

Hopefully this helps put into context what happened during my Tucson trip!

The Underlying Bavarian Inspirational Story About My Family History

As I went to the Temple(s), the story I told over and over again was how the KUNZ family history records came into my hands in the first place. In telling the story, I realized what a miracle it was. I’ve told it elsewhere, but I’ll summarize, because it became such a driving force in why I felt compelled to do the KUNZ family history temple work in the first place.

In October, Marnie and I were blessed to go to Bavaria (Germany), Poland, the Czech Republic, Austria, Lichtenstein and Switzerland on a Family History research trip. Marnie gives details in her blog at www.CreationGirl.com. Read about the setup, preparations, and discoveries about my Wisconsin and Bavarian roots that led to the trip.

The first long stop on the trip was at the small village of Falkenberg, Kreis Tirschenreuth, Oberpfalz, Bavaria, Germany, about two hours north of Munich and two hours west of Prague. There, we met my fourth cousin, Gerhard Rasp, who has done A LOT of research on the Familie Mark and Vollath lines, through which we are connected.

With Gerhard and his wife and son, we met the village historian, Helmut Köstler, who researched with us the Falkenberg Catholic Church records and other on-line records. In addition, he’d prepared a LOT of information for me not only on the MARK and VOLLATH lines, but also on the KUNZ line. In fact, there was SO MUCH information that I felt like I was drinking from a fire hose. I just could not comprehend it all. I decided I would look at the information in depth when I returned home to Georgia. (Fortunately for me, Marnie documented each day as it happened. One of my favorite days was when we met “the Keeper of the Scrolls“.)

When Ancestors and Heavenly Father Are Your Alarm Clock

After a couple of days driving around looking at ancestral sights, including where the KUNZ family immigrated from and the farm where Viktoria Mark was probably born, it was finally time to continue our trip. We settled in for our last night in Falkenberg, determined to get an early start northwards to western Poland, birthplace of my Dad’s “Grannie Geerdts”.

This is where the miracle really gets interesting. At about 4 a.m., I was awakened with the strong impression: “You must look at the information Herr Köstler prepared for you, NOW!” I tried to ignore it and go back to sleep. “You can NOT wait! Get up and look!” Finally, realizing there would be no rest, I got up, went into the living room, got out the pile of paperwork, and sleepily started looking through it.

I was stunned. There, right in front of my face, was the KUNZ line, including my ancestors who’d immigrated to Wisconsin in 1840. More importantly, the line of their relatives who’d stayed in Falkenberg carried forward. Unbelievable! Sleep fled from me as I realized that he’d put down the names of LIVING RELATIVES! We’d passed by the “old KUNZ farm” earlier, but it was just a plot of land and a barn. Now I realized that, next door, was a LIVING relative!

Meeting Living Relatives and Getting More Information

The story of meeting Monika Fischer and Agnes Kunz (indeed, the entire Falkenberg part of the trip) is shown and told elsewhere; I’m grateful that Marnie captured the video(s) and wrote about each day as it happened in her blog. Meeting the Kunz relatives, in and of itself, was a miracle. But here’s where the miracle connects to Family History.

As we met with them, they showed me “something (I) might be interested in”: A Stammbaum (pedigree chart) made in the early 1940s by the village priest (revealed at 1:46 in this video). To my amazement, it showed the “Stammbaum der Familie Kunz (Schneiderhansgirg), von Falkenberg: Kunz, Wolfgang, Schneidermeister, Falkenberg *1623   +29.09.1701   Married 26.11.1657 to Kraft, Katarina (from Falkenberg) +28.12.1681. My KUNZ name line back into the early 1600s!

To remind you of the context of this: As a young teenager, I used to take the bus for nearly an hour to do research at the Milwaukee County Historical Society, searching through records, trying to find where my KUHNS family came from. All I ever found were the records of my grandfather’s grandfather, and his birthplace: “Germany”. Now, over a half century later, I not only was on my ancestral property, but I was looking at a hand-written chart that took my line back to my 7th great-grandparents!

Had I not been awakened at 4 a.m., I would have never met my relatives, and this entire line of Kunz family would have stayed on a bookshelf somewhere. (As you’ll see, this plays an important role later in my Arizona temple trip).

Ancestral Discoveries in the Freiberg, Germany, LDS Temple

As another spiritual precursor to what happened later in Arizona, I need to explain what I learned as I did temple work (specifically, the Endowment, explained here at the LDS Church’s website) for a German ancestor in the Freiberg, Germany Temple. It struck me, as I was attending that Temple, that it was a miracle I was doing Temple work, by proxy, for an ancestor who had lived – in the 17^th Century — less than two hours’ auto drive away from the Temple!

In Freiberg, I decided to go through the Endowment session in German, his native language. I was glad I did. It focused my attention much more, and made me feel as though I was really going through as a proxy for him. In the Temple, we make promises with God, offer prayers, and learn. One of the most important feelings I had, as proxy, was the understanding that any plea offered for his posterity was, in fact, a prayer for me! As a descendant, I was the focus of his desire that I be blessed! As I learned that truth, I wept. (As you’ll see, that will happen a lot!) I’d never thought of those promises and prayers before, and it changed the way I approached being a proxy and doing temple work for my ancestors.

Tucson Temple Family History Miracles

All these Wisconsin and German experiences researching and generating family history, meeting family members, and doing sacred proxy work in the Temple(s) led to what I experienced in January and February in Arizona. During the time I was attending the Tucson (and other) Temples, I had numerous insightful and spiritual experiences that taught me truths, gave me insights about myself and my family, and have changed me for forever. Here are a few. (Please note that I tend to be a very joyful and emotional man. In relating any of these experiences, I do not want to diminish or make light of the sacredness of the Temple, or the connection I feel to my immediate or distant family. In fact, my desire is just the opposite: I believe our connection with Heavenly Father, our Savior Jesus Christ, and our ancestors – no matter how “far back” they go, can and should be sacred, personal experiences unique to each one of them, and each one of us.)

Ancestral Agency: The Freedom of Choice

Learning about the Temple doesn’t always mean learning AT the Temple. In fact, my cousin Jon helped me understand a concept of agency and freedom of choice in a way I’d never understood before.

Staying at my cousin Jon and his wife Linda’s place near Skyline Drive in Tucson meant the Tucson Temple was less than ten minutes away, and a third of the way to where my father was staying. This meant that every morning and every evening, as I went to Dad’s or came “home”, I would pass the Temple. Because my father was weak, he didn’t wake up very early. Then he often would talk to me or eat with me, and then tell me he wanted to sleep for awhile. And curfew at his place was fairly early as well. This gave me A LOT of opportunities to attend the Temple. In fact, sometimes my schedule was: Get up, go to the Temple, eat breakfast with Dad, write while he slept, eat lunch with or talk with Dad, go to the Temple while he slept, eat dinner or talk with Dad, then go back to the Temple on the way home for the evening. (Usually I went twice a day).

One evening I was talking with Jon and Linda about how the day went. Jon asked what I did when Dad was resting. I replied, somewhat glibly, “Oh, you know, I write, or go hang out at the Temple.” (I’d never said it quite that way before, and as soon as I said it, I didn’t like it.) He smiled and asked: “So, what does it mean to “hang out?” Then he laughed and added: “Is that where you all go to drink and smoke and do all the other things you don’t do otherwise?” (He was kidding).

I laughed and explained that we perform sacred ordinances, by proxy, for our ancestors. I pointed out that the Apostle Paul, in the New Testament, mentions this when he talks about baptisms for the dead. Then I said: “They, of course, have a choice to accept the work we do for them.” This seemed like a new concept to him, so he repeated it: “So, if you do work for an ancestor, they still can choose to accept it or not?”

Startled, I replied: “Yes! One of Heavenly Father and Jesus’s core values is that everyone has their agency, the freedom to choose.” At that moment I realized, that is nowhere truer than in the Temple. As much as we HOPE our ancestors will choose to accept the gift we give them, the proxy work we do for them, the offering we make so they can have the choice, it is STILL THEIR CHOICE!

Jon and Linda nodded and said “That’s good.” Then I said: “Plus, being in the Temple, you know, is a time of meditation, reflection, a time of connecting and recentering me. Because watching Dad go through rehab and hospice and everything else is tough and draining. And I need that time.”

Having just dealt with the same thing with Jon’s mother, my saintly Aunt Kate, they totally understood that part of Temple worship as well.

Recentering, reconnecting, and freedom of choice. Valuable Temple lessons learned in an unexpected place.

Endowment of Power By Proxy: A Deeper Understanding

Early on in my Arizona Temple experience, I gained a deeper understanding of what the blessings of the Temple mean for our ancestors and relatives who have passed on. As we are baptized, receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost, become Endowed, and do other sacred ordinances for them, by proxy, THEY (if they choose) get those blessings, just as much as if they were still alive here on the earth.

Growing up in the Church, there seemed to be much more of a distinction and separation between those of us still alive on the Earth, and those who have passed on (in LDS jargon, gone “on the other side of the veil.”) President Russell M. Nelson, Prophet and President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, has repeatedly called for us to refocus our efforts, to “Gather Israel on BOTH sides of the veil.” Clearly, to him (and to the Lord), there is not a lot of difference where someone learns and accepts the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and has the sacred ordinances and covenants of salvation done.

This was taught to me strongly by my wife Marnie. Her beloved uncle recently passed away, leaving no offspring. As a result, Marnie, her siblings, and her cousins, were his heirs. He was a good man, kind, funny, clever, and interesting, and he and I had a lot of fun chatting together. We never brought up the Church, though.

After he passed away last December, Marnie had the distinct impression that he wanted and needed his Temple work done for him. As part of the protocol for the Church, the next nearest living relative has to be contacted and give permission for the Temple work to be done. Marnie’s father is his next of kin; he gave permission. When Marnie called me and told me that, I pushed back and said “Why don’t we wait until we can do the work in the Nashville Temple, since he lived in Tennessee his whole life?” She very forcefully responded: “No, he needs to be endowed with power NOW. There [are things] he needs to do, and wants to do, and his work needs to be done.”

That was really the first time I’d thought of those who have passed on as being anxious to have their temple work done, so they would have more power and strength to do their angelic ministry. But it makes sense. I’ve come to understand that our ancestors WANT to help us. They are WILLING to help us. They can request to help us (I mean, who more logical to be our “guardian angels” than our ancestors?). If you were an angel, wouldn’t you want as much of God and Jesus’s power as you could get? We learn that the Endowment is a GIFT from our Heavenly Father, giving us (endowing us) with sacred and righteous power and strength. If that’s true here on earth, why wouldn’t it be true for those on the other side of the veil? This was a new concept for me, but “feels really true!”

Interestingly, a friend of mine posted on Facebook a few days later about the thoughts he had on the same subject, and things he’s learning being a Temple worker. I quote him here with permission:
“Recently, I was called to work in the temple. As I pondered about the thousands of disembodied people who are having their work done every week, I can’t help feeling that the armies of heaven are growing exponentially. Think on this: Previously these people were in spirit prison or paradise and had limited influence on the work. But as their work is being done in the House of the Lord, they are now endowed with priesthood power. Think of the influence they now have upon the work on both sides of the veil. I think one of the reasons we are going to see growth in the Church and miracles increase all around is because there are increasing armies of angels at the waiting to do the Lord’s will and influence current events.”

I responded: “This is so interesting that you articulated this thought. I have been down in Tucson for the last three weeks and have been able to attend the temple one to three times, either in Tucson, Gilbert, or Mesa, every day. All of the work I’ve been doing has been for my ancestors, most of whom I discovered on a family history trip this last October to Bavaria. And Marnie and I have had the exact same thought, especially about our ancestors: As we do their work, they are surrounding us more and more, protecting us more and more, and they’re now endowed with priesthood power, as a gift from our Savior. And I feel it more and more, directly, because I am their posterity! I can’t tell you how many times recently I’ve been moved to tears because of this realization.”

I will say that I felt (and heard in my mind) “Uncle Donald” as I did his work for him. He was and is a very curious person, and I could feel him wanting to know more and more about how things are done, and why.

And then there’s Marnie’s story about how he “got the best part of this deal!”

Ride of The Kunz Ancestors as My Dad Faces His Mortality

As I connected the concept of these angelic powerhouses, I realized that the Kunz, Mark, Vollath, Kraft, and Härtl families – and others – that I was doing the temple work for, are keenly aware of my father’s role in getting us to Germany, his enthusiasm for our family history trip, his tremendous desire to discover his roots, and his excitement and joy as we not only discovered their old homes, but also met living relatives. In fact, each time I would go to the Temple and do work for one of those ancestors, I would return and report to him what I’d done. Then I’d say, in all sincerity and honesty, “Dad, know that they are GRATEFUL for what you did. YOU did that! You helped discover them.” And he would smile and say, “Well, good, I’m glad.” But I believe he felt their gratitude and was moved.

Not only is the Kunz / Mark familes grateful for what Dad did, I got the sense that they are keenly aware of his situation, how tired and in pain he is. I’ve long known that Dad, when he passed away, would be met by his sweetheart Anny Baby; by his parents; by his sister, my sweet Aunt Kate; and by other relatives and friends he knew growing up.

At the temples, as I did this work for our ancestors, I got the very real sense that the hearts of the fathers have turned to the children, especially to my Dad. Not only are they anxious to meet him, and express their gratitude, when the time comes, but I got the feeling they would be almost like shield bearers. Wagnerian visions played out in my mind, (and my eyes welled with tears) as I saw in my mind these ancestors soon coming to greet my Dad, thank him for his work, and escort him home. Honor guards of ancestors.

Guardian Angels Will Guard Us Because They Know Us!

This concept of giving our ancestors additional Priesthood power, I believe, could have more far-reaching impacts than we might realize. As I thought about my ancestors, I could feel how grateful they are to have that deeper, broader angelic power. Just like my friend said in his post, I realized that these relatives had been somewhat limited, before, in what they could do for us.

I have another friend who joined me at the temple. The day before we went together to do some sealings, he told me “You know, I think the reason I’m even in the Church is because I need to do Temple work for my family.” I wonder if he, too, is feeling the desire to have angels protect him and his family. (Interestingly, as we were doing sealings the next day, the person who was officiating was an old friend of his. He was so excited to see him; I had to laugh as they recalled how they’d worked together to fix a car back in the day!)

As I pondered even more about the influence of those who have gone before us, I felt and saw in my heart and mind that these angelic relatives now have God and Jesus’s power, priesthood power, to protect our family, our kids and grandkids.

As my wife has often said of her angelic mother, a stalwart and faithful endowed member of the Church who passed away a few months before I met Marnie: “I kept getting the impression: ‘Your life is about to get amazing with this new and powerful angel on your side!’”

In thinking about my ancestors, I also thought of the prayer and protective bubble we’ve felt is over our property. We try to live worthy of Heavenly Father and Jesus’s protection of Spirit Tree Farms, where we live. As I thought of how those ancestors would protect my Dad’s family, my family, including my children, grandchildren, and siblings, a new concept and vision came into my mind. They will not only protect their decedents, but also, they will protect the land, and all who are on it.

In my mind, I saw them standing as guardians and sentinels on the ramparts of our property. No matter how many hoards of ill-doers would come toward us, I saw them standing, almost as the statues of the great kings in Lord of the Rings (or the Black Knight in Monty Python / Holy Grail). I imagined them standing firm as, in the winding up scenes, some might try to come and do us harm. Those bad guys get to our property, and my ancestors are there.

“None shall pass.”

and

“Pity the fool!”

It gives me great comfort to have that connection with my ancestors, and to feel: “They who are (now, because of this Temple work) with us are greater than those who are against us.”

God Takes Care Of Those Who Take Care Of Us

One of the most important and significant activities in the House of the Lord is the sealing of spouses to each other and sealing children to their parents. In fact, if families are forever, and children are a blessing from the Lord, one could say that the acts of creating eternal families, and tying those families together in a chain, is one of Heavenly Father’s greatest activities and joys.

These sealings are done in sacred rooms in the Temple, where people representing those who have gone before act as proxies for parents and children. One morning, I met my sister Mary at the Mesa temple, where we did an endowment session. Later, we did a sealing session that included a favorite relative of my mother’s, known simply to her as “Cousin Emil”.

Cousin Emil was small, had a deformed body (bad back?), and never married. He lived with his brother and sister-in-law in Menominee, Michigan, just over the bridge from Marinette, Wisconsin, where my mother grew up. For years, she’s told me about how she would ride her bike up to their house, where Cousin Emil taught her to play pinochle, talked to her, and was a good friend to her.  

As I was doing Cousin Emil’s work, I heard promises about families and posterity. My mind went to him, his deformity, and how he’d never married. Suddenly, a vision of him appeared in my mind: He was a strong, healthy, active and attractive man, someone who would have a wonderful companion, one who was a sweet and kind as he was. As I thought about him, these words came to my mind: “He took care of your mother. I’ll take care of him.” At that moment, tears filled my eyes and joy filled my heart, and I knew it was true.

Later, as my sister and I knelt across the altar from each other, acting as proxies for Cousin Emil’s parents, and as he was sealed to them as their son for forever, I felt those same feelings. I could not wait to get out of the Temple, meet up with my sister by her truck, call our mother, and tell her of the experience(s) we’d had in doing Cousin Emil’s temple work, including doing his endowment, and sealing him to his parents. We all cried again, and we knew Cousin Emil was going to be alright.

A Place At The Table:  Ich Darf — Und SOLL — Am Tisch Sein

One of the most significant events of my entire trip happened when I was doing the work for one of my Härtl ancestors. To put this family history experience in context: When we were in Bavaria, we went to the Härtl farm between Falkenberg and Tirschenreuth. It was a large complex with several newer houses, as well as older, well-maintained barns. I knocked on the door and explained who I was. Unlike many other meetings I’d had, this gentleman was abrupt, said simply “I don’t know anything about that, and don’t want to know!”, and closed the door.

Naja.

It didn’t surprise me, as I’d earlier heard about the Härtl family. It seems they had a reputation of, well, knowing their place in the community. When I first heard about them, I was told they had a special place, a table, at a local restaurant. If you were invited to sit with them for the evening, to be “am Tisch” with them, well, that was really something!

Later, it was told to me this way:

“Zu dem Tisch in den Gasthäusern kann ich folgendes sagen. Im Gasthaus hatten die Bauern und bessergestellten Bürger von Falkenberg und den umliegenden Dörfern einen Stammtich. Arbeiter und andere Leute konnten nur auf Einladung an den Tisch kommen. Auch die Härtl gehörten zu den Stammtischlern.

In unserer Kirche in den alten Kirchenstühlen waren Schilder mit den Namen der Besitzer angebracht. Man mußte den Platz kaufen oder eine Spende machen. Das ist aber schon lange her; nur die Schilder sind an den Plätzen geblieben.”

Roughly translated: “I can tell you this about the tables in the restaurants. In the local restaurant, the farmers — land owners — and the better off citizens of Falkenberg and the surrounding towns, a “Stammtisch”. Workers and other people could only sit at the table by invitation. The Härtl’s were part of the Stammtisch group.

In our church, on the old church pews, there were shields, signs, showing the name of the people who sat there. You either had to buy the pew, or make a significant donation. But that was long ago; only the signs stayed on the pews.”

As I was doing a Härtl man’s Temple work, the thought came to me about their importance in Falkenberg. Almost immediately, my own self doubt arose, and I thought “Oh, he/they will think this is foolish and silly. They’ll probably say “We don’t want to know anything about that,” and this is a waste of time.”

Almost as immediately as I thought that, the VERY STRONG answer came: “NO! We are listening. We are aware, and accepting. And YOU, because of what you are doing for us, YOU belong “am Tisch.” YOU have a place here.”

As I thought more about it, I realized that the Härtls were not proud or stuck up. They simply knew their place in the community, and lived accordingly. Then, just as quickly, while I was thinking about them all, meditating in the Celestial Room of the Temple, the thought came: “We have been watching you. You’ve always doubted yourself. You’ve always felt that you were “less than.” But you are not. You need to know who you are. Because of who you are, not just because of the work you’ve done for us, but because of your lineage, you belong at the table!”

I was sobbing. I sat there, basking in the knowledge that my ancestors were telling me that I BELONGED AM TISCH! That I was worthy of having a seat at the table, that because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, and with His help, I needed to change how I felt about myself. *(Funny that the next day, I saw this sign).

It was as shocking of a moment as when I, a couple of decades ago, saw a photo of myself taken in my sister’s back yard in Phoenix. As I looked at the photo, I wondered: “Who is that good-looking guy?!?” Then, shockingly, I realized: “That’s ME!” For the first time in my life, I’d seen myself as good looking.

This was the same type of experience, maybe even more profound. Although I knew I was loved and cared for and appreciated, and worthy because of Jesus Christ, I’d never felt or understood that I was a good and strong and powerful person who deserved to be “am Tisch”.

As I wondered about that, I also thought: “What happens if I start to act stuck up, if I get all full of myself? That would not be what a follower of Jesus Christ would do. How do I avoid that?” Immediately the thought came: “Tell Marnie about this experience. Then, give her permission to call you out, to let you know if you are getting a little too full of yourself.”

Later, when I called her and told her about the experience, and that she could police me, she said: “One of your weaknesses is your lack of self confidence. I will let you know if you’re getting too full of yourself, but right now I’m excited about seeing this new, confident Dave.”

After I left the Temple (still crying), I sat in my car and dictated the experience into a voice recording. I’ll transcribe it and put it here when I can.

Individual Responses To Family History and Temple Work

One thing I’m learning by doing Temple work by proxy for my ancestors is that, even though the Temple verbiage, covenants, and ordinances are exactly the same for each of them, the way they are, how they respond, and what they (and I) learn is as individual now as they must have been in life.

One example is the Härtl man I just described. Every time I took a Härtl man’s name through (or, more accurately, did his work by proxy), I felt satisfied, proud, organized, “this is the way it should be.” Not to say there wasn’t satisfaction, but there was a noticeable lack of gleeful joy (something I am full of, normally). They are just grateful, and “Now, let’s get on with it.” (Tsach, tsach! An die Arbeit!)

How Appropriate Is Dancing In The Celestial Room?

In contrast, I had two experiences with other ancestors which were more of what I would expect from me or someone related to me. For example, I did the proxy work for one of my Vollath ancestors (Viktoria (Mark) Kunz immigrated to Wisconsin. Her mother was a Vollath, and Marnie and I visited the Vollath family farm). As I imagined him hearing and accepting the Gospel and the Temple ordinances and covenants, I “saw” him in my mind, specifically in the pasture on his farm.

He was dancing. Literally, he was hopping, spinning around, laughing, and dancing. THAT is much more in line with what I would expect a relative of mine to do!

Even more pronounced was the response from an ancestor I hadn’t had much of a “connection” with. In other words, I don’t know exactly where he is from, I hadn’t visited his home or family farm, and I’ll have to look to see how we are connected. In fact, I spilled food on his ordinance card as it was sitting in my rental car cup holder, so I’m not even certain I can remember his name!

What I do remember, though, is his ecstatic and absolute JOY as he/I came through the veil into the Temple room. If I’d been able to, I would have danced right there. The feeling of satisfaction and absolute glee was almost overwhelming. I will forever remember the sunlight streaming through the saguaro-flower stained glass window, me looking at it and the white carpet and furniture in the celestial room, and hearing the words: “I wanted it. I got it! I wanted it. I got it! Just bust a move! (Just bust a move!)”

(Ja, I might get to be am Tisch, but I have a feeling I’ll be hanging out with the pasture dance Volks, too!)

[For the record, I’m pretty certain this happened on January 31^st or February 1^st, with either *Johann Schmid, my 8^th great-grandfather and the great-grandfather to Simon Vollath, Viktoria Mark’s grandfather; OR Johann Kellner, the grandfather of Viktoria’s grandmother.]

Current Miracles Happen When Doing Temple Work For Our Ancestors

Obviously, each experience I had doing work for my ancestors impacted them (and me) for the eternities. Sometimes, though, the blessings we get in doing temple work reach out and impact us here, today. They happen so often (*at least, that’s what it seems in talking to temple workers) that people who work in the temple(s) call them “temple miracles.”

An example might be the day I was talking (as I do) to the folks in the office, as I was getting some names printed out. I learned that two brothers who were there happened to be from Duchesne, where I’d spent fourth grade. Later, the “coincidence” extended, and I talked in-depth with their parents.

Suddenly, in the parking lot, a couple of names of childhood friends came to me. One was the son of a sheep rancher who I hadn’t been in contact with since I wrote him on my mission. I’d forgotten his name, but in the Tucson temple parking lot, I remembered it. When I told the family who my friend was, they immediately said they knew him, and would let him know we’d been in touch. What will happen out of that? I don’t know, but it will be interesting to find out.

That’s a small example. But one of the most significant events of forgiveness in my life happened as the result of a “temple miracle” a few days later.

The back story is this: A dear, close friend of mine from my Seattle days had hired me. He’d stood up for me for several years as I struggled to do what the company wanted me to. Although there were a lot of good times, and we did a lot of fun things together, the work situation became more and more strained. Finally, it was evident it wasn’t working out, and he’d had to let me go.

After that, I rarely spoke to him. I felt terrible that I’d let him down, but I didn’t know how to approach him and apologize.

Enter the “temple miracle.” The day after Marnie arrived in Tucson, I’d scheduled to do an endowment session. As I woke up, I realized she was exhausted, so I cancelled it, and rescheduled it for an hour later. I later described it to a friend this way: “They (our ancestors) and the Savior are keenly aware of the smallest needs that we might have. We were going to go to the 9:00 a.m. session this morning and something told me as I got up at 7:00 that it was better to go to the 10:00 session. I thought it was just me being lazy, but when I walked in and got dressed in my temple whites a young man looked across the locker room and said “You look familiar.” I looked back at him and recognized that he was the son of a good friend of mine (and actually someone who you know!) Much healing was done. The Lord is aware.”

The young man was the son of the guy who’d hired me, and someone who I’d taught in Scouts and Church when he was growing up with my son. I reached out to shake his hand and he said “No way!” and gave me a huge hug. He was the escort for his son, my friend’s grandson. Then he said: “My parents are waiting for us in the chapel.”

With some trepidation, I went upstairs and found them. I cautiously shook their hands, and we talked a bit. During the session, I made certain to stay out of their way; I could tell there were still some feelings, and I didn’t want to ruin their day with their son.

In the Celestial Room, I saw them again. As I met my wife there, they came up to us to be introduced. I still was somewhat nervous, but they were kind and gracious. (I should say, too, that my first wife and my friend’s wife were very good friends in Seattle, so I felt somewhat nervous about introducing Marnie to them.)

Still, all this time, in my mind I’m thinking and feeling: “There is a reason you’re seeing them here, in this place, today.”

Afterwards we took pictures with his son, grandson, and their family. Although they (and we) had several friends in Arizona, I thought it was interesting that I, by accident, was the only one there with them on that day.

As his son and their family loaded up their van to leave, I grabbed my former friend and his wife and pulled them aside. “I don’t know quite how to do this,” I stammered, “but I feel I need to. I’ve felt for years that I let you down, disappointed you, and even betrayed you. I know you took a big risk hiring me, and … well, I failed.” Then I turned to his wife and said, “I know you and my first wife were very close, and I know I hurt you as well.”

Then I got emotional and cried as I told them – and especially him – “I just have been trying to figure out, for years, how to apologize, and how to say how very sorry I am for betraying your faith and trust in me. I’m sorry.”

I won’t forget what happened next. He turned to me and said something like: “Yes, I’ve felt resentment for years because of what happened. I’ve talked to [our mutual friend] a number of times about it. But this, being here” (and he pointed to the Temple), “seeing you here, this is right. This has made it alright. This is the way it should be.” (Something like that).

And his wife responded similarly. I knew, because of the power of the Atonement, and His forgiveness, that they were also able to forgive me. We hugged, and went our separate ways, hoping to stay in contact.

Talking with Marnie later, I expressed amazement (and yet, not, because I’m getting used to it!) at the small “temple miracles” that show how much our Heavenly Father and our Savior love us and are aware of us. I did not realize the pain, angst, and burden I was carrying from that situation. More importantly, I had no idea about the pain and resentment my friend was carrying. But God knew. And in the right time, and at the right place, He took care of it in a unique and sacred and healing way. He lifted those burdens and, as tears of joy and gratitude were shed, healed us.

“Friends at first, are now friends again at last.”

Getting Awakened At 4 A.M. Drove Me To Do Family History And Temple Work

A significant, overarching moment of this entire Tucson and Arizona temple(s) trip came early on, when I was just getting settled in to doing temple work there. One evening I was talking to Marnie about my temple experiences. I mentioned that I thought I’d like to maybe not do as much, go sight-seeing, explore Tucson. I was verbally processing, and wondered out loud why I felt such a need to go to the Temple.

Marnie quickly responded: “Those Kunz ancestors woke you up at 4 in the morning in Falkenberg. They made sure their records were gathered. Don’t you think they’re excited and anxious that you do their work for them?!?”

That was all it took! From then on, they didn’t let me rest! Every chance I had, I was at the temple. I remember the first day I did three ordinances in one day. I was exhausted, but it was an amazing experience, and I felt supported, sustained, and uplifted not only spiritually, but in a very real way, physically. In fact, visualizing their names on the Kunz Stammbaum not only put them in context, but also made them very real and alive to me. And it was clear: They wanted their work done!

One of the sweetest moments of the entire trip was when Marnie was able to finally join me. She did the preliminary work for Katarina Kraft Kunz, the matriarch of the family. I’d done the work for her husband, Wolfgang Kunz, earlier. As Marnie did the work for Great-great … Grandma Kunz, especially at the end, I felt her gratitude. And I felt the power of her blessing me, her posterity. I’d often felt that when I’d done the men’s proxy work, but when Marnie did the work for Katrina Kraft Kunz, even though I was just sitting there, I felt her blessing me. I knew she appreciated and was grateful for what we’d done.

Then, we were able to seal them, with us as proxy, as husband and wife, legally and lawfully wedded for time and all eternity. As that sealing happened, and as we were sealed as proxies for other couples, and sealing the children to their parents, I often sobbed with joy. In fact, it became so common that, as we were called to kneel at the temple altar, I would grab a couple of tissues. I knew I was going to bawl my eyes out!

Everyone Has A Choice. We Simply Give Our Ancestors The Opportunity

As mentioned before, most of the people I’ve done work for, I feel their presence and gratitude immediately. I can tell they are being gathered in to the fold of Christ, and they are thankful.

But not always. Folks – whether alive here or passed on to another realm — always have a choice. One of the Kunz men was this way. As I was doing an endowment session for him, I could sense that he was not that impressed. In fact, at one point he seemed to think it was silly, and the thought came to my mind: “Why are you wasting your time doing this?” That made me very uncomfortable.

The feeling continued on for awhile. I began to wonder “Was this man just a bad man here on earth, and that’s why he’s not accepting it?” The thought came: “No, he’s a good man. He’s just always busy, and doesn’t want to do anything he doesn’t have to.”

The feeling continued for quite a long time. I thought about his parents, his posterity, his relatives. I wondered how he could just “not get it,” when it was plain that they were excited about the Gospel. It was then I realized how individual we all are, and that – just like when I was a missionary – I can only bring the message and bear testimony. The rest is up to them.

Almost at the instant I let go of the feeling that I had to control him and make him see and feel the significance of the Gospel, when I simply said in my heart: “I know it’s true. The rest is up to you,” I got the feeling of him saying: “You know, I know you think this is important. I know some of my ancestors and relatives think this is important. Maybe I should really listen to the message and think about it and pray about it. If nothing else, thank you for the opportunity.” At that moment, I knew that he no longer felt like what I was doing was silly or foolish, but that it had merit he couldn’t see yet, but he was willing to learn about. I knew he knew that I knew that it is true.

Gratitude Goes Both Ways: Connecting the Reformation to the Restoration

Interesting side note about what follows: Marnie’s ancestor Leo Jud was a friend of the Swiss reformer Ulrich Zwingli, and was instrumental in helping translate the Zurich Bibel and move forward the Swiss Reformation. Of course, the Reformation laid the foundation for the Restoration of the Gospel and the Church of Jesus Christ. As I was doing his work, and proxy work for others of his family, I felt extreme gratitude from him, AND I was able to express my gratitude for his work which had made the Restoration of the Gospel – including the Priesthood and Temple ordinances we were participating in together – possible!

The Anxious Woman In The Mirror

Once Marnie arrived in Arizona, I did a lot fewer individual ordinances, but we were able to do a lot more couple and family sealings. It was good to have her there, to “wrap up” all the sealings and other loose ends on my line caused by the fact that I’m a male, and can only do work for males. We were also able to join my sister Mary at the Mesa temple, and do family sealings with her as well. (It just seems better when you gather your family together on both sides of the veil!)

I can’t remember who the woman was we were doing the work for. In fact, it might have been one of her family members, someone who was “burning a hole in (Marnie’s) pocket.” As I think about it, it probably was one of the relatives of the Jud and Wohnlich families. (Marnie writes about the folks from Stein am Rhein, too, in her blog). It could have been the daughter of the pastor of the Lustdorf Church. As we did their work, I could hear the bells peal out with joy (just like Marnie had heard the bell in the church belfry!)

In any case, as we were getting sealed by proxy for this woman and her husband, Marnie answered a question too soon. It was almost as if the woman was anxious to have her work done, and jumped the gun! We laughed, and I said softly “She’s just really anxious to have her work done!”

At the same moment, I looked over Marnie’s shoulder into one of the eternal mirrors that are in almost every sealing room in every temple in the Church. It shimmered, as though something were moving past it. I couldn’t quite make it out, but suddenly I knew: She’d been there. She was there. But then she had to leave. I told Marnie about it later, and said: “I think she had to go, because she has work to do. And now she’s endowed with this power, and sealed to her family? She has A LOT of work to do!”

Family History Shrinks the Vastness of Eternity and Centuries Gone By

I’ve long believed that there is something amazing that happens when you do family history work for your own relatives. The vastness of the Church and its members means that there are plenty of names you can be handed in the Temple, so you can do proxy work for others. But using FamilySearch.org, printing out your ancestors’ names, doing work for your own family? It’s strong and powerful.

During the weeks I was doing my own family history temple work, I got to “know” and understand my ancestors in ways and to depths I hadn’t expected. They became living, real people to me, not just names and dates on a page. I felt their love for me, and I developed a love for them. We joyfully cried, laughed, discussed, pondered, worshipped, and even danced (a little) together. These folks were not merely old Bavarian and German farmers. They became almost as real to me – and certainly as connected – as Marnie’s uncle Donald. And they taught me – in that fabulous Germanic style of elders teaching the youth – about who I was and am. And they did it in a firm yet kind way that so reminded me of my Grandma Bertha.

Family History + Temple Work Conclusion

Self-understanding. Connection with relatives on both sides of the veil. Healing. Testimony sharing. Testimony building. Sanctification. And releasing additional priesthood power – Heavenly Father’s and the Savior’s power – onto the Earth, in the form of guardian angels, relatives and friends who are now clothed with that eternal power. These are all things I experienced. These are all things I know. I’ll never be the same, thanks to that winter in Arizona.

Special Thanks To the Tucson Temple Workers

I’d be remiss if I didn’t give a special shout out to the Tucson Temple workers. Although the workers in Gilbert and Mesa were wonderful, I wasn’t at those temples as often. The Tucson temple workers – especially those at the recorder’s office, where I printed and picked up my family names – began to recognize me. Soon, it felt as though almost everyone in the Temple recognized me.

Most of all, they were not only helpful in directing me where to go, but they seemed appreciative of the work I was doing. If I’d stop them to tell them of an experience that I’d had, or a “temple miracle,” they not only listened, but they genuinely were interested. Often times, the mere re-telling of the experience I’d had brought tears, testimony, and the Spirit to both of us. I truly grew to love not only the building – smaller than many, it was much easier to navigate and not get lost in – but the people who served there.

The last day I was there, Saturday morning, I picked up some of my ancestors’ name cards, as I usually did once I’d completed their temple work, and the actions had been recorded. A brother and a sister who’d helped me several times before said, “Well, we’ll see you next week again!” Emotions were extremely poignant – as they are now – and tears welled up as I responded: “No, I’m sorry. We’re heading back home tonight. You won’t see us for … a while.”

I will miss them and the Spirit of the Tucson Temple, so I leave with a heartfelt “Thank you! and Adiós compañeros y gracias por todo! Auf Wiedersehen, meine Mittarbeitern im Herrn. Und vielen Dank für Ihre Beispiel!