Mormons & Genealogy?

[Socko]

Titus3:9
"But avoid foolish questions, and GENEALOGIES, and contentions, and striving about the law; for they are UNPROFITABLE AND VAIN".
I left the Mormon church as a young woman. I could not bear the thought of having to spend all eternity sharing my husband with many other women. I could not bear the thought of being married to some old codger I did not love and being one of thirty five wives. The Mormons taught polygamy in heaven at that time.

It was not easy leaving a religion where generations of my ancestors were Mormon.
This year I learned my great & great great grandparents were polygamists. I have been angry at them and at the church that encouraged them to do this evil thing. Truth is the only thing I can count as profit from knowing this. I lost all respect for 4 of my grandparents this year. I also became very proud of myself for having the guts to stand against my family and community against something they pass off as good, but in truth is evil.

[Amanda M]

I am teaching a class on world religions, and one thing really has my curiosity piqued - why do the LDS place such great importance on genealogy? I've been greatly impressed with the LDS genealogical websites in my own family search. How does genealogy fit into the religion?