Did you cringe when you read the title of this post?\u00a0 This isn\u2019t everyone\u2019s favorite subject, I am well aware.\u00a0 But I would like to tell you my feelings about Family History.<\/p>\n
Genealogy is one of the purposes for building the kingdom of God.\u00a0 It is one of our charges to link those who are dead with the living in order to create a great chain that leads back to Adam and Eve.\u00a0 Now, if you run into someone who says their work is done\u2014all the way back to our first parents– I would suggest that you politely nod and walk away, but don\u2019t believe them.\u00a0 There are waaaaayyyyy too many variables, lost records, mistakes, hopeless dead ends involved here before someone can say that every line is done and linked to Adam and Eve.\u00a0 Why do you think we are going to need every second of 1000 years to get it all organized and done\u2026with the help of those very dead we are trying to organize and link?<\/p>\n
My dear sweet Aunt, who works constantly on genealogy said, \u201cthe more you do your genealogy, the more genealogy there is to do\u201d.\u00a0 It is never ending and often is overwhelming.\u00a0 But I have experienced true joy in this work and because of that I have a testimony of it.<\/p>\n
I would like to give you some ideas that might spark an interest in this work.\u00a0 Without any personal drive or motivation, nothing gets done, so here goes\u2026keep an open mind.<\/p>\n
\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Nothing is more exciting than finding something you are looking for.\u00a0 Set a small goal to find a relative who has passed away, maybe someone you knew personally or are familiar with.\u00a0 Look their name up on-line at the Family History site www.familysearch.org.\u00a0 You might have to search until you find someone, so have several names, places and dates.<\/p>\n
\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Gather together all the records that you have. \u00a0Call family to gather more records.\u00a0 See how far you can go back.\u00a0 If you have feelings to organize your messy pile, do so.\u00a0 Because I am a visual person, it is helpful for me to\u00a0fill out\u00a0a 15 Generation Pedigree Chart and see just how much work there is done, or left to do.<\/p>\n
\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Search family surnames on the Internet.\u00a0 Print out what you can, email any contacts you find, make a note what sites you went to in case you want to go back.\u00a0 Do not believe all of this information just yet, but are you getting a little intrigued?<\/p>\n
\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 You might begin having feelings that you need to go to the Family History Center.\u00a0 There are many now in local Stake Houses that have access to films from the Center.\u00a0 You might want to have your first personal experience with this amazing building though.\u00a0 You will want to go to www.familysearch.org and look on the library catalog.\u00a0 Search for surnames or places you know your family came from.\u00a0 There you will see books, films, CDs, original records, etc. where you KNOW your information is waiting for you.\u00a0 Write down those item numbers you want to look at, so when you arrive at the library you are ready to begin research.\u00a0 Be aware that if you are searching into a foreign language, you are going to need at least basic knowledge of that language.\u00a0 There are helps available for that, as well.\u00a0 Microfilms can be ordered and viewed at any Stake Family History Center.<\/p>\n
\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Research isn\u2019t for everyone, yet discovering new things, especially about you, is always exciting.\u00a0 Visit a family gravesite.\u00a0 Interview an older relative.\u00a0 Organize papers.\u00a0 Gather together pictures.\u00a0 You can be the family organizer, researcher, compiler, interviewer, recorder, gatherer, or temple goer.\u00a0 I promise you there is some area of genealogy that will hit you, intrigue you and need just what you can offer.
\nI have broken through dead ends, researched my eyes raw, contacted people from clear across the world who could help me, found what was lost, organized and given genealogical information as gifts, and taken these beloved brothers and sisters to the temple to receive their saving ordinances.\u00a0 There is no other feeling of satisfaction like it in the world, except for maybe missionary work, or being in the temple with your family.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I would encourage you to give Family History a try.\u00a0 The older generation has been doing it for a while and they are all dying off.\u00a0 So many things have gone by the way side because the younger generation didn\u2019t pick it up.\u00a0 Jesus is coming.\u00a0 We can\u2019t let things slide, not with so much technology at our fingertips.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Did you cringe when you read the title of this post?\u00a0 This isn\u2019t everyone\u2019s favorite subject, I am well aware.\u00a0 But I would like to tell you my feelings about Family History. Genealogy is one of the purposes for building the kingdom of God.\u00a0 It is one of our charges to link those who are […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[645],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-63","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-family-historygenealogy"],"yoast_head":"\n