Consultant and High Priest Group Leadership Training
Delta Family History Center - Jan 17, 2013
DOTS ~ Depend On The Savior - (This is His Work)
Get Started the Right Way!
Help From the Other Side
“Those who give themselves with all their might and main to this work...
receive help from the other side, and not merely in gathering genealogies.
Whosoever seeks to help those on the other side receives help in return in all the affairs of life.”
John A. Widtsoe, Utah Genealogical and Historical Magazine, July 1931, p. 104
John A. Widtsoe, Utah Genealogical and Historical Magazine, July 1931, p. 104
Remember what you can
● Take a few minutes to remember and write down what you already know about your relatives and ancestors.
● Record information by family, then use it as a roadmap for the information you need to find.
Look for information in your own home
• Attic, basement, storage areas
• Personal files, desk
• Closets, book shelves, drawers
Try to find:
• Letters, diaries, journals
• Certificates, legal documents
• Heirlooms, Family Bibles
• Obituaries, newspaper clippings
• Photographs (check the backs for information)
• Interview your relatives
• Interview your oldest relatives first
• Contact relatives ahead of time and asked them to make copies of important documents
• Record your visits (paper, audio, or video)
• Don’t make your relatives self-conscious
• Identify people in photographs or listed in documents
• Ask questions that will encourage relatives to share facts and stories
Interview your relatives
• Interview your oldest relatives first
• Contact relatives ahead of time and asked them to make copies of important documents
• Record your visits (paper, audio, or video)
• Don’t make your relatives self-conscious
• Identify people in photographs or listed in documents
• Ask questions that will encourage relatives to share facts and stories
Share Your Discoveries
• Stories
• Old photographs of relatives and heirlooms
• Genealogy charts
• Copies of old documents
• Full names (include maiden names for women)
• Dates and the places of important events (births, marriages, deaths)
• Show how people are related
Finding Some Records can be Challenging
A Feeling of Inspiration
“Revelation comes to individual[s]...
as they are led to discover their family records in ways that are miraculous indeed.
And there is a feeling of inspiration attending this work that can be found in no other.
When we have done all that we can do, we shall be given the rest.
The way will be opened up.”
Boyd K. Packer, Ensign, Nov 1975, 99
• Find information about your most recent ancestors, the work back in time. Start with your parents, then your grandparents, then your great-grandparents, and so on.
• Looks for information on a record that will lead to other records. Birth, marriage, and death records may also contain information about parents, spouse, and children.
Records contain different types of information
You can reconstruct your ancestor’s life from information found in different records:
• Death records, obituaries: Deceased’s full name, death place, birthplace, spouse name, parents name, cause of death, next of kin, witness name (often a relative)
• Birth records: Child’s full name, birth date and place, parents’ names
• Census records: Name, age, residence location, information about other family members
• Marriage records: The couples’ full names (maiden name for women), ages, marriage date and place
• Newspaper articles: Biographical information, facts, stories
Tips for Using FamilySearch.org
You can instantly search through hundreds of millions of records for information about your
ancestors at FamilySearch.org.
• FamilySearch.org protects privacy. No information about living people is publicly available.
• For women, use maiden names to find birth and marriage records, but married names for census and death information.
• Add five years to life spans
• Try different spellings of a name (Miller, Milr).
• Try different forms of a name (Elizabeth, Liz, Liza).
• Immigrants often changed their names.
• If you can’t find information about a person, look for information about family members.
Family Trees at FamilySearch.org
FamilySearch.org’s Family Trees
● New.FS was the first step. It allowed the information to be collected
● Family Trees is the second step. It allows the information to be corrected.
● Sourcing is the third step. This is what makes you believable. This step isn’t completely available yet. Some day they will allow you to add documents and photos to each person. But for now, store it online somewhere else and then add the URL in the source.
As a user of Family Tree, you will be able to:
• Connect and collaborate with others.
• Add, edit, and delete relationships.
• Discuss and source vital family information.
• Add specific ancestors to a personal “Watch List.”
• Try out new features and functionality as they become available.
• View Family Tree in other languages (based on browser language).
• Other features will be added as they are made available.
Use family history charts (on paper or computer) to show relationships and as a reference of what you have added to FS Family Trees.
• Family group record: Lists the father, mother, and all of the children in a family
• Family tree or pedigree chart: Shows how you’re related to your direct ancestors
Source Every Change You Make
● If you are going to use the same source for multiple events, I suggest you using a word processing document and type the information into it. Then it can be copied and pasted into the correct locations in the source.
● Copy: Hold down the “Control” key and type the “C” key while holding.
● Paste: Hold down the “Control” key and type the “V” key while holding.
Suggested simplified Source Notation:
Citation
“What it Is” “Where it is found” “Name of Collection” “Repository where it is found” “Name, address and email of person to contact for a copy of this information”
Notes
“Describe this citation”
Reason This Source Is Attached
“Detailed explanation” - Proof ...... or Suggesting that ...... or To dispel the idea that.......
Decide to Do Something Significant
“Set aside those things that don’t really matter in your life.
Decide to do something that will have eternal consequences.
Perhaps you have been prompted to look for ancestors but feel that you are not a genealogist.
Can you see that you don’t have to be anymore? It all begins with love and a sincere desire. ... This is...a monumental effort of cooperation on both sides of the veil
where help is given in both directions. It begins with love.
Anywhere you are in the world, with prayer, faith, determination, diligence, and some sacrifice, you can make a powerful contribution. Begin now.
I promise you that the Lord will help you find a way. And it will make you feel wonderful.”
Richard Scott, Ensign, Nov. 1990, 7
Richard Scott, Ensign, Nov. 1990, 7
Help from Beyond the Veil
“Whoever seeks to help those on the other side receives help in turn in all the affairs of life.
Help comes to us from the other side as we give help to those who have passed beyond the veil.”
John A. Widtsoe, Ensign, May 1980, 40
