Where to register as a Consultant, FH Centre Director or Priesthood leader

Obviously all of us should have registered for an LDS Account which we use at familysearch.org, new.familysearch.org, indexing, the research wiki (Learn link at familysearch.org) and to use the Forums (go to Familysearch.org, click on Help and then click on Community Assistance).

If you want to register for an LDS Account then either:

1.  go to new.familysearch.org and click on the link to Register , or

2.  go to familysearch.org then click on Sign in and then click on Create New Account

We welcome and encourage members of the public to register for a FamilySearch account.

It is also important that you register based on your calling.  For this go to familysearch.org/serve where you will be given the opportunity to register after you sign in with your LDS Account.

Why do this? 1.  To get news and updates directly from FamilySearch to your email box, and 2.  Get access to training and resources.

There is a new Knowledge Document that will help you understand why and also give detailed steps on how to register!

Sign in to either familysearch.org or nFS and go to Help or the Help Center, then search for the following document – 109348 – just type the number in the search space.  The document is entitled: FamilySearch Registrations for Serving in Family History.

There are sections for each of 1. FH Centre Directors and Assistants, 2. FH Consultants, and 3.  Priesthood Leaders

Then there is a section that deals with updating your profile if your email address changes or if you have a change in your calling.

Finally there are links at the end of the document to 2 other documents – one for new FH Centre Directors and one on FH Centre resources.

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All Have Not The Same Gift

by Brother and Sister Miller, Area Advisers New England

While in Boston Temple recently, we had the chance to chat with a worker.  She was still learning but was so sincere and kind that it made the temple experience special.  During a break, she mentioned the family cards we had and said she wished she could do work for her family.  Her mother, who had passed on, had been active in family research, and the daughter felt there was more that needed to be done.  However, her husband currently is in Afghanistan and in addition to serving in the temple, she works full-time.  We appreciated her taking the time to serve as a temple worker – there were so few workers that if she was not there, we would not be able to do the work for my family.

We felt impressed to ask a little about her family and then offered to help.  When we got home, it was easy to see where the mother had left off, and with my new friend’s helper information, we identified a couple dozen family names for her to do.  We emailed the ordinance request and she now is working on those names.

As consultants or genealogical enthusiasts, sometimes we think everyone should be like us.  But we forget that just as researchers are essential, temple workers also are essential.  And temple attenders who act as proxies are equally important.  So are the ones who watch the children so young couples can attend the temple, and those who give rides.  One of the most important gifts is the spirituality to sense that there are people waiting who want your help.

As D&C 46:11-12 makes clear, we all have different gifts, and all of them come together beautifully as we offer temple blessings to our family.  Without this diversity, no work would get done.  Some of our gifts take cultivating – learning New FamilySearch is easier for some than others.  In addition, the “helper” feature lets us help others who may be more productive as temple workers or patrons.

It is not necessary for everyone to become researchers or use the computer.  Church leaders have made that clear.  It takes more than just one person to complete the process of offering temple ordinances to your ancestors.  We all need to work together – using our own gifts.  As Dallin Oaks said, “our effort is not to compel everyone to do everything, but to encourage everyone to do something.”

How can this strengthen your ward or branch? As consultants and priesthood leaders, it is important that we help people recognize the part they can play – because without everyone, this essential work will not be done and needed blessings will not come to each individual who participates.  Many people do not recognize their gift, and some feel inadequate because they do not recognize the importance of their gift.  By working together, we lift each other while engaging in our divinely mandated task.  Ward and branch councils can play an important role in opening the way for everyone to discover and use their gifts.

 

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The Parable of the Red Pencil

by Myrt

Dear Myrtle’s Blog http://blog.dearmyrtle.com/2008/10/parable-of-red-pencil.html and also http://blog.teachgenealogy.com/2008/10/parable-of-red-pencil.html

DearREADERS,

Someone asked me to post the Parable of the Red Pencil which I gave at the beginning of a presentation to the Utah Valley PAF Users Group. This blog post is to honor those patient Family History Consultants and others out there who realize how to gently but firmly lead folks into better research practices. I once fell victim to the dreaded red pencil of a “look down her nose” ward genealogist, but I was offered no way out of the situation. At the time I just gave up, figuring I’d never get the hang of genealogy research.

The Parable of the Red Pencil

This blog entry is merely to illustrate a powerful possibility of the grassroots efforts by kindly Family History Consultants, and is by no means meant to disparage the important role of professional genealogists in the compilation of credible family histories.

A certain beginning genealogist went down from her home on the Provo bench, and fell in with an old-timey “ward genealogist”, who took the newbie researcher’s hand written family group sheets and marked them roughly with red pencils, wherever there was an obvious mistake.  This left the beginner’s heart half dead, stranded amid piles of disorganized family photos, source documents, and ill-contrived pedigree and family group sheets.

By chance there came down a Certified Genealogist, and when he saw her, he passed by on the other side.

And likewise an Accredited Genealogist came down that way, and when she saw her, she passed by on the other side.

But a certain Ward Family History Consultant, as she journeyed, came where the beginning genealogist was, and she saw her, she had compassion on her.

And went to her, and bound up her wounds, by extending a hand of friendship and support, and set her down with a computer (to organize things) and took her to the local LDS Family History Center and took care of  her.

And on the morrow when she departed, she took out two forms (a research log and one for census extraction) and gave them to the beginning genealogist, and said unto her “Take care and don’t worry, I am here to help you climb your family tree. And whatsoever thou needest more, when I come again, I will assist thee.”

Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was of true genealogical assistance unto her that fell down with discouragement at the overwhelming task of gathering family names?

Should we not say she that showed mercy on her?

Quoting from the original parable of the Good Samaritan, in Luke 10: 37 we read:

“Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.”

May I suggest that we should cease using our red pencils as swords, but we should break them down into plowshares?

Consider that a soft answer turneth away wrath.

And that a merry heart doeth good like a medicine.

And behold have we not been taught, that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass?

Happy family tree climbing!

Myrt    

DearMYRTLE,

Your friend in genealogy.

Shared with permission of Dear Myrtle – thank you

http://blog.dearmyrtle.com/2008/10/parable-of-red-pencil.html

 

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