Summer Catch up

1. We hope that you are having a wonderful summer. One of the nice things about the blog is that I can pre-arrange to have articles posted automatically when I am not here! After family reunions, and a trip to Utah for the Annual Area Adviser Training session and BYU FH Conference I am back home for a while. We have lots to share after the sessions in Utah and we will offer these to you over the next few weeks.
2. The training site will be down until about August 15 for upgrading. We have told you (we hope!) about training.familysearch.org which is a training system for the new FamilySearch web site. This system contains fictitious names, dates and localities. Here you can learn how to add, edit, combine and submit names for temple ordinances without the fear of making mistakes with real data. Sometimes this is called the “sandbox.” It is a great place to learn! Just don’t try to use it until after August 15! They are updating the website to include the new features in nFS.
3. New software certified to work with nFS is available. We noticed some interesting new products in the link on the sign in page to nFS (lower right link under More Great Products) – we know there is a lot there so just let us suggest three:
a. MacFamilyTree version 6. This is the first full data management package for the mac we have seen certified. We have no idea what integration with nFS is available. Perhaps some mac user can let us know? Mobile Family Tree (not to be confused with MobileTree) for the ipod/iphone/ipad is a companion product to MacFamilyTree. We hope mac users will also remember the pending release of Family Tree Maker for the mac!
b. Family Photoloom. This is free web site that links nFS data to your photos. We haven’t tried it yet and would appreciate your comments.
c. Gaia Family Tree. This software, which helps you build your family tree, has a 14 day free trial and then costs CAD$9.95 for the full version. The maker is Lulu Software which is a Quebec based company! Again we would appreciate you sharing your comments!
It is impossible for each of us to try all of these products but if each of us tried one and shared a comment it would help all of us.
4. The beta testing for the next update to nFS (version 0.992) ended on August 5, so watch for the update which should be happening shortly (remember to check the News and Updates link on the sign in page for the latest What’s new document). The list of changes in this update is not long. Much of it deals with adding the remaining 5 Asian Temples.
5. Among the highlights of the BYU Family History Conferences were the morning devotionals on each of the first 3 days. The first devotional was given by Elder Dennis B. Neuenschwander – “It Is More than About Names”. There is information on all 3 devotionals at http://ce.byu.edu/cw/cwgen/keynote.cfm . There is also a link on that page to the full text of Elder Dennis B. Neuenschwander’s talk (it says it is 13 pages but the last page is blank). I hope you will enjoy reading this! I was particularly moved by the section starting in the middle of page 10 (I suppose that this might be a logical place to stop, . . . ) to the end of 12. The other 2 devotionals were excellent, but you will have to depend on my notes in a future blog to learn about those!

Next week’s blog article will answer the question ”What does the division number in Prairie place names mean?” (a follow-up to the article posted on July 25). The following week we have a guest author, Lianne Kruger, who has kindly written a two part article for us on Google for Genealogists.

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Returning Soldiers

I have recently been doing some research on my late father’s military experiences.  He was a volunteer soldier in the Grenadier Guards in England from 1930 to 1933 and then again in World War 2.  As I grew up he rarely talked about his war time experiences, so I have been busy trying to find out where he went and what he experienced.  He served overseas in World War 2 in North Africa and then in Italy.

One experience he did share was the return as a victorious soldier to England.  After being away for over 2 1/2 years and been wounded and returned to action in the Italian campaign, he returned to England by ship on 19 August 1945. No welcoming bands or cheering crowds, just a dockyard that was closed so no one could get off the ship!  It was a Sunday.

Contrast that with an experience we had last Tuesday in the Dallas Airport.  An aircraft arrived from the Middle East carrying returning American soldiers.  Like most airports the arriving passengers are separated from the departing passengers in a elevated enclosed walkway.  As the first soldier appeared everyone in the departure lounge stood and applauded.   This was hundreds of people – Dallas is a big and busy airport.  Many cheered loudly and several yelled out “Thank you.”  This went on for at least 10 minutes!  We joined in the applause. The atmosphere was so electric.   The returning warriors were welcomed home!

I couldn’t help thinking of my father arriving unheralded, unwelcomed, and being left on a ship for an extra day!  I hope we recognise and thank our Canadian service men and women who risk their lives to protect our freedoms.

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