Probably you are well aware of the family history myths that circulate endlessly.  Not only are they false, but they prevent people from getting the blessings they need and deserve.

Family history is hard.  Family history is a collection of many small steps.  The steps are easy, but together, they make up a magnificent tapestry of your heritage.  Even one or two pieces can make a big difference in how you see yourself and your ancestors.  Family history is people – your own family.  What’s hard about that?

Family history takes a lot of time.  Learning about your family is a life-long pursuit, but it is done in small bits of time.  By spending just two or three hours per month, you can accomplish a lot, whether it’s getting in touch with family members, interviewing relatives to learn stories, or preparing a name to take to the temple.

You need to be smart to do family history.  Obviously false, since we can do it!  Having success in discovering family history  requires curiosity and questions.  You don’t have to know a lot – you just need to want to find out about things.  Anyone can ask questions – and write down the answers.  The best part is when you are working on family history, you get help – from friends, from family members, and often, from beyond the veil.  Once you start asking questions, it will surprise you how the answers come.

Family history is expensive.  Like most things, you can spend as much money as you want on it.  There are subscription services, like ancestry.com that are helpful, but you can use them for free at your local family history center.  Some of the most important information you will get is from family members, and that doesn’t cost much at all!

There will be a better time for family history later.  Maybe when you retire, you will have more time – but how many of your older relatives will still be alive then?  And your children and grandchildren, who could benefit from learning about the family they are part of, will be grown and perhaps far away.  Now is absolutely the best time to begin your family history, or to continue it.  Don’t put it off for later.

All my family history is done.  When you start gathering information from family members, you will soon see that it is not all done.  In addition to building a pedigree on all your family lines, there are stories to record, life lessons to put into words, pictures to gather, and temple work to do.

The church has all my information.  One of the advantages of New FamilySearch is that it shows what information already is on file and what information is missing – including temple ordinances.  As FamilySearch Indexing continues, more and more information is available in New FamilySearch.  But because this information is not directly sent to the temple for ordinances, many of the people identified in the records still wait until a living relative finds them and requests temple ordinances for them.  How frustrating it must be to have your information there, in the church’s database, and not have any of your relatives request temple ordinances for you!  The church having the information (somewhere, along with information about millions of others) does not mean temple ordinances are done.  That step depends on you.

I’m just not interested.   Obtaining a testimony of family history and temple work requires involvement.  You must “plant the seed” before you taste the fruit.  To be honest, we weren’t at all interested in family history until we tried it.  We began (like everyone else) because we were “supposed to.”  But as soon as we started, we felt something.  You can feel it too, perhaps as you discover an ancestor, perhaps in the temple.

I need to focus on my living family before I can think about the dead.  Our own families require (and deserve) our best attention.  Thankfully, we have many labor-saving resources unknown to our ancestors, so providing home, shelter and other necessities doesn’t require the hours of back-breaking effort it did in the past (making our own soap, growing and preserving all our food – without refrigerators or freezers, making our own clothes, etc.)  However, even after the best we can do, our living family members may require more, whether for their health, testimony, or whatever.  Family history and temple work provide a great opportunity to secure divine help – not just for ourselves, but for those we love and yearn over.  We are convinced that if we will spend time helping unite our families in the spirit world, they somehow intervene to help with our families here on earth.

2. Thanks to a thoughtful comment and question by one of our readers recently, I was reminded that the Consultant’s Guide needs to be updated!  The guide is still available as a download – go to familysearch.org/consultant – and hopefully will be updated soon.  In the meantime be cautious in using the Guide. Sometimes it is difficult to tell the difference between new.familysearch.org and familysearch.org – which has a new version.  Now who hasn’t had that problem!

3. FamilySearch has a YouTube channel where you can access videos. Go to youtube.com and search for FamilySearch.  Look for the link that says Channel.  You can subscribe to the Channel to make it easier to get there.  Why not just watch the videos on FamilySearch.org?  I prefer to have the videos downloaded before the training session.  Once you find a video on YouTube you can use a website such as keepvid.com to download a copy.

I recently read this quote from Jim Greene, a manager at FamilySearch.  Please note his caveats in the second paragraph.  I added the underlining.  Please consider his advice.

“Even though it was developed for youth, it is ok for adults to go look at and use the new youth website that Elder Bednar introduced last conference. It is at http://lds.org/fhy the fhy stands for family history youth. It teaches the youth the importance of temple and family history work, shows them 5 steps for searching for and clearing names, and has many opportunities for them to comment and see other’s experiences. There is also a whole section with videos on ideas how to serve others through family history. I would recommend this as a wonderful resource.

That said, let me offer a couple of caveats. First, the youth won’t need technology or computer lessons, in fact, they could be called as consultants to teach new.familysearch.org after just a few minutes using it. They get it. Second, you will lose them if you try to teach them to become genealogists. Get them to the temple with their own names, set them up to help and serve others, and you will be successful. Teach them how to correctly document jurisdictional place names, or to correctly enter sources and citations and you will lose them. They are a wonderful resource and can help and be blessed in so many ways.

We are going to continually update the site with new videos, ideas and stories. We are even considering games and contests.  I hope you find it enjoyable and that it gives you some ideas.”

To Turn the Hearts Guide and DVD Available to Order

The guides and DVDs were made available to order by phone effective 21 Dec 2011, and online in mid January:

The Global Service Center is where you have to call to place orders, 1-800-537-5971. The part numbers are:

08886000-To Turn the Hearts Leaders Guide (English)

08885000-DVD (English)

We don’t usually share software sales, but . . .  we often get asked about Mac software that works with nFS! – and we couldn’t wait until Jan 8 to share this information for Mac users -and also some news for ipad/iphone/ipod touch users!  Maybe it will help someone you know?

MacFamilyTree and MobileFamilyTree Pro are both half price right now – http://www.syniumsoftware.com/macfamilytree/ – it says the special ends Dec 29 but they have extended it to Jan 9

MacFamilyTree is FamilySearch certified, has some nFS interaction but also works with nFS through Family Insight – MacFamilyTree requires a Mac OS X with 10.5 Leopard, 10.6 Snow Leopard or 10.7 Lion. Additionally, 1 GB of RAM and a 1 Ghz or higher CPU is required.

MobileFamilyTree Pro is the only full FH program for the ipad/iphone/ipod touch we know that syncs data over wifi between devices either mobile device or mac! – great for charts – see their virtual tree, and fan! If you don’t have a Mac the app will accept a Gedcom file.

There is also FamilyTreeMaker for Mac that also works with Family Insight but haven’t seen any special prices for that!

Thank you for all that you do to help others with their temple and family history work.  We have enjoyed our visits with you in 2011 and look forward to seeing you in 2012.

This is our last article for 2011.  We will resume on 8 January 2012.

We hope that 2012 will be a wonderful and special year.

1. To Turn the Hearts Leader’s Guide and DVD are on their way or already at Stakes and Wards!  There are some wording changes as well as formatting changes.  Please destroy any copies of the draft copy including any copies of the pdf file you downloaded previously.  While only 5 copies of the Guide were sent to each unit, they will be available shortly through Distribution.  Please download a copy of the pdf file from either Serving in the Church at lds.org or familysearch.org/serve/.  An example of a change can be found by comparing the old page 11 from the draft version which is now page 12.  The draft version wording “position the High Priest Group Leader as the coordinator of the ward council’s temple and family history work . . .” has been changed to say “the bishopric ensures that the high priests group leader acts as the coordinator of the ward council’s temple and family history work.”  Please study the final document. .
2. Please continue to review familysearch.org/serve to see new training resources.

For Christmas we would like to give each of you a colored 9 generation fan chart of your family history.  Go to createfan.com, and log in with your lds account. Then click on Create.  You get a coloured fan chart which you can save and zoom.  We hope you enjoy your chart!  Instructions are in a video available on the FH for Youth website at lds.org/fhy in the section entitled See My Family Tree.  Createfan.com is a 3rd party affiliate service that prints a chart from your file at nFS.

Every best wish for Christmas and the New Year!

Under the link to the Blog at FamilySearch.org you will find 2 helpful new documents that help with the November update to FamilySearch.org:

1.  Feature changes at FamilySearch.org – 23 November 2011

“The November release of the FamilySearch website includes some powerful new search capabilities that our users have been requesting. It does this while at the same time making the search experience simpler and more intuitive. Let us show you what we mean” – then click on the link to the Full Story.

2.   Using the New FamilySearch Historical Records Search Form

“Below is a summary of what the new historical records search form offers and how to use it. Most users will find this new form simpler to use, more intuitive to interact with and more powerful than the older forms.”  – then click on the link to the Full Story.

These documents are very helpful!

Thank you to CFHC for tipping me off about these articles!  I really like the weekly challenges they send out to their members of Staff!

2 other short items regarding software:

1. There is a version of Family Insight for the Mac that works with MacFamilyTree – this is good news for Mac users as it gives them more choice of products that work with nFS.  Another option is FamilyTreeMaker – otherwise you need to install Windows and use a Windows program.  MacFamilyTree offers a 25% discount to anyone who owns other FH software.  MacFamilyTree is already certified by FamilySearch and has some features within the program that work with nFS – just not as many features as Family Insight.  There is a version of MacFamilyTree called MobileFamilyTree Pro ($14.99) that works on the ipad and iphone and which will sync with the MacFamilyTree file so you can add or update information either on your ipad or your Mac and simply Sync.
2. Rootsmagic have released a new version of their software.  This is version 5 and there is a fee to upgrade from the current version 4.  See Rootsmagic.com for details.

Please consider the following quote from that talk as you involve the youth in Temple and Family History work:

“But do not overly program this endeavor or provide too much detailed information or training. Invite young people to explore, to experiment, and to learn for themselves.”

Explore, experiment and learn.  Perhaps we need to move away from some of our traditional teaching approaches when working with youth?

Consider how youth can help with Family History.  This could include youth teaching adults, or youth helping adults who find computers difficult to use.

Family History website for youth  – www.lds.org/fhy

Please share in Comments things that you find work well.

Addendum to article 20 Nov 2011 – the main search page at FamilySearch.org changed this week!

1. The main page has changed – don’t panic!  – everything is still there but some things are in different places.  There is an effort underway to make the web site easier to use for beginning genealogists.
2. Where are the What’s New articles?  Click on the link to Blog at the top of the page, look to the right under the heading Categories, and there is a link to What’s New at FamilySearch (currently 73 articles).   Articles you might want to look at might include Feature Changes at FamilySearch.org as of 14 Sept 2011, Searching at FamilySearch (12 June 2011) and “Nine Powerful Search Features in the FamilySearch Search Engine” by PBDunn (in April 2011).  Note the link to What’s New at the bottom of the main page is not What’s New at FamilySearch!
3. Icons and messages on links to images in Historical records have changed.     Now gives a better explanation of how to get to the image.
4. Images are no longer in Flash – iphone and ipad users can access them.  Features still need to be added to the image viewer (in our opinion).
5. Changes to the Learning Centre at FamilySearch.org – that’s the official title for the Learn section!  Getting started is a link to the 5 minute genealogy videos.  The Learning Centre also has links to Forums, Research wiki, and Research Courses.
6. There are links from Ancestral File or Pedigree Resource File entries to the nFS tree now at FamilySearch.org when you search in Trees.  If you are signed in to FamilySearch.org and search for an ancestor in Trees and find someone who is also in the nFS Tree there is a link provided that takes you directly to that person in nFS.
7. Sources and notes for Pedigree Resource File (PRF) have been added on Trees at FamilySearch.org.  PRF is after the Ancestral File listing – and we still don’t see an easy way to just get to the PRF results – hopefully that will soon be coming.

Bottom line – FamilySearch offers more resources than ever before.  We need to embrace changes and improvements especially those that help people new to Family History.

It is true that we “believe in continuous revelation as long as it does not involve change.”  (Richard Condie,  A Disposition to Do Good Continually, Ensign August 2001)

Please remember that training materials are available at familysearch.org/serve.  There are new videos!

Hope you got the news from FamilySearch this week?  (if not maybe you aren’t registered at familysearch.org/serve ?)  Thank you and farewell to Jay Verkler who has been CEO of FamilySearch for the past 10 years, and welcome to Dennis Brimhall who becomes CEO in early January 2012.

Did you know that you can now follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/pldarbyfh ?  We are using Twitter to post any items that come up during the week.  We are learning new things too!

For example:  Type in Canada Census and click Enter (or Return), select the top article “Canada Census,” and you get a very helpful article on the Canada Census including the date when each census was taken.  There is also a section on Canadian Censuses Online with links to the actual sites.

Would you like to learn more about how to use the Research Wiki?  Try these links

https://www.familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/Help:Tour

https://www.familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/Help:Wiki_Basics

Would you like to learn how to contribute to the wiki?

https://www.familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/Help:Edit_and_Contribute

Take advantage of the mentoring program to help new contributors:

https://www.familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/FamilySearch_Wiki:Mentors

Next to the Research Wiki on the Learn link are over 300 research courses and also a link to the Forums where you can post specific research questions.

Now you can follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/pldarbyfh

Bill Buchanan

If I were trying to revive a stake FHC, here are some ideas I would try:

1. Create a schedule of fairly basic lessons. We have more patrons when we

have lessons to offer.

2. Phone each ward to get the name, phone number and email address of the

bulletin editor and HPGL.

3. Contact each bulletin editor to verify their email address.

4. Send each editor and HPGL a copy of the schedule of lessons and ask to

have it included in their bulletin for the next two weeks.

Ask them to include the hours of operation as a standing item in each weekly

bulletin.

5. Make sure that your hours of operation and phone number are listed in the

stake directory, and maybe the FamilySearch wiki.

6. Get a list of all the ward consultants with their contact information.

7. Schedule a monthly training meeting for constultants and other staff.

8. Make sure your stake president and your high councillor over genealogy

know who you are and what you are doing.

9. Find out who your area FH advisor is, and what suggestions they have.

Their support can be a tremendous benefit.

10. Try to recruit staff that are comfortable with technology. Maybe that

recently released YW president or High Councillor? That young man that needs

to wait a year before serving a mission? Or that couple who just returned

from a mission where they used Skype for a weekly visit with their families?

If you are the director, a few strong assistants can help to move the work

forward.

11. Delegate these tasks as necessary.

12. Always pray for guidance and help.

Thank you, Bill!

Bonus!

More information on FHCs

From Knowledge Document (KD) 101753 – “The future for family history centers (from question and answer session with Elder Marlin K. Jensen of the First Quorum of Seventy and Executive Director of the Family History Department.

Q.(Family history center director) My question is just what is the future for family history centers?

A.(Elder Jensen) Family history centers will continue to exist. Family history centers are a resource for family history consultants to help members identify their ancestors and provide temple ordinances for them. Members and community patrons can use the resources available in family history centers to extend their family history research.

Q.(Family history center director) I can see from this presentation that the Church is providing the members with new family history resources. How will those resources affect family history centers?

A.(Elder Jensen) The Church will increasingly make family history information available online for members to conveniently use at home. In areas of the world where home access to the Internet is generally available, we likely will not see many additional centers approved.

In some areas of the world, access to the Internet from home is still relatively limited. Members and consultants in these areas can use the Internet connection in family history centers to do family history work and prepare names of ancestors for submission to the temple. In these areas, the Church may approve additional family history centers where needed.

Family history centers have provided exceptional service to our members for many years, and they will continue to do so.”

_____________________________________________

“To Turn the Hearts – Leader’s Guide to Temple and Family History Work” p 9.

“Family history centers give members and community patrons access to family history resources, including:

• Genealogical resources

• Classes and workshops on family history

• One-on-one assistance

As stake leaders seek to accomplish specific public affairs goals, they view family history centers as a unique and effective way to enhance the Church’s position in the local community. The majority of the patrons who use family history centers are not members.”