Getting Started with Family Search


 
We've been promised some amazing blessings for doing Family History so if you haven't started yet, here's yet a few more reasons why you should: "As we participate in family history and temple work today, we also lay claim to "healing" blessings promised by prophets and apostles. These blessings are also breathtakingly amazing because of their scope, specificity, and consequence in mortality. This long list includes these blessings: Increased understanding of the Savior and His atoning sacrifice; Increased influence of the Holy Ghost to feel strength and direction for our own lives; Increased faith, so that conversion to the Savior becomes deep and abiding; Increased ability and motivation to learn and repent because of an understanding of who we are, where we come from, and a clearer vision of where we are going; Increased refining, sanctifying, and moderating influences in our hearts; Increased joy through an increased ability to feel the love of the Lord; Increased family blessings, no matter our current, past, or future family situation or how imperfect our family tree may be; Increased love and appreciation for ancestors and living relatives, so we no longer feel alone; Increased power to discern that which needs healing and thus, with the Lord's help, serve others; Increased protection from temptations and the intensifying influence of the adversary; and Increased assistance to mend troubled, broken, or anxious hearts and make the wounded whole. If you have prayed for any of these blessings, participate in family history and temple work. As you do so your prayers will be answered." Dale G Renlund April 2018 "Family History and Temple Work: Sealing and Healing."

Family History Modernized 

I have been teaching everyone I can how to use the Family Search app because it's so simple! You can do 5 minutes or 2 hours and walk away having been successful at doing family history. First, fill out your living tree and connect to your deceased ancestors. Living persons are private on Family Search so everyone must enter manually anyone living. For example, I entered my parents and grandparents, who are all living, but my great grand parents are all deceased so I can search for their records in Family Search to see if they already exist in the database. I didn't know birthdays or death information so I just entered the little bit I knew and they were already there so I added them in. 

Screenshot_20190520-111230

Once you're connected to the lines of deceased ancestors in your tree you're ready to start working! Second, (for those members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints wanting to do temple work for their own family names) find the temple icon in the app, either under the menu or on the bottom of the screen, and click "ordinances ready" select the ordinance you wish to perform and view persons who show up. Click "continue" and those names are now reserved for you to do their work. You can either print the name cards right away or you can have the temple office scan the QR code and print them there. Now go do those names and then come back for more!!  Third, memories are really easy to add right from your phone gallery. You can scan them using an app scanner on your phone and upload them into your family's profiles. Chances are your grandma has some old photos in a box somewhere and would love for someone, ahem, to offer to digitize them for her. I also love recording memories using the audio feature. Next time you're with grandma ask her to tell you about her childhood or her parents and record her telling the story. If you want to use voice notes you can easily upload those files into Family Search as well.

  Screenshot_20190520-112005 

Fourth, using the ancestors with tasks is a great way to verify important vital data for persons in your tree. All you have to do is review hints that Family Search database has already provided for members in your tree. If you reach a confusing record, just skip it and try someone else. This part is actually so important because you are helping find missing information. Who knows, you'll probably even find missing people and help fill in missing holes in your tree.  Lastly, gather with your friends and use the relatives around me feature to scan for friends and see how you're related. View those relationships and make new connections!
  Screenshot_20190520-112345

Comments

Popular Posts