The generations on either side of me link me to my past and my future. My view of family history involves revealing the roots and the branches.
Throughout this blog you will find perspectives related to the doctrines of temple and family history work from revealed revelation given to living prophets of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
What are some of your talents? How did you discover them? What have you done to cultivate and improve them? How have they affected your life?
Sewing - I started sewing as a young teen and over the years I found that I really enjoy it. When I was 16 I got my own sewing machine. I have made clothes for myself and others, blankets, pillows, bears, etc. I love that I can make something or fix something quickly.
Card Making - I love making greeting cards. I started making them as a young adult when my sister and I got free wallpaper sample books and we used the pages to make envelopes. I also made envelopes from an old map book, and old wall calendars. Then I started making cards to go in those envelopes. Now I love to use all kinds of papers and embellishments. I also love to "gift" cards to others. I just made 10 baby related thank you cards for a baby shower gift. It was so fun and I thought of my friend during the hours I made them.
Finding People - About 14 years ago I found out I had a gift/talent of finding people. Mostly I was finding distant cousins and tracking down their contact information. That turned to finding people that other people wanted found. A friend was looking for someone whom she hadn't seen in years. Using family history skills and some family history related documents, I made a few phones calls and within a few minutes found this lady's friend. The lady I found was in the process of moving at the time and I found her on one of her stops along the way. My friend was able to make contact within minutes. I've since helped other people find people they are looking for.
Family History - This goes along with "Finding People", but mostly dead people. I don't quit in my hunt for information about my family members. I have been doing family history for most of my life - started as a young teen - and have always been learning new techniques and processes. Making connections and learning about my ancestors and finding living cousins has been very rewarding.
See this post for more information about "Memory Jogger Monday":
“When you lay down this tabernacle, where are you going?
Into the spiritual world…Where is the spirit world? It is right here.
Do the good and evil spirits go together? Yes they do…. Do they go beyond the
boundaries of the organized earth? No, they do not…. Can you see it with your
natural eyes? No. Can you see spirits in this room? No. Suppose the Lord should
touch your eyes that you might see, could you then see the spirits? Yes, as
plainly as you now see bodies.”
On February 5th this blog turned 1 year old! I was crazy busy at RootsTech and celebrated by sharing Dove chocolates with fellow bloggers and RootsTech Ambassadors and staff.
I've learned so many new things in this past year and made new friendships. I am looking forward to more of the same in the coming year. Thanks for joining me on this ride!
I had an awesome opportunity as a RootsTech Ambassador to go on a VIP behind-the-scenes tour of the Church History Library.
This is a great video about the purpose of the Church History Library and discusses some of the work that takes place in the library.
Below is a photo of the entrance lobby.
After entering the lobby we went to the reference room. Above the entrance to the room is this scripture:
"Behold, there shall be a record kept among you"
Doctrines and Covenants 21:1
There are lockers in this room for the storing of personal items; including our phones and cameras. We were asked not to take any photos "behind-the-scenes". The Church History Library provided all the photos that you see here in this blog.
The Foundations of Faith exhibit is also housed in this room - this area is available to the public.
There is an online component to this exhibit. It can be accessed here: Foundations of Faith
There are also some videos about this exhibit:
Because this was a VIP tour we were given special badges and the Director, Keith A. Erekson, took us "behind-the-scenes" to areas the general public will never see.
We went underground and through a tunnel that went under the road. We were able to see where items from the Church first enter the building and the security that is taken to protect these items. Items are stored in temperature and moisture controlled vaults that have moving shelves as seen in the photo below. The shelves move and collapse closed for the best efficient use of the space. Items are cataloged electronically. Two boxes entering the system together may be stored in different areas in the vault; based on available shelf space at the time.
We visited with an audio/visual team who showed us a presentation about how audio and video are preserved and digitally enhanced. The library preserves the material according to preservation standards for that specific product. Using equipment from the time frame of the original material, a digital copy is made. Any enhancement is made to a copy of the digital copy. All copies are also preserved. For example:
A magnetic tape audio reel would be preserved in archival housing material.
The equipment to access the audio reel would be preserved and maintained.
A digital copy would be made and preserved.
A copy of the digital copy would be enhanced and cleaned up and it would be preserved.
In the future as new technologies emerge they can be applied to any part of this process.
A similar methodology applies to papers and books.
An archival housing is created if one doesn't already exist.
Items are cleaned with water.
Materials used to preserve are archival.
Materials used to repair are archival and methodologies are completely reversible.
Digital copies are made of the item.
As new technologies and techniques emerge, an employee would be able to undo the previous fix and use the new method to repair.
I need to do a better job in preserving the documents, movies, and photographs that are important to my family. The Church History Library provides brief instructional videos on the processes to preserve such items.
In future blog posts I will show how to use the online databases available at the Church History Library.
I taught a class at RootsTech 2016 on Using Facebook for Family History. This was the objective of the class:
Discover how to create and manage family Facebook groups for ongoing virtual reunions. Uncover genealogy related organizations, societies, groups, conferences, companies, and experts. Learn about Facebook apps that help you build your tree and find out how simple it is to connect with distant cousins.
Questions answered in this class:
How do I create and manage a family Facebook group and how do I determine the privacy level for the group?
How can I find genealogy related organizations or people on Facebook?
What are some search techniques on Facebook to help me find and connect with distant living cousins?
What resources are available on Facebook to help me break through my “brick walls”?
How can my Facebook connections help me build my family tree?
I'm going to answer those above questions and more here on my blog, in the coming weeks and months, as I share the content from my class and from my continual learning about Facebook.
When you hit a brickwall (block) it may be that those relatives may not have yet been taught in the spirit world.
Pray before you work - "Please lead me to those who are ready to make covenants with Thee and receive their ordinances."
"Those on the other side of the veil are very much alive."
"Those on the other side are desperate for their ordinances, and many know when and where their ordinances will take place."
Extended family can provide protection.
Easier to motivate someone to do something difficult than it is to motivate them to do something easy.
The temple changes you.
Temple experiences are much more meaningful.
You can learn how the spirit speaks to you.
"When the Lord know you're serious about family history research, other people show up to help."
"Family history research is fun."
Those who have gone before LIVE on the other side of the veil.
Have miracles ceased? Have angels ceased? Nay - Moroni 7:29, 31
There is an urgency that accompanies this work.
The Nelsons within 24 hours had visited with children from all 12 tribes.
Sheri: You emerge from the temple with power. Go regularly. Go see what the Lord will teach you. I testify the work of salvation is the only work that will matter.
You can watch their keynote here:
I had the opportunity to participate in a Media Hub Sofa Chat with Sheri and Wendy.
Here are some of my takeaways from the chat:
Sheri - I am who I am. I'm very comfortable sharing what I believe, because I know what I believe. Doubting not, doesn't mean understanding everything.
Wendy - It's the covenants and ordinances that count. I think about who is watching (Heavenly Father and Christ) and I think about those on the other side of the veil.
Sheri - There is nothing I care more about than building the kingdom. There are many ways to do that. Build our own testimony and help others find their own. Link arms with those who care about things like we do (family, marriage, children).
Wendy - Our work is to help those on the other side of the veil.
Sheri - I'll have to change something or give up something to do this work. I'll have to ask for help from Heaven and make it a priority.
Wendy - If you want help from Heaven, you need to help Heaven. God is a great compensator. I never miss the time I give to family history work. The Lord compensates me.
Wendy - A group of young families at BYU with lots of stress and problems - what to tell them in 20 minutes - invited the sisters to spend 3 weeks increasing their time in family history and temple work. The results were unbelievable. More power in their lives, depression and stress left, time to make changes. It works because they made covenants with God and they did the work and God poured His power into them.
Former Utah Governor Michael Leavitt utilized live texting technology as he let the audience choose the order of topics and he then shared stories from the topics.
Here are some of my takeaways from this session:
Personal histories have great meaning.
Project of 1,000 stories.
Everyone's hearts beat together (waiting on the Olympic bid)
When they were homeless themselves (Governor's Mansion Fire) they went and served those who were really homeless.
"I'll be ready" -Olene Walker stated when he told her that she would soon be the 1st Woman Governor of Utah.
No corners to hide in ... the Oval office.
Olympic Flame is lit by the perpetual light of the Sun.
Those who need a need a lift.
No one sits alone.
Symbol of what we aspire to be.
Olympic Flame = Fire on the Stick = all about family!
You can watch his comments here: I had the opportunity to participate in a Media Hub Sofa Chat with Mike.
Backstage (before the sofa chat), I had a few moments to visit with Mike. He is my husband's 4th Cousin and the Leavitt family has a huge family organization. Also, we briefly talked about my father. Both Mike and I are from Cedar City, Utah and he knew my father really well; though was unaware that he had recently passed away.
Here are some of my takeaways from the chat:
Project of 1,000 stories - some of them are just short little moments of his life that as he remembered he wrote them down.
Wrote own personal history for the benefit of his children and family.
Love of stories is a genetic trait passed on from his mother. She is a mentor.
When he got to Washington, northeast Leavitt families reached out to him and said they may be related. Mike knew how they were related and he invited them to come from the northeast to join the Western Leavitt family reunion one year.
During the Olympics, the entire world became interested in knowing if we were honest.
We put on the best Olympics - when things get hard, you do your best.
Olympic story is not over yet. Friendships are still happening.
He wants his children to think the best of him.
Wants to be remembered = left things better than he found them, planted seeds for the next generation, and that he gave it all he had.
SALT LAKE CITY, UT—Today (5 February 2016) at RootsTech, the world’s largest Family History technology conference, TapGenes, won the Innovator Showdown and walked away with $45,000 in cash and prizes. The Chicago, Illinois-based, firm helps families identify and benefit from key health traits that exist between generations.
In front of a crowd of close to 10,000 live and online viewers, the six RootsTech Innovator Showdown finalists battled for $100,000 in cash and prizes and bragging rights in the rapidly-growing, multi-billion dollar family history industry. TapGenes was awarded $20,000 in cash and $25,000 in-kind prizes.
TapGenes provides the tools to identify the genetic thread that ties a family together. Founder, Heather Holmes, got the idea for TapGenes after her father became very ill and the family struggled with multiple roadblocks to share his family medical history that impacted his treatment, care, and recovery. Heather made it her mission, if her father got well, to make sure this kind of frightening and desperate episode would not be faced by other families.
Holmes has a background in healthcare marketing. In fact, her entire team comes from various fields of the healthcare profession, including computational genetics.
TapGenes uses the idea of “crowdsourcing” to help families create a more complete and accurate family medical history, online, together. The TapGenes platform identifies medical conditions that may run in their family and helps family members understand what steps they can take to live healthier together.
The six finalists were whittled down from 46 applicants from around the world. They had two minutes to win over the panel of five judges and the audience that their product was the most worthy of support from sponsors.
After each moving presentation, there was a four-minute question and answer period between each contestant and the judges. After all six presentations, the judges selected the top three winners, and the viewing audience selected the People’s Choice Award winner.
With $50,000 in cash and another $50K+ of in-kind prizes and services from sponsors at stake, the pressure, tension, and energy of this event was tremendous.
2016 RootsTech Showdown Winners
First Place Judges Choice ($20,000 cash, $25,000 in-kind), Heather Holmes of TapGenes.
Second Place Judges Choice ($14,000 cash, $15,000 in-kind), Studio (by Legacy Republic), Technology hardware and software for digitizing hard copy photo albums.
Third Place Judges Choice Award ($6,000 cash, $10,000 in-kind), Twile, a web app that populates a visual family timeline with data and media.
This is TapGenes’ second year as an Innovator Showdown contestant. Holmes credits the great exposure from its RootsTech 2015 booth which focused on FamilySearch data sharing integration, and listening to user feedback as key differentiates in advancing from semi-finalist in 2015 to first place in 2016. Holmes said they plan to use the prize winnings to expand TapGenes worldwide to save lives by making family medical history more available internationally.
“It’s surreal,” said Holmes. “When you have a vision of something and you don’t know if it’s going to really happen and it does, it’s like a dream. You hope people are going to love it as much as you do. It’s great to get that confirmation that it resonates with them.”
Holmes says they will use the award money and support to help create TapGenes’ mobile app and to expand locally through additional languages.
OTHER FINALISTS
The other finalists included Ancestor Cloud, an online marketplace where those with family history needs connect with those who can fill those needs; JRNL, a journaling app for recording memories as they happen; and The History Project, a fun app forcreating mixed media digital time capsules of a life.
The judges for the final round included Amy Rees Anderson, Managing Partner, REES Capital; David Bradford, Chairman of the Board of FluentWorlds; Dennis Brimhall, former CEO, FamilySearch International; Judy G. Russell, JD , certified genealogist, The Legal Genealogist, and D. Joshua Taylor, accredited genealogist and host of the Genealogy Roadshow (PBS).
The major sponsors of the Innovator Showdown this year include Sorenson Legacy Foundation, Lenovo, IPOP.org., Grow Utah, Utah Technology Council, David Bradford, Woodbury Corporation, Hero Club, and others.
The Innovator Showdown, only in its second year, was designed to foster innovation in the family history industry.
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I am 2016 RootsTech Ambassador and am sharing these press releases on my blog for RootsTech 2016.
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I was so excited for TapGenes to win this year's Innovator Showdown as I have helped Beta test this software for the past year. It was also great to meet Heather in person (instead of email). Here is a group of us visiting with her after the Showdown.
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You can watch the Innovator Showdown here: #RootsTech
The presenter for this session was Merrill White from Family Search.
Here are some of my takeaways from this session:
3 Nephi 16: 5 And then will I gather them in from the four quarters of the earth; and then will I fulfil the covenant which the Father hath made unto all the people of the house of Israel.
“Looking back prepares us to go forward" - Elder Bradley D. Foster
Go back like Lehi asked his sons to get the plates
FIND, TAKE, TEACH
Priesthood leaders need to have this opportunity (working in the Family Tree) themselves.
Use the quarterly report (lines 9 and 25)
Watch One, Do One, Teach One (Gilbert, Arizona Stake)
In one year went from 4.7% to 42% (Apr 2014-Apr 2015)
Goal of 60% by end of 2016
Leader led - Stake President
Descendancy Research
Quick Successes
Lyon France Stake
Helping with Self-reliance
Personal conviction of the work
Part of stake goals/plans
Ask everyone - what are you doing specifically?
Leverage Resources
Part of message or every talk.
Personal invites to members regularly.
Everyone who comes to temple recommend interview invited to bring a family name
Invite every future missionary
Share My Family Booklet
Youth temple challenge.
What can we do around Stake Conference twice a year?
Invite all High Council and all High Priest Group Leaders to participate.
Local Mission
Recent converts having a temple experience within 3 months.
Involve all ward leaders.
Call more consultants
Needs to penetrate every member.
Lisbon Portugal Stake
Desire to have a temple.
Ward leadership first, then members.
Monthly family history activity.
Increased Sacrament attendance
More harmony in wards
New website to come: www.lds.org/fhleaders
Priesthood leaders should help keep the beat.
Laguna Niguel, California Stake
Family history committee with HPGLs
Share best practices
Taught people, not lessons
Family history and temple work is counterbalancing evil.
New materials: Strengthening Eternal Family Bonds through Temple Service (booklets)
I wish I had more money! I wish I only earned interest and never paid it to anyone. I wish I had more money in savings. Do you see the common thread ... "I wish..."? Yep, I need to move past wishes to actual planning.
I really like this quote I found a few years ago:
"Financial stress is not caused by a lack of pay, but by not having a system that causes us to make wise decisions about the way we spend money."
So, that is what I'm going to be working on. Creating a plan and a system that works for me and my family.
What is your philosophy on money? Please share your thoughts and ideas in the comments below.
See this post for more information about "Memory Jogger Monday":
With the help of an indexed ship manifest found on FamilySearch, Paula and her brothers searched for their long lost grandfather. Their journey took them from Harlem, to Toronto, to Jamaica, and finally to China where they were finally reunited with hundreds of Chinese relatives they didn't even know they had. She is Hakka Chinese.
Paula wrote a book called, "Finding Samuel Lowe" and also produced a documentary. I had the opportunity to screen the shortened version of the documentary the evening before her keynote. It was emotionally touching. You can find out more about the documentary and book here: Finding Samuel Lowe.
Here are some of my takeaways from this session:
You (those who index) have changed my life.
If you ever wondered who benefits from this (indexing) - listen to my story.
We had grown up with "no family" and within weeks we had hundreds of cousins.
You solved the mystery of "where do I come from"?
Family is family.
Race doesn't matter.
We came in ranges of color, but we are all family.
Everyone lives on in stories, pictures, and lessons.
Focus on the person (not the search)
Reach their hearts in 60 seconds
What have you felt?
Feelings are core and profound
Feel belonging and love
You are inspired and can be inspiring
Make family history relevant to your immediate family
5 experience areas
Reach out to people's hearts - you are heart doctors for your family - this is a gathering of heart specialists.
What are the "funny ties" that will build family ties? Weave family history into everyday life. You can watch his comments here: I had the opportunity to participate in a Media Hub Sofa Chat with Steve.
Here are some of my takeaways from the chat:
How do we bring all members of the family into family history?
Going global to soften the soil for new markets.
Fine tuning each of the 5 experiences over time.
Teenagers and millennials want to give back right now.
Mobile will be first in new technologies.
Focusing on "searchable" records.
Every family has members to fulfill all the different roles.
We've created the tree, now we need to embellish it with ornaments (photos, stories).
