Memory Jogger Monday - August 31

Who were some of your friends in school? Explain what your friends were like and what they are doing today if you know that.

I had a lot of friends growing up as I moved elementary schools three times in six years due to boundary changes.

I have kept in touch with dozens of friends over the years; mostly during the holidays. Now with Facebook and other social media platforms, I keep in touch with some of my school age friends on a daily basis.

I am also in charge of our 30 year high school reunion in a few years and I have a set up a Facebook group to help all of us keep in touch better.

For today I want to share my class pictures from Kindergarten through 5th Grade. I have tried to identify everyone. I know I don't recognize some people. I hope that perhaps through this blog (and I'm going to post these in our Facebook group) that I can fill in the missing names.

Kindergarten - South Elementary - Mrs. Wilson

Front Row:
Jeff Dix, Darren Swain, Raymond Musser, Jim Dix, Dean Woolsey, Robert Prince, Royce Beal, Sean Schexnayder.
2nd Row:
Lynette Jones, Shelly Curtis, Michelle Arns, ? ?, ? ?, ? ?, Sandy Wheeler, Amy Ohms.
3rd Row:
Shana Wilson, Jamie Ross, Chris Church, Jennifer Englestead, Brook Bowcutt, Kent Miles, Bellinda?, ? ?.
Back Row: 
Mrs. Wilson, Sterling Roberts or Richard Ross, Richard Rollo, Shelly Soderquist, Matt Anderson, Melinda Benson, Jeanette Walker, Bruce Rigby, ? ?.


1st Grade - East Elementary - Mrs. Bauer

Front Row:
Mrs. Bauer, Colette Jolley, Alison Mitchell, Sandy Wheeler, Donnette Norton, Bryan Hofheins, Scott McKnight.
2nd Row:
Barbara Fullmer, Ryan Steffensen, Melinda Jones, Corby Robinson, Amy Ohms, Carrie Wade.
3rd Row:
Kirsti Fullmer, Grant Slack, Mark Messer, Tonya Black, Sterling Roberts, Wade Webster.
Back Row:
John Barondeau, Tim Reagan, Ernie Bulloch, Brett Christiansen, Matt Anderson, Shane Christensen, Brenda Busik.


2nd Grade - East Elementary - Mrs. Pollock

Front Row:
Mrs. Pollock, Brandon ?, Shannon Finn, Jennifer Foy, Tyann Boyer, Richard Hepworth, Troy Nielson, Danielle Wheeler, Jean Miner, Sean Schexnayder.
Middle Row:
Lori Barnson, Stan Slack, Russ Lee, Ryan Steffensen, Lynette Jones, Kim Hunter, Grant Slack, Amy Ohms, Wade Webster.
Back Row:
Mason Paddock, Amy Hook, Billy Davis, Jill ?, Jared Farrish, Jeremy Wheeler, Brett Christiansen, Krissy Slack, Jennifer Goulding.


3rd Grade - Enoch Elementary - Mrs. Moore

1st Row:
Greg LeFevre, Principal Jensen, Mrs. Moore, Carrie Pace.
2nd Row:
Jennifer Foy, David Carter, Lance Ayers, Amy Ohms,
3rd Row:
Emer Tripp, Ora Price, Jean Miner, Mark ?, Juanita Bia, Gina Heaps, Mike Shurtz.
4th Row:
Michelle Cole, Stewart Clarke, Ellen Skougard, Richard Hepworth, Nakkole Grimshaw.
5th Row:
Sharon Anderson, Jennifer Englestead, Tim Reagan, Lance Crawford, Jennifer Patterson, Aaron Jensen.


4th Grade - Enoch Elementary - Mrs. LeBaron

1st Row:
Jennifer Patterson, Principal Matheson, Mrs. LeBaron, Lynette Jones.
2nd Row:
Brett Christiansen, Sandy Wheeler, Sonia Crawford, Emer Tripp.
3rd Row:
David Carter, Jennifer Foy, Cordy Smith, Mike Shurtz, Ora Price, James Schmidt.
4th Row:
Lance Ayers, Tracy Strickler, Craig Fisher, Sheila Hollingshead, Lance Crawford, Denise Harlin, Brian Eggan.
5th Row:
Darren Hatch, Linda Lou Johnson, Ronnie Matthews, Greg LeFevre, Tim Reagan, Amy Ohms, Rodney Cox.


5th Grade - Enoch Elementary - Mr. Robinson

1st Row:
Robert Maxwell, Principal Matheson, Mr. Robinson, Stewart Clarke.
2nd Row:
Kris Winters, Donnie Tanner, Darren Hatch, Jennifer Englestead.
3rd Row:
Kim Hunter, Ellen Skougard, Sterling Roberts, Lance Crawford, David Jenkins, Jennifer Patterson, David Carter.
4th Row:
Melissa Stathis, Amy Hansen, Nakkole Grimshaw, Jennifer Jackson, Lori Barnson.
5th Row:
Sonia Crawford, John Sherratt, Amy Ohms, Emer Tripp, Shelly Griffiths, Mike Shurtz, Jean Miner.

See this post for more information about "Memory Jogger Monday": 

Writing a Personal History or Keeping a Journal

Their Hearts Are Bound To You

“Remember that the names which will be so difficult to find are of real people to whom you owe your existence in this world and whom you will meet again in the spirit world. When you were baptized, your ancestors looked down on you with hope.

“Perhaps after centuries, they rejoiced to see one of their descendants make a covenant to find them and to offer them freedom. In your reunion, you will see in their eyes either gratitude or terrible disappointment. Their hearts are bound to you. Their hope is in your hands.” 

- President Henry B. Eyring, “Hearts Bound Together,” Ensign, May 2005.

Family History Is For Everyone

Photo From LDS Media Library

While I was searching for a different image in the LDS Media Library, I came across this image above and felt impressed to share it on my blog.

"Family history is much more than dates, records, and research" ... this is something that I share all the time with those I teach. There is a place and a role for everyone in family history. It can be whatever you want it to be. Perhaps you are sharing family stories with young children or organizing living family members into reunions or family parties. Anything you do to strengthen the family and family relationships among the living and/or the dead is family history. It can even be baking and sharing your great-grandma's cookie recipe. It can be anything you want it to be. That is what I love about family history ... it is what you make it!

In the image above are 10 ideas for ways to engage in family history. What are you doing to envelope family history in your own life? Please share your ideas in the comments.

2015 Ogden Family History Conference - Of Roots and Branches

Put this FREE event on your calendar and plan now to attend the Ogden FamilySearch Library's Family History Conference - Of Roots and Branches on Saturday, September 12, 2015 in the Shepherd Union Building on the campus of Weber State University in Ogden, Utah.

Check out this link for schedule information: Ogden 2015 Family History Conference

I am presenting the following sessions at this conference:

10:00-11:00 am
Piecing Together the Evidence
How do you know the documents, sources, and photos you just found are really about your ancestor. We will discover, like a giant jigsaw puzzle, if you have the right pieces of evidence, where to find the missing pieces, and what to do with the pieces that just don’t fit.

11:15 am-12:15 pm
Using Facebook for Family History
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.

1:45-2:45 pm
Overwhelmed …. Paralyzed?  Time to get organized!
Overwhelmed by all the new technology?  Too many ancestors to research?  So much to share with your descendants?  Are you awake around the clock trying to figure out where to start? Come discover how to get it all sorted out and put together a personal priority plan.

3:00-4:00 pm

Linking the Generations: Sharing Eternal Family Keepsakes

Come discover how to create the atmosphere and environment in your home and family that allow you to create, preserve, and pass on memories and memorabilia to the next generation.  This interactive session will give you hundreds of ideas you can implement immediately in your own family.

I am looking forward to seeing you there!

Indexing ... Keep Fueling FamilySearch

While the indexing event didn't reach the goal of 100,000 participants, the 82,039 participants indexed and arbitrated over 14.5 Million records in just one week! I am so glad that I participated in this event.

Know what? You don't need an "event" to participate in Indexing. I guess I'm trying to tell myself that as well. I don't need to wait to be invited to participate in an indexing event to do indexing. I can do it anytime that works for me.

I have set a goal to index 1,000 records from September 1-December 31, 2015. To stay on track with my goal I need to index about 9 records a day. I have only indexed 160 records before, so it is a goal to really stretch myself.

We need to keeping fueling FamilySearch for newly indexed records. What goal will you set to help accomplish this great work?

Read my previous Indexing post: If I Can Index, So Can You!
Go here to start Indexing: FamilySearch Indexing

#FuelTheFind
#FamilySearchIndexing

Memory Jogger Monday - August 24

Photo From LDS Media Library

What subjects did you like the least? Explain why.

I believe that I liked all school subjects. I have been thinking for a week about what subject I could have liked the least and I haven't identified one yet. Perhaps at the time there were subjects that were hard to learn, but I don't remember the frustration associated with any subject.

What I did not like was homework. I understand the purpose for homework. At the time I had homework to do, I hated it. I procrastinated doing it and I would rather play or do something that was more interesting to me. Thanks to good parents who helped me with assignments or projects (in the middle of the night before they were due) I would have never completed elementary school.

Now as a parent, I see some of these same traits in my daughter. She loves learning ... doesn't like homework; would rather go outside and play ... procrastinating.  And now I am helping with assignments and encouraging homework right after school.

See this post for more information about "Memory Jogger Monday": 

Writing a Personal History or Keeping a Journal

The Lord Kept His Promise To Send Elijah

Kirtland Ohio Temple - Photo from LDS Media Library

“It is important to know why the Lord promised to send Elijah. Elijah was a great prophet with great power given him by God. He held the greatest power God gives to His children: he held the sealing power, the power to bind on earth and have it bound in heaven. God gave it to the Apostle Peter. And the Lord kept His promise to send Elijah.” 

“Elijah came to the Prophet Joseph Smith on April 3, 1836, just after the dedication of the Kirtland Temple, the first temple built after the Restoration of the gospel. Joseph described the sacred moment: 

"Another great and glorious vision burst upon us; for Elijah the prophet, who was taken to heaven without tasting death, stood before us, and said: "Behold, the time has fully come, which was spoken of by the mouth of Malachi—testifying that he [Elijah] should be sent, before the great and dreadful day of the Lord come—To turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the children to the fathers, lest the whole earth be smitten with a curse—” 

- Henry B. Eyring, “Hearts Bound Together,” Ensign, May 2005.

Tender Mercies of the Lord

Photo from LDS Media Library

My father passed away on the evening of Monday, August 10, 2015. Though distraught, I was immediately blessed by tender mercies from Heaven. And like Elder David A. Bednar, "A loving Savior was sending me a most personal and timely message of comfort and reassurance." (The Tender Mercies of the Lord)

What is a Tender Mercy?

Elder David A. Bednar defined the tender mercies of the Lord as “the very personal and individualized blessings, strength, protection, assurances, guidance, loving-kindnesses, consolation, support, and spiritual gifts which we receive from and because of and through the Lord Jesus Christ.” Further, he taught that “the tender mercies of the Lord are real and that they do not occur randomly or merely by coincidence. Often, the Lord’s timing of His tender mercies helps us to both discern and acknowledge them.” (“Tender Mercies” - What is a Tender Mercy?)

I want to share the tender mercies I have discerned and acknowledged this past week.

1. Moses 1:39 - "For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man."

On Tuesday as we were traveling to be with my mother and siblings I had this scripture pop into my head. And then the Holy Ghost taught me this: You cannot obtain immortality without leaving mortality and you cannot obtain eternal life without leaving earth life. And like the Savior, my father has "marked the path and led the way."

2. President Thomas S. Monson's Facebook post 
Within a few hours of arriving to be with my family on Tuesday evening, my friend shared with me this message immediately upon being posted to President Monson's page:

Thomas S. Monson Official Facebook Page

The living prophet's personal message to me: "through the heartache and loneliness of losing loved ones, there is assurance that life is everlasting."

3. President Russell M. Nelson's Facebook post
While we were holding my father's viewing on Thursday evening, this was posted to President Nelson's page:

Russell M. Nelson Official Facebook Page

My oldest nephew was having a really hard time at the viewing and this message comforted him that night. President Nelson's message to our family this evening: "we live to die and we die to live - in another realm. If we are well prepared, death brings no terror. From an eternal perspective, death is premature only for those who are not prepared to meet God." My father was prepared!

4. Mormon Tabernacle Choir Facebook Post
On Wednesday morning we all (mom, children, grandchildren) walked a few miles to our neighbor's farm so that my mom could ask our neighbor to sing at my father's funeral. My brother and sister and I followed our neighbor to get his attention, as he drove his tractor into the hay stacks. He came out and visited with my family and my mother asked him to sing, "Be Still My Soul". He was honored. He mentioned that my mom should really listen to a special performance of this hymn that David Archuleta performed for the Mormon Tabernacle Choir a few years ago.

On Friday afternoon, after the funeral, this was posted to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir's Facebook page:

Mormon Tabernacle Choir Official Facebook Page

No need to go look up this performance, it was delivered to our very fingertips.

5. How Great the Wisdom and the Love
On Saturday morning we went to the horseshoe courts for the Junior Cup tournament. My father had encouraged all the youth participants via an email on Monday to come and participate. All the family came to support the youth at the tournament. Before the tournament, I had the words to a hymn going through my mind, "he marked the path and led the way". I had been thinking again about Moses 1:39 and wondered to myself what hymn was this line coming from. I went online and looked up the words and was overcome with emotion when I realized it was this hymn:

LDS Hymnal

My father loved this hymn ... particularly the first verse: "How great the wisdom and the love That filled the courts on high ..." He believed that there are horseshoe courts in heaven and that his father was always pitching horseshoes on those courts. When I read the words to the hymn that morning and knew we would be at the horseshoe courts soon, I knew that there was love filling the courts both in Heaven as well as on Earth.

6. Jayson's Mission Call
My oldest nephew was expecting his mission call this past week. When the "traditional" day of Wednesday came and left and there wasn't a call, family members kept saying that perhaps it will come on Saturday. A nearby neighbor commented that his call arrived on a Saturday. Though not "traditional" maybe it really would come on Saturday. It would be better if it came on Saturday after the family had all arrived, the viewing, the funeral, and the horseshoe tournament were all over. Thursday came and went and no call. Friday came and went and no call. Saturday came and after the horseshoe tournament ended his call was received! With all the family present we learned that Jayson would be serving in the California Santa Rosa Mission.

7. Mom's Temple Calling
My mother and father were in the third year of their two year temple calling when my father passed away. All week my mother was trying to decide if she should continue serving and the logistics of early morning travel from Cedar City to St. George or if now was the time to be released. Family members and temple workers encouraged her and plead with her to return to serving. She pondered to herself what she should do and hadn't shared her thoughts yet with us. She asked my brother, the oldest son and now new family patriarch what he thought about her continuing her calling. He shared with her his thoughts; they were exactly what she had been pondering. He discerned her thoughts! She knew upon hearing his words that it was time for a release and to spend time serving as a patron. When the Cedar City Temple is complete in a few years she may once again serve as an ordinance worker.

8. Let It Go
My mother has been thinking a lot of "should have", "could have", "why didn't I" thoughts all week. She has been praying for forgiveness for all of the shortcomings in her relationship with my father. Then she heard my daughter as she was playing outside with her new music box that was just purchased the day before. As the tune of "Let It Go" rang throughout the yard and house she knew that it was an answer to her prayers to just let it go, to forgive, to move on, and to just love each other more. She pulled us all together Sunday evening and shared this powerful testimony with us.

I am so grateful for the tender mercies the Lord has blessed my family with this week. I want to ensure that I continue to discern and acknowledge the Lord's hand in my life daily. For this reason and many others I have chosen to share these precious moments here on this blog. I hope my experiences with the Spirit will touch others.


*Updated 8.19.15 at 9:40 pm
9. Peaches
When we left to go be with my family our peach tree was starting to drop it's fruit. As we drove away from our home I knew that we would lose our entire peach crop while we were gone. I asked my friend Rebecca to give them away to others so they wouldn't go bad. We arrived home tonight and just a few minutes ago my cousin's son showed up at our door. He just lives around the corner from us. Unknown to me, my brother had asked him to help us. Chad had his scouts come to our home and take bags of peaches to another neighbor who canned them for us. Tonight I was presented with 12 quarts of my own peaches.

#ShareGoodness       #dailymiracles

My Papa: Dennis Ray Ohms

Dennis Ray Ohms
1945-2015

OBITUARY:

FUNERAL PROGRAM:

 

Memory Jogger Monday - August 17

What were your favorite subjects in school? Explain why.

I remember learning how to read and some of the early books I read. I love reading today and I'm sure that part of that comes from the excitement of reading mystery novels as a youth. I was hooked on family history when I realized that it was about being a "real detective" like those I read about.

My favorite subject was math! I fell in love with numbers in the 4th grade and solidified my love by the 5th grade. I took extra math classes in college "for fun" and have an emphasis in Accounting with my Business Administration degree.

Numbers tell stories and you can manipulate numbers to tell any kind of story you want.

See this post for more information about "Memory Jogger Monday": 

Writing a Personal History or Keeping a Journal

His Work Embraces Eternity

St George Utah Temple - © Dave Caron

“The Lord has never, to my knowledge, indicated that His work is confined to mortality. Rather, His work embraces eternity. I believe He is hastening His work in the spirit world. I also believe that the Lord, through His servants there, is preparing many spirits to receive the gospel. Our job is to search out our dead and then go to the temple and perform the sacred ordinances that will bring to those beyond the veil the same opportunities we have.”

- President Thomas S. Monson, “Hastening the Work,” Ensign, June 2014.

Memory Jogger Monday - August 10

Where did you go to school? Give some details about what was school like for you and some of your memorable experiences.

I grew up in an unincorporated area of Iron County, Utah (near Cedar City). When I was school age my family moved to the house next door. Even though we didn't move far and we didn't move outside of school boundaries, the school boundaries moved around us and changed very frequently. Here is where I went to school:

Kindergarten, South Elementary, Cedar City, Mrs. Wilson teacher

I remember walking after school from South Elementary to Southern Utah State College (now SUU) to be with my dad until he finished working. My friend Mindy would also walk with me so she could be with her dad too. Sometimes we would go to Mindy's home to play. I remember riding skateboards down the street and "swimming" in the street gutters and playing in the water fountains on the college campus.

Boundary change:
1st Grade, East Elementary, Cedar City, Mrs. Bauer teacher
2nd Grade, East Elementary, Cedar City, Mrs. Pollock teacher

At East Elementary I remember the earthquake drills that we seemed to have all the time. I never remember an actual earthquake while I was there, but I remember the drills.

Boundary change:
I was supposed to go to North Elementary, Cedar City for 3rd grade. I don't remember if I was assigned a teacher, because ...

Boundary change:
The boundaries changed again, right before school started because the "NEW" school that was closer to my home was "almost" ready.

3rd Grade, Enoch Elementary, Enoch, Mrs. Moore teacher
4th Grade, Enoch Elementary, Enoch, Mrs. LeBaron teacher
5th Grade, Enoch Elementary, Enoch, Mr. Robinson teacher

I started 3rd grade at Enoch Elementary. It was a new school and smelled like a new school (paint, carpet, etc). It was so new that when school started the cafeteria and the gym were not complete; as in, they still needed to be built. There were rooms for them, but no walls, equipment, etc. And outside, there was no grass, just lots and lots of dirt. By the time the first year of school was over we had grass, a gym, and lunch!

6th, 7th, 8th Grades, Cedar Middle School, Cedar City
This school was across the street from the College (now SUU). I would ride to school on many mornings with my dad since his work was directly across the street. Most mornings I would ride the bus that would take about one hour in it's route to reach the school. 15 minutes with my dad or one long hour on the bus? Middle school was the first time I had many teachers throughout the day. I don't remember all of their names. I also worked in the cafeteria during lunch; which got me free school lunch. I loved the home economics classes in middle school.

9th, 10th, 11th, 12th Grades, Cedar High School, Cedar City
I either rode the bus or rode with my dad. Sometimes I would ride in with my dad and would ride the 7+ miles home on my bike. Once I walked home! These were the days before cell phones and I didn't have any money for the pay phone and one day my mom forgot to pick me up as I had stayed after school for some event. So after waiting for an hour I started walking home. I remember being less than 3 miles from home and a neighbor offered to drive me the rest of the way home. I was so mad that my mom had forgotten me that I refused any offers for rides and I pouted as I walked all the way!

Over the years I have kept in touch with all of my Elementary school teachers. I sent them all invitations to my high school graduation and then many years later to my wedding reception. Some of them came to those events and some of them also wrote me notes overs the years as well. I am grateful for great teachers who also became treasured friends.

See this post for more information about "Memory Jogger Monday": 

Writing a Personal History or Keeping a Journal

Refining Influence

Ogden Utah Temple - © Stuart Gardner

“While temple and family history work has the power to bless those beyond the veil, it has an equal power to bless the living. It has a refining influence on those who are engaged in it. They are literally helping to exalt their families.” 

- Elder Russell M. Nelson, “Generations Linked in Love,” General Conference, April 2010.

If I Can Index, So Can You!

Have you heard about the Worldwide Indexing Event that started yesterday? The goal for the one week event is for 100,000 volunteers to index one record batch and help someone else do the same. Indexed records are what "fuel" FamilySearch.

FamilySearch Indexing

I am a very active user of FamilySearch and love all the new records that are being added daily. Because of my "very activeness" in doing my own family research and teaching others I have always felt like I didn't "have time" to index. Shocking I know! 

I love the indexed records and use them all the time, but felt like I didn't have the time to help contribute. I was also worried that it would be another thing to addict me and suck up more time. I am not very good at managing my own time ... balance issues. I give one thing all my time and then other areas of my life suffer, then I shift all the time to the suffering area and then another part starts to suffer. Working on time management and life focus is a constant struggle for me.

I wanted to learn "how to" index when the 1940 Census was being indexed in 2012. But, I procrastinated and what experts estimated should have taken a year to index was accomplished by thousands of volunteers in just four months! And because I procrastinated I didn't get a chance to participate.

Oh, I have done "indexing" before ... it was called "extraction" at the time ... like 15+ years ago. Huge boxes of transcribed cards that were arranged in batches. And I would take a batch and sit in front of a green screen computer monitor and enter the information from the cards. Then someone else would take that same batch and do it all over again. I still remember the project we were working on - British India records.

So today I put on my "Be Brave" hat and downloaded the Indexing Program from FamilySearch Indexing. In about 10-15 minutes I had watched a few video clips of instruction and entered a couple "test" records. And then I took a big breath and downloaded my first batch of records: Kentucky Death Certificates.

My goal for this week's event (August 7-14) was to index 100 records; which for the records I was working on was 10 batches of 10 records.

Then I got this email:

See what I mean by getting carried away and focusing on just one thing. In just a few hours today I met my entire week's goal! It didn't take much time at all.

In between grocery shopping, folding laundry, making lunch, and doing dishes, I managed to also do another 50 records. I'm still "NEW" to indexing, but today I made it possible for others to search for and find the death certificates for 150 people!

If I Can Index, So Can You!

FamilySearch Indexing
Facebook FamilySearch Indexing
Worldwide Indexing Event 2015

#FuelTheFind
#FamilySearchIndexing

My Relatives

Photo from LDS Media Library

My Relatives

Eleh Lenore Thompson Shumway Lazenby*

I am making a book of my treasures.

They are lovely and precious to me.

Records of special people,

Who go on my family tree.

There are ancestors, nieces and nephews,

Each in his place on our line,

And the things I find out about them,

Are mostly good and fine.

Each one has traits that endear him.

Things that set him apart,

From all other uncles or cousins,

And give him a place in my heart.

A place in my life and my memory ----

That no one can take away.

Who could have greater riches

Than these I have today?

*Eleh is the Great-granddaughter of Elisha Hurd Groves and Lucy Simmons Groves.
She is my 2C3R.

Memory Jogger Monday - August 3

Donald, Grandma Helen, Darlene, Dennis

Janice, Grandma Leola, Carol

Who were your aunts and uncles? Write about any of your aunts or uncles who really stand out in your mind. Give some details about them (names, personalities, events that you remember doing with them, and so on).

Okay, so first off the photos above are really old. They were ones that I thought of for this post.

First photo ... My father (Dennis) has two brothers and one sister. One brother, Ronald, died at birth. The other brother is Donald. Uncle Don is quite the character. I always remember him teasing me when I was younger. He married Peggy and they had two children. He is now married to Linda and she brings out the best in him.

I have the most memories of Aunt Darlene (Dar). I think this is because I lived with her for part of a year after college when I got my first full time job. She is very giving and caring. She married Brent and they have four children. My favorite thing about Dar is that she sends us a birthday card every year - all of us - even our spouses and our children. She is really good about keeping track of all of the descendants and where they live, their cell numbers, email addresses, and all our birth dates.

Second photo ... My mother (Carol) has only one sister; her name is Janice. Janice married John and they named all four of their children with names that start with "J". I remember going to their home in Stockton, California when we were younger and having Easter egg hunts and playing at the park. They moved to St. George, Utah in the early 1990's and I've had many opportunities to visit them and do things with them.

See this post for more information about "Memory Jogger Monday": 

Writing a Personal History or Keeping a Journal

We Must Prepare For Some Uphill Climbing

Photo from LDS Media Library

“We are going to make mistakes, but none of us can become an expert in family history work without first being a novice. Therefore, we must plunge into this work, and we must prepare for some uphill climbing. This is not an easy task, but the Lord has placed it upon you, and He has placed it upon me.” 

- President Thomas S. Monson, “Hastening the Work,” Ensign, June 2014.