RootsTech 2017 Giveaway Winner - Kimberly Nelson Savage

Kimberly Nelson Savage

Congratulations to the winner of my FREE RootsTech + Innovator Summit 2017 Registration - Kimberly Nelson Savage!

Kimberly first became interested in family history as a child.  Her great grandmother had a trunk of pictures and they would get it out and her great grandmother would tell her who everyone was. Kimberly loved the stories and two weeks before her great grandmother died, when Kimberly was 15 years old, she pulled out the trunk and her great grandmother said to put it away.  Kimberly said, "no I want to know who they are again".  So they spent the next two weeks identifying the photos before her great grandma was gone.  As a child one of her favorite times was when she got to go on trips with her grandma and great grandma and decorate graves.  She learned so many things from those trips.

Kimberly has recently been working on her grandfather's and great grandfather's histories.  Her great grandfather was killed in the Castle Gate Utah Mine Explosion in 1924, when her grandfather was just three years old.

"It has been amazing to me all the information that was kept due to the tragedy.  I have been able to access sealed records and found detailed information about my family. What a blessing." 

She is the oldest of 7 children, is married, and has two small children of her own.  She graduated from Weber State University in Health Information Management of Records & Information Systems and Technology. She loves to help others find their ancestors.

She is excited to be going to RootsTech 2017 where she can collaborate with speakers, vendors and attendees. According to Kimberly: "There is such a wealth of treasure that can be learned from a conference like this!!"


Thank you to those who entered my giveaway contest here on my blog. I hope to have other fun giveaways in the future.

I utilized Rafflecopter to run the giveaway. To select the winner the Rafflecopter software utilizes Random.org to ensure true randomness. In 2016, I ran a paid Facebook Ad to have exposure to my giveaway. This year I shared my blog post organically via Facebook in various genealogy related groups and also repeated sharing the post a handful of times over the course of the giveaway time frame. I received 2,152 Facebook views; which is more than the paid views I got last year. I also shared via Twitter, Google+ and Pinterest.

For some more numbers, that may be interesting only to me:
717 people viewed the blog post
25 people entered the giveaway
102 entries from those 25 people

Two of the entry options of my giveaway were to come back to my blog everyday and read another post and/or visit the RootsTech website and identify another class; which resulted in one/two additional entries each day.

The winner had 7 entries. The most entries had by one person was 9.

Thank you again for participating in my giveaway! I look forward to seeing you at RootsTech 2017!

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I am 2017 RootsTech Ambassador and have received a free conference registration from RootsTech.
#RootsTech

A Fundamental Responsibility

“Searching for our kindred dead isn’t just a hobby. It is a fundamental responsibility for all members of the Church. We believe that life continues after death and that all will be resurrected. (See Acts 24:15; Alma 11:41–45.) We believe that families may continue in the next life if they have kept the special covenants made in one of the sacred temples under the authority of God. We believe that our deceased ancestors can also be eternally united with their families when we make covenants in their behalf in the temples. Our deceased forebears may accept these covenants, if they choose to do so, in the spirit world.” 

- President James E. Faust, “The Phenomenon That Is You,” LDS General Conference, October 2003

Our Family Names Are All Done

“I have heard some members say, “But our family names are all done.” It is all right to say such a thing as long as you realize you are only kidding. 

"Of this, Elder W. Grant Bangerter has said: 

“Your genealogy has not all been done. My own grandparents performed ‘all’ the temple work for their deceased relatives fifty-five years ago. Since that time our family has discovered sixteen thousand others.” - “What Temples Are For,” Ensign, May 1982, p. 71. 

– George D. Durrant, “Genealogy and Temple Work: ‘You Can’t Have One without the Other’”, 

Ensign, August 1983.

President Russell M. Nelson to Speak at RootsTech Family Discovery Day

Salt Lake City, Utah, November 20, 2016 - RootsTech, the world’s largest family history conference, announced today that President Russell M. Nelson, President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and his wife, Sister Wendy Nelson, will be speaking at RootsTech’s popular Family Discovery Day on Saturday, February 11, 2017, in Salt Lake City at the Salt Palace Convention Center. The unique format of RootsTech Family Discovery Day will give attendees a more intimate perspective into the family lives of Elder and Sister Nelson and their insight into the significance of family. The event is free, but registration is required at RootsTech.org.

Prior to receiving his call in 1984 as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, President Nelson was well-known both nationally and internationally as a heart surgeon and medical researcher. He performed the first open-heart surgery in Utah and has helped people throughout the world with heart problems. He served his medical residency in surgery at the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston and the University of Minnesota. He is the recipient of many distinguished honors and awards and is the author of numerous publications.

Sister Wendy Nelson, also an author and avid genealogist, graced the Family Discovery Day stage in 2016 and won the hearts of all in attendance by sharing the excitement she has experienced in her family history discoveries. She is excited to be speaking again in 2017, this time sharing the stage with her husband, President Russell M. Nelson. Prior to her marriage to President Nelson, Sister Nelson was a professor of marriage and family therapy for 25 years, the last 13 years at Brigham Young University. She holds a Ph.D. in family therapy and gerontology.

Joining the exciting and inspiring speaker lineup at Family Discovery Day will be Kalani Sitake, Vai Sikahema, and Hank Smith. Sitake is BYU’s head football coach. Sitake played collegiately at BYU as a fullback and served as an assistant coach for the Oregon State Beavers and Utah Utes before taking the head coaching position at BYU in December 2015.

Vai Sikahema is a former NFL football player and current television personality. Sikahema is well-known for his diverse skills as both an anchor and sports reporter and can be seen co-anchoring NBC10 News Today on weekday mornings. He also serves as NBC10’s sports director.

Also joining the lineup is Hank Smith, BYU professor of religion and popular public speaker. Smith enjoys speaking at assemblies in elementary, junior high, and high schools around the country. He has also published many talks on CD and speaks to tens of thousands of youth each year. His life has been touched by family history and temple work. “There is something about temple work that unlocks our own personal gifts,” he says. When asked what family means to him, he readily replies, “Don’t make me cry! Family means happiness. Family means fun. Family means experiences. It means learning, friendship, and love.”

Family Discovery Day is a free, one-day event for members and families of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Attendees are invited to come and enjoy inspiring messages, engage in interactive activities for all ages, and discover the latest technology, products, and services in the family history industry by touring the expansive expo hall and other fun activities throughout the venue. Families with children and youth can discover the fun of family history together by playing games such as Family Feud and Twisted Family History.

Family Discover Day is the perfect place for individuals and families to discover helpful family history solutions, watch demonstrations, get one-on-one help, interact with innovative family history technologies, and mingle with hundreds of exhibitors from around the globe.

Select sessions are also available for those with Church callings and responsibilities related to family history and the temple. Individuals will be able to get their questions answered, discover new tools, and learn best practices.

Over 15,000 adults and children attended the free event in 2016. Tickets will be limited again in 2017 for this increasingly popular event.

Interested individuals and families should register as quickly as possible online at RootsTech.org.

Family Discovery Day Schedule:

1:00 p.m.—Opening General Session
1:45 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.—Sessions
5:30 p.m.—Closing Event

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I am 2017 RootsTech Ambassador and will be sharing these press releases on my blog in preparation for RootsTech in February 2017. I have received a free conference registration from RootsTech.
#RootsTech

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To learn more about the Nelsons, check out the following:
Facebook: Russell M. Nelson
Twitter: Russell M. Nelson
Website: Prophets and Apostles: Russell M. Nelson
Website: General Authorities: President Russell M. Nelson
Website: Deseret Book - Russell M. Nelson
Website: Deseret Book - Wendy Watson Nelson