Planning a realistic Family History Event in the Ward or Stake

During the next few months many Stakes and some Wards will be holding family history events. So of these will use online content recorded at RootsTech 2014. Some of them will holding their own event for an evening or part or all of a day. There are certain things that make for a successful event. Having attended a large number of conferences all over the United States in the past few years, I have some pretty definite opinions about what makes a good conference. It is tempting to use some regularly scheduled meeting as a family history event. Since everyone is already coming to a Relief Society meeting or other organization meeting, why not just convert the meeting to a family history theme? This might work, but my experience is that when people attend a meeting they are not necessarily interested in the topic. They may attend out of a sense of duty, but they are not prepared to seriously consider doing their own family history.

Most members of the Church have a pretty good idea, right or wrong, about their own "genealogy." I have found that members don't need motivation so much as they need information and practical help. For that reason trying to teach more than two or three people at a time with a "hands on" presentation is very frustrating experience for the instructor as well as the participants. I have taught college computer classes where every student is a class of 20 or 30 students has their own computer. Trying to get that number of people to do the same thing at the same time with vastly different experience levels, is like herding cats, not very productive.

I have had the best success in teaching people one on one. On the other hand, if a group of people who are already interested in genealogy come to a class, they want to know how to solve problems and sharpen their online tools. In those cases a demonstration type class is appropriate and helpful. A very practical basic class can also be successful if the instructor keeps the explanations basic and refrains from telling "war stories" about his or her own success in finding obscure ancestors.

If the leaders of the Ward or Stake want to do something to help the members in their area with genealogy, the best thing they can do is call dedicated family history consultants and make sure the High Priest Group Leaders are actively involved in family history. Then, if they plan an event, the Stake or Ward will already have local individuals who can do the presentations and help with support of those who need family history questions answered.

If the Stake is planning an activity, they might take the time to be aware that the Church already has a program for RootsTech 2014 Family History Fairs around the world. Why not use what is already prepared rather than try to "do your own thing?" You can read about this on LDS.org in a webpage entitled, "Host a Stake Family History Fair." The Family History Department provides tools to help organize the local family history fair, including:

• Class content for sessions and workshops.
• Communication materials to market event to members and community.
• Web sign-up tool for participants to register.
• Step-by-step guide to organize and host a successful event.

If you follow this outline and example, you can have a successful event. If you try to do too much or hold an event in conjunction with a regularly scheduled meeting, you can preach but you can't teach. 

Family History Work in the Ward -- Theory and Reality

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has very specific instructional material for its leaders. Quoting from the LDS.org website and the Handbook 2, 5.4:

Priesthood and auxiliary leaders teach members to participate in family history work by identifying their ancestral family members, requesting temple ordinances for them if needed, and providing these ordinances in the temple themselves if possible.

In describing the supplement to the Handbook concerning family history, the website states:

To Turn the Hearts is a leader resource guide provided as a supplement to Handbook 2: Administering the Church, to help priesthood leaders support members in their responsibilities to seek after their dead and provide them the saving ordinances in the temple. It includes supplemental videos (see below) that document how the Springfield Illinois Stake used temple and family history work to strengthen individuals and families.

(Note, links may not work unless you are registered with an LDS Account and sign in using your username and password).

The purpose of the guide, To Turn the Hearts, is stated in the Overview on page iii:

This guide describes how leaders can organize, lead, and implement temple and family history work in wards and stakes. It describes how family history can be an integral part of the ward council’s efforts for the salvation of souls. It also describes how leaders can strengthen themselves and others through participation in the work.

The resource guide explains how each administrative level of the Church should function from the Area Family History Advisor to the Stake Presidency and at level to the local Ward Family History Consultant. For the Ward family history organization to work effectively, each of the other administrative levels needs to perform their specific functions. For example, if the Stake President, High Counselor, and Bishop are functioning but the High Priest Group Leader is not doing his job, there is no line of communication from the Family History Consultant to the Ward Council. In this example, it will not matter if the Family History Consultant is dedicated and knowledgeable, little family history will be accomplished on the Ward level. The Ward Family History Consultant will feel the effect of any of the individuals failing to perform their function as outlined in the guide.

As I teach classes and help patrons at  the Mesa FamilySearch Library, I often encounter patrons who have been recently called to be Family History Consultants in their Ward. They come seeking information about their callings. Few of them have been given any understanding of their callings by their leaders. The Mesa FamilySearch Library regularly provides a monthly series of classes to teach Family History Consultants and their leaders their responsibilities. Recently, these classes have been growing in attendance to the point they have been held in our largest classroom that seats over 150 people. But our classes cannot make up for the failure of any of the other leaders in the chain.

I can see from the guide and the supporting videos how the program should work. But in traveling around the United States and attending various Wards as I present at genealogy conferences, I seldom find that the family history is functioning at all in nearly all the Wards I visit. This is like having someone die of thirst next to a lake of pure, clean water. The guide and all the supporting materials are freely available on the LDS.org website. The instructions are clear and easily understood. It is unfortunate that these clear instructions go unheeded and even unread.

The solution to the disparity between the instructions of the guides and handbooks is easily erased with a dedication to following the instructions concerning the programs.

I was blind and now I see -- genealogy as a pursuit

In the New Testament in John chapter 9, there is the following account:

1 And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth.
2 And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?
3 Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.
4 I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.
5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.
6 When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay,
7 And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing.
8 The neighbours therefore, and they which before had seen him that he was blind, said, Is not this he that sat and begged?
9 Some said, This is he: others said, He is like him: but he said, I am he.
10 Therefore said they unto him, How were thine eyes opened?
11 He answered and said, A man that is called Jesus made clay, and anointed mine eyes, and said unto me, Go to the pool of Siloam, and wash: and I went and washed, and I received sight.
12 Then said they unto him, Where is he? He said, I know not.
13 They brought to the Pharisees him that aforetime was blind.
14 And it was the sabbath day when Jesus made the clay, and opened his eyes.
15 Then again the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. He said unto them, He put clay upon mine eyes, and I washed, and do see.
16 Therefore said some of the Pharisees, This man is not of God, because he keepeth not the sabbath day. Others said, How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles? And there was a division among them.
17 They say unto the blind man again, What sayest thou of him, that he hath opened thine eyes? He said, He is a prophet.
18 But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind, and received his sight, until they called the parents of him that had received his sight.
19 And they asked them, saying, Is this your son, who ye say was born blind? how then doth he now see?
20 His parents answered them and said, We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind:
21 But by what means he now seeth, we know not; or who hath opened his eyes, we know not: he is of age; ask him: he shall speak for himself.
22 These words spake his parents, because they feared the Jews: for the Jews had agreed already, that if any man did confess that he was Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue.
23 Therefore said his parents, He is of age; ask him.
24 Then again called they the man that was blind, and said unto him, Give God the praise: we know that this man is a sinner.
25 He answered and said, Whether he be a sinner or no, I know not: one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see.
26 Then said they to him again, What did he to thee? how opened he thine eyes?
27 He answered them, I have told you already, and ye did not hear: wherefore would ye hear it again? will ye also be his disciples?
28 Then they reviled him, and said, Thou art his disciple; but we are Moses’ disciples.
29 We know that God spake unto Moses: as for this fellow,we know not from whence he is.
30 The man answered and said unto them, Why herein is a marvellous thing, that ye know not from whence he is, andyet he hath opened mine eyes.
31 Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth.
32 Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind.
33 If this man were not of God, he could do nothing.
34 They answered and said unto him, Thou wast altogether born in sins, and dost thou teach us? And they cast him out.
35 Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God?
36 He answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him?
37 And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee.
38 And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him.
39 ¶And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind.
40 And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also?
41 Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth.

Now, I would like to focus on verse 25. This verse can be used as a metaphor for many things. I have chosen to apply this verse to those who have been instructed, all of their lives, about the need to seek out their kindred dead and have not done so. In many ways, those who are dedicated to family history are treated with the same insolence as the formerly blind man. How much testimony and evidence does it take to convince the doubters that family history is not just another program of the Church but essential to our eternal salvation. President Wilford Woodruff taught that we have the keys for their redemption and that neglect of that work will bring sorrow in the hereafter:

“Every father and mother has a great responsibility resting upon them, to redeem their dead. Do not neglect it. You will have sorrow if you do. Any man will who neglects the redemption of his dead that he has power to officiate for here. When you get to the other side of the veil, if you have entered into these Temples and redeemed your progenitors by ordinances of the House of God, you will hold the keys of their redemption from eternity to eternity. Do not neglect this!” (In Conference Report, Apr. 1898, p. 90.) As quoted in Doctrine and Covenants Student Manual, (2002), 445–449.

President Woodruff's statement does not seem to be limited only to those "who are interested in genealogy." Do we provide the support and accommodation for those doing genealogy that the importance of this work deserves? I attended a family history class yesterday where there were several couples working on their genealogy. Since there was no dedicated space in the building, they were using folding tables and their own laptop computers to work together. Because my wife and I were visitors and attending the class and because of our status as Church Service Missionaries, we were immediately recruited to help with the members of the class. I can say with surety that the person I helped would not have been helped had I not been there at that meeting at that time. Why was it necessary for me to be there? There are no coincidences in genealogy. This work is so important that the Spirit will guide a missionary willing to help to those who need help regardless of the lack of support from those around the one needing help.

Are we blind to the need to support the great work of redeeming our dead? Are we like the Pharisees of the Biblical account and neglect to support those who are actively involved in family history, much less do the work ourselves, or even more, do we scorn those who are interested? I must admit that at least the building now has WiFi and it was possible to actually get online to FamilySearch.org's Family Tree and work with this newly interested individual. But what will happen next week, when he shows up again needing help? I certainly hope there is someone there who can help him.

#RootsTech 2014 -- Watch It Live

#RootsTech 2014 will be broadcast live during the Conference scheduled from February 6th to the 8th from the Salt Palace in Salt Lake City, Utah. Streaming videos begin at 8:30 am Mountain Daylight Time. Each day of the Conference with have a full schedule of broadcast sessions. I am still finding people, even in Utah Valley who are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who have not even heard of RootsTech. At the same time I hear comments about the large number of announcements and news reports that have been broadcast. I suppose it is based entirely on the members' interest level. Those who don't care or want to know don't hear the announcements.

There are a total of 120 sessions available for those who attend the Conference in person. You can also download the syllabuses for the entire conference from the website.

Quoting from the RootsTech.org website:

In conjunction with the third day of RootsTech, on Saturday, February 8, 2014, Family Discover Day is a day of devotionals, classes, and interactive experiences designed especially for members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Whether you’re just getting started with photos and stories or are already into your family tree, there is something for everyone.

Hear inspirational messages from Elder Neil L. Andersen, Elder Allan F. Packer, Elder Bradley D. Foster, and popular speakers who will:

• Help inspire you to record, preserve, and share your family stories. 

• Teach you to find and prepare your family names for temple work. 

• Teach you the powerful features of the Family Tree on FamilySearch. 

• Help those with family history callings with insightful training. 

• Help you get started on your family history. 

Family Discovery Day is free to attend and includes access to the huge RootsTech Expo Hall, where more than 100 vendors will help you with things, such as:

• Recording your story. 

• Scanning photos and books. 

• Creating a visual family tree and more. 

• Family Discovery Day Classes

View full Family Discovery Day schedule, Family Discovery Day classes have an ID number that starts with LDS.

The Prophets Speak on Searching Out Our Dead -- John Taylor

At the time of Brigham Young's death on 29 August 1877, John Taylor was 68 years old. During the following three years, President Taylor led the Church as President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Subsequently, at a general conference held on 10 October 1880, he was sustained as prophet, seer, and revelator, and President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a position he occupied until his death on 25 July 1887. See Taylor, John. Teachings of Presidents of the Church: John Taylor. Salt Lake City, Utah: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 2001.

Each of the latter-day prophets has taught us concerning our relationship with our departed ancestors and our duty to them. John Taylor was no exception. Here are some selections from his teachings:

This is what we are after, and what the ancient Saints were after. This is what Adam, Noah, Enoch, Abraham and the prophets were after, that they might fulfill their destiny on the earth, and, as one of the old prophets said, “stand in their lot in the end of days,” [see Daniel 12:13] when the books should be opened, when the great white throne should appear and he who sits upon it, before whose face the heavens and the earth fled away; that we and they, and they and we might be prepared, having fulfilled the measure of our creation on the earth, to associate with the intelligences that exist in the eternal worlds; be admitted again to the presence of our Father, whence we came, and participate in those eternal realities which mankind, without revelation, know nothing about. We are here for that purpose; . . . we are building temples for that pur- pose; we are receiving endowments for that purpose; we are making covenants for that purpose; we are administering for the living and the dead for that purpose, and all our objects, and all our aims, like the object and aim of inspired men in former days, are altogether with reference to eternal realities as well as to time. . . .

This is what we are after, and we shall accomplish it, and no man can stop it, no organization, no power, no authority, for God is at the helm, and his kingdom is onward, onward, onward, and it will continue, and grow and increase until the kingdoms of this world shall become the kingdoms of our God and his Christ. Deseret News (Weekly), 8 May 1872, 186; paragraphing altered.

We are presently being blessed with the dedication of the Gilbert, Arizona Temple, just south of where I live in Mesa. This new Temple will be 142nd Temple built. President Taylor, just as with all of the other prophets had the vision of Temples all over the world. To quote President Taylor, concerning the building of Temples:

This is what God expects of us. And then to build temples, and what then? Administer in them. Send the gospel to the nations of the earth. And then gather the people in. What then? Build more temples. What then? Have men administer in them. See Taylor, John, and G. Homer Durham. The Gospel Kingdom; Selections from the Writings and Discourses of John Taylor. [Salt Lake City]: Bookcraft Co, 1943.

Many of the discourses of the early prophets were recorded in the local newspaper in Salt Lake City, Utah, the Deseret News. This newspaper is still in existence but its archives are a rich source of messages from the leaders of the Church. Here is another quote recorded in the Deseret News from President Taylor:

The only question with us is whether we will cooperate with God, or whether we will individually work out our own salvation or not; whether we will individually fulfil the various responsibilities that devolve upon us or not; whether we will attend to the ordinances that God has introduced or not; for ourselves to begin with, for our families, for the living and for the dead. Whether we will cooperate in building temples and administer- ing in them; whether we will unite with the Almighty, under the direction of his holy priesthood, in bringing to pass things that have been spoken of by the holy prophets since the world was; whether we will contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the Saints. These things rest with us to a certain extent. See Deseret News (Weekly), 8 May 1872, 186; paragraphing altered. 

Quoting further:

It is reserved for us to do a work for those who have passed away who have not obeyed or had the Gospel in their lifetime. We are here to do a work connected with the redemption of the dead. When the Temple was commanded to be built in Nauvoo, after the Temple had been built in Kirtland, and after so many keys had been turned, and after so many manifestations, visions and ministrations had been had, yet it was said then that there was not a place upon the earth in which to perform the ordinance of baptism for the dead, and Joseph was commanded to build a house for that purpose. See Deseret News: Semi-Weekly, 10 June 1884.

President Taylor taught that we are here to cooperate with God in the salvation of the living and also in the redemption of the dead. Taylor, John, and G. Homer Durham. The Gospel Kingdom; Selections from the Writings and Discourses of John Taylor. [Salt Lake City]: Bookcraft Co, 1943, p. 286. The entire quote is as follows:

We are here to cooperate with God in the salvation of the living, in the redemption of the dead, in the blessings of our ancestors, in the pouring out of blessings upon our children; we are here for the purpose of redeeming and regenerating the earth on which we live, and God has placed his authority and his counsels here upon the earth for that purpose, that men may learn to do the will of God on the earth as it is done in heaven. This is the object of our existence; and it is for us to comprehend the position. See quote above from The Gospel Kingdom.

If we ever doubt the importance of seeking out our ancestors and performing essential ordinances for them in the Tempe, we need only to study and remember the words of President John Taylor on this specific subject:

The work we are engaged in is greater than we can generally conceive of. Our actions and operations now are connected with the past, with the present and with the future. Napoleon, on a certain occasion, told his army when in Egypt, that there were forty generations looking down upon them. But the heavenly hosts are looking down upon us. The Priesthood which has administered in the various generations and under the various dispensations, from the commencement of the world, have their eyes upon us; our brethren, with whom we have been associated here upon the earth and who are now behind the veil, have their eyes upon us. The myriads of dead that have slept in the silent tomb without a knowledge of the gospel have their eyes upon us, and they are expecting us to fulfil the duties and responsibilities that devolve upon us to attend to, in which they are interested.

All the holy priesthood—the ancient patriarchs, prophets and apostles and men of God who have lived in the different gener- ations are looking upon us and expecting us to fulfill the great and important requirements of Jehovah in regard to the welfare and the redemption of the world: the salvation of the living and dead. God, our Heavenly Father, and his son Jesus Christ, our Redeemer, are also looking down upon us, and expect us to be faithful to our covenants. See Deseret News (Weekly), 7 May 1879, 211; paragraphing altered. 

Additional Comments on Hastening the Work of Salvation

In a recent LDS Media Talk blog post entitled, "What is "Hastening the Work of Salvation?" by Larry Richman had the following about family history and Temple work:

Family history work and missionary work are really one work with two parts. Both are missionary work when you think of rescuing people on both sides of the veil.

Family history is not your Grandma’s genealogy any more. With Family Tree, you can collaborate online with relatives to tie all family lines together into a single pedigree of mankind. You can upload stories and photos of your ancestors. Indexing has replaced extraction. Missionaries now participate in family history work.

The youth are also getting more involved in finding ancestors and then in performing the ordinances for their ancestors. The youth attend the temple in great numbers to do baptisms for the dead, and many take their own names. Sometimes, youth even become ward family history consultants. The spirit of Elijah is awakening.

Because young women and young men are entering the mission field at a younger age, they are also receiving the temple endowment at a younger age. These young people are arriving at the temple well prepared to make covenants.

Yes, family history work is the same as missionary work but with this caution, in missionary work we don't usually baptize the same person multiple times, as is frequently done in family history work, and count it as real missionary work. Hastening the work does not mean redoing ordinances that have already been done.

There is a pretty standard process for determining whether or not Temple work has previously been done for any prospective ancestor. You simply use the FamilySearch.org Family Tree link, "Possible Duplicates" to check to see if there is a duplicate copy of the record in the file. In fact, the program is now requiring a duplicate search before any person can be entered into the program and another search at the time ordinances are reserved or cards are printed.

Here is a screenshot showing an obvious duplicates. The arrows show where the entries are showing duplicates:

There are three pairs of duplicates and all of these people have had their ordinance done and re-done many times already. The previous program, New.FamilySearch.org, would allow you to easily redo the ordinances. All you needed was a slight variation in a name or date and you could claim that the person was not a match and thereby do the ordinances over again. In fact, the program facilitated finding these duplicates by indicating a potential re-baptism with a green arrow.

The green arrows are back in Family Tree, but they do not mean the same thing as they did previously. If you click on a green arrow family, you are likely to be told to do more research and look for duplicates. Many times, when you search for a duplicate and find one, the potential ordinance work turns out to be already done.

In the instances above, these duplicates involve multiple copies of the same individuals. You can tell there is a duplicate if the ID numbers are different, but it is the same person. There are still ways to get around the system in Family Tree and duplicate the work, but don't expect me to tell you how to do it.

As we hasten the work, let's make sure we are making progress and not just running around in circles and calling it progress.

More Tips to Expand Your Family Tree

If you are interested at all in genealogy and a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints then there are some easy ways to expand your knowledge and increase your involvement in the genealogical community. I am still finding that many active members of the Church have almost no knowledge about FamilySearch, the FamilySearch.org website and even that the Church has resources online. One example is a recent post on the FamilySearch Blog for Consultants entitled "5 Tips to Expand Your Family Tree." This is an excellent post with some very specific things you can do to find research opportunities in the FamilySearch.org Family Tree program. My concern is that this type of assistance from FamilySearch (and indirectly from the Church) is not only going unheeded, but is virtually unnoticed and unknown.

Let me list some of the genealogy specific resources available to all of the members of the Church and thereby available to everyone in your Stake, from the Stake President to the individual members. To take advantage of many of these links, you will need to be signed in with an LDS account.

Here is a link to how to sign in with an LDS account and what you can do with the account:

10 Cool Things You Can Do with an LDS Account

I will start with LDS.org. The family history specific items are scattered around a bit but here are the main links:

• Connect with your Family -- This is the main Family History webpage for the Church
• Sunday Lesson: Family History Stories
• Stake Sign-Up Page to Host a Family History Fair
• Family History Brings Power to the Living
• Family History is Fun for Everyone—View Ideas
• FamilySearch.org Quick Start Videos and Guides
• Leader Resources
• Family History Calling Resources
• Indexing Resources
• Youth Resources
• Member's Guide to Temple Work and Family History
• The Turning of Our Hearts

OK, now let's go to FamilySearch.org. Here are many of the things on that fabulous website:

• Family Pedigree
• Family Fan Chart
• Ancestor Profile
• Find an Ancestor
• Ancestor Watch List
• Source Box
• Tree Training and Guides
• Photos
• Stories
• Albums
• Tagged People
• Find a Photo or Story
• Record Search
• Submitted Genealogies
• Library Catalog
• Find a Historical Book
• Research Wiki
• Source Box
• How to Index Records
• Indexing Training
• Indexing Arbitration
• Reserved Ordinances
• Cards Ready to Print
• Printed Cards
• Shared Ordinances
• New Opportunities

Now what about the Blogs from FamilySearch? Here is a link to each one:

• General Blog
• CEO Corner Archive
• Community Projects
• Family History Library
• In the News
• News About Indexing
• News About Partners
• Events
• News About Wiki

Do you get the idea here? Do you see somethings you are entirely missing? Do you realize that most of the members of your own Ward have no idea all of this and much, much more is only a click away?