See how President Nelson's talk about inclusion motivated us to do good works

 

View this email in your browser Ted and Karen Meyer, Area Temple and Family History Advisers, Scottsdale Arizona Coordinating Council Wanting to become a more faithful follower of President Nelson, and wanting to do good works, we prayed about the word “inclusion” and this was our answer. We hope it is yours too. To include the Community in your mission plans is “inclusion” at its finest! With members inviting their friends and neighbors, how can that miss? If what we did seems like it would work for your Stake, email us. We took notes on every step, what worked and what didn’t and we will share them with you - let us know what you think. Click for President Russell M. Nelson ‘s talk In President Nelson’s talk in April of 2021, he Latter-day Saints charged with ” ‘removing the debris’ through kindness, inclusion and Christlike love”. When a ward or stake is planning a family history event there are basically two choices. One would be an “all hands on deck” helping each other in the ward to gather names, teach how to reserve them and print them out right there for them. We call these the “Family History Linger Longers”. However, this type of event can be exhilarating for the members but can overwhelm a person being taught. They can’t quite reserve any ordinances, their FS membership doesn’t even show them, so they feel left out. So our challenge was “through love and inclusion”, as President Nelson requested us to bring in the Community and give them the opportunity to learn more about their families and “Celebrate their Families”, through love and friendship. We used our especially targeted plan for putting on an event like this. We have thought of the smallest details to make it an amazing experience. So if this sounds like fun to you, please ask us for a copy of our Event Flow Playbook. Having a Family History fair for the Community…was so rewarding! It's a choice opportunity to be able to participate in these events. We met such wonderful people today. Some were even from as far as Texas, San Tan Valley, Gilbert, Mesa, Tempe, Phoenix, California, and even Utah and Wyoming. After praying on how we can be an influence for the good the answer we kept getting was, start in your own Stake. Our Stake President was such a positive keystone in this friend building bridge! We spoke to the High Councilor over Family History and showed him our playbook we had been keeping. He loved it and he echoed the President’s to start planning. Last October was the first and May 21st was the 2nd we hope of many of these Community Family History Fairs. Our Stake team are experts from each ward, in the areas they represented and so much more. We were so grateful to have so many people being taught. I had this brainstorm that we could make tickets and have the missionaries hand them out. Our Mission President loved it and the Zone leaders were on my porch ready to hand out 200 tickets we printed out on our printer within the hour. You see, the Prophet is right again -(right - he’s always right!), not only inclusion should be our mantra but that missionary work and family history work are ONE work! (see Rootstech Leadership Meeting 2020 video with Elder Bednar and Elder Renlund voicing these exact thoughts) Our visitors today, (May 21, 2022) were not just people from our stake but many people near and far who were non-members and had been seeking a way to find information on their families. To be able to give that gift to them was a particularly choice moment in our lives. A lot of new bridges to friendship were built today and Ted and I are so grateful we were involved in such a great community event. Thank you all who participated! Advertising was a fun challenge. We did any type of blog, local events planner, Facebook, Twitter, an Instagram which were free. We made videos showing what would be displayed and shared. The most important part was to be a good listener and help them Celebrate their Family. An example, one booth was just for Memories. The team member would ask the visitor to tell them a story and would type it into Family Search for them and show them how easy it is to connect to other family members so they could share in the celebration. Regrets? Only that we were so busy we didn't have a chance to go around and take pictures of the booths (of which there were 13). Some of you who came to our last Zoom meeting saw our plan of action at work today. Thank you Br. Cashen for not only taking pictures but also doing some exit interviews. Our Video for advertising for free: https://youtu.be/am37IQ857f8 Positive Takeaways 1 This year we added table numbers matching the directional map. These were at each booth for the helper to guide them based on one question, “What would you like to accomplish for your family today?” plus 2 I made all new signage for the tables. You can see the table numbers in the pictures. 3. We also added monitors for each booth. Ted bought 4 but then for those consultants without a computer, he and the director brought out a couple of computers from the center. 4. We noticed that as we worked on a patron's family tree, they were very excited to participate when they were able to see because the monitors were all facing them. It was fascinating and watching the Stake helper perform gained the trust of the visitor.. 5. Our team really worked so cohesively together - each enjoyed the experience. What brought it all together were the gorgeous decorations from Julie and Ken Keith. We got a ticket template off the internet and printed our own tickets to be handed out to the Missionaries - roughly 200 for 6.95. Did the zone have 200 contacts? You bet! All in all - special thanks to Ron Watkins, the HC over Family History, (for his patience and for singlehandedly setting up every table before we got there with the table cloths and centerpieces, signs) Ray Cashen, Mlee R. Clark, the Family History Center Director, Spencer, and Megan Irvine, Fabian Foote, Ann Wilmeth, Bryant Scott, Terry Canova, Mike Girand, Jay Curtis, Lexieanne Swapp, Eric Anderson, Eric Brown, Gwyn Knowles, Fran Johnson, Barbara Girand, Julie Marriott, Ken Keith. We were missing two because of illness, Ted Keller and Priscilla Sanders. For the Stakes we represent, we have everything we need to recreate this adventure at your Cultural Hall for your Wards. Please ask us! BOOTH TITLES #1 - in the overflow, we created a kid's section and they loved the game boards about family history which we created. #2 - Membership records and Login/password help for Family Search. At this booth I also provided little 3 x 4 leather notebooks that I picked up for less than .50 each. This way, they could leave knowing that little notebook was something they should always bring to their family history center. #3 This was Partner Access - our team members helped the members who had not heard of this gift sign up and then taught them how to use the bridge method to increase accuracy and decrease time at research. Let us know if you would like to learn this. #4 This booth was about showing members how to capture memories and upload them to their family search accounts. With the new Family Group settings, it is now possible for someone to share their memories with their family while they are alive. Click here to see our blog and sign up for more tips and hints on how to make Family History fun while helping others. naswfamilyhistory.blogspot.com #5 Ancestry and Ancestry DNA was my booth. I was thrilled to show them how they could align their research with their bloodlines and for the most part, Ancestry DNA has proven very helpful in figuring out if you are on target with your research matching the bloodlines. #6 This was one of my favorite booths. if you have ever accessed the BYU lab/ applications and played with stories.familyfoundapp.com you know what I mean. As you enter your family search login and password, it brings all your information into the app and pulls out any stories about your family that you would not normally know were there. At this booth we taught how you could pull out family stories and publish a book on Amazon for free. Ask me! #7 - Printing service - for cards, names, or anything you needed, as well as scan pictures to a drive you brought, or one of our flash drives at 2.00 each. #8 - We had the Director, Mlee print down a person's fan chart then go over the chart and show what needed to be fixed and how to fix it. #9 - Puzzilla.org - how to use it for descendance research #10 - Demonstration of My Heritage colorization of pictures. Here is one we like to show because the change is so dramatic #11 was the new online indexing method in hopes of educating more people to help with the 1950 census. Which (at this date of publishing) is at 70% completed due to volunteers. #12 - this was Scrapbooking - a very real way to journal one's life. Fran Johnson stands out in our ward as someone who has achieved excellence in her 86 years of scrapbooking. We were very proud to show her work to inspire others. Scrapbooking is a great hobby because it forces us to organize categorically and chronologically. If you have problems with the organization of various things or know a person who suffers from ADHD, this is a great way to help your kids with this diagnosis. It's calming, and without really them knowing you are teaching them a valuable skill. #13 As we did in October because of the good ideas from another Stake - Mesa North Stake, we incorporated Grandma's cookies. Several members of the ward, and this is open to the community as well, bring a well-favored and beloved recipe that they remember Grandma making for their family when they were young. Not stopping there, and realizing that it takes a village to raise a child, this person of choice influence could be an Aunt, a Sister, or any person who influenced your life - a fun way to honor them. Our Testimony As you are deciding what activities your Stake could have to show President Nelson that you are employing the value of inclusion in your Missionary efforts, we hope you will consider having a Family History Fair. You could enter it on your Annual Ward Family History Planner! If you need one after watching this, email us. https://youtu.be/n-AHj7jTCNo It is our testimony that as you learn, grow and accept the challenges you are given as tomorrow’s realized blessings, you will be a force for good in your community. We believe that Elder Kevin Hamilton, Elder Renlund, Elder Stephenson and Elder Bednar’s inspired vision of family history, ministering to all you meet, (2020 leadership meeting) will help plant the seeds along the covenant path. Using Temple and Family History as a way to reach out and minister to others you will relate to our Executive Director of Temple and Family History, who read the words of the Prophet, then said “This is what success looks like, when we use family history to help gather Scattered Israel.” ~Elder Kevin Hamilton, Executive Director of Temple and Family History. We say this in the name of our Savior, Jesus Christ Ted and Karen Meyer, Copyright (C) 2022 NASWFamilyHistory. All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you are in the Family History Program of your Church - If you no longer want these emails please unsubscribe on the link in your email - thanks! Our mailing address is: NASWFamilyHistory 8727 E Amelia Ave Scottsdale, Az 85251 Add us to your address book Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe