December -2017 - Holiday Newsletter

What to do at Christmas time of the year in Arizona!

There is nothing more beautiful than one of our Temples at Christmas.  I have had the opportunity to help decorate the lighting displays at both Los Angeles and Mesa, Arizona.  I am not sure how many others do this as well, but the Arizona has now added some Station displays showing the different events leading up to the birth of Christ.  You can view these in person - Truly spectacular events!

http://www.mesachristmaslights.com/

Los Angeles Temple Lights

http://www.phoenixzoo.org/event-items/zoolights/

The Phoenix Zoo even gets into the Spirit of the Year with their fantastic lighting of the Phoenix Zoo.



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"...For that four minutes, it wasn't about shopping or commercialism, it was about community coming together!"

FLASH MOB AT FASHION SQUARE MALL   Usually Dec 22 or 23 at noon - Some smart people caught thousands of us in 2009, 2010 and 2014  on youtube - here are some great pictures of us all
hoping they are going to continue this every year - it simply brought the magic of community into the air in the mall.  For that four minutes, it wasn't about shopping and commercialism, it was about a community coming together!

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=fashion+square+hallelujah

Discontinued Family History Manuals

Your question about the current curriculum and manuals for family history was forwarded to me. I serve as the Area Manager and support Brother and Sister Tippets who are the local Area Temple and Family History Consultants.

There was no official notice that went out from the Church regarding the old materials. What they did do was remove the materials from LDS.org so they could no longer be accessed. In addition, they were removed from LDS Distribution so they could no longer be ordered.

Since the older materials did not contain Find-Take-Teach and the current helper process it was decided to discontinue the manuals. The Church is also moving to the online and APP based distribution of information.  There are still items that may be ordered or printed, but most of it is in demand and can be easily updated.

They were replaced with the following: https://www.lds.org/callings/temple-and-family-history?lang=eng

At RootsTech 2017 there was a class taught regarding a Workshop that could be held during the Sunday School time under the approval and direction of the Bishop.  T.  Early next year there will be an announcement of some new materials. Most likely this will occur at RootsTech 2018.

Thanks for your question, and sorry for the confusion. We appreciate your service in helping others find family names to be able to take to the temple.

Warm Regards,

Merrill White

Area Manager, North America West and Northwest

Family History Department

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HOW TO HAVE THE PERFECT FAMILY HISTORY EVENT

October Newsletter featuring Haley Leavitt of the Vineyard Ward ! Well Done!

QUEST FOR PEACE AN LDS ADVENTURE BOOK1

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Welcome to our NASWfamilyhistory Blog  

This newsletter will give you ideas and tips for improving your searches and extending your tree.

If you would like to be on our mailing list and get this in your in box in >PDF format, please click on the link above.  You can write click this and save it, but I believe you will have more enjoyment if you read it in the .pdf format

Rootstech 2018 
Registration is coming in September!  Do you want to be able to have the answers for your Ward and friends at your fingertips.  You can watch most of Rootstech online the past few years, there have been literally thousands of people streaming the important and relevant information which may help you with future discoveries.  We prefer to attend and it's a lot of fun.  We meet a lot of great people and gain new insights just by being there.  It's great to be able to try the different ideas and see the new technology unfold in person.

As a Consultant or Presidency, High Council or Bishopric member over Family History, it is our understanding that you can get a substantial discount.  First Register, then write to them at this email address.  Info@Rootstech.org  

Give them your Registration number and login - let them know what your Ward, Stake or Area title is and they will adjust your bill and credit you back.  In the past, you could enter a code, but integrity demands that those with the callings qualify and some chose to give the code to non Consultants, so this method keeps us all on the honest side.

If you cannot attend, we will take good notes and log them here on the blog.  

HOW TO USE THE NEW DESCENDENCY FEATURE IN FAMILY SEARCH

https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/finding-our-cousins-descendancy-view?lang=eng

HERE IS OUR NEWSLETTER IN .JPG FORMAT

However the links will work if you sign up and receive it in email in the .jpg format

Documenting your Family HIstory in different Ways

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New Changes in the Consultant Planner

The power of Discernment in Genealogy

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 Thank you for whispering!

  We have a sign up at the Stake Library and encourages people - just like at a real Library -  to whisper - but here it is for a different reason.  Many times, when you are searching for Ancestors and providing you say a prayer first, when it comes down to one or two candidates for your relative, you can write down all the facts and then pray for the sure knowledge.  Those relatives want to be found.  They went through such hardships and did not have the luxuries that we enjoy today.  They do not wish to be forgotten.  Every time you learn more about your Heritage, I'm sure they smile because if they could tell you their story, they most certainly would do so!

Elder Richard D Scott wrote for his talk on Family History,
"This work is a spiritual work, a monumental effort of cooperation on both sides of the veil, where help is given in both directions. Anywhere you are in the world, with prayer, faith, determination, diligence, and some sacrifice, you can make a powerful contribution. Begin now. I promise you that the Lord will help you find a way. And it will make you feel wonderful." 1.

From Kim Crenshaw Sorenson:

"A few years ago, I found myself frequently in fervent prayer, pleading for blessings for myself and my family, blessings I knew we needed. I knew the blessings I sought were righteous desires, yet they did not come. Each time I prayed, the only impressions that came were urging me to do family history and temple work for my ancestors. The great irony was that one of the things I was seeking so fervently was more time. I felt overwhelmed with my life. I was the mother of four young children, I worked at least six hours a day on a home business, I had a demanding Church calling, and my husband traveled a lot on business and served in a student ward bishopric. Now the Lord was asking me to dedicate time and energy I didn’t think I had to family history work! It had never even crossed my mind that I should be doing my family history. I had felt that it was “not my season,” that it was something I would do later in life. But in kind persistence, the answer to every prayer was the same—to seek my ancestors and do their temple work. While family history work might not be expected of everyone in my circumstances, I felt sure the Lord wanted me to become involved in it." 2.

This is a great Video

 on the 

Power of Prayer and Genealogy

https://www.lds.org/youth/video/you-will-have-divine-help-in-family-history?lang=eng

How do Dead Ends happen in Genealogy?

  The other night a friend came to our Library.  He had been trying to find information on his Grandmother's family for the longest time.  We said a prayer and within just short of an hour, we had so much information on her, her siblings, her mother and father.  It was so exciting and there were a few reasons why he had come to a dead end.

Her headstone said Lola Saunders

That was her name when she died.  Her married name....to a second husband.

Her first married name was Lola Walker.

Not even that should go in the blank for last name.

If you do not know the last maiden name you should leave it blank - just Lola

By adding spouses, that denotes what her married name was, but she MUST be listed by her MAIDEN NAME

You know what you know. 

but...How do you know it is true?

...make a list of just what you have documentation for.

This is NOT what Great Aunt Agnes told you.  

You have a headstone with a birthdate and death date.

You know where she was buried.

Where did she die?

You know her first name.

Your know her first married name - so you know her Husband's name.

1) Look for a marriage license between Seth R Walker and Lola

2) Look for Census data for Seth Walker with a wife named Lola

3) An older woman was living with Seth and the children at some point - the census said she was the mother in law.

4) We looked for a marriage certificate and found that Seth R Walker married Lola Mudd

5)  N O W we can put a last name to Lola.

From there, the floodgates opened.  Look for subtle things in your tree that need to be trimmed and spruced up and your path to your ancestors will be so much more clear.

Here's the acid test.  Do you have the strength to delete everything that you do not have strong documentation for?  Only then will you be able to grow your tree with strong dependable roots.

Here's how people go wrong - President Dieter Uctdorf said it best, if a pilot leaves an airport and is off by 2 degrees, they will be off course by 500 miles.  Watch this video

this is the actual link

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MpmRFTSlA1o

HOW DO YOU GET OFF COURSE

 IN 

FAMILY HISTORY?

If you GUESS or use VERBAL clues this is what happens.

You will pull in data from the wrong people.  

You may have data from the right people

It gets all mixed up

then the Database starts sending you clues for more than one family

                                 SOLUTION?

1. Only use Census data, carefully jotting down the ages of the children and names.  
2. Use a Census Matrix like this to make sure you are measuring data for data of same families and not settling for a probable. 
3. Then document and save birth certificate, death certificates looking for information on the parents.
4.  Social Security data, Marriage Licenses, Divorce decrees/

, Wills mentioning more than one person in the family.  Obituaries with documented family members.  

DO I REALLY NEED THIS?

Someone asked me how I organize my data.

Everyone has a different way of organizing - I just thought I would show you how I keep things straight.

If you would like to use my Matrix that my husband and I created, we would love to share it with you  Directions on how to use the Template

Download the Template from my One Drive link at the bottom

Save it as your family Name

Add a Tab for Each leg of your family

In each Page copy the template and paste it into the page by selecting
the area (blank square) between Row 1 and Column A

This will highlight the cntire template - then click Control + C to copy it

Go to the next blank page with a family leg named as the tab
Go to the same  corner between Row 1 and Column A and click on
that blank square.
Now Paste it in there by holding down Control and then hold down V to Paste

Do this for Each leg of your Family Tree

Now Start Adding your names and Birth YEARS to the columns, the  formulas will
tell you how old they were at each census.

Next to Each Census Date in ROW 9 you can mouse over to tell you what you can expect to find for that Census.

WHAT IF THE CELL SAYS THE CENSUS DATE?

The formulas are year of birth driven.  This means if you don't put a year of birth in to the C column, it will say the name of the census and that is all

Documenting their death dates - I see when they were last on the census then add the # of years to the death date and write in the next census cell.  If I know how they died, I put a comma and add the reason.  This way, if I see a correlation in causes it might be a tip for future generations to take care of genetic malfunctions from an early age.












So this is how I document why they won't be on the 1940 census
It shows the last one they were listed on and then
what happened and how

I color code my family so that it shows migration and there is a link from
the family as a child to the family as an adult

my children are listed below this
then their families are listed below that with each child linked with a color in both families.

These dates are really far into the future - the people below have not been marked
deceased so it shows how old they would be in 2020, 2030 and 2040 which is only important for the next generation.  These can be erased after you make a copy of the template

You never know where someone is going to start in this template.  You can hide columns, you can erase formulas if needed.  If you feel you erased one in error, for example,
perhaps you erased one below that 211.  go to the 211 and copy and paste straight down to the next cell.

If you see NEGATIVE numbers, the sheet will tell you that this person will not be born for 158 years from the 1820 census.  Once you establish

These are called absolute references so the formula is only good in that column for another cell in the same column.  You wouldn't copy a cell from column b to column D  - Only from Column D to D


H ere is a Link to my Template on One Drive
Down load it and input your family names and the years they were born.
See if you have the right census data already.  If you do, make an X next to 
your family member's name.




https://1drv.ms/x/s!AjS2RGb0p-4PgUUEdG2gKlVmv8mp





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1.  https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2012/10/the-joy-of-redeeming-the-dead?lang=eng

 2.  https://www.lds.org/ensign/2006/08/blessings-for-my-ancestors-blessings-for-me?lang=eng

Some fun tips, tricks and Family History Activities for you!

Welcome!
For our Monthly Newsletter 
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Rise to your Call

 is an Inspirational Video no matter 

what job you hold

 We hope you enjoy it!

Rise to your Call - LDS Video for Temple and Family History Consultants

President Eyring discusses the blessings you will receive when you seek to magnify your calling, no matter what it is in the Church.

"And so to everyone-- man or woman, girl or boy-- who has been called or who will yet be, I will give you my counsel.
First, you are called of God. The Lord knows you. He knows whom He would have serve in every position in his Church. He chose you. Your call has eternal consequences for others and for you. In the world to come, thousands may call your name blessed, even more than the people you serve here. They will be the ancestors and the descendants of those who chose eternal life because of something you said or did, or even what you were.
There will be times when you will feel overwhelmed. One of the ways you will be attacked is with a feeling that you are inadequate. But you have access to more than your natural capacities, and you do not work alone. The Lord will magnify what you say and what you do in the eyes of the people you serve. All He asks is that you give your best effort and your whole heart.
Do it cheerfully and with the prayer of faith. The Father and his beloved Son will send the Holy Ghost as your companion to guide you. Your efforts will be magnified in the lives of the people you serve, and you will know that you have seen the arm of God lifting those you serve for him. And lifting you."   ~ Henry B. Eyring

 

Featuring

 a great Family History Website

 for your research

 This is a really wonderful site by a Mother and Daughter who seek to do Family History for others.  http://familylocket.com

 I really want to do this with you! 

 Create your own

 Family History Activity Day

 - just by using this tool, it organizes every;thing for you.

https://www.lds.org/topics/family-history/host-a-family-history-fair/admin/eventadmin?lang=eng 

 

SPECIAL REPORT AREA CONFERENCE TAKEAWAYS JULY 18-20 2017

The images below are a facsimile of a Newsletter we just sent out.  You can find the links below the images of the Newsletter. 

 

 We were so touched by this lecture that we put it to music and added pictures. If you can't hear the music, ask us for a onedrive link

naswfamilyhistory@gmail.com

thx!

A fun thing we learned was to 

Find Relatives Around you!

Fun exercise - download Family Tree app to your phone.

Open app - look for "More"

Click on More button and look for

Find Relatives around me!

It will scan the room or building and let you know who you are related to!

You will love this! 

IF you are good at video games, you would like Life's Journey - see link below!  I had trouble with this because I don't have a real command over games with the up and down arrow but you would probably do fine!

another great game is called Relatives around me!   You can find it below at the WHAT'S NEW link!   We played it in a room of about 300 people I couldn't believe how many I was related to!  I wasn't raised LDS and thought I didn't have any LDS pioneer family.  That's another reason why you should do your family history - you NEVER know what you are going to find!

LINKS FOR THE ITEMS ABOVE

WHAT'S NEW AT FAMILY SEARCH?

GENEAOPARDY

LIFE'S JOURNEY

SCRAMBLE TREE

CONSULTANT PLANNER

INVITE, INVITE, INVITE - ARTICLE ABOUT ENCOURAGING YOUTH TO HELP WITH RETENTION OF CONVERTS AND ACTIVATION OF LESS ACTIVES

How do you get Youth to encourage Less Actives and Converts to do Family HIstory?

We are always trying to come up with innovative ways to involve Young Women and Young Men in Family History.  We have started encouraging extending callings them to become Temple and Family History Consultants.  With:

www.thefhguide.com 

This is an almost instant training program to get them off and running, to teaching them how to use the Consultant planner

www.familysearch.org/ask/planner

They can become a Ward Hero in 5 minutes as it shows them how to find instant successes, i.e., Temple Opportunities, Find a Grave records and Vital Records to attach to files, Memories of Pioneers and War Heroes to attach are easily pointed out to them for "click on me" instant access.

Their confidence  increases as their success record increases and exudes smiles on their audience.  It's a blessing to see!  So to complete the invitation, I created some cards to get them excited about coming in and experiencing Find, Take and Teach.  Here is a picture of what the Young Women could create to take to less actives and new converts.

When someone has a fan chart on their wall, those spirits, no doubt, reach out to them from beyond the veil and remind them that they are still there everytime the person walks by the chart.    I'm convinced that most people don't know how to get started and just need an invitation. Having your ancestors greet you daily will help us not to forget the great sacrifices they made for us to be here today. My favorite is the one on the lower 

I will scan these into a pdf and upload them to our blogs at naswfamilysearch.blogspot.com and genealogymama1.blogspot.com.  I hope these bring you joy and rallied interest in family history which will bring the Lord's work to Pass.  You can download these if you want to make some cards with a fan chart.

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Blessings to all!

Br Ted and Sr Karen Meyer,
North America South West
Temple and Family History Consultants
Scottsdale Coordinating Council
email us anytime:  genealogymama1@gmail.com or
naswfamilyhistory@gmail.com