Muriwei Beach with the Olsens

We had an opportunity to spend some time with Elder Gary and Sister Linda Olsen today.  Elder Olsen is the mission doctor and his wife is a nurse who helps him with his assignment screening missionary applications and consulting with any missionaries in the field who get sick or injured while they are out.  He can't actually practice medicine here in New Zealand, but he can give them referrals of who needs to see a doctor and who can just take care of simple things on their own.  He also is the one to decide that some missionaries need to be sent home if their health status warrants it.

We took a drive over to Muriwei Beach on the west coast, overlooking the Tasman Sea.  There are lovely dark sand beaches there and a beautiful drive through lush bush.  There is a colony of gannets that live in the cliffs we always enjoy seeing whenever we are there.

It was a chilly, blustery day since the seasons here are reversed from North America. Back home late August would be dog days of summer, but not here.  We are at the tail end of winter now, just approaching spring.  The gannets have spent their winter apart from each other, over in Australia.  They are just now arriving back here at their New Zealand nesting grounds.  It was fun to watch the mates looking for each other.  They are fascinating birds.

Community Outreach

In addition to the work we do with Church leaders, we also have had several opportunities to work with non-member community groups.  Right now I'm putting together a  PowerPoint for another presentation to the North Shore SeniorNet group.  Last time we spoke there it was specifically  about FamilySearch.  This time I will show them how they can use personal blogs as an alternate way to record and share personal or family stories.

We also recently did a FamilySearch presentation in Orewa to the Hibiscus Branch of the NZ Genealogy Society.  We had a wonderful time meeting with their group.

The place where the meeting was held was right by the Te Ara Tahuna Estuary so we enjoyed walking around there a bit and also spending a little time in the small art museum that was in the building where we were to meet.

Me with, Myra Frew, Margaret Poole, Patricia Dobbs, Maggie Chan, Wendy Fitzpatrick, Wendy Inskeep (leaning back), Levina Cuthbert at lunch before the meeting.

Me presenting to the group...broken wrist and all.  Photo by Roger Shearer

It has been a delight to get to teach so many varied groups of people - especially since the role I have now does not require me to spend any time or energy on tests or grading that I had to do during my 20 years of adjunct sociology work in various community college settings.  I genuinely enjoy following the flow of whatever people are most interested in and/or ready to learn about. Even though I always go in with a specific plan, I like to stay alert and flexible so that if questions and interest go off in another direction I'm ready to follow whatever that path may be.  It's sort of like mining for gold, never knowing before hand where the vein will take me.
Besides, I learn heaps of new things myself as I prepare to teach each new seminar.  FamilySearch is a dynamic program that is constantly changing as the developers add new features and functionalities.  There are also other genealogical tips and tools that I need to keep current on to share with each new group.

After each session Larry and I do a debrief to talk about what worked well and what things might have been improved on.  I love the way we work together as a team..

I never dreamed when we first decided to go on this mission how rewarding this would be.  Yes, at times it is hard are there are most definitely some big sacrifices.  But the opportunity to be so completely engaged in giving service has brought us so many blessings.  Sometimes I have to pinch myself to be assured this isn't all just a dream.  Feeling very grateful for this mission!  Looking forward to whatever may come next.

  

Goodbye to the Perrons

One of the inevitable factors of mission life is that we have lots of good byes.  Not only do we have to say goodbye when we leave each area where we travel to give trainings,  we also have to say goodbye to the other missionaries we serve with as each couple is on a different schedule to rotate back home.

This week Elder Bill and Sister Debbie Perron completed their time of service and have gone back to America.    We didn't see them as often as some of the others since their assignment was to teach Institute and work with the Young Single Adults.  Rather than being in the Pacific Area Office like we are when we are in New Zealand, they were in downtown Auckland much of the time. Still, through our shared Senior family home evenings and other all-mission events we had gotten to know them and always enjoyed their sweet spirits.

One of the nice things about knowing the Perrons is they also live in Boise, Idaho so it is very possible we could connect with them when we get back home!   So many of the other missionaries live in Utah or come from other states.  It's nice to have someone else in our area that we could get together to reminisce with about our New Zealand life.

The Perrons were such great examples and a wonderful positive influence in the lives of many of the young people they served with.  They will definitely be missed!

Here is a video they posted showing them with some of the great YSA they worked with.

We Are NEVER Alone

I want to be sure I remember a special experience I had while attending the Time Out For Women (TOFW) event in downtown Auckland yesterday.

I very much enjoyed listening to the various speakers and musical presentations.  It was a great event!  I especially enjoyed listening to Brad Wilcox talk about dealing with challenges in life. He did a great job of using humor to address important subjects. He wasn't just trying to be funny, but by getting us all laughing he prepared us to hear his message in new ways. He said:

I also really liked hearing David Archuletta perform.  He is a talented young man. I particularly enjoyed his cover of the U2 song Pride-In the Name of Love.

But the most significant thing I experienced didn't happen during the conference at all.  It was something that took place over the lunch break.

All of us Sisters from the mission (both seniors and young ones) walked a few blocks from the conference center over to the Institute Building where we shared lunch of sub sandwiches and fruit that had been prepared for us.   At that point I was not with anyone in particular.  I chatted a bit with various people who were there,  but I arrived on my own and left on my own.  

When I walked over there it was a pretty simple path with lots of LDS women heading in the same direction, so I had no problem finding where to go.  Also the streets and parking area we passed through were fairly open when we headed over there about noon.  When I went to go back right before 1:00 PM, however, everything had changed.

For one thing, it was beginning to rain.  But of more concern, there were now masses of people in what had previously been an open square.  What none of us knew was that there was a major political rally scheduled for the downtown area at 1:00.  Literally THOUSANDS of people showed up in Aoteara Square - the very place between the Institute building where we were having lunch and where we needed to be for the TOFW event - to protest the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA).

Not being very familiar with downtown Auckland to begin with, confronting this huge crowd was very disorienting.  I got mixed up about which direction I was was supposed to go after crossing the street.  I felt utterly lost and not sure how I would ever get back to the group I needed to be with.

The whole vibe of the protest was uncomfortable for me to be around.   I just wanted to get out of there.  But I honestly had no idea what to do.  For a few minutes it felt really scary!

All my training as a missionary kicked in.  Whenever I feel uncertain about ANYTHING, I know it is time to pray.  I bowed my head and silently pleaded with my Heavenly Father to tell me what I should do.

In that very INSTANT a wave of calm swept over me.  Even though I was still surrounding by crowds of strangers chanting slogans and waving placards, I felt a level of peace and confidence with such a sudden force it left me stunned.  Without audibly hearing a particular voice, these words came with absolute clarity to my mind.  "It's ok.  I'm right here.  I'm with you.  Stand over there.  Watch in that direction.  In just a few minutes, one of the other missionary sisters is going to walk toward you coming down that sidewalk.  When she does, you will recognize her and she will tell you which way to go".  So I did that.  The whole time I stood there instead of feeling awkward or nervous or at all concerned about the crowd or being lost as I had previously, I just stood there KNOWING with absolute certainty that I was a beloved daughter of Father in Heaven and that He was aware of my needs.   The complete sense of His love and protection wrapped all around me as if I were in a bubble.  It was surreal, unlike anything I had ever experienced before.

After about five minutes, sure enough, one of the senior sister missionaries came walking toward me, just like the voice/thought had told me she would.  I approached her and asked where I should go.  She pointed the way and off I went, soon getting back to the conference center where I once again joined the group of ladies that I had ridden with to come to the TOFW event.

As I took my seat the thought kept coming to me, no matter where I go in this great big word, I am NEVER alone.  I may not always feel God's presence quite so intensely as I did that day in Auckland, New Zealand.  But He is ALWAYS there.   All I need to do to tune in to His presence is to seek Him in prayer having faith and trust that my prayers will indeed be heard and answered.  It was such a powerful feeling.  It's one I hope I never forget.

For videos of some of the talks and music from Time Out For Women, click HERE.

The Power of Questions: (TOFW)

On Saturday, 15 August I attended Time Out For Women (TOFW) in Auckland with several other Senior Missionary sisters who work in the Pacific Area Office.

This year the presenters and performers who came on this part of the tour included Sandra Turley, Elaine Dalton, Heidi Swinton,  Brad Wilcox,  and David Archuleta

All of them were great.  My favorite, however, was someone who wasn't there at all.

Sherri Dew did her presentation by Skype due to conflicting commitments back in Utah.  (As President of Deseret Book she has an understandably full plate). 

Sherri shared, among other things, the story of helping one of her nieces come to terms with some questions the girl had about the gospel.  Sister Dew made it clear in no uncertain terms that it is okay to have questions.  The important thing is how we conduct ourselves in order to get answers  to those questions.

So many people seem to think that having a strong commitment to the church means forfeiting our own power of reason in a foolish adoption of blind faith.   Nothing could be further from the truth.

I am so grateful that I have been taught to trust in James 1:5, the very scripture that Joseph Smith studied that led him to walk out to the grove of trees where he experienced the First Vision.

"If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him."

We are taught in the scriptures and through the council of our leaders that we don't have to take any person's word for what we should believe or how we should live.  If we have questions we are encouraged to take them to God and to expect our own personal revelation.   

Throughout the 30+ years that I have been active in the LDS faith I have had lots of questions.  There are still some things I do not fully understand.  But this is what I know for sure:  God is real.  He knows me personally and cares about my thoughts, feelings, fears and needs.  Time and time again I have seen evidence of that.

I hope I can always have enough faith to take my questions to the Lord and the patience and diligence necessary to wait for and work for the answers that will surely come according to the Lord's timetable and according to His chosen way.

Sometimes answers come through quiet impressions.  Sometimes they come through dreams or through the words or actions of others.  Heavenly Father has all sorts of ways that He communicates with me.  My job is to learn to recognize when my Creator is communicating with me and then to promptly take action to obey....even when I do not fully understand.

Questions For Writing Personal History

QUESTIONS for telling your life story:

The questions on the following pages are intended as resources for telling your life story.    Rather than try to tell your whole life, focus on just one memory or experience at a time.   These can be done in any order that strikes your fancy.   You don’t have to do them all.   Just pick whatever questions interest you or those that you feel you have something to share about.

Record your stories in whatever way you are most comfortable.   Some people write them out long hand.  Others prefer to use a computer.   Some talk into a voice recorder.  There is no wrong way.   The important thing is that you start.   Tell as much or as little detail as fits for you.

Some people find that writing down one story each week over a period of time works best for them.  Others write more often.  Pick a day or time that suits your schedule and make a commitment to write.  Your stories matter.   Even things that seem very ordinary to you may be of great interest to your future descendants.  Your unique perspective and the experiences you have had matter.  Write them down!

OTHER ways these questions can be used:

FAMILY GATHERINGS OR DINNER PARTIES WITH FRIENDS
      Print out the pages and cut each line so the questions are on individual strips.   Put the strips in a box or pretty bowl and set them on a table.   Each person takes a turn picking a question out of the pile at random and then takes 1-2 minutes to share that story with the group.  Make clear that if the person chooses a question they are not comfortable with they are allowed to pass or trade for a new question.   The main idea is to prompt everyone to share something about their life and for others to listen without interrupting.   Everyone in the group should be included equally.  If needed, use a timer so no one person goes on too long.

INTERVIEWING FAMILY MEMBERS
     You may use these questions to talk with grandparents or other family members to learn their stories.  If they are willing, record their answers using an iPad or iPhone with the “Memories” App.  These can be attached to FamilySearch.org records.  (Example,  if the family member you are interviewing is describing their parent or grandparent, you would attach the recording to the personal record of the person being described.  Be sure to have the person speaking give their full name, date and their relationship to who they are telling the story about.)

What other ways might you use these questions?


CHILDHOOD

What was your favorite pastime as a child? Did you prefer doing it alone or with someone else ?

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Describe the house you grew up in.   Where was it?
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Describe your yard as a child.
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What toys did you play with as a child?
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What games did you play as a child?
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Were you responsible for household chores? What were they? What did
you like most or least?
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How much was your first allowance? Was it conditional, when did it start?
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Tell about any pets you had as a child.
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Tell about your neighbors as a child.
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Tell about school ( special teachers, friends, achievements,
activities, or humorous situations).
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Describe a sound from your childhood.
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What smell do you remember from your childhood?
___________________________________________
As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
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What do you remember about stores when you were a child? Can you
recall shopping with mother?
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Describe the downtown of your childhood.
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Did you take any special lessons a child?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Do you recall any special summer trips or vacations when you were
growing up?
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What were you afraid of as a child?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
What mischief did you get into as a child?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Did you ever steal as a child? If so, were you caught? What happened?
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What do you remember about Easter as a child?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Tell about a fourth of July from your childhood.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Tell about Halloween as a child.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Tell about Thanksgivings when you were growing up.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
What do you remember about Christmas as a child?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Describe getting a Christmas tree as a child.
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YOUTH

What do you remember about yourself as a teenager. What was important
to you?
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Describe a typical school day during your junior high years.
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Describe the fashions that were popular when you were a youth. What is popular now?
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Describe your favorite dress or a special outfit you wore as a youth.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Tell about any exciting experiences in scouting or any clubs you were
a member of as a youth.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Tell about how, when and where you learned to drive.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Tell about your first crush. What was he or she like?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Did you develop any particular talents (art, music, dance, sports, handiwork, etc) during your youth?
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Who did you admire during your youth?

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What were your goals?   Did you have any particular career in mind?  If so, did you pursue it or take a different path?
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Tell about a trip to the dentist.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Tell about the medical care you had while growing up - How does this
compare to today?
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If you went to college, describe the experience. If not, tell whatyou were doing in your 20's.

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COURTSHIP AND MARRIAGE

Tell about your courtship
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How did you become engaged?
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Tell about your wedding. Where was it? Who was there? Was there a
reception?
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Describe your wedding dress (or wife’s wedding dress).
----------------------------------------------------------------------
What were your fears, expectations, anticipations, etc. about getting
married?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
What convinced you most in your choice of a spouse?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
How did you meet your in-laws? Describe your relationship with them.
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Describe your first home or apartment on your own or when newly married.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

FAMILY

Tell about your Mother. (Describe physically, her personality,
talents, role in your home.   How did she spend her day?)
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Describe your father. What was he like physically? What work did he
do? Personality?
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Tell about your parent’s philosophy of raising children, discipline,
rules, etc.
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Tell about your brothers and sisters.
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Describe your grandparents.
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Describe a night at Grandma’s house.
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Tell about a favorite relative.
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Tell about any ancestors you have heard special stories of.
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Tell about property your family owned.
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What were your family finances like as a child? How did that effect you?
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Tell about anything you may have inherited from a family member.
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Tell about the birth(s) of your child(ren).
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Tell about each of your children’s names and how they were chosen.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Describe your relationship(s) with your child(ren).
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Tell about a humorous or clever thing one of your children said.
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Tell about a family crisis and how it was resolved.
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Tell about family feuds and how they were or were not resolved.
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Tell about your feelings toward your grandchildren.
------------------------------------------------------------------.

CAREER

Describe your first paying job. What was your salary?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Tell about the places you have worked.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Tell your feelings about the work you have done. If you were to start
all over, what work would you choose?
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LIFE EXPERIENCES

Describe any sports you have played.
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Were you ever in a theatrical production? Tell about it.
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Do you speak a foreign language? If so, how did you learn? If not
would you like to? Why?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Have you ever won a contest or a special prize?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Were you ever in the military? If so, when and where did you serve?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Describe the influence of wars on your life.
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Where were you on an important day in history?
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Tell about a special trip taken as an adult.
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Tell about some of the changes you’ve seen during your life (technology,
fashion, politics, etc.)
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Tell about tools you have used.
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Describe an invention which impressed you during your life.
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Have you ever tried anything really dangerous? How did it feel?
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Tell about a dramatic experience involving weather.
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Have you ever had a serious injury? Describe how it happened and tell of your recovery.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Tell about some special challenge which you were able to overcome.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Tell about a camping trip you went on.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Tell about any hobbies or collections you have or have had.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Tell about your first car. What type of car do you have now? What
kind of car would you like?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Describe a parade you were in or one you saw.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Tell about animals you raised.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Tell about a garden you have had.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Describe the typical groceries you buy today and tell what they cost.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Describe how travel has changed during your life.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
How do you celebrate Christmas now? Do you have any special
traditions that are meaningful? If so, why?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Describe how you celebrate other holidays now.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
What was your most embarrassing moment?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Tell about a favorite fishing experience .
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Tell about a city you have visited.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Tell about the coldest winter you can remember.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Tell about any natural disaster you may have experienced,
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Tell about a significant loss you experienced.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Tell about a funeral you attended.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Describe a turning point in your life.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Tell about a special gift which you received.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Describe a dream you have had.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Tell about a gift which you gave someone else that you have special feelings about.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Tell about the strangest food you ever ate.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Describe the house where you live now.
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Describe your yard where you live now
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Describe your life today.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Describe yourself physically.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Do you have a special talent or skill?

RELIGION

When did you first go to church? What are your earliest memories of church?
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What kind of prayer did you say before you went to sleep? Who taught you to pray?
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Tell about religious practices in your home when you were growing up.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
How do you feel about religion now?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Describe your beliefs about God.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
What is one of your favorite scriptures, and why?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Tell about influential spiritual/religious leaders you may have met or how a
particular church teacher influenced you.
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If you could meet any spiritual leader (living or dead) who would it be and why?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Describe your conversion to the gospel.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Tell about an experience when you shared the gospel with anotherperson.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Tell about an experience when you stood up for what you believed was right.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Describe your Sabbath days
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Tell about the first time you went to the temple.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Tell about a faith promoting experience from your life.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Record your testimony.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

PERSONAL PHILOSOPHY

How do you feel about politics?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
What kind of music do you like now? Do you recall any special type
of music from childhood?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
What do you think about television? Do you have any favorite shows?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
How do you feel about winning? How do you feel about losing?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
What do you think brings good or bad luck?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
What personality trait do you admire most, and why?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Tell about your philosophy for handling money.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
What is your greatest joy? Your greatest sorrow?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
What was the best advice you ever got? Did you follow it?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
What is the biggest lesson in life you have found to be true?
----------------------------------------------------------------------

How do you feel about reading? What did you read as a child? What do you read now?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
What would you like to be doing five years from now? Ten years from now?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Describe your attitudes towards death.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
If you could meet any movie star you wanted, who would it be and why?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
If you could meet any political leader you wanted, who would it be and why?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
What goals do you have at this point in your life?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
What are your most precious and deeply imbedded values?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Tell about your views on growing older.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
How has the women’s movement affected your life?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
How has the civil rights movement affected your life?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Tell the influence that music, theater, dance, art or literature has had on your life.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
What are you afraid of?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Tell about how you deal with anger.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
What are your food preferences? What do you like and dislike?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Describe your favorite dessert.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
What flowers do you like?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
What one possession you own is dearest to you?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
If you were stuck on an island with just 5 books, what would you want them to be? Why?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Describe your favorite season.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Describe a favorite summer day
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Describe a favorite autumn day.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Describe someplace in nature that is special to you.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
If you could travel any place that you wanted to, where would it be and why?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
If you had a time machine that would allow you to go to any time you
chose, when would it be? Why?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Do you consider yourself more of an introvert or an extrovert?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
What is your idea of a dream vacation?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Are you more of a leader or a follower?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Are you generally on time for things or often late? How do you feel about this?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Would you like to be famous? Why or why not? If yes, in what way?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
What would you like to be remembered for?
----------------------------------------------------------------------

What questions were NOT asked on this list that you might want to talk about?

My Family 15-in-15....More than Who-begat-Who

We love our assignment as Area Family History Support missionaries working throughout the Pacific. We have especially enjoyed the opportunity to team with others in carrying out the My Family 15 in 15 goal.



There is nothing new about asking members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to compile records about four generation of their family.  The 15 in 15 program is unique, however, based on the emphasis placed on individual accountability.  Our main focus has been engaging the leadership of the church to set the example and the degree of expectation to "return and report".

The basic idea of recording our lineage back to our great-grandparents was initiated during the early days of the church.

At the April 1894 general conference, President Wilford Woodruff  presented a revelation to the membership of the Church.  “We want the Latter-day Saints from this time to trace their genealogies as far as they can, and to be sealed to their fathers and mothers. Have children sealed to their parents, and run this chain through as far as you can get it. … This is the will of the Lord to his people.” ⁽¹⁾  The Church began gathering print records from that time.  Microfilming of records started in 1938.⁽²⁾   As more records became available in the collections of various genealogical societies, the specific responsibility to seek out family records for at least four generations of every members’ family was instituted  in the mid 1960’s. ⁽³⁾

For generations, church leaders have invited and encouraged members to seek out their kindred dead to ensure that ordinances of salvation could be extended to them.There are many rich blessings which have been promised by prophets, seers and revelators to those who follow the commandment to seek out their  ancestors and take their names to the temple. (4)

 People around the world have been gathering family records for a very long time. Today, however, we seem to have reached a tipping point in which enthusiasm for this work is supported by a greater array of tools and resources than ever before. (5)(6) More than at any other time in history, it is now possible to obtain primary source records, histories, and government documents at the click of a button. 

The LDS Church has embraced emerging technologies for family history research in a big way.Substantial resources have been invested to ensure that church collections of geneology information are properly preserved and protected.⁽⁷⁾  Most family history centers offer internet services, including free access to a number of partner sites for anyone (member or non-member) who uses those centers.  FamilySearch has also made contractual agreements to allow free access in the home for specific premium websites for church members. ⁽⁸⁾⁽⁹⁾

There are currently 274 LDS family history centers in 14 countries throughout the Pacific Area. ⁽¹⁰⁾    Equipment for those centers is provided for and tracked by the Pacific Area Office in Auckland, New Zealand, where we work. (Keeping a technology inventory list up to date and ordering new computers and printers as needed are parts of our job).  Local leaders in each country assign individuals to work as volunteer Family History Center directors and consultants.  We have opportunities to train many of those people, as we recently did during our trip to Fiji. 

There are also several missionary camera teams working in New Zealand and in Australia, as well as a team in Papua New Guinea, to continually add to the growing collection of key family history information that is available.   Called "Records Preservation Missionaries" these folks provide a vital link that makes document research possible by filming old records in government archives, church records and other sources.  The combination of converting old microfilm records stored in the "granite mountain" into searchable digital images and the new images that are being captured from archives all over the world by records preservation teams are adding 400 million images each year to the LDS collection which are shared freely with the world  (11).

Even in those parts of the world where recorded documents are not generally available, great efforts are being made to preserve living memory by recording oral histories which can then be indexed to provide searchable records of a community or certain family group. (12) (13)

The My Family 15 in 15 goal encourages members to use the My Family booklet as a tool for  gathering information which can then be input to FamilySearch.org.  

The great thing about this book is that it encourages gathering stories and photos to bring memories of our ancestors to life.  Keeping an accurate record of names, dates and places detailing the when and where of each person's birth, marriage and death is all well and good.  By itself, however, even the most detailed chart of who-begat-who is not particularly inspiring.  It is the stories that help us feel a sense of connection to those in our family tree.

The most meaningful part of the trainings we do is when we teach people how to gather and record family stories.  We have been humbled and honored by the many stories that have been shared with us at each of the places we have visited.

It has made me want to do a better job of recording my own family stories and special personal experiences. I plan to begin with the list of QUESTIONS that I have so often shared with other folks to help them write their family narratives.  I will be posting the questions here on this blog so I can always find them easily.   Our days are often full and our schedule packed with a long "to do" list.  So it will take some careful planning to carve out time to focus on this.

However, if I have learned anything from my work on th My Family 15 in 15 program it is the power of leading by example.  I cannot sincerely expect the people I am teaching to get serious about writing their personal and family history stories if I am not willing to do it myself.

Who wants to join me?

Sources:

   1)  The Discourses of Wilford Woodruff, sel. G. Homer Durham (1946), 157; or Millennial Star, 28 May 1894, 339. As quoted by Russell M. Nelson.  April 1998. “A New Harvest Time”.  https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1998/04/a-new-harvest-time?lang=eng

         2)   FamilySearch YouTube Video.  Uploaded October 8, 2010.  “Granite Mountain Records Vault, Part 1.  FamilySearch Genealogy Records”.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5KLea_DPxb4

    3)  Ensign. (1972)  “What is the Four Generation Program?” https://www.lds.org/ensign/1972/03/what-is-the-four-generation-program?lang=eng

    4)  LDS.Org. (ND). Family History Topics. “The Promised Blessings of Family History”.  https://www.lds.org/topics/family-history/fdd-cook/blessings-video?lang=eng

     b  5)   Family Tree Magazine.com  July 28, 2014. “Best Tech Tools For Genealogy”. http://familytreemagazine.com/article/best-tech-tools-2014

    6) Gagne, Tammy. 2012.  A Kid’s Guide to Genealogy.  Using Technology to Find Your Family History. Mitchell Lane Publishers. 

https://books.google.co.nz/books?id=RLuXBgAAQBAJ&pg=PA44&dq=new+technology+for+family+history&hl=en&sa=X&ei=67WTVZf9AsTwmAWp346ICA&ved=0CC8Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=new%20technology%20for%20family%20history&f=false

          7)  Family Search YouTube Video. Uploaded Feb 4, 2011.  “Granite Mountain Records Vault, Part 2 – FamilySearch Genealogy Records.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYkLKAPzCfQ

    8)  FamilySearch.org. 2015. Partner Access. https://familysearch.org/partneraccess

     9)  Brimhall, Dennis. Febuary 26, 2014. FamilySearch Blog. FamilySearch Parnerships: Some Questions and Answers. https://familysearch.org/blog/en/questions-answers-familysearch-partners/

   10)  FamilySearch. (ND). Find a Family History Center.https://familysearch.org/locations/#

   11)  Lloyd, R. Scott.  Jan 22, 2013.  Church News.  "Preserving the World's Records".  

    https://www.lds.org/church/news/preserving-the-worlds-records?lang=eng

   12)  Mormon Newsroom.  February 8, 2014. "Church Making Strides Preserving African Family Histories".  http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/2014yearinreview/church-making-strides-preserving-african-family-histories/ 

    13)  Raleigh Yow, Valerie. 2005. Recording Oral History: A Guide For the Humanities and Social Sciences. Second Ed. P. 273.  Oxford, UK. AltaMira Press.

https://books.google.co.nz/books?id=IFkKhtalPzAC&printsec=frontcover&dq=Recording+Oral+History:+A+Guide+For+the+Humanities+and+Social+Sciences.+Second+Ed.+P.+273&hl=en&sa=X&ei=brCTVZrzFIXVmgX5_oHYCw&ved=0CBwQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false