Thursday, June 4, 2015

BOOT CAMP - Lesson 2 - Updating Individual Information

Summer is coming and that means there will be lots of time for families to gather whether it be for picnics, visiting, special family nights, or family reunions.  What a great time to ask the "family history" questions.  Last month you practiced moving around in your family tree on Family Search.  This month let's try to fill in some of those empty spaces and do some fun things along the way. (Refresher of last month click HERE)

ASSIGNMENT:
1.  Check out your Family Tree - start by signing in (remember this is found on FamilySearch).

2.  Pick an ancestor (let's start with someone deceased but close to you like a parent or grandparent)
3.  Click on their name then click on Person. You should be in the Details View.  Look over the details to see that everything is correct and that no major information is missing.   HERE IS A BIG HELP - look to the right side column. You might see a section that says RECORD HINTS.  Click on some of them and see what they have available.  Isn't this a great feature?  If something is missing, then this is where you should start.  If there are no record hints, check with family members still living to see if they have some information that can help fill in some of those blanks. If they don't, try a search (on Family Search) to see if there is something that will help you find this missing info).

4.  Update the info for your ancestor (if you forgot how or need help click HERE).  Be sure when you review the info that you click REVIEW AND ATTACH if this is correct information for your ancestor.  This will document the information so others will know that this is correct.

FYI - Some names may be spelled incorrectly or information incorrect even to the point you might not think it is your relative.  Click on the name anyway just to check it out.  You might be surprised at what you find.

5.  While you are in the Person view, click on Ordinances to make sure all of their temple work has been done.

6.  If you have time and feel confident to do more, check out the Memories section.  Here you can add photos, stories, and even audio files.  We will get into this memory section in more detail later but check it out and try it if you like.

7.  Move on to the next ancestor and repeat this process.  Your goal is to make sure all temple work is done for your family and to do your best at making sure their information is correct.

Tuesday, June 2, 2015

Relative Finder

RELATIVE FINDER
by Julie 

Ever wonder if you've got some long-lost cousins out there? Relative Finder allows you to see how you are related to other people’s friends, coworkers, prophets, historical figures, and more! Relative Finder, is a certified program from The Family History Technology Lab which is part of the Computer Science Department at Brigham Young University. It is found at www.relativefinder.org.

In order to use Relative Finder, you must have an account with FamilySearch. Login in to Relative Finder using your FamilySearch account login and password and discover who your are related to.

In the Sandpoint Stake we have a group you can join. Using your mouse, hover over the word "groups" then click Join. In the search field type Sandpoint Idaho Stake   (spaces between words - you may need to use caps but no punctuation). The password is   MyFamily   -  no spaces but use caps on M and F.  In Settings you may also edit your display name. If you are a woman you can include your married name so others in the stake can identify you. FamilySearch lists women by their maiden names yet in Relative Finder you can hyphenate it to also include your married name. (If your birth name is Mary Jones but your married name is Smith you can use your name as Mary Jones-Smith.)  For help, contact your ward consultant or Family History Director. 

Check with your stake to see if you have a group.  If not, maybe you can be the one to start it.  You can make a group for your family, your friends, clubs, etc.  It is a wonderfully fun site so check it out!