Family Home Evening

This last week for Family Home Evening, our son and his family came for dinner and a lesson.  Our lesson was on Family History.  We started by watching a cute little video to help start everyone off with an interest in doing family history.  After the video, we divided into groups.  I had 4 computers and assigned 2 or more to each computer.  My mother lives with us so my son was assigned to her. The oldest child was assigned to my husband, the next child to me, and their mom took the two little ones to help with her assignment.

Each child (counting my son - the dad of these kids - as a child) was to interview their person about a parent or a grandparent.  As the interview went along, the child typed what was being said in a word program.  When all was finished, each group then made sure the writing was corrected then published it on our Family Tree in FamilySearch.  It was more of a training assignment to teach how easy it is to add information to your ancestral lines.  Everyone was excited to actually accomplish this goal.

My daughter-in-law also ended up contacting FamilySearch by live chat to help her resolve a problem in her family tree.  She had her son (who is living) in there twice.  With the help of the "live chat" person (you can find this in the upper right hand corner of the FamilySearch screen under Help), she was able to delete one of the accounts so she now only has one child by that name.,

This was a fun and very successful family home evening and a great way to help others learn how simple it is to add information to their Family Tree.

For more information on how you can add stories to your family tree, go to FamilySearch.org and sign in (you will need to open an account to get to your own family tree - if you are a member of the LDS Church, use your record number.  This is a FREE program for everyone - not only members of the church).  Once you have signed in, you will see YOU as the first person.  You will then need to link your family members to you.  This program mostly works with deceased people.  You will need to manually add the living relatives to your tree.  When you get to a deceased person, try doing a search to see if they are already in the system somewhere.  When you find the right person, click to add them to your tree line.  If they were not in the system, you will need to also manually add them.

Once a person is added to your line, you can add photos, stories, and much more.  Go to FamilySearch and click on the Learning Center (click on Help in the upper right hand corner and then click on the learning center) or click HERE.

For more information and/or help, go to your local Family History Center for some one-on-one assistance.

Ancestry.com NOW at Family History Centers

We now have FREE Ancestry.com on the computers at the Family History Centers.  This is very exciting because now you can look up your family names FREE.  It is United States only but it will get you started with your US families.

Family Search is changing many things - starting with so many ways to help everyone find their family in the easiest ways possible.  Their Family History Center site includes Genealogical Resources, Classes and Workshops, and One-on-One Assistance. 

Genealogical Resources
     - Premium Subscriptions - When using the computers at the Family History Center, you will be able to access programs such as Ancestry.com, World Vital Records, Footnote, Genline Family Finder, Godfrey Memorial Library, and more.  All of these are subscription programs but you can use the free when accessing them through the FHC computers.
     -  Family Search - Access the FamilySearch site where you can do research and so much more.  There are millions of names that have become available to research through the Indexing program and are being updated often.
     - Family Search Indexing - Learn how to participate in the World's Greatest Service Project by helping index the millions of records available now on microfilm and microfiche.  When indexed, they will be available to all us us FREE of charge to find on the Internet (at FamilySearch.org) in the convenience of our own homes.  Anyone can do it - it's easy - it's fun - it's a way to serve yourself and others.
     - Family Search Microfilm Ordering - Very shortly we will be able to order microfilm and microfiche right from our home.  The film/fiche will still go to the Family History Center to be viewed but you don't have to make a special trip just to order.

Classes and Workshops
     - Online Research Courses - This is fantastic!  Free classes by those who really know.  They will teach you whatever you need to learn to search for your family.  Learn the very basics of how to do genealogy to learning how to research in Italy, Germany, Poland, France, and more.  You can even learn what you need to do to become a professional genealogist - take the classes!
     - Family Tech - Technology tips for genealogists and family historians.  Find help in computing, software, devises, Internet, how to's, and contribute.  They help with twitter, cameras, printing your genealogy, and so much more.

One on One Assistance
     - Family Search Research Wiki - Free family history research advice for the community, by the community.
     -  Family Search Forums - Helpful family history research and FamilySearch product information provided by experienced FamilySearch patrons.  You can search previously asked questions or ask them yourself - get answers from others that know.
     -  Family Search Help Center -  Ask a question and get help from the Knowledge Base, get local assistance, community assistance, or Family Search assistance. 

Also check out the new look to FamilySearch.org!  Have fun researching!