Sharing Your Family Stories

One of the classes we teach at the Family History Library is called Adding Memories. It is one of the most popular with missionaries as well as with the trainers. The ability to add photos, documents, and stories came to Family Tree on FamilySearch in 2013. It was presented at Rootstech 2013 by Dennis Brimhall, then the CEO of FamilySearch. He gave us a hint of the impact stories can have on families.

"Stories have a unique ability to draw us closer to our ancestors and help us understand more about who we are. This became even clearer to me recently when I sent a photo of my grandfather to my grandchildren. The best part: he was a cowboy. They loved it—their 2nd great-grandfather was a real rootin’-tootin’ Wild West buckaroo! My grandchildren were instantly interested in his life—someone they’ve never met but that they are starting to get to know. They now have a connection to the past and a better perspective of their own family story. That is the magic of family history—bridging generations by getting to know those who came before us."

Around the same time, an article appeared in the New York Times that reiterates Brother Brimhall's statement.

The Stories That Bind Us 

Collecting and sharing family stories can change genealogy into Family History, not just because it preserves our connections to those who have gone before, but we can gain strength and spiritual power from relating those stories to ourselves.

You can add photos, documents, stories, and audio files to Family Tree on FamilySearch after logging on to familysearch.org and click on the Memories tab on a person's tab. The added bonus is that you will be able to see memories that have been attached by others as well. TIP: A story can be added directly to FamilySearch or it can be written in a word processing program, then copied and pasted into Stories.

Next to the stories section, click Add, then click:

With the ability add a photo, suddenly our ancestors come to life and our memories can be passed on to many generations.

Helaman recognized the power of sharing our stories to our children when he told his sons: 

“Behold, I have given unto you the names of our first parents who came out of the land of Jerusalem; and this I have done that when you remember your names ye may remember them; and when ye remember them ye may remember their works; and when ye remember their works ye may know how that it is said, and also written, that they were good.

Therefore, my sons, I would that ye should do that which is good, that it may be said of you, and also written, even as it has been said and written of them” (Helaman 5:6­–7).

I am so grateful to be on the earth at this exciting time in family history. The Lord has blessed us with mighty tools that will bless and strengthen our families if we take the opportunities to use them. I am going to end my blog today with photos that I plan on writing stories to attach in FamilySearch and hope that you will be inspired to start writing your story.

Happiest Place On Earth

We just returned from Disneyland with some of our children and grandchildren. I have heard some people laugh that we will need a vacation from our vacation with family. I must admit that Lynn and I did completely wear ourselves out, but we couldn't have had a better time and would do it again in a heartbeat.

Maybe it is because people let their inner child show there, or maybe because it is a safe place to let your imagination go wild, but I have many wonderful memories at Disneyland and Disney World. My parents took our family multiple times while we were growing up and combining that experience with many other trips we took are part of the reason we are a close-knit group. Lynn also cherishes the memories he has of family trips, including the time his family arrived at Disneyland August 6, 1970, the day there was a Hippy Sit In, so the park had to close. Disappointment didn't stop their bonding and sharing an important memory.

In a talk given in October 2014 by Elder L Tom Perry, he quoted President Gordon B Hinckley to give us instruction on Finding Lasting Peace and Building Eternal Families.“Women who make a house a home make a far greater contribution to society than those who command large armies or stand at the head of impressive corporations. Who can put a price tag on the influence a mother has on her children, a grandmother on her posterity, or aunts and sisters on their extended family?" Later on Elder Perry states, "Fathers build family traditions by being involved in helping plan vacation trips and outings that will involve all of the family members. Memories of these special times together will never be forgotten by their children." We are so grateful for the advice and instruction given to us by Elder Perry.

I am grateful for a sweet husband who enjoys planning for vacations with our family as much as I do. His excitement and joy in visiting the Magic Kingdom hasn't changed in our 32 years together, 4 children, and 11 grandchildren. Walt Disney's vision for a magical place where children and parents can have fun and make memories together is still a reality, and we hope in this 60th anniversary year that it will go on for another 60 years and continue to be a joyous place for our family to bond together. 

Passing On the Love of Genealogy

This photo comes from the LDS Church News in 1980. In the picture you see my sister's; Maria and Laurel, and my amazing grandmother, Mattie. It is a view that doesn't seemed staged to me because I saw my grandmother showing her book of remembrance to many people, especially her family.

My grandmother had tight, perfect, penmanship that fills the pages of her book (she was a first grade teacher.) I watched her spend long hours preparing and publishing countless documents, cutting and pasting hundreds of obituaries, and writing the stories of her loved ones with meticulous care.

The record of her love for genealogy has been left to her family in the form of her book of remembrance and many of us have our own copy so we can reread her labor often. Family History has moved ahead these days and is no longer handwritten, but the work she did then still lives on as I pass her stories along on FamilySearch.org, or send photos to my children, or reminisce in my blog.

I am so grateful for the time I had to spend with my grandma, for her love and devotion to family, and  for the things she felt were important. Whenever I miss her most, I just take out her life's work, look at the photos, and I feel her with me. May I be able to share my love of genealogy with my children and grandchildren as she did.

Football Fan-attic!

It's that time of year! My favorite season, my favorite sport, I'm in heaven. 

I gained my love from my father, who has 5 girls and 1 boy but I think he always hoped for 5 boys and 1 girl. He always showed such great joy watching football on our little black and white television and it was a time to get close to him because he worked multiple jobs and was very busy with church callings. My sister, brother, and I collected football cards and played with them on the floor while my dad watched the tiny screen. 

My favorite football card looked like this;

I always pretended to be Bart Starr when we played games or dress up. I intended to name a child Bart. I loved watching him play with his always perfect light hair and it seemed he could throw the ball further than anyone I knew. (My favorite color is green, I wonder if this card had anything to do with that.)

My dad liked the Green Bay Packers because he said they were led by the greatest coach ever, Vince Lombardi, and he often quoted him. Here are a couple that have stayed with me.

"The greatest accomplishment is not in never falling, but in rising again after you fall."

"Leaders aren't born they are made. And they are made just like anything else, through hard work. And that's the price we'll have to pay to achieve that goal, or any goal." 

Now 50 years later, I get to watch my grandsons play, my beloved Utah Utes, and I still consider myself a cheese head who watches all Packers games in my green jersey. They all bring me joyful memories of experiences I've had and lessons I've learned, just because of my love for football.