Posts

Showing posts from 2017

Moving a Tree from Ancestry to FamilySearch

Image
For those who love using Ancestry for research and find that they have built their trees there but would like to add them to FamilySearch, this post is for you. One way is to go to the Profile Page of an individual. In the upper right hand corner you can find the little FamilySearch Tree. Click on this and you will be able to select a person to match it to in FamilySearch or if no one is in the FamilySearch Tree to match to you can add the individual to FamilySearch. Another way is to Download a GEDCOM of your Ancestry Tree then upload it to FamilySearch. This is also a good way to preserve your data. The GEDCOM stays in your complete control. You may choose to share it with the FamilySearch Tree, compare data with what is already there, or delete it. Living individuals will not be added to the FamilySearch Tree. The trick is finding the tree after you have uploaded it. It is a little hidden. The Steps for this method are outlined in this PowerPoint: FamilySearch Genealogi

NEWSPAPERS and FAMILY HISTORY

Image
I so enjoy finding newspaper articles that include my ancestors! It makes their lives come to life in a way that no other item does. You never know what you might find but it all tells a story. Sometimes they are simply visiting family or attending a party, other times they may be going to prison. Another time it may be an obituary or a death notice that finally connects you to those missing links. You just never know! Newspaper articles always seem miraculous to find and are very exciting to read. . Newspapers and Family History PowerPoint Newspapers and Family History Handout Remember to include the name of the newspaper, date, place, and repository in the title or metadata of the file you have downloaded. If the file is a PDF and doesn't allow metadata information you can change it to an image file for free at smallpdf.com . If the quality of the download is poor but the image on your screen is good then use a clipping tool and save it as an image file. AMAZING: S

FamilySearch Image Only Records

Image
FamilySearch is in the process of digitizing records which means that they are scanning or using a digital camera to capture a digital copy of records which can then be viewed like a picture on a computer screen. Indexing an image means transcribing the information or data from the image of the record into a data base. The database can then be searched by name or any other set of useful parameters depending on the record and what was indexed. FamilySearch quickly realized that the indexing of the records was going to take far longer than the digitizing of the records. They asked the genealogical community if they would like access to the digital records even if they were not indexed. They answer was a resounding YES! FamilySearch thus has given the public access to the digital records that have not been indexed. Finding them may be a little bit tricky however. In my class and the accompanying PowerPoint I show three different ways to access these records. These records can

FamilySearch MEMORIES-With Go-Arounds for the LIVING

Image
The FamilySearch Tree memories features have great tools for storing, organizing, and sharing our precious memories. Those memories added to the tree are stored in the Granite Mountain Records Vault. Much better than your home, which could be subject to all sorts of disaster, as current events attest. LIVING people are unique to your account so other people will not see what you have added to them. This creates unique issues. For this reason, several go-arounds for the LIVING are presented. This is the PowerPoint :   FamilySearch MEMORIES ALL THE STORIES Web App -Pulls all the story memories from your tree into one place for your perusal. ANCESTOR CHALLENGE- The new DISCOVERY experience on FamilySearch drawing from the photos added to your ancestors. LITTLE FAMILY TREE Mobile App -Lots of fun games using your photo memories, Available in your App Store/Play Store. Prepare your images for uploading by adding good titles and metadata. If the photos are hard-copy then digit

FamilySearch Tree APP for Android and iPhone

Image
Your life is about to change! I LOVE THIS APP! It is a game changer! This PowerPoint shows the App features on the iPhone and Android side-by-side. Tap and follow along on whatever device you have. There are three ways for LDS to find Temple names with the App shown in this PDF which includes the new ORDINANCE READY feature. Family Tree App for LDS Family Tree App for Non-LDS At BYU Education Week 2017, Jim Green from FamilySearch spoke about the emphasis FamilySearch has put into this app. He reported that 65% of individuals in Latin America have cell phones with 50% of those being smartphones. People in developing countries have skipped desktop computers and have gone straight to cell phones and tablets. The trend in the US is going there also. With this in mind, I believe FamilySearch has put their brightest minds on App development. The younger generation uses their cell phones for everything including casting to their TVs, interacting with Alexa, and turning on and

Online Detecting 201

Image
While I was attending the  Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy  (SLIG) in January of 2017,  I attended this class that was sponsored by FamilySearch . The class was pretty basic but the in class exercises were a bit challenging. There were two people in the class that could find the records fairly easily but the rest of us had to work at it. They gave us this paper to do at home. It is much harder. It challenged me to really learn how to manipulate the FamilySearch and Ancestry data base searches . I learned both of their advantages and disadvantages. They both have effective search engines, but they are different.  At the bottom of the second page you will see a FamilySearch Copyright . To use the material in ANY WAY you must receive permission in writing . It wasn't easy to do but I was able to accomplish that task and have permission to use it in any of my teaching and to post it on my blog. You would have to do the same to share it in any way. When you attempt

FINDMYPAST for UK, Ireland, and US Research

Image
Here is my PowerPoint for FINDMYPAST: FINDMYPAST PowerPoint PDF It is known one of the premier British research websites and is a wonderful resource for Irish research. It also has US and British colony records. LDS users get a free version of this website that is a mix of its Premier and Starter subscriptions. Unfortunately, the Family History Library Portal has the same version as LDS users. Some records can't be accessed. One of these primary records that can't be accessed is their US newspapers collection. However, you can still see the articles that are available on the person. PERSI is also exclusively available at FINDMYPAST.

FS Family Tree COUNTRIES OF ORIGIN VIEW plus BONUS

Image
This PowerPoint PDF gives you instructions on how to access the FamilySearch Family Tree COUNTRIES OF ORIGIN VIEW. Plus at the end it includes the bonus material I gleaned from FamilySearch at Education Week at Provo. You can use this view to help other members of the LDS church when they are doing Temple and Family History Work. I feel it is such a useful and fun view that everyone should be able to access it! It is one of the first things I show when I work with someone. The first visit I show them this view and then look at any opportunities that may show. Then we can move on to FIND TAKE TEACH from this view and/or explore their family history goals, interests, and desires. FS Family Tree COUNTRIES OF ORIGIN VIEW plus BONUS

Youth Temple and Family History Consultants

Image
I have been looking for training material for Youth Consultants and found these links that might be useful for youth and those working with youth. I think training youth consists of helping them incorporate family history into their youth activities as well as assisting them in acquiring the skills necessary to implement FIND TAKE TEACH 1 and 2. Further training would be based on their ability and desire to learn. They could practice what they learn with their family and youth leaders before helping other youth and ward members. Youth and Family History Temple and Family History ConsultantCalling Information Six Principle for Helping others The "Teach" Part of Find-Take-Teach:Teaching Others Effectively - Kathryn Grant The FamilySearch ConsultantPlanner For: Find, Take, Teach, and Beyond - Kathryn Grant FIND TAKE TEACH 1 FIND TAKE TEACH 2 Youth Activity Ideas: Ancestor Show and Tell - Have youth bring an object that belonged to an ancest

PIXEL TO PORTRAIT- Digitizing and Scanning

Image
PIXEL TO PORTRAIT- Digitizing and Scanning PowerPoint PDF PIXEL TO PORTRAIT-Digitizing and Scanning PowerPoint PDF Black and White Handout version Link to Other Memories PowerPoints I have always loved old photos and studying the field of photo preservation. I was taking classes and studying the field back before we even knew about pixels. In fact, I decided to write a book over twenty years ago because I couldn't find a comprehensive book on the market. As I called around to verify information from photo preservation labs and distributors, I discovered information that dissuaded me from writing the book. I learned that there were a lot of scare tactics that marketers were literally banking on. I realized the information I had was not what people wanted to hear. They had already spent too much money unnecessarily. For example, photos can fade due to time, poor processing of the prints, or due to sun exposure. Some damage to our photos we can control and some we cannot.

GEDCOM FILES Why? Where? and How?

Image
A member of my class asked me for some help with GEDCOMs so I decided to dust off my PowerPoint on the topic and update it a bit. Here is the PowerPoint: GEDCOM FILES Why? Where? and How? The PowerPoint explains what a GEDCOM is and why you need one . If an individual doesn't have a tree anywhere but in FamilySearch, I have included a step-by-step guide to downloading a tree from FamilySearch using Ancestral Quest, Legacy, and RootsMagic . Next, there is a step-by-step guide on how to upload a newly made GEDCOM into Ancestry, Find My Past, and My Heritage. Enjoy lots of new fun in genealogy!

FamilySearch Campaigns and Handy URLs PowerPoint PDF

Image
Finally the PowerPoint is done! Here is the link: FamilySearch Campaigns and Handy URLs PowerPoint PDF The Family Tree interactive campaigns only work with LDS accounts, but anyone can access the materials in the campaigns. Like I do in the PowerPoint when  a campaign didn't apply to me. Have FUN! See other posts: FamilySearch FUN LDS CAMPAIGNS FamilySearch GENERAL CAMPAIGNS Handy FamilySearch URLs

CELL PHONE CALL RECORDING-Apps for Interviewing Relatives Near or Far

Image
Cell phones have great microphones now and can be the perfect medium to encourage relatives to share family stories from the comfort of their own home. You can record in several simple sessions. Family members actually look forward to these phone calls. Later, pictures can be added to the voice to create slideshows or movies. You can choose from a myriad of cell phone call recording apps. Read the reviews for the apps that work with your phone and get a highly rated one. Make sure that the AREA IS QUIET and don't make noises like ruffling papers, tapping a pen, or closing a drawer. Make sure that pets are quiet. Be sure that the person you interview is also in a quiet place. Cell phones are pretty sensitive and will pick up those little noises! There are lots of interview ideas books and lists online. Just google "Family Interview Questions". These can give you ideas of questions to ask family during a conversation/interview. Just make sure the questions suit the

FamilySearch FUN LDS CAMPAIGNS

Image
What is a CAMPAIGN? Remember when FamilySearch sent out an email telling you that you had Pioneers and gave you a link?  Also, Mormon Battalion, Obituaries, etc? Well, I have been collecting those links and they are below. These links interact with your personal LDS account. These campaigns are by no means meant to be comprehensive. They are just FUN. (The Pioneer campaign says I have 18 Pioneers. Among those are only 9 direct-line Pioneers. I happen to have 32 direct-line Pioneers. But that is okay! Most people have no idea how many Pioneers they have. See Pioneer PowerPoint ) FamilySearch Campaigns and Handy URLs PowerPoint PDF Some Campaigns will work for you and some will not. I don't have any Mormon Battalion ancestors and FamilySearch knows it! familysearch.org/joy familysearch.org/pioneer https://familysearch.org/campaign/mypioneers?ancestor https://www.familysearch.org/campaign/battalion#/ familysearch.org/missionary familysearch.org/reliefsoci

FamilySearch GENERAL CAMPAIGNS

Image
These FamilySearch Campaigns do not interact with your Family Tree in the same way as the others. They are more instructive or inspirational. familysearch.org/recipes familysearch.org/campaign/love-stories familysearch.org/iamapioneer https://www.familysearch.org/campaign/pioneers/ https://www.familysearch.org/campaign/pioneerchild https://familysearch.org/discovery/   https://familysearch.org/ask/gettingStarted familysearch.org/campaign/how-to-lp   familysearch.org/campaign/recordhint-lp familysearch.org/campaign/photos-lp familysearch.org/campaign/stories-lp/ https://www.familysearch.org/campaign/mymemories https://www.familysearch.org/campaign/marriage https://www.familysearch.org/campaign/infographic https://www.familysearch.org/campaign/hints https://www.familysearch.org/campaign/calendar https://www.familysearch.org/campaign/wwidraft https://www.familysearch.org/campaign/WWIService https://www.familysearch.org/campaign/wwiiancestor

Handy FamilySearch URLs

Image
These are just some handy links you may or may not know about. rootsmapper.com familysearch.org/tree familysearch.org/tree/lite familysearch.org/blog maps.familysearch.org   familysearch.org/tree/[PID] familysearch.org/photos/gallery familysearch.org/search familysearch.org/wiki familysearch.org/indexing familysearch.org/languageindexing lds.org/about media/familysearch.org/company-facts beta.familysearch.org    (Remember that anything you do here is not saved!) https://www.familysearch.org/research/places/ -What FamilySearch uses for place standardizations Know of any others? Please let us know in the comments!

Why do LDS (Mormons) do TEMPLE WORK?

Image
Just like many other Christ centered religions the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints believes in the bible and Christ's example of Baptism. We believe that baptism on this earth is a necessary ordinance that is required before certain blessings can be received on this earth and after we leave this earth. We believe that death is something we live through and that our bodies and spirits will eventually be reunited in a resurrection like Jesus Christ's.  All of God's children need to perform certain sacred ordinances on this earth to receive the highest blessings when they pass from this earth. The first ordinance is baptism and can be performed when a child reaches the age of accountability-which is designated as age eight. Baptism is performed outside of a temple for someone who is living. Since all of God children need to receive this ordinance we believe in baptism for the dead as mentioned in 1 Corinthians 15:29 "Else what shall they do which are ba

AUDIO MEMORIES and AUDACITY- Editing is FUN and REWARDING!

Image
Audacity HOW TO RECORD AND EDIT PowerPoint PDF There is nothing more heart turning than hearing a loved one's voice, especially when they are no longer with us. I decided to start interviewing my dad via cell phone call recording app and it was a wonderful experience. As I started working with his audio I regretted that I didn't have any audio of my mother who had passed away fourteen years prior. Suddenly, I recalled that she had started making a cassette recording of her life two weeks before to her death. She died too young. It was a year before I could emotionally handle listening to that recording to transcribe it. Later, that transcription was added to FamilySearch and I dismissed it from my mind. I was so excited to remember that cassette, that I ran to find it. Unfortunately, the recording was less than ideal. The shhhh of background cassette noise and my mother's constant starting and stopping of the cassette player creating many... many annoying clicks, m

GLORIOUS U.S. LAND RECORDS!

Image
I love land records! They can give you a part of your ancestor's history that is tangible. You can see and touch the land they lived on, even if it is a Walmart or an airport! But then again their house might still be there. With a PLACE identified you can search local repositories to flesh out more information about your ancestors. Museums, libraries, courthouses, genealogical societies, etc. Link to Peggy's US Land Records PowerPoint Link to Peggy's US Land Records PowerPoint BW Handout Link to Excellent James Tanner Webinar on Land Records Link to Excellent John Hendrix Webinar on US Land Records A link to a little known story of the POWER of a Surveyor: Lilburn W. Boggs and Solving the Puzzle of Mormon Land Right in Missouri

The Consultant Planner

Image
The features of the Consultant Planner are so fun that I highly recommend that everyone accesses for themselves then they can use it to help others. To find it go to the drop down arrow on the upper right of your Family Tree page where it says "Get Help" . Select "Consultant Planner". The Web link is below (you will be required to sign in): Consultant Planner  This is what you will see: You will want to Invite yourself first by clicking on the blue "Invite Person" button and following the steps. (You can now use your stake directory to complete the steps.) You will have to accept the invite by going to your email. If it doesn't show up look in your junk/spam folder. Now enjoy the wonderful features it provides for your tree. This is mine: My Favorite Features: 1. The ability to evaluate someone's tree before you meet with them. 2. That the living people have been kept private so the Consultant can't see them. 3. Being able

LDS FIND TAKE TEACH 2-Finding New Families

Image
Here are links to my Find Take Teach 2-Finding New Families PowerPoint PDF and Handout: FIND TAKE TEACH 2-Finding New Families-PowerPoint  (Download to use) FIND TAKE TEACH 2-Finding New Families-PowerPoint PDF FIND TAKE TEACH 2-Finding New Families HANDOUT Eternal Reminder In 2015 our stake accepted an area challenge for every ward member to find a name to take to the temple. The catch was that we had only 6 weeks to complete the challenge, which naturally was during the busy months of November and December. I had 16 new Family History Specialists to train in one Sunday so they could help with the challenge. I developed Find Take Teach 1 in two days with a lot of divine inspiration. We were greatly blessed and we met the challenge with wonderful success with a 42% submission rate. Find Take Teach 1 has essentially stayed the same. On the other hand, Find Take Teach 2-Finding New Families took a year to develop. I kept trying to do it the FamilySearch way but it was just

LDS FIND TAKE TEACH 1-Finding Temple Names

Image
Here are links to my PowerPoint on a streamlined method I call "Find Take Teach 1-Finding Temple Names" and it's handout: FIND TAKE TEACH 1 PowerPoint FIND TAKE TEACH 1 PDF FIND TAKE TEACH 1 HANDOUT FIND TAKE TEACH 1 FamilySearch Tree App PDF Eternal Reminder HASTENING OF THE WORK PowerPoint HASTENING THE WORK PDF I recommend using FIND TAKE TEACH 1 for those who are beginners in Family History or beginners in using Family Tree. It is effective at introducing people to family history and Family Tree in a successful and motivating way. They are able to find names to take to the temple in an simple, organized and repeatable way. If their trees have been gleaned of green temple already don't despair, move on to Find Take Teach 2. I have added instruction about using the FamilySearch App. It is fun, easy and fast! Try it! You will love! WHY IT WORKS! 1. There simply so many possibilities with a full or partial Tree. 2. The 110 Year Rul

Discovering the Story of Your UTAH PIONEERS

Image
Here is the PowerPoint from my Pioneer Class. I couldn't cover all of the wonderful things that are available so I will refer you to the links listed in below. Discovering Your Utah Pioneers PowerPoint PDF What is a Utah Pioneer? Awesome Utah Pioneer Internet Links Summary of the 10 Handcart Companies Temple Ordinance Chronology Charts Bringing Your Utah Pioneer Legacy to Life The Sons of the Utah Pioneers has a beautiful and amazing magazine the I highly recommend everyone subscribe to receive. The SUP link will take you there. You will not be sorry. If you are interested in learning more about Daughters of Utah Pioneers (DUP), you can explore the DUP Website  or see where there are "Camps" in your area here . If you are in the Mesa, AZ area you can contact me at peggyashaz@hotmail.com about joining camps in this area. I have served on Company Boards and Local Camps as the historian for most of the 19 years I have been a member. After viewing the

Bringing Your Utah Pioneer Legacy to Life

Image
Bringing Your Pioneer Legacy to Life by Peggy Ash (From DUP Jubilee April 2005)             I was asked to share some ideas on “Bringing Our Legacy to Life”. The last couple of years I have been focusing on sharing our family’s legacy with my children.  It’s not always easy.  I have two teenagers and an eleven year old which can be a tough crowd to please.  I want them to enjoy family history, not roll their eyes when they see it coming.  From General Conference yesterday I liked Elder Ballard’s story about his friend who was trying to teach a colt to follow a lead rope.  The more he tugged on the rope the more the colt dug in his heels until finally it fell over.  After repeatedly trying the same thing with the same results he concluded that he had done a good job of training the colt to fall over.  His wife suggested that he loop the lead rope around the colt and let go, then walk beside the colt.  It worked beautifully.  It is human nature to resist or resent something