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Showing posts from July, 2017

GEDCOM FILES Why? Where? and How?

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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?

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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!

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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!

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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