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Thursday, September 24, 2015

FH Blog - Boot Camp

I write a newsletter for my church concerning Family History.  I also have a blog that I refer members to but it is actually open to the public.  In my newsletters, I have a section I call Boot Camp. I try to help people with their family history.  So many would like to do family history but have no idea where to begin so these are some very basic lesson and ideas to help everyone with their family history. Remembering that we are actually living our family history now, there are some ideas on what to do now for future generations also.  Even though this blog is directed towards the people in my church and my city, it often will have some interesting information for everyone anywhere.  So HERE is the blog.

Most of my Boot Camp lessons will be referring to Family Search.  It is a wonderful FREE program with  World Wide Family Tree.  The Family Tree is Live - meaning if you add something to it, your relatives all over the world will be able to see it and use it right then.  I know most of us use a variety of Family Trees online but this one is FREE and Live which most are not.  One word of note is that it is mostly for the deceased.  Any living people information will not be viewable to others.  You can put living people into your tree but that will be the only thing others will not be able to see until those living in your tree are deceased. You can add photos, stories, videos, etc. that others will be able to see (for deceased people).  There is an awesome FREE search area and lots of FREE help.  Check out the blog for other information about Family Search.

Friday, May 1, 2015

BOOT CAMP - Lesson 1 - Getting started on Family Tree

I have started a Family History Newsletter for our church (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints) in my hometown.  In it I have started having some lessons using the Family Search website and Family Tree (a personal tree just for you and your ancestors and relatives).  This tree is available FREE on www.familysearch.org.  This tree is also in real time so when you add something to your tree, other family members will be able to see it right then.  They can also add to the tree making it so everyone in your family can work together.  Of course, as you add lines to your tree, others will connect to those lines making your family GROW!!!  As I said, this is a completely FREE website - no strings attached.

The newsletter is for people in our ward working in Family History but I thought I would share these lessons with everyone. Family Search also has lessons but this is just another way of looking at things.  I am trying to make the steps very easy and will direct my assignments to very basic steps so as not to make Family History feel so overwhelming.  Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions. I may not have the answer but I will certainly try to help you or direct you to where you might find help.  I am also posting this on my Family History website www.FHCsandpoint.blogspot.com.  Please feel free to go and check out some of my other information.

BOOT CAMP - LESSON 1 - Getting started on Family Tree

Use these training ideas to help you learn the ins and outs of Family History. 

For additional help, email us at
SandpointStakeFamilyHistory@gmail.com
It helps to have an interest in your family to go from the - Yeah, I love my family - to - I love my family enough to help us be united for eternity.  Help your love for your family grow by getting involved in your family history.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints has taken the work out of Family History. Find our family and their information has become so much easier. Today we are going to take the very first step to learning how to do Family History. Some of you may be long past this stage and for you, I encourage you to keep going.  For those of you who have not started doing any kind of research, let's start at the beginning.  This information will also be very helpful for those you are teaching.

START AT THE BEGINNING
We will be working with Family Search and a few sites that will not only be interesting and informative, but also fun. Just click on the highlighted words to get more information as you go along.

This month we will be getting the "feel" for Family Search.  You will get logged on and do some simple exploring before we actually get started on researching. Take some time to look at your family tree and follow through on some of the lessons available.

ASSIGNMENT:  

1. Log onto or sign up for an account.  

To Log on - Go to Family Search home page and in the upper right hand corner (using your LDS account or your Family Search user name and password) click on Sign-In.

To open a new account - Go to the  home page of Family Search in the upper right hand corner and click on Free Account 
or click HERE (watch video) to learn how to sign up.  You do not have to be a member of the church to sign up for an account.  Note:  You will get a message in your email that you will need to confirm to finish the account sign up.  

2.  Now let's learn a bit about using the Family Tree - click HERE for basic instruction on how to use Family Tree.   Practice some of the things taught and be sure to "connect" YOU with your ancestral lines if that has not been done.  If you still do not understand this step, please ask your ward/branch consultant for help, visit your Family History Center, or email me at SandpointStakeFamilyHistory@gmail.com.

NOTE: Family Tree mostly works with deceased people.  If your parents are still living, you will need to manually add them - refer to the instructions given in step #2.

This course will help you get a good start on understanding Family Tree.  We will discuss many of these topics covered in more detail in future newsletters.  HERE is another place to go if you have questions.

by Diane (Sandpoint Stake Family History Consultant)