As we have reopened the Granite Family History Center, it has been a blessing to meet with many of the consultants who serve shifts there. As you can imagine, consultants come with all varying degrees of interests and abilities to do the work of Family History. Yet some have expressed the concern that they feel like they do not have the ability to learn as they once did and wondered how they can still contribute to the work.
One afternoon, I had such a conversation with a faithful consultant whose desire is to serve. As we talked, she didn’t feel comfortable keeping up with the ongoing changes of FamilySearch but the more we chatted she began relating to me stories of her family. She remembered stories from two or three generations back and forward to her children and grandchildren. It occurred to me that she had much to contribute! We opened her FamilySearch Family Tree fan chart and looked at the “story” view. It appeared that many of the people who were dear to her did not have any stories recorded in their “Memories” section. We determined that she definitely had work to do for her family and something she could teach others to do who come to the Family History Center.
If you are in the same position in your family history journey, consider all the history that will be lost if it is not recorded. Where and how should these priceless memories be recorded?
Sign in to your FamilySearch account. Under the Family Tree drop down, click on “tree.” To view your pedigree chart, the menu will give you several options including: landscape, portrait, fan chart and descendancy. Tap on the “fan chart” option then tap on “stories.” The legend on this chart provides you with the information of how many stories an ancestor has on their person page. You will quickly see the opportunities that are waiting for you.
Next tap on an individual in your fan chart. It will bring up a summary card. You can go directly to “Memories” from the summary card. Scroll down on the “Memories” page until you see the “Stories” option.
Next tap on “Create Story.” You can even add a photo or document to make the memory even more meaningful. To learn more about adding memories, see https://www.thefhguide.com/project-2-memories08.html
Elder Dennis B. Neuenschwander said in 1999, “If I want my children and grandchildren to know those who still live in my memory, then I must build the bridge between them. I alone am the link to the generations that stand on either side of me… That which I do not in some way record will be lost at my death, and that which I do not pass on to my posterity, they will never have.”
The incredible blessing of Family History Work is that there is something all of us can do. The stories we tell of those who have gone before will continue to turn our hearts to our ancestors. Any contribution we make is an important one in the work of family history.
Janet Helland
Asst Director Patron Services, Granite Family History Center