November is a time when we gather together as family and friends and recall the blessings in our lives.  Oftentimes, we reminisce about those who have gone before and even the more recent past.

This is a perfect time to capture some of those stories from our loved ones.  It doesn’t have to be overwhelming.  It isn’t necessary to record complete histories.  It can be as simple as asking a question:

“What do you remember about your first Thanksgiving?”

“What was the first thing you remember being grateful for as a child?”

“Who were some of the people you gathered with as a child?”

“What is a favorite Thanksgiving tradition?”

Add the FamiySearch “Memories” app to your phone.  When you are ready to capture a story, get out your phone, open the app, push the + button on bottom right-hand corner of your screen.  Select “add audio,” ask your question or one of the prompt question topics, and push “begin recording.”  Upload it to the individual’s page.  You could also transcribe the story and add it to a person’s page as a typed story.  If the individual has a picture about the topic, take the picture with your phone using the Memories app and add the picture to the recording or story either on your phone or on your account with familysearch.org.

The holidays are times to remember precious memories.  It is time when we are gathered and can easily take a few minutes to “Tell a Story” and add it to FamilySearch Memories! 

-Janet Helland, Asst. Director of Patron Services