Family History Tactics


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When doing family history, what tactics do you use to find names for the temple? It can be very daunting and there are far better ways of finding lost ancestors than just aimlessly wandering through your family tree.

What I tend to do is go back as far as I can and view an ancestors tree, switch to descendants mode and then go through all their descendants (which is far more than what is shown on my tree). Last time I went through it for about an hour and found 45 names needing ordinances done, many of them needed all of them done. I would recommend doing that.

what tactics do you use? Is hope chest any good??

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I have a big family - clannish.  So, I know I'm a descendant of some guy in the tribe of Lapulapu who killed Magellan.  Unfortunately, there are no last names, there are no birthdates, etc. etc. as we were not descended from western people who kept useful records and tribal legacies are not normally passed from father to child but more like the tribe is the family, the stongest guy is the father, the next strongest guy becomes the next father, etc.  There are only my great-great-great-great grandfather's stories that are handed down from generation to generation to generation.

What I really need to do is to start recording these stories on digital media to hopefully preserve them and then try to figure out how to find enough information on these people to figure out who is blood-related to who and have the basic data to enter them into the temple records.

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** Warning: soapbox incoming **

You are NOT taking a "name" to the temple.  You are taking a PERSON.  A person is not just some name and date- they are a PERSON, who lived, loved, worked, and struggled, just as you and I.  You will be escorting them through the temple, serving a critical role to their salvation process, a servant of Christ.  Please don't treat people like they are some conveyer belt check list, but treat them as a person- cause that's what they are.  Before you take a PERSON to the temple, get to know them: read about their life- did they have a mom and dad both in home?  What about siblings?  Did they loose a brother to disease?  His lovely bride- how long did they know each other?  Did they forge a new home together, or carry on the current family one?  If you can't find out specifics about that individual, read the general about the place/time, so you can better picture them and their surroundings.  Get to know the PERSON you will be escorting through the temple.

*** Ok, end of soapbox ***

 

How to better find people---  Find a part of your family tree to work on, and stay a while.   Get to know the your family here.  Learn about them, and discovering more of them and more stories will come.   Ancestors are preferable than descendants.  If you're must do descendants, I recommend focusing your efforts on people born pre-1800, simply to let their grandchildren in the 21st century to have the privilege of doing their work.  When you find a person who needs escorted through the temple, take them their yourself.  Personally walk your family member through the ordinances step by step, thinking of them and praying for them.  This is a critical moment for your family member: pray and savor the moment.  Love your family.  

(This of course is all from the wisdom/soapbox of Jane).

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2 hours ago, Jane_Doe said:

** Warning: soapbox incoming **

You are NOT taking a "name" to the temple.  You are taking a PERSON.  A person is not just some name and date- they are a PERSON, who lived, loved, worked, and struggled, just as you and I.  You will be escorting them through the temple, serving a critical role to their salvation process, a servant of Christ.  Please don't treat people like they are some conveyer belt check list, but treat them as a person- cause that's what they are.  Before you take a PERSON to the temple, get to know them: read about their life- did they have a mom and dad both in home?  What about siblings?  Did they loose a brother to disease?  His lovely bride- how long did they know each other?  Did they forge a new home together, or carry on the current family one?  If you can't find out specifics about that individual, read the general about the place/time, so you can better picture them and their surroundings.  Get to know the PERSON you will be escorting through the temple.

*** Ok, end of soapbox ***

 

How to better find people---  Find a part of your family tree to work on, and stay a while.   Get to know the your family here.  Learn about them, and discovering more of them and more stories will come.   Ancestors are preferable than descendants.  If you're must do descendants, I recommend focusing your efforts on people born pre-1800, simply to let their grandchildren in the 21st century to have the privilege of doing their work.  When you find a person who needs escorted through the temple, take them their yourself.  Personally walk your family member through the ordinances step by step, thinking of them and praying for them.  This is a critical moment for your family member: pray and savor the moment.  Love your family.  

(This of course is all from the wisdom/soapbox of Jane).

Thanks for the insight! But to be fair, I don't think anyone actually just thinks big them as just names.

but I do understand, if we pay attention to correct terminology it will help our worship.

we should consider why we do the work. Is it so we can have a spiritual experience and grow closer to our ancestors? Or to get the work done. I gave the 45 names to my ward on a temple trip cause I had work that night. I feel like those 45 people are happy I didn't wait to do them myself. I'm also grateful that someone else did the work of my ancestors before I did, ortherwise they would still be waiting for those blessings. I wouldn't ever put a barrier on who you should or shouldn't do work for unless specified by the brethren.

those are my views :) but the points you make about getting to know the ancestors are very very valid! I have felt the spirit of Elijah more in learning about my ancestors than just in doing their work. 

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3 hours ago, Jane_Doe said:

** Warning: soapbox incoming **

You are NOT taking a "name" to the temple.  You are taking a PERSON.  A person is not just some name and date- they are a PERSON, who lived, loved, worked, and struggled, just as you and I.  You will be escorting them through the temple, serving a critical role to their salvation process, a servant of Christ.  Please don't treat people like they are some conveyer belt check list, but treat them as a person- cause that's what they are.  Before you take a PERSON to the temple, get to know them: read about their life- did they have a mom and dad both in home?  What about siblings?  Did they loose a brother to disease?  His lovely bride- how long did they know each other?  Did they forge a new home together, or carry on the current family one?  If you can't find out specifics about that individual, read the general about the place/time, so you can better picture them and their surroundings.  Get to know the PERSON you will be escorting through the temple.

*** Ok, end of soapbox ***

.

Sister Doe... you can take the soapbox anyday.  I think we should just start calling it Janebox.  You're brilliant.

Edited by anatess2
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