Genealogy Update

As you all know, I am really into working in genealogy/family history. I've been a FH consultant on ward or stake level almost for 15 straight years--despite having moved all over the country.

Many times a person will say they want to participate in this great work, but just don't know what they could do with a houseful of young children.

The answer is here. The Church has a new FamilySearch Indexing Program going on. All those millions of records on the microfilms and microfiche stored in the granite vaults are in process of being digitalized. Volunteers are doing the indexing. You can choose the project you prefer, as many are ongoing. All it takes is access to a computer. You can go to LDS.org to volunteer, or go through your own stake. You do a short tutorial and that's it...you can do as much or as little as you desire. My personal goal is to do one batch per day. It takes approxamately 1/2 hour! Now, I know that in the height of our pageant season I will not be able to keep up. That's OK. When I'm gone to Lura's, I can work from her computer, or just not do it while I'm gone. I don't even have to do the whole batch at one sitting. For example, I was working on a batch tonight and it was time for 24, so downstairs to watch TV I went. I continued later, came upon a Lura, and had to call my Lura to tell her! [We don't run accross her name every day--I can list each time on one hand!] Then I started on blogs, and will finish that batch in the morning [Well, it was my second today!]

Eventually, all the stuff that we normally order from Salt Lake will be available FREE online. What an amazing project to be part of! I urge everyone who can, to volunteer. You download a batch: usually 50 names at a time. You have 7 days to complete the batch. If you can't get it all done, at the 7 day point you can submit what you have been able to do, and the batch will then be given to another person to complete. This is as low pressure volunteering as it gets. Please help in this historic work of eternal consequence :) Did I mention that one need not be LDS to participate? I know, for example, that one of the projects currently in progress is the Ohio tax records from the beginning--and the volunteers are coming from the Ohio Historical Society.

Check it out!