FamilySearch Internet Indexing:

Excerpts from past newsletters:

From the January 1, 2008 Newsletter:

FamilySearch Labs has just released their updated Records Search website. There are more records available for searching.  Check it out at:  
http://labs.familysearch.org/ 
To help add records to this search engine, you can volunteer at www.FamilySearchIndexing.org


From the December 1, 2007 Newsletter
Sister McKay, a Stake Indexing Director, gave us permission to share her talk given in stake conference last month.  She said the number of indexers in her stake doubled after members heard the inspiring experiences of other indexers in her stake.

 In many stakes, stake priesthood leaders have asked someone to speak in Sacrament meeting in each of their wards to tell about indexing.

In the Utah Salt Lake City Area, January through November, 2007:  5,601 individuals (in 182 participating stakes) have indexed 16,388,986 names and arbitrated 10,231,519 names. Good job!

September/October 2007 Memorandum:

From the November 2, 2007 Newsletter:
News Release:    10,000 Volunteers Sought to Put Mexican and other Latin American Records on Web
also located on familysearch.org
News release in Spanish:    Se buscan 10.000 voluntarios para poner en línea fuentes de recursos de Historia Familiar de México y de otros países de América Latina.
Did you know........Some of the records that you have been indexing can be accessed now at:  FamilySearch Labs   click on "Record Search"


From the October 1, 2007 Newsletter:
Deseret News article (link): 

South Jordan River Stake report..........clever invitation idea..........read more. . . .


From the September 1, 2007 Newsletter:

Of the 185 stakes in our Utah Salt Lake City Area, all but 3 stakes are now doing indexing.  If you want to receive a report on your stake, write or call us.

Good missionary tool:  Brother and Sister Blakely of the Tooele North Stake wrote us about a sweet non-member lady who comes regularly to their family history center to do indexing.  She enjoys indexing and the friendships she's made there.


From the August 2, 2007 Newsletter
New online FamilySearch Indexing Handbook (link to pdf copy):  "This handbook is for the use of area family history advisers; stake priesthood leadership, including the stake presidency and the high council adviser for temple and family history work; and stake extraction directors and assistants."

Link to Memorandums and other information for extraction directors and priesthood leaders:   This page is located at the FamilySearch Indexing website--click on "help" tab--click on "publications."

Of the 185 stakes in our Utah Salt Lake City Area, all but 7 stakes have some of their members doing indexing.

There is an excellent article on FamilySearch Indexing in the August 2007 Ensign, p. 34 (link):

Family History Consultant Robert Raymond gave us permission to share his family's experience with Indexing:  "For FHE recently, we had my wife and kids sign up to index and I suggested that indexing is a great Sabbath activity.  My 13 year-old daughter finished a batch last Sunday and really enjoyed it.  When she started, she had a hard time reading the names.  We prayed together and I advised her to always pray before she started (which she has).  Almost immediately she was reading the names that even I had a hard time reading!  I've already had the opportunity to replace 'no, you can't watch television on Sunday' with, 'wouldn't indexing be a better Sabbath activity?'"


From July 1, 2007 Newsletter:

FamilySearch Indexing (link to website, registration, and training lessons):  

We asked Sister Nancy Henderson, Extraction Director of the Riverton Utah Summerhill Stake (another top-indexing stake) to tell of her experience with indexing and the secrets of their success............click here to read about the "Beat the Bishop" challenge and more good ideas (link):  
Of the 184 stakes in our Utah Salt Lake City Area, 174 stakes now have at least 1 person doing indexing (2 new stakes were added to the indexing report since our last newsletter).  We have 10 more stakes that we would like to add to that list.  If you want an Indexing Report for your stake, write or call us any time, and we'll be happy to e-mail you an up-to-the-minute copy of the report. 


From June 4, 2007 Newsletter:

Since the South Jordan River Stake has such a successful indexing program, we called Sister Margaret Dammaschke, their Stake Extraction Director, to find out the secret of their success:  She told us that she has an Assistant Extraction Director in each ward to supervise and help the workers.  Their stake presidency has chosen to officially call and set apart each extraction worker (173 people).  She and her assistants teach an indexing class each Tues. night.

She said, "One of the things that helps our Stake be successful is enthusiastic ward leaders and what I call 'accessibility.'  I will take phone calls from 7:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. every day of the week.  If I'm not home, I return calls as quickly as possible.  And I do make 'house calls.'  We have a few elderly people indexing for us, and some of them are homebound.  Between the ward directors and me, we visit them in their homes and show them how to do things on their computer.  Also, if a person wants me to look at the same image they are looking at, I will go in on my home computer and use their  user name and password, and thus I will see exactly what they are questioning.  Then I can walk them through what they need to do.  That has eliminated some of the home visits."

Too Old?        They have a 95-year-old man doing a lot of indexing! 
Too Young?   A seminary teacher challenged his students to do some indexing and students in her stake did 25,000 names in one month! 
Too Busy?     Their Stake Young Women's President (who works and also has children at home) does 5,000 names a month.  This YW President also arranged a FHE for her extended family to learn indexing.  They met at the Church, where they have a room with 8 computers (where the Tues. class is taught each week).  Some brought their laptops.  They had 30 family members in attendance.
~~~~~~~
Of the 184 stakes in our Utah Salt Lake City Area, 172 stakes have had at least 1 person index a batch (10 new stakes were added to the indexing report since our last newsletter).  We have 12 more stakes that we would like to add to that list. 


From May 5, 2007 Newsletter
Sunday evening, April 29, we were invited to join with the Salt Lake Grant Stake for an Indexing Fireside. 
This was a excellent idea because.................(read more)

So far in 2007, our Utah Salt Lake City Area Stakes have Indexed  4,168,591  names and Arbitrated  2,718,570.  Good Work!

Of the 184 stakes in our Area, 162 stakes have had at least 1 person index a batch.  We have 22 stakes that we would like to add to that list. 

One of our stakes has had  105  different people complete batches---Do you know who you are??????????

From April 13, 2007 Newsletter:

Report on Indexing in the Utah Salt Lake City Area:

Total Stakes:  184

Group 1 - Stakes that have an Extraction Director set up with Administration rights on the Indexing website:  149 Stakes

Group 2 - Stakes that just need to call a Stake Extraction Director, give the name to the Indexing Department, and then are "good to go" to start Indexing:  27 Stakes

Group 3 - Stakes that are newly-formed or have never had an Extraction Program.  If these stake presidencies would like to participate in Indexing, they would need to send a written request to Elder Merrill Bateman's office (as instructed on page 266 of Section 9 of Handbook 2), Church Administration Building, 47 East South Temple, S.L.C., Utah, 84150:   8 Stakes

If you don't know the status of your stake, or need help in getting started, write or call us or Indexing Support for that information.

Indexing Overview (link to learn about Indexing)

Link to Interesting Deseret News article, published March 27--Indexing and Seminary students.
Link to a Mississippi newspaper article about Indexing.


From March 18, 2007 Newsletter:

So many stakes are doing such an amazing job in indexing--thanks for all your service!  Just a few of our shining stars:

Arbitrations over 100,000 in 2007:  Salt Lake Grant Stake, Draper Eastridge Stake, Sandy Hillcrest Stake.
Over 100,000 names indexed in 2007:  Sandy Hillcrest Stake, South Jordan River Stake, Salt Lake Grant Stake.
Over 74 people have signed up to try indexing:  Sandy Crescent Ridge Stake, Midvale East Stake, South Jordan River Stake, Herriman South Stake, Sandy Hillcrest Stake, Midvale Union Fort Stake.
Over 28 people have completed one or more batches:  South Jordan River Stake, Midvale East Stake, Sandy Hillcrest, S.L. Grant Stake, Kemmerer Wyoming Stake, Midvale Union Fort.

Many other stakes are also contributing a great deal to this very worthwhile project--there were too many to mention everyone! 

Sister Dessa Fountaine, Stake Extraction Director of the West Jordan Bingham Creek Stake wrote that she prepares a chart in Excel that she sends to all her indexers (and could be displayed in the Church building), showing how their numbers are increasing each month.  She said they really like seeing the visual statistics and it motivates them to do more.  She graciously sent instructions for making an excel chart for those of you who want to try it.
Chart Instructions (link)    (may take a minute to load).

From March 4, 2007 Newsletter:

With the creation of the new Stansbury Park South Stake, announced in yesterday's Church News, we have 186 stakes in the Utah Salt Lake City Area.   Of the 186 stakes, 158 stakes have had at least one person turn in a completed batch in 2007.

So far in 2007 in our Area:  2,581 people have signed up to try indexing and have received a username and password.  Of those signed up, 1,167 have actually completed at least one batch.  1,613,376 names have been indexed and 904,495 names have been arbitrated.  In our next newsletter, we will tell you which stakes are the "shining stars."

  "Lecture Looks at Future of Family History Online"  (link to lds.org news - February 20, 2007)


From February 15, 2007 Newsletter:

Check out the excellent new tutorials/lessons on Indexing at lds.org  under "Serving in the Church,"  under "Family History." If you will take just 10 minutes to look at Lesson 1:  An Overview, it will help you to better understand Indexing.
From Sandra Joseph:  A few weeks ago we had a Young Women group make reservations for one of the classrooms in the FamilySearch Center, requesting hands-on training of Internet Indexing.  The young women who came had a great experience indexing the 1900 census, did not want to leave, and were eager to register as volunteers with Internet Indexing.
 
Suggestion for a Young Men and a Young Women activity:  In advance, book a classroom in the FamilySearch Center (240-4673), in the Joseph Smith Memorial Building, and request hands-on training with Internet Indexing.  This will give the youth an opportunity to have a fun experience with family history, because they will be using the computer and they accomplish something.


From January 30, 2007 Newsletter:

FamilySearch Indexing:             Scenarios from different Stakes:

Stake #1:  Already had an active Extraction team, who were comfortable with their methods and were not comfortable learning to use computers and indexing.  Their Stake Presidency chose to maintain the present extraction work and call an Assistant Extraction Director to be in charge of Indexing for the stake.  The Extraction Director over Indexing has explained about indexing in different classes and meetings, as assigned by Priesthood leaders.  The Director signs up interested volunteers, gives them their username and password, and helps newly-called extraction workers (a stake calling) and volunteers get any training they need to get started  (in addition to the excellent training and lessons online).  Other ideas used:  Bulletin Boards, ward and stake newsletters, Sunday ward bulletins, posters in foyers---giving contact information, etc. for those interested in signing up to try indexing.  They plan to post the total number of packets indexed in their stake each month and the number of indexers.

Stake #2:    Had never had an extraction program until now, but wanted to get involved in the new FamilySearch Indexing to bring added blessings to the families in the Stake.  As instructed on page 266 of Section 9 of Handbook 2, the Stake President (of a Salt Lake stake) sent a written request (for their stake to do extraction) to President Merrill Bateman's office, Church Administration Building, 47 East South Temple, S.L.C., Utah, 84150.  After the stake received approval, they were sent a packet of instructions on how to get started in indexing.  The Stake Presidency then called a Stake Extraction Director to be administrator over the program.

Stake #3:  When the current Stake Extraction Director received the Indexing Packet (which was sent to all Stake Extraction Directors on record), she and the extraction workers were excited to switch to the new FamilySearch Internet Indexing.  They will counsel with the High Councilor over Temple and Family History work and the Stake Presidency to decide whether they should finish up their present UDE Extraction work and also start the new Indexing or whether they should turn in their current unfinished work and put their full time and effort into Indexing.

Stake #4:   What's Indexing???                   

                        One person's explanation of indexing:


From January 14, 2007 Newsletter:

 Thanks to Sister Diane Kiser for her report on indexing in the Tooele East Stake and her permission to share it with you.   We'd love to hear reports from your stake too, so drop us a line!  Your ideas will help other stakes.  We've all heard the saying, "Great Minds Think Alike," but your great minds also think differently and come up with unique, wonderful, and successful ideas----so SHARE!

From Dec. 19, 2006 Newsletter:

FamilySearch Indexing:  The number of people worldwide helping with Indexing increased from 898 to 5,100 in just 10 months!  We hope the next 10 months will bring another wonderful increase in the number helping--will YOU be part of that number??  These worldwide figures are from the FamilySearch Indexing website:

• During the month of January 2006, there were 898 people who used the FamilySearch Indexing software to index over 61,000 names.
• In October 2006, there were 5,100 people who indexed almost 2 million names.

If you are excited to try indexing and your stake doesn't have it organized and operating yet, you can register at the website as a volunteer and get a username and password very quickly and get started.   When your stake gets going, they will transfer your indexing record to your stake group.