"Get a Cardboard Box......"
Do you remember Elder Boyd K. Packer's advice on how to get your family
history work started in “Your
Family History: Getting Started,” Boyd K. Packer - Ensign, Aug.
2003, 12 ?
Idea Shared:
For a helpful electronic version of the cardboard
box idea, create a folder labeled "2007" somewhere on your computer
hard
drive. All
during this new year, add a copy of family photos taken, newsy family
e-mails written and received (they make a great journal/history) and
new
family history items located and copied---census records, ancestors'
patriarchal
blessings, histories found, etc. It really is easy to add a
little
here and there. Next December, burn a CD containing all of
this valuable information and make copies for your relatives. It
makes
an inexpensive and meaningful Christmas present and gets important
papers, photos, and information into
many hands. We've done this for a couple of years now and it has
sparked interest in family history/temple work among our
relatives.
Several of the
recipients (young and computer-savvy) used the
information and pictures to make wonderful scrapbooks, videos of life
stories, and even a DVD of a live interview with great-grandparents
telling
of their childhood, courtship, and marriage, etc.
Can you speak with an accent?
Sister Robinson, a
missionary in the Archive Zone, with a scarf around her head and good
acting ability, presented a humorous
reading (link) about "her family." It delivers family history
lessons along with a laugh. It would be a fun addition to a
family
history fireside or fair.
Family
History Feud (link): Sister Diane Kiser, Director of the
7-stake
Tooele Valley (Utah) FHC shares a fun activity they held for all their
family
history workers and their families.
A year's worth of quotes
on Strengthening our Families that
could be put in the Sunday Ward
Bulletin (with your Bishop's approval, of course).
Or a year's worth of quotes
on Temple and Family History work.
Roster Idea Shared: A couple of stakes have e-mailed us
copies
of their Stake Family History Roster. We think this is a
wonderful
idea to help you get organized. We're sure your Stake Presidency
would
appreciate having a roster showing all the family history consultants
and priesthood leaders in each ward and their contact
information.
Create a group e-mail list and send a copy to everyone involved, so
they can all get acquainted and call on each other when they need help
or have a question. Be sure to e-mail us a copy also!
Thanks! PDF Sample
Ward overview Idea Shared: Some wards have made up a chart
similar to
this, listing all the families in the ward. It is easy to see at
a
glance where each family stands in being helped with their Family
History Work. One of the Consultants could give several
copies to the
HPGL each month to share at Ward Council meeting. PDF Sample
What others are doing:
Kamas Utah 2nd Ward - family history consultant Karen Lowry (link):
Idea shared by Meg Baker--Google Gadgets for Family History (link):
Farmington
Utah July 2007 Family History Newsletter (pdf copy)
Farmington
Utah August 2007 Family History Newsletter (pdf copy)
Granger
West Stake July 2007 Family History Newsletter (pdf copy):