RootsTech 2014

RootsTech 2014 started out with this video.



It reminded me of this article from the New York Times that I had read a few months ago. Families are important and worth putting in our best efforts.

RootsTech 2013

"RootsTech 2013 has come and gone ... and the great take away? What will our grandchildren and great grandchildren wish we would've done. Can we anticipate what will tie them to their heritage? It is the stories; the stories in their family tree. Family history moves beyond the names and dates associated with genealogy. Your story, even though you may think it is mundane, is an important legacy for the future generations in your family tree. What are you doing to find, organize, preserve, and share the stories in your family that will become the heritage for your posterity?"

Liz Miller

Thanks Liz for letting me share your feelings about RootsTech, which perfectly sum up my feelings. In addition to Liz, my friend, Renee Zamora, made these observations. What a great time to be involved in family history!

The Grove Creek Family History Center is starting to hop more and more. With classes on both Tuesday and Thursday nights, there are plenty of ways to get involved. 

"What will our great-great-grandchildren wish we would have done?
They will wish that we had recorded the richness and fabric of our lives."

Dennis Brimhall, CEO of FamilySearch

IT'S THE STORIES!!!

Story@Home

This year at RootsTech there are a couple of new additions. One is the Getting Started Track and the other is Story@Home. Story@Home is a great addition, particularly as we (members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints/Mormons) have been encouraged to connect with our relatives through stories. I know that my kids aren't really motivated by a pedigree chart, but a story will get them every time! If you are looking for a way to engage your family in your hobby/passion, go for the stories. Story@Home will give you some great ideas and resources. For a schedule of their classes, click here.

(Nope, not affiliated with Story@Home!)

Opening Session-Glen Rawson-Where Ol' Dogs Learn New Tricks: The Power and Drama of Original Records!

The opening session of the St. George began with Glen Rawson. He is the producer of the program "History of the Saints" that airs on KSL. He said that when he first started on this project he made the mistake of saying "that he couldn't make a show interesting from dusty old documents!" WRONG! One of the things that changed his mind was that he was visiting with Ron Esplin from the Church Archives (?). Brother Esplin handed him a book to look at. It was old and dusty! Brother Esplin asked Brother Rawson if he knew what the book was. Brother Rawson replied that he didn't. This dusty old book was Joseph Smith's first journal. What a treasure!

Brother Rawson said that "old records give you a sense of purpose, belonging, culture, and heritage." When he started the program about the Joseph Smith papers, the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (LDS/Mormons) gave him the charge to instill faith! These dusty old books belonged to real people who felt joy, pain, and suffering just like we do! We need to take the time to tell those stories. Brother Rawson says to "not miss the history by ignoring the original documents."

Brother Rawson went on to tell some individual stories of Mormon pioneers' lives that can be broadly applied to our day. He mentioned that researching individual records ties you to the people, you get the whole, complete story that is unfiltered, and you meet people on their terms.

Another quote from Brother Rawson..."The past is a foreign country...they do things differently there." He couldn't remember who this quote was from, but the meaning is clear. Our ancestors did things differently, just as just as we do things differently. Laws were different in their day. Laws are different in our day. Don't be so quick to judge and wonder why they did what they did. Our descendants will also do things differently from the way we do! Appreciate and learn life's lessons from your ancestors!

As a closing, Brother Rawson encourages us to tell the stories of the past, so that we may inspire and change our lives in the present.