Have you been asked to give a presentation to your stake about indexing? Are you concerned about where to begin and what you should share? What makes a good presentation? Read on for some helpful tips.
What to Share
First of all, many great resources are available on lds.org and on the stake indexing director callings page that you can include in your presentations and training.
Videos: The media library on lds.org has many inspiring indexing and family history videos that are available to download. It is best to download these videos prior to the presentation to avoid any complications. The video titled Indexing is Vital is a fantastic tool to touch hearts and help others understand why indexing is so important to research and temple work.
PowerPoint Presentation: There is a presentation that has already been created just for you! Use this presentation to help your stake members understand what indexing is and why they should try it out. Do you have a PowerPoint presentation you have created for indexing? Share it with us at fsindexing@familysearch.org.
Presentation Tips
- Invite the Holy Ghost
You are not in this calling alone. The Holy Ghost will be there to help your stake members catch the vision of indexing, family history, temple work, and how they all tie together. We receive this promise in 2 Nephi 32:5: “For behold, again I say unto you that if ye will enter in by the way, and receive the Holy Ghost, it will show unto you all things what ye should do.”
Once your stake members receive a personal testimony of this work, they will be motivated to get involved and do their part. You can invite the Spirit into your presentation by sharing your own personal testimony and experiences with family history work. You can also invite the Spirit by sharing success stories and the experiences of others.
- Keep an Eternal Perspective
In Moses 1:39 it states, “For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.” As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, it is our divinely appointed responsibility to find our ancestors and perform their needed temple ordinances. Indexing makes records and resources available so we can find our ancestors and receive temple ordinances on their behalf. Strive to help your stake understand how indexing fits into Heavenly Father’s eternal plan.
- Share the Benefits of Indexing
The members and priesthood leaders in your stake need to recognize how indexing can benefit their personal lives, their ward and stake, new converts, those who are less active, and the youth. Indexing is a great way to unify your ward and stake. Indexing is also a way to spark interest in family history and temple work. Members will begin to feel an abundance of the Spirit of Elijah in their lives as they participate. Indexing also benefits thousands of people who find their ancestors through the published indexed records on FamilySearch.org.
- Get Them Started
Introduce your stake members to the indexing program and instructions so that these tools and resources are familiar and comfortable. Do not spend too much time providing training. It is better for them to receive a personal testimony of the work before they are overwhelmed with too much training. Help them become familiar with the indexing tool and where to find help, but do not overwhelm them with too much information.
We hope that these suggestions will help you as you prepare to present indexing to your wards and stakes. Don’t forget to take a deep breath and enjoy the experience.
How have you found success in giving presentations to your stake? What tips and advice do you have for other stake indexing directors? Please share your ideas in the comments section below, or send us an email at fsindexing@familysearch.org.
