User:Jerrykern/Sandbox/Family History News, Events & Information for Consultants, HP Group Leaders, & Others

12 July 2016
This is another occasional email for those of us engaged in a family history service or leadership capacity in the six-stake service area of the Orem Stonewood Family History Center. Your contributions, comments, and suggestions are welcomed.

1. July is a great time to reflect on our pioneer ancestors or, for those who don’t have pioneer ancestral ties, on your indebtedness to those who blazed the way for the establishment of the Church in the mountain west and from there throughout the world. Following are several relevant websites including the recently released “Early Mormon Missionaries Database”:


 * Mormon Overland Trails Pioneer Travel Database: history.lds.org/overlandtravels


 * Discover Your Pioneer Ancestors: familysearch.org/pioneers


 * Pioneers and Prominent Men of Utah: archive.org/details/pioneersprominen00esshrich


 * Trails of Hope: Overland Diaries and Letters, 1846-1849: overlandtrails.lib.byu.edu


 * The 1846 Trek – Mormon Pioneer National Pioneer Trail: www.nps.gov/mopi/index.htm


 * Church History: The Trek West: history.lds.org/section/pioneer-story


 * LDS Pioneer and Handcart Companies, 1847-1856: search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=5146


 * Mormon Handcart Pioneers: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mormon_handcart_pioneers


 * Early Mormon Missionaries Database: history.lds.org/missionary

2. Reed and Joyce Nixon, two of our Orem Stonewood Family History Center longest serving consultants, are retiring from service at the Center. As many of you know, Reed suffered very serious injuries to his hip and femur in a fall a few months ago. His recovery is going to take some time so they feel now is the time to move on. Reed has also been a FamilySearch Church Service missionary in another capacity where he serves from home and will continue in that role. Reed and Joyce, we thank you for your long and dedicated service and extend our very best wishes to you both. And Reed, we hope and pray that your recovery will continue unimpeded—with no more falls, please.

We are looking for a couple or a brother to fill the Nixon’s 3-hour shift at the Stonewood Center Tuesdays from 1 to 4PM. We send this email to as many family history consultants that we have been able to identify serving in their wards in our six stake service area. If any of you would be interested in filling this vacancy at the Center, or have questions about it please contact, Robert Standing, at 801-426-5847.

3. The FamilySearch “Worldwide Indexing Event will be held during Jul 15-17. Register now at FamilySearch.org. The details are on the FamilySearch home page. NOTE: Someone mentioned at the UVTAGG meeting last week that there may not be enough batches for the event and suggested that for those who plan to participate, they would be wise to download a batch in advance.

4. The BYU Annual Genealogy and Family History Conference, an outstanding event, is at hand, July 26-29. If you were considering attending but have not yet applied, you may be too late. If interested, I suggest you phone, ASAP, the Conference registration desk, 1-877-221-6716. Online registration is closed. See the conference website at http://familyhistoryconferences.byu.edu/ that includes registration info, conference schedule, keynote speakers, and more.

5. If you’re interested in all things BYU, check out their new “Family History Portal” website at http://familyhistory.byu.edu/. It includes info about their family history degree programs, the Center for Family History and Genealogy including links to several important research projects sponsored by the Center, the BYU Family History Library, and much more.

6. As most of you know by now, the BYU Family History Library offers three blocks of afternoon classes, usually on the 2nd and 4th Sundays of most months throughout the year. This month, because of the timing of the 24th of July celebration, the fourth Sunday classes have been moved to the fifth Sunday, July 31. A copy of the July 31 classes to be offered is attached at he end of this epistle.

7. The Orem Cascade Stake is hosting their annual Family History Discovery Day, Saturday, August 13, from 10am to 1pm at the stake center. After a welcome by Stake President Beeson, two blocks of classes will be offered at 10:30 and 11:20 AM. Participants will choose between five different classes offered in each block. Each of the classes will be taught by a professional genealogist FamilySearch staff member.

After the classes, from 12 till about 1pm, family history consultants serving in the Cascade Stake are being invited to be available to offer individual and small group help to participants in the cultural hall. For recipients of this email who are Cascade Stake consultants, you may have already received an invitation to assist. If you can assist, please send an email to Jennie Hurlbut, jenniferhurlbut@gmail.com.

The planning committee is particularly interested in identifying consultants with special expertise in various aspects of family history such as Ancestry.com, indexing, research in specific areas of the world (e.g. British, German, Latin America), etc. If you have a specialization, mention that in your email to Sister Hurlbut.

8. The 23rd Annual Eastern European Family History Conference will be held at the Plaza Hotel in Salt Lake City August 8-12. The conference is sponsored by the Foundation for East European Family History Studies. For details see their website: conference@feefhs.org.

9. Dallan Quass will give the main presentation at the The Utah Valley Technology and Genealogy Group (UVTAGG) August 13th meeting. His topic: “RootsCity: A Better Way to Build Your Family Tree Online.” Details of his presentation will be forthcoming at the UVTAGG.org website. For more information about Dallan Quass, Google his name. [Note the conflict of events between the August 13th UVTAGG meeting and the Cascade Stake Family History Discovery Day.]

10. Family History Webinars Galore: The SLC Family History Library offers several free webinars each month that can be viewed from your home. See their website for details of both upcoming and past webinars: familysearch.org/wiki/en/Family_History_Library_Classes_and_Webinars.

Likewise, the BYU Family History Library offers family history webinars. See their website for upcoming and past webinars as well as their extensive list of family history YouTube Videos that are available to watch at home: sites.lib.byu.edu/familyhistory/classes-and-webinars/.

11.The popular St. George, UT Family Roots Expo this year will be held October 28 and 29. For details see their website: familyrootsexpo.com/event/family-roots-expo/