LDS youths discovering family history is fun and fulfilling
______________________________________________When it comes to genealogy, citing and verifying every source is vital
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865584036/When-it-comes-to-genealogy-citing-and-verifying-every-source-is-vital.html?s_cid=Email-4_______________________________________________
Stake Indexing: Have you caught the "Indexing Bug"?
What is Indexing? Volunteers extract family history information from digital scans of historical documents to create free searchable indexes that assist everyone in finding their ancestors. (It’s really much easier than it sounds.) Names are being added every day! Maybe even some of your ancestors? To get an idea of what you would be doing, go to indexing.FamilySearch.org and take the Test Drive. You can take the Test Drive without signing up to do anything.
Who can Index? If you have ready access to a computer with an internet connection and at least a few minutes each week (30 minutes is a good place to start) then you’re a perfect fit. Indexers don’t have to be members of the Church – we have several non-members who participate who live within the Springdale Stake boundaries. You download a small program file from FamilySearch and then you’re ready to go. If you already have a user name and password for any of the LDS web sites, you will use the same one and all you have to do is Register.
Why is Indexing important? “And now, behold, I loose thee this day from the chains which were upon thine hand” Jeremiah 40:4. Indexers also perform the role of saviors on Mount Zion as they provide the keys that will enable families to find and then do the temple ordinances for their kindred dead. This is not just a temporal work – this is a spiritual work. It is a privilege and an honor to serve. Indexing Is Simple! You can help. No special skills or fixed time commitments are required. Volunteer when you can. Just register, sign in, and follow a simple process. There is a Tutorial which will teach you what you need to know. This is especially great work for those who don’t go to the temple often, because you are providing names for the sacred ordinances to be done in the temple.
Researchers and family historians have had a heyday with the 1940 census, which was completed in 2012 by volunteers and made available free online. Volunteers have indexed the 1790 to 1940 U.S. Censuses now. Those free indexes can be searched online at FamilySearch.org. “The 1940 U.S. Census is significant because practically everyone knows a family member—parent, grandparent, aunt, or uncle—who was alive in 1940,” said David Rencher, Chief Genealogy Officer for FamilySearch, the nonprofit organization that sponsored the online community project to index the 1940 Census. “Once you’ve found a relative in the 1940 Census, it can be fairly easy with that information to then find them or their parents in the 1930 U.S. Census index also online at FamilySearch.org, then the 1920, 1910, 1900, etc., all the way back to the 1790 U.S. Census. Before you know it, without ever leaving your computer, you’ve traced your family back multiple generations,” Rencher said.
Just the Springdale Stake did 99,409 names in 2012! That’s GREAT! We now have 115 volunteers signed up to Index but we can use many, many more. They are not all members of the Church - Anyone can be an Indexer. Already in 2013 (as of February 19th) our stake has done 9,058 names, so we are on a great pace for the year. Some of the Wards/Branches have many more signed up than others, but everyone’s contributions are appreciated and needed. I’d like to encourage those who haven’t done any Indexing for a while to come back to the work. We need everyone!
Springdale 1st Ward Young Men & Young Women recently had Indexing as their Wednesday night activity and now are challenging themselves to the goal of 30,000 names in 2013! Tahlequah had a similar activity and have now caught the “Indexing Bug”. What a great idea! This is an excellent project for the youth to do on a Sunday afternoon – on so many levels. We have several families who all participate as part of their Family Home Evening activity and have made family goals for the year.
If you have questions, you can get information at indexing.familysearch.org by clicking on the Help tab or you can contact the Springdale Stake Indexing Director, Bonnie Hutchins, at bethutchins@gmail.com, or 918-453-7691. Carry on the great work!
