Friday, October 23, 2009

Ten Reasons Why ALL your family history/genealogy/temple work has not been "done." (even if you think Grandma or "Aunt Ellen" has done it all.

1 - More people keep dying.  I began gathering my family when I was about 25 years old.  In the many years since then, all the "old folks" are gone; those who were middle-aged are gone; and quite a few from my generation and younger have passed away.  They did not have all their temple work done while they lived but some might want it done now.

2 - People get married.  Some had spouses  who died and some were divorced.  When they remarry they bring a new line into their genealogy.  You can't just add the new person.  They have parents, siblings (who might have had more than one spouse) and some have children from a prior marriage.  Also, their parents have siblings and in-laws who did not have a chance to accept the gospel in this life.  Who will do their sealings if you don't?

3 - People continue having more children.  Though these are still living, don't leave them off the family tree.  Twenty years from now you may want to get some information from one of them.  Stay in touch with the younger generation. 

4 - Divorces happen.  These spouses still need to be accounted for--and perhaps they too need temple work done.  (You are not their judge).

5 - New databases are constantly being developed or added to.  Some you may check out for finding relatives are:  Ancestral File, New.FamilySearch, (old) IGI, National Archives, the Social Security Death Index, US Genweb project, county and state records and Ancestry.com's World Family Tree.  You can find all kinds of vital statistics, newspaper archives, cemeteries, churches and societies that have been put records into searchable databases.

6 - Some sources have links other records.  After I entered names into Ancestry's world tree it began finding those names in census records and other sources.  I could then evaluate what it found and I could either accept the source or ignore it.  This saved me a lot of time.  I didn't have to order microfilms and search them page by page.

7 - Databases have links to others working on the same line.  I have had several dead ends that weren't dead after all.  Ancestry's world tree located people working on similar names who gave me bits of information to help my searches.

8 - Newspapers now have archives.   You can locate obituaries that go back further than the current month.  Some may charge a small fee but are worth it if you find the person you are searching for.  These obituaries are a source of survivors and where they live.  It may give the names of persons who predeceased the individual.  Local genealogical societies also collect obits in the area they serve.

9 - Old genealogies contain errors.  You may find you are working on the wrong branch of a family tree.  If you learn this is true you will have another source of names that need to be researched and proved.

10 - You learn new facts at family gatherings.  You may learn a new name, date or fact about a relative.  If you are good at remembering, go off by yourself long enough to jot down that fact.  After you are home working on your genealogy, add the information to your database and add its source.  At the reunion you may learn that a relative goes by their middle name or a nickname.  If that relative (or relative of a relative)
passes away you may know where they lived and be able to locate a local newspaper with the obituary in it.
Also add family stories as they make your history more interesting than just names and dates.

Genealogy is a fascinating life-long interest.  Our leaders tell us that our own salvation stands in jeopardy if we neglect this work.  Read Malachi 3:4-5 and ask yourself what kind of curse could the earth be smitten with??  

If you have come across this blog in your web surfing then you should know that this "temple work" is  performed by live persons as proxies for those who have passed way.  Those in the Spirit World still have the right to accept the work or reject it.  The ordinances from baptisms through endowments and sealings of families together for time and eternity are performed by those holding the Melchezidek Priesthood of God and holding proper authority to perform these ordinances.  Any living person can qualify for these same ordinances   For more information look up the website: http://www.lds.org/