FamilySearch Consultant Newsletter

April 2012

Welcome to the family history consultant newsletter. We’re excited to now be hosting this publication online, so you can easily access articles, see past issues, share your comments, see what others have written, and help grow the community of family history consultants and priesthood leaders. In this issue:

Name Submission Policies
FamilySearch Indexing: A Priesthood Tool for Blessing Lives
Indexing Feedback Wanted
BillionGraves
BYU Family History Library
New Family History Pass-Along Card
Early Access to the Family Tree
Success Stories:
- Stake Sets Goal Using Leader's Guide and DVD
- Elder Bednar's Promise
- Indexing Newsletter
- The 1940 U.S. Federal Census Update

Name Submission Policies

The First Presidency recently issued a statement reinforcing policy on names submission to the temple. There were several questions that were asked by consultants; here are five of the most asked questions and the answer we provided. Read the full story.

FamilySearch Indexing:
A Priesthood Tool for Blessing Lives

FamilySearch indexing has been in the spotlight lately. With all of this attention, it seems FamilySearch indexing is “coming out of obscurity,” which makes this an opportune time to ask, “Exactly how should I be thinking about indexing?” Read the full article here.

Indexing Feedback Wanted

We want your feedback! Indexing is part of the work of salvation and we are very keen to hear stories about how indexing is strengthening testimonies. Tell us how you are using indexing as a tool to strengthen families, youth, wards, and stakes and read what others say by clicking here.

BillionGraves

Have you heard of the BillionGraves initiative? If not, you certainly will. The goal of a valuable partner of FamilySearch, AppTime (who has created the billiongraves.com website and smartphone app, both for Apple iPhone and Google Android models*), is to provide an expansive family history database for records and images from the world’s cemeteries, all tagged with GPS locations.

See the full story.

BYU Family History Library

The Family History Department is excited to tell you about an amazing resource for genealogists along the Wasatch Front—the BYU Family History Library. Located in the Harold B. Lee Library on the Brigham Young University campus (on the north end of the second floor), the library has a friendly and knowledgeable staff of 138 missionaries and volunteers who are ready to help you with your family history and genealogy research. Get the full story.

New Family History Pass-Along Card

A new family history pass-along card is now available to introduce potential new users toFamilySearch.org. The pass-along card was developed by the Family History Department and is currently being used by missionaries who serve throughout the world. Missionaries and members are encouraged to use the card to introduce people who are not of the LDS faith to the concept of family history and to show them where they can go to learn more. See the full article.

Early Access to the Family Tree

As a family history consultant, you should be aware of the new Family Tree on FamilySearch.org that we will be releasing to the public in the next few months. At this time we would like to invite you to use it before it releases to the general public. We need your participation to help us make it better. Find out how.

Success Stories

Stake Sets Goal Using Leader's Guide and DVD:  The Church has produced many excellent videos to help you with your calling. Here’s a way to use one of them.

Elder Bednar’s Promise:  Here is an account of the experience of a mother who used family history work to strengthen her family. Read the story.

Indexing Newsletter:  Have you seen the latest edition of the Indexing Newsletter? It focuses on the important topic of arbritration.Click here to read it.

1940 U. S. Federal Census Update:  We’re halfway into our fourth week of indexing the 1940 U.S. Census, and we’re making excellent progress. Here is the report.