I was wondering if anyone has visited their local LDS family search center. What's different from what you find online at familysearch.org? Is it worthwhile to go? One's here in town, and I'm debating. Will they try to convert me? ;-p
Also, how do people organize their genealogy papers? Besides online, I like to keep physical copies, because it's easier to look and find stuff. Do people have a different binder per person/family/etc?
Just started doing this and not sure what would be best way. Currently have paternal and maternal binders, with dividers for direct descendents, followed by siblings, next generation, siblings, etc. I also have maps in the binder.
Thanks!
Thanks for the info everyone!
(I forgot to sign my name)
Laura Gonzalez
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mayangrl,
Excellent question and I am glad you asked. I am sure there were many of us who wondered, too. I appreciate all the responses. Thanks.
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Laura,
Yes, you can do pretty much the same research at home that you can do at your local Family History or at the Main Library in Salt Lake City.
The difference is that there are staff members at the centers and the library, who are willing to help one in their research. Of course depending on the center there may be a staff member who specializes, in the area that you are researching. And they would be willing to help you in anyway that they can.
Also, as it was stated, not all the microfilm have been digitized yet. So if you, want to get access to those undigitized images, you need to order the microfilm and read. And you can only have access to the microfilm at your local Family History Center. And the Library in Salt Lake, has a big collection of books. Some of those have been digitized, some have been mircofilmed, and the others are sitting on the bookselves, in the library. And the only way to have access to the books, is by going to the Library in Salt Lake, since
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Randy McNeal, I scan all of my documents but I also have files of the paper documents I get. The files are by family lines. I find this easier since so many of my lines have the same last names in them. The only time this becomes a problem is when families combine then I print another copy and keep going by line. I also have a geneology program that I attach the documents to.
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Yes, I have visited my local FHCs as well as the main one in Salt Lake City. Everyone is very nice and helpful. They are anxious for you to share your genealogical information and they have much to share with you---their PAF genealogy program that I have in my computer, and CDs of family trees they have gathered.
No, they don't try to convert you, but if you ask about their practices and beliefs they will tell you. They will give you a tour of their facilities in the temples except for some areas where only members are allowed.
One thing they did not tell me is that everyone in their microfilms has been baptized and "sealed" via their Baptism for the Dead, the reason they went worldwide microfilming the documents they did, so in a way it is conversion after the death. Google that for more information.
Since many of their microfilms are not online yet, it is worthwhile to go and ask the local FHC to send for some films to be reviewed by you; they have microfilm readers
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Emilie,
For your information, everyone can visit the *outside *of the of the
Temples and or when a new Temple has an open house for the first time,
people are invited to come in and once they are through with the grant
opening the Temples will only be visited by worthy members. There are other
outside buildings where people may visit such as the Visitors Center.
The following statement is *not completely factual. Members take care of
these ordinances for their dead and/or friends if they ask. *There are
some people who have done ordinance work for others *without permission *but
ordinance work is not done for everyone arbitrarily, and Google is not an
authority on LDS Temples.
*One thing they did not tell me is that everyone in their
microfilms has been baptized and "sealed" via their Baptism for the Dead,
the reason they went
worldwide microfilming the documents they did, so in a way it is
conversion after the death. Google that for more information.
*
Esther
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Esther,
Once when I was at my FHC, I used a computer where an LDS member had left his password open, and when I looked up my father's ancestors, I saw what had been done as far as Baptism for the Dead for my ancestors--sealed- not once, but several times by LDS members in Mexico City, in Salt Lake City, in Arizona, etc.
I demanded an explanation, told them my ancestors were all devout Catholics and not Mormons, and they explained that computerized lists are made up and shown on screens by the baptismal fonts where people get in and read the names off.
There was an LDS member there who told me that she also had found the "ordinances" or whatever completed for her ancestors several times from several locations, and she was upset because she had wanted to be the one to do that for her ancestors.
When I mentioned that my deceased ancestors would not be pleased to know about their having been "sealed" I was told that they could "refuse". That does not change the fact that in
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Hi,
After attending a conference at the Los Angeles temple FHC, I organize using a color coded system similar to what is found at: http://news.legacyfamilytree.com/legacy_news/2006/09/organizing_your.ht…
I use colored folders and post-it note tabs to hold or label documents, photos, etc. I have them housed in a plastic case with a handle that is easy to transport.
Other bits of advice-site your sources! You may think this is just for fun and you know you trust your original research but when you want to share your information or convince your tia that the family once lived in another part of Mexico than what she was told, it's a headache. I started genealogy 5 years ago and I'm still going back to site sources.
Also, if you keep digital files, rename your images so you can find them by search instead of scrolling through each image.
It seems like such a pain, especially when you're on a roll, but trust me it's hard to go back.
One last thing-I have two trees that I work on. One
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Emilie,
For your information, everyone can visit the *outside *of the of the
Temples and or when a new Temple has an open house for the first time,
people are invited to come in and once they are through with the grant
opening the Temples will only be visited by worthy members. There are other
outside buildings where people may visit such as the Visitors Center.
The following statement is *not completely factual. Members take care of
these ordinances for their dead and/or friends if they ask. *There are
some people who have done ordinance work for others *without permission *but
ordinance work is not done for everyone arbitrarily, and Google is not an
authority on LDS Temples.
*One thing they did not tell me is that everyone in their
microfilms has been baptized and "sealed" via their Baptism for the Dead,
the reason they went
worldwide microfilming the documents they did, so in a way it is
conversion after the death. Google that for more information.
*
Esther
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Mayangrl,
I have not visited a family search center since the records went on-line. I found the people volunteering at any of the centers to be very kind and extremely helpful and not once did anyone try to convert me. Some of them even became friends.
I no longer print hard copies. I copy the records I need from family search and save them on an external hard drive. I file the records according to the film number/type of record whether birth, marriage, info matrimonial etc. In my notes on PAF I make a complete source notation such as film#, image#, folio or page#, item#, therefore I can go to my hard drive and with the film# and all other pertinent information I can easily find it. I do all of this at the time I find the record, it's time consuming but it works very well for me.
For example: I have separate folders. labeled as such: 226665-Bapt-Nochis-Vol#35-1837
for each file going into this folder I include the following. I don't use the birth date because it's not always easy
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You didn't post your name so I have no idea what to call you.
You are one of the lucky ones who can now get all the information online instead of going to a history center for Mexican records.
I spent 16 years going to history centers, ordering film at $6. a film, wait up to 6 weeks for it to arrive, be able to view it for 30 days or pay another $6 to keep it another month and was happy to do it! Like you in the beginning I had loads of paper work and file after file and reams of paper. And NO, not one person ever tried to convert me but they were more than willing to help me find information and answer genealogy questions. I would suggest you do whatever works for you. I use the Family Tree Maker for my records and put all my information in there since it keeps track of families and blood lines.
Marriage dispensations were for blood relationships and any offense that caused a couple to seperate and wanted to marry again. You may be surprised how many blood relatives you have so
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Before all of the records were on-line we all had to go to order the individual films and view them after they arrived about a week later. The benefit of going to your local center is that the people who run them, though volunteers, are very friendly and knowledgeable. They may have access to some books that have been donated. No, they don't try to convert you. Now if you have a chance to go to one of the more metropolitan centers, ie Los Angeles, and especially the parent center in Utah, you will find everything. Deedra Corona
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LDS Family Search Centers