FamilySearch, an online tool sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, helps anyone, regardless of religious affiliation, to learn more about their ancestors by viewing historical information that the Church has collected and stored on the FamilySearch database.
Church members around the world use FamilySearch to connect with their ancestors and learn more about their families. Several of these Latter-day Saints share their knowledge of their families and FamilySearch to help others start their own genealogical work.
Here are recent efforts by youth and Church members to promote FamilySearch and family history work.
Peru
Youth in Peru shared their knowledge of FamilySearch in their recent “Find Your Ancestors, Find Your Happiness” event, which took place on April 15-16 and May 13.
Throughout the event, the youth set up FamilySearch displays in a transportation station in metropolitan Lima, the Mega Plaza shopping center in the Villa El Salvador district, and the oldest market in the Chorrillos district. The youth helped residents to research their ancestry and find stories about their deceased loved ones.
Nearly 1,000 people participated over the three separate events. The youth helped participants to find records and information about their deceased relatives through FamilySearch, helping others learn about their roots and enabling them to conduct further genealogical research with FamilySearch on their own.
Many of those who participated were touched by the stories of their ancestors and the youth’s effort and support.
Malaysia
On April 15, youth from the Petaling Jaya Branch in Malaysia presented research they conducted on their own genealogy at the Kuala Lumpur District Center.
These youth joined others from around the world in online training modules for family history and temple work the year prior, enabling them to create photo books and digital presentations of their ancestors’ stories.
Josh Meservy, a youth from the Petaling Jaya Branch, shared his great-grandfather’s experience with joining the Church and becoming a stalwart follower of Jesus Christ. His great-grandfather’s faith, said Josh, inspires him to become a faithful disciple of Jesus Christ.
Nanarthn Pillai, another Petaling Jaya Branch youth member, shared stories of his grandparents and their love for each other, love that he stated he hopes to emulate in his life.
Min Lian Chan, district temple and family history consultant, organized the event. She attended the event along with the youth presenters’ family members, other district temple and family history consultants and local Church members.
England
Volunteer missionaries from the Church in London shared a presentation with staff at Midland Ancestors, a three-country genealogical organization in Birmingham.
Elder Dan Hull and his wife, Sister Martha Hull — service missionaries with the Family History Department — taught a series of classes to Midland Ancestors staff and gave a presentation on FamilySearch to a Midland Ancestors subchapter in Wolverhampton, England.
Caroline, a participant in the classes given by the Hulls, expressed her gratitude for the classes and what she learned about FamilySearch. She said, “Thank you for all the great training you gave us in February and March. I have had my own personal triumph using FamilySearch. Because I could sit in our Centre and browse at leisure, thanks to FamilySearch I was able to find more about my grandparents, seven generations back from me.”
Phil Lamb, chairman of Midland Ancestors, appreciated the Hulls and their FamilySearch instruction. He said, “Our library volunteers will now be so much more confident when they have visitors to our facility in Birmingham. We will now be able to all make better use of the website which adds so much to what we offer in our Family History Centre.”
