On March 6-8, FamilySearch hosted RootsTech, the largest family history gathering online with an in-person event in Salt Lake City.
In the weeks that followed, a flurry of FamilySearch events designed to help individuals discover and learn more about their family heritage have taken place across Latin America — Uruguay, Ecuador, Bolivia, Peru and Paraguay.
Here is a summary of the family history activities in those respective countries.
Uruguay
During the week of March 15 to 23, more than 10,500 people visited a FamilySearch booth to learn about their family history at the 38th Patria Gaucha, a renowned festival in Tacuarembó, Uruguay, that celebrates Uruguay’s traditions and culture, according to a March 27 report on the Church’s Spanish-language Newsroom.
Elder Eduardo Gavarret, a General Authority Seventy who serves as second counselor in the Church’s South America South Area presidency, is a native Uruguayan and attended the event.
“FamilySearch is a search and a connection with our ancestors. The online platform allows anyone to explore or search their family history through digitized records from all over the world,” he said.
Elder Luis A. Ferrizo, an Area Seventy from Montevideo, Uruguay, also attended the event to support the FamilySearch booth.
A small army of 90 Latter-day Saint volunteers provided assistance at the FamilySearch booth to help visitors start their family trees and discover more about their family heritage.
“Our initiative seeks to unite families,” said Andres Ortega, a FamilySearch manager. “We want to provide the necessary means for everyone to know their ancestors. FamilySearch collects historical information from all of humanity to make it available and unite families.”
FamilySearch’s participation at the Patria Gaucha festival comes as the Church celebrates 100 years of faith and service in South America. Learn more about activities marking the 100th anniversary at centenariosas.org.
Ecuador
Young single adults from the Machala and Puerto Bolívar stakes in Ecuador came together on March 22 to participate in “Footprints of Yesterday‚” a night of activities centered on family history and the gospel of Jesus Christ, reported the Church’s Spanish-language Newsroom on March 27.
The event featured a fashion show showcasing historical clothing, a presentation on the importance of family history in the plan of salvation, an antiques exhibition and a digital time capsule using the FamilySearch app. Another segment called “Radio of the Past” emphasized the impact of recording personal stories.
Participants also created new memories using photos and video.
Joselyn Asqui, a local Church leader who attended, said, “This activity was born from the desire to create a meaningful experience centered on Jesus Christ and His gospel, through family history. It is essential that we understand our roots and the plan of salvation.”
“Preserving Humanity’s Memory,” an international conference organized by FamilySearch, was presented in Quito, Ecuador, on March 21.
The event was attended by archivists, historians and genealogy experts and focused on the preservation and digitization of historical documents, according to information posted March 22 on the Church’s Spanish-language Newsroom.
“Each story, surname and document is an invaluable testament to those who came before us. Preserving these records is a collective task that requires cooperation and technology,” said Dulio Delgado, a FamilySearch manager.
Bolivia
On March 12, representatives from FamilySearch International and officials of the Autonomous Municipal Government of Cochabamba, Bolivia, signed an agreement allowing FamilySearch to digitize and preserve the archives of the Cochabamba General Cemetery.
One Bolivian official referred to the agreement as “an unprecedented project for Cochabamba.” As part of the digitization process, a searchable public database will be created to enhance the efficiency of managing historical and documentary information, reported the Church’s Spanish-language Newsroom on March 19.
“The Cochabamba cemetery will be 200 years old in 2026 — it’s even older than the Republic of Bolivia itself,” said Miguel Pantoja, head of the Cochabamba General Cemetery. “There are so many heroes and honorable people in this cemetery that digitizing it will help us gain easy access to the records and their history.”
Pedro Bravo, a FamilySearch manager, said FamilySearch is happy to be part of a project that will benefit the Cochabamba community.
Peru
The Lima Art Museum in Lima, Peru, collaborated with FamilySearch to offer the Gastañeta Carrillo de Albornoz Collection exhibition during the week of March 11-16, according to the Church’s Spanish-language Newsroom.
More than 2,000 visitors participated in the six-day event, which was supported by 300 FamilySearch volunteers, leading to the registration of 6,000 new names in the FamilySearch family tree.
Attendees not only learned about their family history but also discovered possible links to Peruvian art figures and participated in activities and interactive games.
Paraguay
Last November, during his ministry in Asunción, Paraguay, Elder Gerrit W. Gong of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles presented Santiago Peña Palacios, president of the Republic of Paraguay, with a book containing his family history.
In a follow-up visit in March, two Latter-day Saint Area Seventies, Elders Robert Rivarola and Enrique Texeira, presented President Peña with additional volumes of his family history. Gustavo Galeano, national director of communications in Paraguay, was also present. All family history volumes were prepared by FamilySearch, according to the Church’s Spanish-language Newsroom.
President Peña said he was thankful and expressed joy at knowing that all Paraguayans have access to the FamilySearch platform, a free tool that allows anyone to research and document their family history.
