About This Web Sites

 

INTRODUCTION:    This is not an official website of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
                             This website does have links to Official LDS websites and links to other websites
                             dealing with Family History and Genealogy. The name of the website was inspired
                             from this quote from the talk  Bridges and Eternal Keepsakes  by Elder Dennis B.
                             Neuenschwander Of the Seventy
 

    "Third, family history builds bridges to the temple. Family history work leads us to the temple.
   
Family history and temple work are one work. The words family history should probably never
    be said without attaching the word
temple
to them. Family history research should be the primary
    source of names for temple ordinances, and temple ordinances are the primary reason for family
    history research. President Gordon B. Hinckley has said: “All of our vast family history endeavor
    is directed to temple work. There is no other purpose for it.”
"

Follow this link for the full talk:
In Conference Report, Apr. 1998, 115–16; or Ensign, May 1999, 83.

 

PURPOSE:    This website was created to help any one who wants to get started doing genealogy
                   and Family History Work  online to start their Eternal Family by taking the online lesson at
                   Religion 261 from BYU. It brings together links to LDS websites and non LDS websites to
                   accomplish this purpose.                    
                  
                    Our Eternal Family includes our ancestors and are present day family, therefore I have also included
                     links to help you strengthen your family under the "Family Resources Websites" menu.


GETTING STARTED:

                          1. If you have not done any family history work go the link Getting Started and read
                        the article By President Boyd K. Packer.  You can start  with  yourself.                            

                         2. Study the links in Organizing Filing Systems. After studying the links decide what type
                       of filing system is right for you and then set up your filing system.

                         3. Install the PAF5.2 program by going to the  Install PAF5.2 link, or install another
                       genealogy software program on your computer. PAF5.2 (Personal Ancestral File)
                       is a free download from the FamilySearch.org website.  If you have a slow internet
                       connection and have trouble downloading the program and are a member of the LDS
                       Church talk to your Ward Family History Consultant and he/she should have a copy you
                       can load on your computer. If your are not a member of the LDS Church you can go to
                       this link http://www.lds.org/basicbeliefs/meetinghouse and find the name of a chapel
                       nearest you. You will have to lookup the phone number in the phone book. Call and ask
                       for help from a Family History Consultant to load PAF5.2 on your computer.

                         4. Open the link to Religion 261: BYU Lessons and start lesson 1. If you finish one lesson
                        a week you should finish in about 8 weeks. The lessons in Religion 261 will link you
                        to other  websites.

                         5. Uses the links in Writing a Family History to start writing your family history. The links
                        to the files in  Forms and Charts  can be download to help you keep track of your
                        records and your Family History.

                         6. Create a folder in your internet explorer program call Family History and add this website
                        to it. I would also add the links to Religion 261:BYU Lesson and PAF5.2 Lesson to it. You can
                        go to those website and bypass this website to give you more display of these website on your
                        monitor to work with. Some links will override this website and you will have to go to your favorites
                        to bring this website back up. You should also add links to other websites that you found helpful in
                        doing your Family History to this folder.