How Church Members Around the World Are Using FamilySearch

This story appears here courtesy of TheChurchNews.com. It is not for use by other media.

By Kaitlyn Bancroft, Church News

From South America to Africa to Ireland, Church members all over the world are using FamilySearch to connect with ancestors and come closer to Christ. Here’s a look at some recent FamilySearch projects.

Peru

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Huancayo

Nearly 500 young adults and their teachers from 14 educational institutions in Huancayo, Peru, learned about their ancestors through FamilySearch at the First Exhibition of Historical Documents, held by the Provincial Municipality of Huancayo.

The Church’s Spanish-language Newsroom shared information about the event on June 22. Participants displayed a variety of historical documents, including books of minutes from municipal council sessions, newspaper libraries and paintings.

The Church, using its FamilySearch platform, was one of multiple organizations invited to exhibit archives of its historical documents. Other participating institutions included local museums, the Regional Archive of Junín, the Decentralized Directorate of Junín and the Central Archive of the Provincial Municipality of Huancayo.

FamilySearch’s participation at the event marked the first time that historical information was provided to the public on such a large scale in Huancayo. The FamilySearch station was managed by local Church member Pedro Poma Santiago, with support from Marco Sueldo Ochoa, who coordinated their participation with José Albino Arge, general secretary of the municipality.

“It is a surprise to have valuable information about my mother, who died when I was 2 years old and who I am sure no one in my family knows,” said schoolteacher Alejandrina Huaroto Alonso. “I congratulate and thank The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for this valuable information that helps people learn about their ancestors.”

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Lima

Johel Valdivia, a manager of welfare and self-reliance for the Church in Peru, recently represented the Church during a photography exhibit in Lima, Peru, that highlighted the importance of senior citizens.

The exhibit, titled “Wise Men on the Path of Life,” was held June 12-14 by the National Solidarity Assistance Program Pension 65 of the Ministry of Development and Social Inclusion, the Church’s Spanish-language Newsroom reported.

The National Solidarity Assistance Program Pension 65 provides subsidies to adults over age 65 who lack basic resources.

Julio Mendigure, executive director of Pension 65, highlighted the importance of senior citizens in cultural, social, family and personal development settings, and recognized the positive influence they have on families and society.

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Cusco

Church members in Cusco, Peru, volunteered at the “First Meeting of Andean Archives and Archivists,” held by the National General Archive and the Regional Government of Cusco from June 10 to June 13.

The international archival event featured renowned speakers from around the world, the Church’s Spanish-language Newsroom reported.

Among those speakers were Dulio Delgado, FamilySearch manager for the South America Northwest Area, and Pedro Bravo España, a FamilySearch institutional relations manager for the same area, who shared FamilySearch’s free records digitization service.

Francesco Galiano Abanto, director of communications for the Church in Cusco, also attended the event.

Mario Silva, master of ceremonies, thanked the Church for its help in translation presentations.

Gonzalo Suarez Barriga, a coordinator for the Church Educational System, added that his team is working with FamilySearch to start a new Institute course focused on family history.

Africa

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In early June, FamilySearch introduced a new website and app built specifically for family history work in Africa, the Church’s Africa Newsroom reported.

In many African cultures, records were memorized and recited orally by designated members of a tribe or village. But several years ago, FamilySearch began visiting villages, recording these oral records. Separate teams then transcribed the information to make it searchable.

Now, the Find Ancestors in Africa tool allows users to select an African country and then search for ancestors by tribe, village or surname.

In addition to viewing transcribed records, users can listen to recordings of the information made in the native language of the person reciting it. Languages include Twi, Ga, Guan, Fante, Kibemba, Bamoun and Tshiluba. Pictures of the speakers, tribes and villages are also available.

The new website is continuously being updated with improvements and new records. See the website at familysearch.org/africa, or download the Android app from the Google Play store.

Lithuania

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A representative from the Church’s Family History Department of the Northern European Region met with local Church members in Vilnius, Lithuania, on May 29, the Church’s Lithuania Newsroom reported.

Liusija Fernandes spoke with the members about the importance of cultivating a personal relationship with Jesus Christ through temple covenants.

She also reviewed a plan to organize family history and temple work at the local level, which includes creating FamilySearch accounts, engaging youth in family history work and helping members find four generations of their ancestors.

Fernandes shared the opportunity for Church members over age 26 to serve one- to two-year service missions while staying home, helping with FamilySearch user support requests and assisting with individual projects like processing digitized materials.

“Serving God and your loved ones will help you overcome personal difficulties and problems that we all face in our lives,” she said.

Bolivia

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FamilySearch set up shop at the Ventura Mall in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, part of a series of events May 10-17, the Church’s Spanish-language Newsroom reported.

The events presented computer systems that help patrons find genealogical information. Service missionaries Teófilo and Martha Flores said they’re grateful for the chance to help people open FamilySearch accounts, build their family trees and discover new information about their ancestors.

Silvia Gutiérrez Ortega de Miyagi, a Church member who married a Japanese citizen, shared her experience of finding a document used 70 years ago during the Japanese migration to Bolivia. This led to her seeing a picture of her father-in-law, Tokusho Miyagi, from when he was young.

“It was a joy and a blessing for the whole family, especially for my children and nephews,” she said. “The great work that FamilySearch does is incredible. It is truly uniting the hearts of parents to their children and children to their parents.”

Teresa Vaca, who participated at a FamilySearch station, said it was “amazing” learning things about her parents that she previously hadn’t known — like when they got married.

“I felt like my mother was close to me,” she said. “I saw photos of my uncle, my father’s brother, and I felt so happy.”

Ireland

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More than 125 people in Dublin, Ireland, gathered February 3 for a family history event hosted by the Dublin Ireland Stake.

“Why Family History?” connected Church members and friends of other faiths who share an interest in genealogical work, the Church’s Ireland Newsroom reported.

The event included several speakers, such as Lucy Reynoldson from FamilySearch, who emphasized the sense of identity, connection and resilience that comes from doing family history work.

Fiona Fitzsimons, from the Irish Family History Centre, said everyone has a story worth preserving and encouraged attendees to chat with family members and explore records, photos and keepsakes.

Fiona Tipple, from the National Genealogical Society of Ireland, highlighted how technology has made family history research more accessible than ever before.

Local Church member Denise O’Farrell closed the event by sharing practical tips for gathering information and touching on the power of prayer in aiding family history work.

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