Week of December 11, 2016

Sunday we substituted in the family history Sunday School class. Ted taught about the “Find” function in both Memories and in the Tree. I taught about MyHeritage and the translation function and the new source attaching feature. After I finished I reviewed the find functions. I had totally misunderstood why it would be useful. I have always assumed it was for finding the person you are looking for so I thought I was teaching about finding another record that might lead to more information. One sister raised her hand and said she had been looking for a person in her tree, but she didn’t know where he was. She had asked several people how to find the person and no one could tell her. She was ecstatic to finally be able to find him. So I looked “beyond the mark” to use a feature in some unconventional way when the obvious use was actually of the most benefit to the class.

In the evening we went to my sister’s for a family dinner to celebrate Mom’s 100^th birthday. Mom died just before turning 90, but we celebrated her life and our heritage. My sister had written a poem telling about Mom’s life. I commented on her time as life guard at Liberty Park. A young woman was pulled from the lake and Mom was able to resuscitate her and save her life. Others shared more memories and it was fun to remember.

Monday I taught IrfanView in the morning. We only had two students which was disappointing, but we were able to help them with specific needs.

Tuesday we started Capstone. We have a large group, but it isn’t large enough to require two sessions. After classes we were able to attend the Family History Christmas Program and luncheon. The program was lovely. We had Steve Rockwood (CEO of Family History), Elder Ian Ardern, Elder Erich Kopischke, and Elder Bradley Foster speak to us. They shared family traditions then we sang their favorite carols. It was really a good program.

Wednesday I taught the entire session. This was the month for Find, Take, Teach, so I teach how to do Descendancy Research using the missionaries own family then on Thursday we help them write a lesson plan and practice giving it to someone else. This is a good group and we were able to find someone for everyone there. It turned out that not everyone could find sources easily, but I think they all found something to practice the methods.

In the evening we met with the group of women I grew up with and spouses for dinner and visiting. We got caught in a major mess on the interstate so we were nearly 45 minutes late. It was fun to visit and catch up. One of the women had married a young man whose team I had sponsored at the All Church Basketball Tournament back then. I had introduced them at a party at my home. It was fun to see him again after so many years. Their team was from Las Vegas, Palmhurst Ward, which is in our current stake. Small world. It was really a fun evening with the visiting and a fun game. It was late when we left, but again it was worth it.

Thursday was an amazing day. As I read the conference talk Pres. Uchtdorf gave in the Priesthood Session of conference called Alma and Amuleck, I had the distinct impression that this was something I should share with the missionaries with the application of helping others do family history instead of becoming active in another way. I marked the section and stuck the conference booklet in my bag to take with me. I also wanted to show the video by Elder Renlund which has such a powerful promise. As class started, I gave the intro to the lesson plan, then got them started and turned them loose. It turned out that several, in spite of our best efforts, had found names that either had no sources, needed further research, or had already been reserved by someone else during the night. I assured them that the process was what was important and they should just forge ahead, knowing they would not reserve the name just now. There was such a good feeling in the room. Several times I paused to examine what I was feeling and it was overwhelming to me that the Spirit was so strong. After the assignment was completed we had a missionary come to the front and demonstrate teaching the lesson plan. She was so wonderful as she explained the things what needed to be done. It was a very touching experience to me. We then had them teach each other in pairs. It was a good experience.

When we finished the room was so full of the Spirit that it was almost palpable. I shared with them the section from Pres. Uchtdorf’s talk and the impression I had to apply this to the opportunity they have to do family history. I really feel that was a prompting from the Lord. After this I played the video from Elder Renlund asking them to listen to the promise. Every time I watch this I am nearly overcome with the Spirit and this was no exception. I closed with my testimony and we ended the class. It was an amazing experience to have the Spirit that strong and for such a lengthy period of time. I felt so blessed. I was exhausted.

Friday we had our class on Memories. A new couple has been assigned to our group who will replace Barbers when they go home. Elder Barber brought them downstairs to meet us after they received their assignment. They have been in charge of a family history center for the last few years and have been teaching several classes.

Saturday evening Ted and I went to the Richards Family Christmas gathering. There were over 100 people there. My favorite part was at the end when we gathered into a large circle to play a game. They had a slide show and sang a special Christmas song I hadn’t heard before about “Merry Christmas from Our House to Your House”. Uncle Elliott spoke and expressed his love for everyone. At the end all the lights were turned out. Elliott started by turning on the light on his phone and turning both to the right and the left he told us he loved us and we turned our lights on and told the persons next to us we love them. They call this their circle of love. They used to use candles, but this was held in the Hilltop Chapel and they are not permitted to use candles in the church. The feeling of love in the family was wonderful.

Week of December 4, 2016

Sunday we attended the First Presidency Devotional. The Conference Center was beautifully decorated. We had seats in the balcony but they were right in the center. The talks were very uplifting and it was a good meeting—a nice way to start the Christmas season.

Monday after our dentist appointments we went to see the display of the Roots of Knowledge windows we’d seen at the stained-glass window shop a few weeks ago. It was amazing. With the windows all put together they were so incredible. They depict several scenes throughout the history of man in a sort of time progression. They are three windows in each set, but they run together so there is a flow from panel to panel. There are 80 windows all together.

Tuesday devotional was on the 10^th floor of the JSMB. We have been climbing the stairs the last few times. It is staggering to say the least. It doesn’t seem to get any easier. We had two classes today, but the students didn’t need much help so I was able to do a little research during most of the time. After the second class today it was snowing. It looked quite heavy from inside. I hadn’t worn boots or brought my umbrella so I wasn’t looking forward to it.

Wednesday was a full day. Our class started at 8 am and finished about 9:30 so we were able to go to the temple between classes. At one point I ran into one of my friends from high school, Carol Ann Hall, who was working in the temple. She recognized me right off the bat and we had a hug. One of the ladies made the comment that it really puts things into a different perspective when you see someone in the temple.

Ted taught in the afternoon. After class I stayed and did some research. I’ve been finding some families that extend one of Ted’s family lines a few more generations.

Thursday we had two classes. I did more research during class and found more family members. It is exciting to put the families together. After class I reviewed the Capstone material and made several changes. In the evening we met my sister and her husband for dinner then went to the Tabernacle Choir Christmas concert. We were right at the front of the main floor, second section in from the left. The camera boom was in front of us part of the time, but they were really good seats. We had a good visit with which we haven’t done in a while. The concert was good and I really enjoyed the guest artist, Rolando Villazon. He has a wonderful tenor voice and a pleasant personality. I was glad we didn’t have to drive home afterward because it was late.

Stage for First Presidency Christmas Devotional

Friday I taught a class on attaching external sources. It went well. We only had six people in attendance so we were able to address their specific needs and concerns. I think it went well. I enjoyed it. Our attendance has been down lately, we think due to the holidays and also because the library missionaries are now required to take the computer classes and get certified. After class I made more changes to the Capstone book and to the handout for the class I had just taught. The sources area was changed earlier this week and some of my verbiage and screen prints were outdated. I was able to find two more generations for the family I was working on. It has been a good experience finding them. I went to the international floor to get help with one of the screen prints I’d found then went home. 

Week of November 27, 2016

Monday it was very snowy and cold. Ted and I drove another missionary to the library in her car. She has trouble walking and was afraid of slipping on the ice. Ted taught today and did a good job. After lunch I drove the sister missionary home. It was snowing fairly hard so it was tricky driving. I had planned to return to the library to work, but I decided not to brave the cold and wind and snow and stayed home to work.

Young Elders and Pres. Tate at Hail and Farewell Dinner

Tuesday I was able to find the parents of one of Ted’s direct ancestors and take the line back an additional generation. I needed to have someone help read a document for me. The mother of one of the parents was listed with the family and I wanted to know who she was. She was the mother-in-law, so she was the wife’s mother. I also asked about the cause of death. Three people had died within a short time of the same cause. It turned out to be Typhus or Typhoid Fever. As I looked later at some of the death records, there were pages of people each month that died of the same thing about that time. Very sad.

Wednesday we had staff meeting in the morning and a class in the afternoon. I was given some good teaching assignments for the next month so I’m looking forward to that. We were told they would probably be calling a new couple out of the new full time missionaries in December to take the place of our Assistant Zone Leaders. I’m not looking forward to Barbers leaving—they have done a wonderful job of getting us better organized.

Young Elders Singing "Called to Serve"

In the evening I reviewed again for my lesson Thursday and realized there were some major things that I needed to change. I had to find some good examples for the demonstrations I wanted to do. I was glad I had done the extra review. It is tricky trying to keep up with the FamilySearch engineers—they are always updating the program.

Thursday I taught a class on FamilySearch Partners. We had 12 students and several told us how much they appreciated the class. That is always nice to hear.

Friday our group met at the temple for the 9 am session. It was good to be in the temple together. Afterward we all went to The Lion House Café for lunch together. We enjoyed a good visit and had a good experience doing something together outside of the mission.

Saturday we had the Swap Meet so we were out about 9:15 getting things set up. It was still very cold so we were all bundled up. We had a good group helping us. We had a good-sized group of new missionaries and there was a lot of stuff for them to take. We had a missionary couple write us a thank you note in the form of a poem about our service dong the Swap Meet. It really does help a lot of missionaries. It seemed like we had several that actually told us how much they appreciated us doing it today. That always feels good.

I worked on my lesson for next week on External Sources. I needed to find good examples to use again. We separated the sources class into two classes—Internal Sources and External Sources—so this will be the first time I teach the new course. It will make it much easier to help the missionaries understand.

Social Group at Uncle Elliott's home

In the evening we went to Uncle Elliott Richards’ home for our social group to hear him speak. He did a wonderful job. He was concerned about his voice holding out, but it lasted until he was finished. He shared his experience teaching the Satos in Japan, his experience being prompted to pray for Dad, his meeting and work with Boyd K. Packer while in Japan. They studied and prayed together while they were in the same area for several weeks. He also shared some experiences as mission president in the Philippines and spoke of the almost continuous flow of direction of the Spirit in the operation of the mission. At home as I lay in bed I reflected on the thoughts Uncle Elliott shared and I realized I have a ways to go to be what I want to be.

Week of November 20, 2016

Sunday was a fairly normal day. We attended the Choir broadcast then home taught a new sister. She lives in Zion Summit so we had to hike up behind the conference center toward the capitol building. She is a sweet lady, probably about 80-something. She got this condo so she could continue to serve when her mission was finished several months ago.

Monday we had inservice meeting part of the morning and I worked at the library all afternoon. It rained most of the day so it was a bit dreary.

Mission Christmas Tree--Ancestors pictures on left, Young Elders pictures on right

Ted's Grandma Ida Elina Henrickson

Tuesday morning we had another inservice day. One of the engineers talked about the FamilySearch platform which was interesting, but I‘m not sure what I’ll do with the information. We then had a pie feast. I ate too much. Our zone did a Christmas tree with pictures of ancestors hanging on it for ornaments—cute.

Wednesday we had T&R day. I spent the day at the library trying to find some additional records and get my sourcing up to date. It started out as a good day, but it started to rain just before we left the library. It rained and was cold the rest of the evening.

Carolyn's Grandpa Burton Kent Farnsworth

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Thursday I cooked a turkey for the branch Thanksgiving dinner. I tried a new recipe and it turned out great. I also made two bowls of mashed potatoes. Our bowls weren’t large enough so we had some left over and it made for a bit of a mess. The dinner was lovely. There was plenty to eat and we enjoyed visiting with some seniors and some young elders. The young elders did a program for us with several singing a variety of songs. I was particularly touched by a duet sung by two elders. One of the elders has a cleft pallet and has some difficulty pronouncing some words when he speaks. He has such a good heart and is a good leader in the branch and mission. I truly admire his courage and determination to be all he can be. One of the elders sang “We’ll bring the world His truth”. He had written a couple of extra verses since the song was too short. Very impressive.

Friday I spent most of the morning cooking making turkey soup. In the evening we went to Temple Square for the lighting of the decorations. It was beautiful but cold. It was truly beautiful.

Saturday was our turn at the Swap Meet sheds. We did some work organizing the donations and hanging clothes up to make more room. We did have a lot of clothes to hang and filled the hanging bar to its capacity and beyond. I appreciate those who donate so we have plenty of things to offer each month.

After we finished there we went to City Creek to meet our daughter and her family. The kids always enjoy playing there so they had a good time. In the evening we had a friend from high school and her husband over for dinner. We reconnected a few weeks ago because of a chance meeting with their son at an antique store. We enjoyed a good visit and it was fun to see them. It has been fun to reconnect with some old friends while we’ve been here.

Week of November 13, 2016

Sunday evening we had the elders for dinner. They were late because they thought we lived above the Conference Center. They had walked up the two steep hills, then they realized they were at the wrong place and walked back down. One of the elders walks with a walking stick, and it isn’t easy for him to get anywhere, much less up those hills. We had a good visit and they ate all the food we had which should have been enough for at least one meal of leftovers. It was good to see them eat so well. We enjoyed it.

Monday we didn’t have any classes so I did research all day at the library. I got several families put together from household records and found sources for most of the vital records. In the evening we had our Hail and Farewell dinner. We had about 25-ish new missionaries and only about 10 going home. That is just the opposite of the last couple of dinners. We also had a man speak to us about Mormons in the military and the price of our freedom.

Tuesday we began our monthly Capstone classes with a group of about 23 people. That’s a good size for teaching.

Wednesday at Mission Conference the man in charge of the Church History Library spoke to us and shared information about what is collected there. It is amazing they have any space left with all the things they have. It was interesting.

The weather turned cold during the day and the wind picked up. It felt like winter was coming at last. We have had such beautiful weather for much longer than expected, but it is still sad to see it leaving.

Thursday I taught the Partners class. We attended the temple then had a special chapel meeting at 6 pm. The Wasatch Stake also was in the meeting and the man that spoke from their stake referred to goals they’d had during the year: read The Holy Temple by Boyd K. Packer; do all the ordinances in the temple available in one day. It really touched me and I would like to do these.

Friday I taught the last 15 minutes to invite the missionaries to attend Capstone 2 next month. I was feeling a bit disconnected and was a little uncertain how it would turn out. When I played the video by Elder Renlund with his promise of strength, peace, and healing, the Spirit really touched me and I was grateful to be able to share my testimony. 

Week of November 6, 2016

Monday we had just one class so I spent the afternoon doing research. I got quite a bit done. I’m doing more in Sweden again so I need to be at the library for that. It is much easier to follow than the Finnish work. I’ve been trying to get the sources in that I had already collected, so I’ve slowed a little on the research.

Tuesday we had two classes. Neither one required much assistance so I got more research done. We attended the temple in the afternoon and I really enjoyed it. In the evening we listened to the election returns until I couldn’t stay awake any longer. I hope our country survives the next few years.

Wednesday we had two classes. Elder Barber taught a class on familysearch sources in the morning. He definitely covered it. Ted taught in the afternoon. We only had two ladies in the class and he did an excellent job. He really related well to them. I went walking with Sister Tauzin then invited her to come for dinner afterward. I had made some soup and it was good on a cold evening.

Thursday we didn’t have class until afternoon so I spent the morning working on research and got quite a bit done. I continued to work during class then reviewed a handout Elder Barber had prepared for another class before I went home.

In the evening I reviewed my lesson for Friday. I am teaching Descendancy Research and as I went through the lesson I reviewed some of the people that I found in the tree and there is so much to do that it was tempting to do some of it instead of saving it for the lesson. There is so much that needs to be done.

Friday I taught the class on Descendancy Research using the landscape view to descend rather than the descendancy view. It went well. I had about 10 students plus the other trainers, none of which do research this way. Elder Barber told me later that he thought the tracking was easier in this view which I took to be a compliment. Sister Barber received some favorable compliments from students as well. That is really the best indicator—whether she thinks it goes well. I helped a lady during the time that I gave the students to try it out. She was floundering a bit so I helped her get started. We found someone that had some sources that needed to be attached. She didn’t seem to know how to attach the sources, so we attached three censuses and found an additional spouse for a child. She was thrilled. I was surprised that she wasn’t able to do some things. I need to make sure that when I teach this again I walk people through the process of finding a good starting ancestor then getting out to the end of the line people.

In the evening we went to dinner at Olive Garden. They offered a free meal to Veterans. I had to pay, but I thought that was a wonderful thing for them to do. There were several restaurants in the area that provided this service. I am grateful for Ted’s service and that of so many others. Our veterans are really unsung heroes.

Saturday I caught up on things around the apartment. I did a bit of family history in the evening and prepared for Sunday. It felt good to get things done.

Week of October 30, 2016

Sunday Pres. Cecil Samuelson of the Salt Lake Temple spoke to our branch. It was really uplifting. We helped with Preach My Gospel. It was a bit of a zoo due to some new missionaries that weren’t on the list. When we were finally assigned to some elders, we had a very quick lesson and were done in 5 minutes. 

Monday we had our first Tree class since the previous couple went home. We had only a couple of students. We expected the numbers to be lower because we are not registering people or sending repeated emails to students to remind them. The classes are also taught stand-alone and not as a series any more. I think some of the missionaries came to get one class and had to attend all 6 to get the 1 or 2 they wanted. This is a better approach, but it will take some time to stabilize again. 

Tuesday I taught Basic IrfanView. We had a full class with just a few empty seats. It was a good group and we were able to cover all the material in good time and give them time to do a project using most of the things we had taught. It went well and I felt good about it. In the afternoon we had a class on merging. It was a really good class and I know the students learned something. 

Wednesday I taught Correcting Relationships in Family Tree. I hadn’t taught it before and there wasn’t a presentation already prepared so I put together a few slides to introduce the topic. We had the students sign into Beta so they could practice without messing things up royally. A couple of students couldn’t get into Beta and that was a concern. I think the students grasped the concepts and learned something, but I would change things a bit if I teach this again. 

City Creek Canyon

I stayed at the library after class to work on some personal research. I need to get back to the Swedish records while I have access to the library facilities. I can do most of the Finnish families at home. It all ties together, but the Finnish records are not as complete. 

Thursday I did some research during the morning and afternoon classes because the students didn’t need any help. After class Sister Barber wanted to get an idea of what I would be teaching for Descendancy Research next week so I walked her through the plan. I gave her a copy of the handout so she could review it to see if it makes sense. She was hesitant about my using Landscape view to do the research, but I think I convinced her that it gives people another option. 

City Creek Canyon

Friday was our T&R day. I got to the library about 9 am and sorted through my research notes so I could begin working on some of the descendant families. After lunch I began to find the records to document the families. I thought I’d get through 2-3 families, but I only got one family completed and then I only found the records—I wasn’t able to get anything into the Tree. 

Saturday we had our monthly Swap Meet. We have several people that come to help set up that aren’t on the committee. It really helps. We really moved a lot of things. At the end we took a truck full to the DI. We need to get rid of more than we did—we ended up with several tubs of clothing and we should only have about three tubs to start with.

Elder Roeth up City Creek Canyon

After the Swap Meet we walked up City Creek Canyon. The leaves were mostly gone, but there was some color left. I’m afraid we missed most of it.

Week of October 23, 2016

Sunday in Stake Conference we had a couple speak that had been serving in Belgium when the airport was bombed recently. The man had been at the airport with three young missionaries and was severely injured. He spoke of his complete faith and trust in the Lord throughout his healing. It was touching.

Monday at our morning devotional they had all the missionaries that were going home stand while we sang “God Be With You ‘Til We Meet Again”. There were a large number leaving—about half of our group plus several others who had been out longer than one year. It was very sad to say goodbye to so many friends, most of whom I will probably never see again. It was a teary occasion. I spent time reviewing for my classes on Saturday. Our stake is having a family history fair and I’m teaching two classes. I usually take two hours to teach one of the classes, so it will be challenging to do it in 50 minutes. I figured out a way to do it differently that will take less time and be easier to do. I also worked on two new classes I’ll be teaching. One is not coming together so it is causing some concern.

Elder and Sister Roeth at LDS Motion Picture Studio

Tuesday our zone went to lunch and then toured the LDS Motion Picture Studios in Provo. It was fascinating. Our guide was Pete Czerny whose name I’ve heard. We also met the director of the Meet the Mormons productions. He was a really sweet and humble man. It was really an interesting experience, not only to see what goes into making the movies, but to see how contrived everything is. Even the buildings are not really buildings—they are made of plastic. He showed us how they make some of the sounds. He had a bag of corn starch—when he walked on it, it sounded just like walking in snow. It was fascinating. He showed us the models of the Book of Mormon plates—amazing detail.

Model of Gold Plates based on description by Mary Whitmer

Wednesday we had some inservice meetings followed by our staff meeting. In the afternoon I worked on upcoming classes. I am still struggling with a couple of classes, but I was able to find a Power Point presentation for one of the classes that I hadn’t thought I had.

Fireplace used in nearly every LDS movie

Thursday we had inservice again then I worked on my classes. With the Lord’s help I was able to get all the handouts ready for the upcoming classes. One may need some tweaking, but at least it is in a format that I can use for a first run. I’m doing a class on Descendancy Research and have been struggling with how to explain what I am doing in writing. I’m comfortable with the verbal presentation, but I was finally able to put into writing something that may work. I’ll let it gel for a few days then give it another review. I was also able to put together my notes for the Correcting Relationships class. 

Friday we met my sister and her husband to go to the Vernal Temple. Roger drove and we had a good trip. The temple is beautiful. I had asked a couple of ladies what the flower was for the temple. Usually temples have a flower that forms a theme throughout the temple. Neither one thought there was any special flower. A bit later a lady came up to me that had been visiting with one of the ladies I asked. She said she had asked the assistant matron and she thought it was the Sego Lily because they were all along the hallway. I thought that was very sweet of her. She visited with me a few minutes. I also visited with another lady and told her how much we enjoyed being there and what a beautiful temple it is. Everyone was very sweet and friendly.

Vernal Temple

Saturday we had the stake family history fair. I went early to the library so I could load files onto the computers in the classroom where I would teach. I discovered the library doesn’t open until 9 am on Saturday. After I went in the back way I started copying the files to the computers and found the room was to be used for a prayer meeting for the British Zone. I went to make copies and did a couple of other things then finished copying the files to the computers. I think my classes went well. I was concerned about keeping the students together, but I mostly did it as a demonstration and told them they could follow along. Most did and it went OK. I was able to cover all the material I planned to. In the evening we went to the stake center for a stake “family reunion”, a talent show from the wards in the stake. It was fun and relaxing and I enjoyed it.

Week of October 16, 2016

Monday I worked on preparing for my classes this week. When I reviewed the lesson plan for class example, I found that the individual we had used before was no longer available. Also two wives had been removed from the ancestor and the name had been changed for one of the others on the list. The screen shots were no good and the example was gone. I looked at another child in the same family and found there was a lot of work to be done, some with good hints and sources. It is difficult to teach a new concept using an example that does not illustrate what we are doing, so I redid some of the screen shots and the lesson plan. It was a fairly big task getting it prepared but it will make more sense. We’ll just have an attachment to the books we hand out.

I spent a little time on my classes for the family history fair for the stake. When I started I was told there would not be computers available and questionable internet. Now they have moved the classes to the library computer labs, so I need to pace the classes a little slower so people can keep up with me. It is almost harder to teach—much more effective for the students, but slower with everyone on their own computer. I tried working on the handout for a new class, but I got bogged down and decided to let it breathe for a few days.

Tuesday we started our Capstone classes. It went pretty well. We had about 46 people in the class—we split into two sessions the rest of the week so the students can all have computers. We attended mission conference in the afternoon. Pres. Hansen talked about becoming perfect, as in “Fully developed”. It was intended to give us hope for our future outcomes. Pres. Tate talked to us about the hope for the Celestial Kingdom. He spoke about the tendency we have to feel we are not “good enough”.

Wednesday I taught double sessions on how to do descendancy research. The classes both did really well and it was very encouraging. I’m sure they are not all proficient, but it seemed to go well. One lady found a man that needed temple work. She felt bad that he didn’t have a wife, so she looked and found a wife and several children. It was a very touching experience. There was also a lady from Germany we thought wouldn’t be able to find anyone, but we found her a couple of people. I thought it went well.

Since I was teaching all day I was concerned that my legs would get tired and I wouldn’t be able to stand. In the morning I prayed and asked for help that my legs would be OK and not hurt. At the end of the day I was very aware that my legs were not hurting and I had been able to stand without concern the entire day. It was a real tender mercy.

Thursday the classes both did well again. The students wrote up their lesson plans and practiced them on each other. The ones that demonstrated their plans did a great job. After the second class I was drained. We went to the Visitors’ Center and watched the three new Meet the Mormons movies and enjoyed them before going home.

Friday we had our class on memories. After we finished Ted taught Sister Shurtz a lesson plan he had prepared for her. She has been gone with a new grandbaby, so this was our first chance to meet with her. Afterward, the four of us went to dinner and the movie The Spirit of the Game, a movie about some missionaries in Australia that played basketball to help the Olympic teams train. It was good.

Saturday I was able to sleep in and it felt good. At 10 am I went out to the swap meet sheds and hung clothes and put things on shelves. We have some nice stuff, but the shed is quite empty. I’m surprised that we haven’t received more stuff considering all the people that are going home.

In the evening we had Stake Conference. It was a wonderful meeting. Our Stake Presidency discussed the area goals and their plan for implementation. The Vision is to help members “Become and help others to become true followers of Christ”. It is really amazing the vision they have and the spirit they convey to the members. As a missionary I have felt different than other members in the stake, but I am probably more the same than I realize. I need these steps as much as anyone. There was a big emphasis on studying the Book of Mormon and observing the Sabbath Day. It was a good meeting.

Week of October 9, 2016

Sunday was pretty much a normal day. We attended the broadcast, went home teaching, helped a friend with some family history, and went to church.

Monday our zone leaders spoke at the devotional and used an experience I had shared with them. A lady had approached me in the library one day to tell me that when we were training her she was overwhelmed and it all flew over her head. As she has been working on the floor, the training we gave has become a foundation for her and she is beginning to see more and more how everything fits together.

I worked on some family history in the evening. When I went to bed I had an unusual experience. As I was resting in the bed, after the lights were out, I was thinking about a family I have been trying to piece together and find documents for. Some of the documents have been very elusive. It has been frustrating. I seemed to see faces on the ceiling. There was only one at a time and they changed from one to another fairly rapidly. They seemed to be made of clouds—not hard edges like in a photograph but more like looking through a fuzzy mirror. I had the impression that these were the ancestors I was looking for and they were there for me.

Tuesday we had two Tree classes. We will be taking them over in November after the missionaries doing them now return home. The classes are intended to assist missionaries who don’t get the understanding they need in initial training. Some of the missionaries who have been teaching these will be released back to their zones. We will continue to use one who is an excellent teacher. I know it will take some time for the transition to smooth out, but I am looking forward to having more to teach again.

Wednesday we had two classes and also a staff meeting. We were given assignments to revise some of the handouts, and I had the impression that we would move the teaching assignments around a little but still use the same class handouts once they are fixed. My Sources enrichment class is being merged with the Tree class on sourcing. The Tree class will just cover internal sources and my enrichment class will focus on external sources. I think that is a good approach. I just hope I can make it work.

Thursday I worked a bit on a class handout. We had a class scheduled for the afternoon, but when we got there the class had been bumped due to room availability. It made me sad since this was the last class the old group would have taught. It would be frustrating to have your last class cancelled. We did a little research instead.

Friday morning I taught the Unique Searches Enrichment class. We had about 26 people in the classroom that seats 23 so it was over-full. I think it went well. We allowed some time to look for the students’ own records so it was of more interest to them. I didn’t get to do all the things I wanted to, but I think it was important to give them the time for their own records. In the afternoon nnother missionary taught Land Records. She always does an excellent job and the students love her teaching.

Saturday evening we had a pot luck dinner for the missionaries that came out with us from the MTC. There were originally 54 of us so they split us into two social groups. The last couple of months we’ve met together and it has been a lot of fun. (We don’t do a lot—just one activity a month—but it is good to be together.) It was a rather bittersweet evening. We enjoyed wonderful food—most pot lucks are like that. Tonight after eating Elder Briggs opened it up for anyone that wanted to share a thought. Most of the departing missionaries said something. Elder Miller recited a poem that was cute about some Irish men that was funny—the object was that they couldn’t count and keep names straight. He said that’s about how he is with family history—he has trouble keeping the names and numbers straight. It was a fun thing.

Another missionary told about doing family history research in the South. She said when you walk into the courthouse and they ask if they can help you say, “My granddaddy fought in the great War of Northern Aggression.” Then they throw the doors wide open and give you everything they have.

It is sad to see so many going home. It has been a real good thing for me to feel that I started out knowing (even briefly) so many missionaries so I started with friends. Our group has been scattered throughout the mission and Elder Briggs made the comment that when we came we were a real boost to the mission. The converse of that is that when we leave it will hurt a bit. Many are staying at least another six months, but there are many going and I will miss them.

Week of October 2, 2016

Sunday we watched conference on the internet. Our daughter’s family came for dinner. We had parked our car in a lot across the street to save them a spot. The parking is unbelievable since we’re just across the street from the Conference Center. We babysat their younger children they attended conference. It was fun to see them again.

Monday we had a class in the morning then met Heather for lunch at City Creek. We had a good visit. After eating we walked on Temple Square but it was super cold. We stopped in at the Tabernacle then the Visitors’ Center. The other kids really enjoyed walking around looking at the displays. It was fun.

Tuesday I taught a class on FamilySearch Partners and we had 29 stuffed into our room that holds 23 so we turned people away. Shortly into the class one of the missionaries found the other lab was empty (it holds 32) and they allowed us to move the class. It was much better—everyone had a computer and the rows are more spacious so it is easier to walk in to help the missionaries. I thought it went well. I was a little surprised at the turnout, but I was pleased that so many wanted to take the class. 

We had another class in the afternoon in the larger classroom and we filled all but one seat. Several people came early to reserve seats. After class we went to the temple. It was nice not having to rush over to make the session. I enjoyed it.

Wednesday we had a packed room again for my Sources class. I assumed we would move to the other lab, but we weren’t able to get it so we had people in the aisles. Before class started I heard a lady compliment to her friend. That made me feel good. I had decided to teach using real examples from my own tree then have them look on their trees for a similar source and practice attaching. This was a last minute change so it wasn’t as smooth as it could have been, but I thought it went very well. We are thinking we will teach one class on just internal (FamilySearch) sources and one class on external sources. I can see the value in both approaches. I really enjoy teaching it so I hope I get that opportunity.

In the afternoon we had a class on Correcting Relationships. The computer didn’t do what it was supposed to for some people, but it was a good class. There had been an accident on the freeway—a tanker had dumped ammonium nitrate and traffic was closed both directions for several hours. Some of the students were late arriving and I’m sure some were concerned about getting home. It was going to rain in the evening so my weekly walk with my French friend was shortened.

Thursday the class was full and overflowing as well. There wasn’t room for me in the classroom, so I worked out on the floor. I met a couple after lunch to help with family history. What I had prepared was not what she needed. I gave her the information I had, but she mostly wanted some suggestions on how to involve people. I gave her what I could but it was mostly off the cuff.

Friday was our Temple & Research day. We spent most of the afternoon at the library doing research. Ted worked at attaching sources to his American family—I spent most of the time attaching sources to records for Finnish families and resolving some merging of people.

In the evening I went to the French sister’s apartment to make the dessert for the Branch International Dinner on Saturday. I am on the French committee and was assigned to do the desserts. She helped me mix kefir (a milk based culture) with frozen fruit. The original plan was for us to pour it into cups over Vanilla Wafers and put a berry on top then put it in her refrigerator, but she had something come up and may not make it to the dinner, so we just mixed the berry/kefir blend and put it into containers to store in my refrigerator.

Saturday morning I put the cookies in the cups, sweetened the kefir mixture and poured it into the cups. The biggest challenge was that some of the cookies floated and I had to force them to the bottom again. I didn’t put the fruit on top yet, hoping it would set up again before evening. Ted and I drove to Ogen for my aunt’s funeral. It was so good to see the cousins again and we were able to have a good visit with two cousins I haven’t seen for years. It was a lovely funeral. One of my cousin’s daughters was a pallbearer which was unusual but very sweet. It was so good to hear the many wonderful things that were said about my aunt. Funerals are wonderful occasions to learn all the best there is about people.

After returning I finished the desserts and we attended the international dinner. It was lovely. There were about 12 countries represented so it was difficult to choose what to eat and I ate more than I should, but it was fun. It was a good activity.

100 Years Old - Utah State Capitol Building

We found out there would be a fireworks display in the evening to celebrate the 100^th anniversary of the State Capitol Building. After the dinner we walked up to watch the fireworks from across the street. We sat on the wall in front of an old building. When the test firings went up they seemed really close, especially with the wind blowing our direction. When the actual display started I thought I got something in my eye and had to shut it for a minute. After a few minutes a fireman came to have everyone move back to the building. It was only about 20 feet further away and probably not much safer. I have never been so close to a fireworks display. They were literally right on top of us. It was spectacular but a little scary. I even got a little ash on my jacket. Afterward we enjoyed a nice walk home. The night air was refreshing.

Week of September 25, 2016

Sunday we went early to hear the Tabernacle Choir dress rehearsal they do before every broadcast. It is just the same as the broadcast except there are no pictures on the TV monitors. After the broadcast we took my sister to the airport and dropped her off. We drove to Orem to attend church with my sister Sue since we were having dinner afterward with my brother Wayne and his family who had come for the reunion. We enjoyed a good meal and a good visit.

Monday we had a class in the morning then I met my brother and his family to do some family history afterward. I helped his daughter find some family names she didn’t’ know about and my brother worked with a missionary to find the parents of Margaret Morgan. It was fun.

Tuesday we had another class. I did some work on the Finnish records. I’d found a man who had 20 children with two different wives. I knew that several children died as infants, but when I did some more research I found only 3 of the 20 lived to be adults. That would be so heart breaking for anyone. 

My brother had asked me to look up some information on a supposed mother of Margaret Morgan. I checked a couple of things but wasn’t able to find an answer for him. I found that the source on the record that tied her to our Margaret Morgan was for a Margaret Morgan born 15 years after ours. I also found a history of Margaret Powell by a granddaughter that gave a brief history of Margaret Morgan. It said she only had one sibling. The family in Family Tree has five children, two Margarets and two Davids, each of which overlap the others in their lifetimes. I was able to find some parents that probably belong to our Margaret Morgan’s mother, but they don’t belong to the mother in Family Tree. We need to find the sources for the correct lady then fix the Tree. I emailed my brother to let him know what I’d found and so he could take care of it.

Utah State Capitol Building

I copied the handout for my class on Wednesday then headed over to Temple Square for the Salt Lake City bus tour our zone was doing. We rode for about 1 ½ hours in an open air bus around the city. It felt so enjoyable to be in the open air. When we got back we stopped to say goodbye to our Finnish friends then went to dinner with Elder and Sister Shurtz. We have been their home teachers and friends while we’ve been here. After we got home we went to help a friend move things to her car. She leaves for home tomorrow.

University of Utah

Wednesday I taught my IrfanView class to a full room. They did well and I enjoyed it. One of the ladies told me that one of her coworkers had said that when she found I was teaching the class she was glad because she thought I was a good teacher. That made me feel good. I did a little work on the Finns again before the afternoon class on temple submissions. I was able to complete the work on one of the families.

Thursday we had another enrichment class. In the afternoon we had a group discussion about Certification of Family History Consultants with Mike Sandberg. Afterward he recorded the experience of one of our missionaries in the Capstone class. It was very rewarding to hear her comments and what it has done for her to learn this technique for helping others. (Capstone classes are taught to missionaries getting ready to go home as a preparation for their possibly serving in family history callings in their home congregations.

Friday was another enrichment class on City Directories. It was really good and I learned some good things. After class we drove to Provo to attend the Provo City Center Temple with my sister Sue and her husband. It is a beautiful temple and we enjoyed being there.

Saturday we had tickets for the morning session of General Conference. Our seats were in Plaza 1, the farthest section to the right at the very front, right where all the General Authorities and their families came in. It was amazing. We had to look at the speakers’ profiles, but we enjoyed seeing so many of the people we’d only seen at a distance before. It was an amazing session and I really enjoyed it. In the afternoon we watched the second conference session on the computer. It was also really good. I’m grateful for the opportunity to hear from our leaders. In the evening Ted attended Priesthood Meeting at the church across the street. I listened to part of the meeting while I did some things at home. It was really good.

Week of September 18, 2016

Sunday we met a lady at church that said she wanted to join the Church. She had just arrived in town and had met the sisters at the visitors’ center. Ted and I walked back with her to reconnect with some sisters after Sacrament Meeting so she could be taught more. She was going to stay at the homeless shelter and she really needed sleep, but they didn’t open until later.

Monday we had an inservice class on doing research in Scotland. It was really informative. There is just not enough time in the day to do everything it would be nice to do. We attended a Tree class on adding and editing. We will be taking over the teaching of Tree classes in November so we want to attend all we can before then. Tree classes are somewhat of a review of the initial training we received when we arrived. Some missionaries like to take the classes to better understand what they were overwhelmed with the first time.

Stained Glass Window in Process

 Tuesday after an inservice class our zone went to visit the art institute at Thanksgiving Point where they make windows for many of the temples. They are also making a series of around 56 windows for a Roots of Knowledge display at UVU in Orem. They were working hard to finish the windows because they have an open house in November. It was really fascinating to see the process that they’ve gone through and the making of the windows. We were not able to get pictures of any temple windows, but we saw several for Paris and Rome.

Roots of Knowledge - Signing of Declaration of Independence

Wednesday we had an inservice class on research in England. My sister Cathy who is visiting for a family reunion wanted to attend classes while she’s here, so we did. After the class on England there was a discussion with Mike Sandberg who does Find, Take, Teach. He had us share experiences then discussed what they are putting together to “certify” family history consultants. It is a list of activities that consultants will do in order to become qualified to help others. It was really interesting and did not come close to being completed. They scheduled another time next week to meet again so his group could move forward with their initiative.

In the afternoon there was a Tree class on Memories. Afterward we looked at a few records but we really didn’t find anything. We met my sister Sue and her husband Roger for dinner in the evening. We enjoyed a good meal and a visit. We stayed way too long so we were late getting home, but it was fun.

Thursday we had the thought and scripture and prayer for devotional. Ted wasn’t feeling well so he came home after that. At the library my sister found a death certificate for one of her husband’s aunts that gave her correct parents’ names. She was really excited. We then went to a meeting with some of the FamilySearch engineers. They work in the Record Hints and Historical Records searching area. They told us how searches work and why different pieces of the tree work differently. They gave us insights into what’s coming and what they are hoping to accomplish. It was really fascinating.In the afternoon we attended the Historical Records class for Tree. It was quite good. When it was over Cathy made the comment that this was exactly what she needed. I’m so glad.

Friday we attended a class on Record Seek, a program that creates sources from other websites and puts them into FamilySearch. It was really interesting and looked like it would be a good idea to use it for some things. We went to The Lion House for lunch and enjoyed it. We sat next to two of my cousins and had a brief visit with them. After lunch we went on a tour to the top of the COB, 26 floors up with an amazing view of Salt Lake City. It was fun. We spent a little time in the library then went to visit my uncle and aunt in town. There were cousins at both houses so the visits were even more fun than expected. We got home just in time to grab a bite to eat then headed over to a concert in the Assembly Hall. It was a couple playing duets on the piano. I enjoyed it, but I was really tired. The weather had turned cold and rainy so it was good to get back indoors after returning home. It was a fun day.

Temple Square from 26th Floor of Church Office Building (COB)

Saturday we had thought we’d have to work at the sheds, but the couple that was scheduled changed plans to do it. Cathy and I went out to help anyway and hung clothes while an elder cleared up some bags of dishes. (Cathy wanted to experience the mission life for a few days.) I was amazed at the number of people that came during the specified time—it hardly ever happens when we are there.

After we changed our clothes we drove to a luncheon with the Hales cousins to celebrate Grandpa and Grandma Hales’ 100^th wedding anniversary. It was really fun. My aunt set it up and had prepared several vignettes from Grandpa’s journal for people to read during lunch. It was so good to visit with those who came. All of the cousins weren’t there, but there were some from each family and many I hadn’t seen in a long time.

Hales Cousins Celebrating Grandpa and Grandma Hales' 100th Wedding Anniversary

My aunt had got tickets for us to Women’s Conference. We got back to Salt Lake just in time for me to pick up my notebook and go to the Conference Center. I went to the closest row to the front that I could. The seats were amazing. They were in the second section from the right, just where all the General Authorities come when they enter the room. We (my sister-in-law Jaada and two of her daughters) saw several of the leaders as they came in. At the start of the conference, the entire First Presidency came in. They could not have been 30 feet away. It was amazing. When the prophet left, he paused to wave to everyone. It was very touching. He looks very weak, but he was able to walk in and out on his own.

As I was entering the row we sat on I was behind a family with two women and two young girls. When one of the women turned around I recognized her as Sister Julie B. Beck, former General Relief Society President. We saw several wives of General Authorities. Sister Beck’s secretary came by a couple of times trying to set up a golf date. She explained that after she was released her son-in-law bought her a set of clubs so she could learn to golf. She said she does well with her grandchildren because they don’t know any better. At the end she bumped my shoulder slightly and immediately put her hands on my shoulders to apologize. She left them there for several moments while she visited with someone. It was touching to me. She visited briefly and wished us well. I realized she was a very normal person. On the way out we ran into Maryellen Smoot, another former president who my sister-in-law had been working with on a recent RS meeting so she stopped to introduce herself to Sister Smoot. It was an exciting evening.

Week of September 11, 2016

Sunday we attended the blessing of our new granddaughter. Our son-in-law gave her a beautiful blessing and there was a good spirit there. Afterward we had a lovely breakfast and a good visit. When we returned home we caught the last part of our regional conference. In the afternoon we went home teaching to the Shurtz family and Sister Reeves. All leave in October, so we will be getting new assignments after that. I will miss the Shurtz. They are some of the first people we met at the MTC in our group and we have very much enjoyed their friendship.

Happy Grandma and Darling Baby!!

Monday we had a staff meeting in the morning to discuss our Capstone classes for missionaries going home. I think it will work well. I spent the afternoon doing research. I was able to get some help from our Finnish sister. In the evening we had our Hail and Farewell dinner. There are so many missionaries going home in the next two months it is unreal. I think we only had about 9 or 10 new ones and probably around 40 going home. It was sad to see so many good friends standing with those leaving.

Tuesday we had our first Capstone class. We will meet with everyone on Tuesday morning then split into two groups the rest of the week. We had about 60 people this morning. Ted taught two classes and did well. We finished early so we raced to the temple for the noon session. After the session we attended mission conference. The weather has turned cool and I am enjoying it being cooler than it has been.

Wednesday I did some research when I wasn’t helping missionaries. I didn’t have to teach, but the classes really don’t need a lot of help for most of the work. I have been trying to unravel a several generational family and I’m trying to get it done before our Finnish missionary leaves. She looked at a couple of things for me during breaks—she is such a sweet lady.

Thursday I taught Partners in Capstone. It went well except the class was so full and the clip-on microphone wouldn’t pick up my voice so I had to talk really loud to be heard over the rumble of voices. I wasn’t sure I would make it in the afternoon, but the class was smaller and I was able to use a laser-pointer to point to things on the screen so I could stand at the podium. It is sad to me to see so many of my friends from our group in the audience, Elder and Sister Aromaa from Finland, Elder Wheatley (my new-found cousin), and missionaries we have trained as new missionaries all getting ready to leave in the next few weeks.

Friday as we left our apartment I discovered we had a voice mail from Elder Barber asking me to call as soon as possible. The missionary that was supposed to teach had called him around 7 am to say she was taking her husband to the hospital and would not be there to teach. He wanted me to teach the Sourcing class. Fortunately, I had the class outline in the packet for the missionaries and I’d taught it a couple of times so I was able to step in and do it. I think it went well. We had some real beginners in the class and Sourcing is definitely an Intermediate class so we had some struggles. We ended with a video by Elder Renlund quoting a scripture from Ezekial about the waters running out from under the doors of the temple and increasing as they go. We used this to introduce the Find, Take, Teach session next month. I had invited a couple of sisters who had been in the class last month to share their experiences. It was an amazing experience and the Spirit was so strong it was hard for me to talk. It was a very positive way to end the week.

The other trainer arrived during lunch. Her husband was home and doing well—actually he had gone back to the temple to finish his shift and thank the people who had helped him. She was a little shaken but she taught in the afternoon. It was a totally different class. We closed with the same video and a couple of testimonials that were amazing.

After class I visited with our Finnish missionary for a bit. She was trying to help me find a family that has eluded me. She told me that she thought I was a very Finnish American. She said I was humble and reserved like the Finns. It was much better the way she said it all, but I was flattered by the compliment. I will truly miss her and her help but also her friendship. She is a real sweetheart.

In the evening I attended a meeting for an international dinner we are having at Relief Society. I am on the committee for France and will be making the dessert. One of the sisters had a bunch of frozen fruit in her freezer that she wasn’t going to be able to use before she goes home, so that will save us a few dollars.

Saturday we got together with our zone for a potluck at the home of one of the Church Service Missionaries that has finished her mission. It was really fun visiting with everyone on a more social note.

Week of September 4, 2016

Sunday we did the usual—Tabernacle Choir broadcast, church, dinner.

Ensign Peak from the State Capitol Building

Monday was Labor Day. Ted and I walked from our apartment on 200 North and West Temple up to the top of Ensign Peak by way of the Capitol Building. It took about 3 hours. I was worn out by the time we got to the trail head for Ensign Peak, so it was no wonder that I had to stop several times along the way to rest and get up my resolve to move on. At one point I wasn’t sure I was going to make it to the top. I finally made it, and I’m glad we did it, but it was a real test of endurance.

We really made it to the top!!! Wahoo!!

In the afternoon we went to lunch with Elder and Sister Aromaa. They are leaving to go home and they have been good friends and huge help in researching the Scandinavian lines. I will really miss them.

Tuesday we started teaching the last class of new missionaries that we will teach. They are an odd group, very quiet and unresponsive. They know what’s going on, they just don’t talk much. It’s interesting the differences in classes that we’ve had. This is the last class before the computer assisted training is implemented. It’s sort of sad to see this phase pass. I have especially enjoyed getting to know the new missionaries and forming some friendships along the way. We will be taking over the Family Tree classes which are a review of the initial training. We will be teaching one series of ten classes each month. It will be an interesting change.

In the morning before our first class I did some personal research with the help of Sister Aromaa. I have been finding the records of a family in Finland and was able to go back several generations. I found that two of the generations are already in FamilySearch, but the information is not all correct.

Wednesday during class I spent most of the time working on looking for information on the Finnish families. The research is very similar to the Swedish records, but they are not as complete. It is sometimes difficult to figure out where someone went and when. Part of the issue is that the records are older, so they are more difficult to read. I need to put my best effort into figuring out who belongs in which family then get Sister Aromaa to verify what I have done. If she agrees with me, I will feel I can continue doing the work without her immediate help. She has given me her email address so I can send her records I can’t read and she will interpret for me. Very sweet of her.

I went walking with Sister Tauzin in the evening. Her daughter has moved near to her home in France so she is now excited to go back to her home and fix it up. I am happy for her. It is such a blessing to walk with her and enjoy her friendship.

Thursday during our lunch hour I went to the international floor to see if I could get Sister Aromaa to read some records for me but she busy with someone else. I asked Elder Aromaa to help me and we had a good visit until they left for lunch. He wasn’t able to help me with all the records, but he said he’d tell his wife I needed help and maybe I could get some of her time on Friday.

Friday I taught Partners in the morning. I ate a quick lunch then went to the international floor so I could get set up and started into the research before Sister Aromaa arrived. She walked right to me and I moved quickly from one form to the next, having her confirm with me what they said. I had a couple of things wrong, but I think I just wrote on the wrong paper since it seemed fairly obvious. She gave me some good guidance on what to do next to prove out some records that were in question. I feel pretty good about what to do after she’s gone. I will hopefully be able to get someone to help with the writing, but I’m pretty sure I know the direction to go for the research. I’ve come a long way.

I have been walking the stairs at the library to get exercise. I walk up to the 3^rd floor (2 flights), down to B-2 (4 flights), then back to wherever I’m working or teaching (1-3 flights). I do this 4-5 times a day. I hope it strengthens my legs and tightens my muscles. It’s not much, but it’s a way I can exercise and still do what I need to do.

Swap Meet extravaganza!

Saturday we were out early to set up for the swap meet. We had so much stuff it took nearly an hour just to empty the sheds and get things out. We spent most of the time hanging clothing. I had made a sign that there were sheets and towels in the shed so we had several more takers this time. We also told people to take the hangers except the skirt hangers. We still ended up with three bins of hangers, but we will use many to hang things next month. At the end we got rid of all of the remaining furniture, most of the summer clothing, most of the odd dishes—we kept those with 2 or more matching pieces. We put most of the clothes in bins, leaving them on their hangers, so we could use the hanging bar for new donations during the month. Someone thought we should keep the books and shoes, but we got rid of most of the shoes and all of the books. It’s silly to hang onto so much when we get more stuff each month. We have so many going home that we should have plenty so I’m not worried.

In the afternoon we met Heather and Scott at a park for a picnic and visiting. It was fun and we were able to have a good visit. Quinn is really getting chunky—she is such a doll. It was fun to see the family.