"We seldom get into trouble when we speak softly. It is only when we raise our voices that the sparks fly and tiny molehills become great mountains of contention."
This
year, are you looking for meaningful Christmas gifts —
something beyond the latest gadget or trend? Consider giving the gift
of family history. It may take a little more planning, but family
history gifts offer eternal value as they connect us to our loved
ones both here and beyond the veil.
Here
are some possibilities:
Interview
a parent, grandparent, or other family member and record his or her
life story. You can write the story or make an audio recording. It
doesn’t have to be long or complicated. It has been said that
when someone passes away, a library of knowledge is lost. Don’t
wait until it’s too late to capture experiences that only that
person can share.
Plan
a family temple session, doing family names if possible. Previous
columns have explained how to find valid names. If you don’t
have your family own names at present, check with other family
members to see if they could use help.
Do
a batch of indexing.
Some families give service as a gift to other family members;
indexing is a great option for that type of gift.
Plan
a family reunion. It doesn’t have to take place over the
holidays, but it’s a great gift regardless of when it’s
held.
Give
a calendar that includes family photographs. Copy shops or office
supply stores may offer this service.
Print
a large-size fan chart showing your family. (A caution here —
if you print the chart from an online site such as Family Tree
rather than your own verified database, verify the information to be
sure it’s accurate before printing the chart.)
Give
a subscription to a genealogy site.
Start
now so you have plenty of time to plan.
Wilford
Woodruff said, “Oh, I wish many times that the veil were lifted
off the face of the Latter-day Saints. I wish we could see and know
the things of God as they do who are laboring for the salvation of
the human family who are in the spirit world; for if this were so,
this whole people, with very few, if any, exceptions, would lose all
interest in the riches of the world, and instead thereof their whole
desires and labors would be directed to redeem their dead.”
(Quoted in the Family
History Student Manual, 2012).
The
gift of family history is one that endures eternally.
Kathryn Grant is a user assistance professional with a passion
for usability and process
improvement. She also loves family history and enjoys the challenge and
reward of building her family tree.
As a child, she lived outside the United States for four years because of her father's job. This experience fueled her natural love of words and language, and also taught her to appreciate other cultures.
Kathryn values gratitude, teaching, learning, differences, and unity. She loves looking at star-filled skies, reading mind-stretching books, listening to contemporary Christian music, attending the temple, and eating fresh raspberries.
Kathryn teaches Sunday family history classes at the BYU Family History Library, and presents frequently at family history events. For more information, visit her Family History Learning Resources page
