LDS Freedom Forum

I've been wanting to do this for a couple of years, but now I really want to go for it. We watched "Ephraim's Rescue" last night and it really got me thinking about what kind of people my ancestors were and how I can learn from their examples. There's the family tree option on family search, but you can't "open it" all at once. I want to see my ENTIRE family tree branched out until Adam and Eve. I want to get a REALLY big sheet of paper, then begin to copy down the info from family search in TINY print so that it can all fit. When it's all done I want to frame it and stick it on a wall somewhere in our home. I think that this will be really cool and it will help me see exactly what parts of my family lines I need to focus on investigating.

So...anyone know where I can get a really big sheet of paper here in SL valley?

Have thought of doing a fan chart first? Doubt very much you'll get back to Adam and, realize, that FamilySearch.org is in a constant state of flux as people from wherever can add to it. You really need to get your own software and do your own research, using FamilySearch.org as a tool but not as family scripture.

ebenezerarise wrote:Have thought of doing a fan chart first? Doubt very much you'll get back to Adam and, realize, that FamilySearch.org is in a constant state of flux as people from wherever can add to it. You really need to get your own software and do your own research, using FamilySearch.org as a tool but not as family scripture.

Thanks for the tips, I'm new to family history work. What software do you suggest? And the fan chart suggestion helps me out a lot, it should be easier to keep it symmetrical doing it that way.

I use Roots Magic. I'm not saying it is the best but the thing that convinced me to go that direction was the fact that it interfaces with Family Search like no other package out there. There is a learning curve to it.

The Spirit of Elijah is one of the "hidden" tenets of the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is has changed my life. I warn you that once bitten, you'll never think of things again. Section 128, where the Prophet instructs the Saints in vicarious work, is must study after you've engaged just a little bit in doing your research.

Do not be fooled into thinking "your work is done". Whatever has been done, no matter how complete, on your family lines is not done until you've invested your self in it -- even if it is just reading and knowing those histories.

Sorry to be so preachy and yes, I've grown passionate about it, my journey with family history is now 40-years old and I'm constantly amazed at where it leads me. There is great power in this work, both inside and outside of the temple.

Kudos to you for taking it up.

Yes, eb...you are so correct! I joined the Church when I was just 16 and began genealogy right away....so, I have been at it for 56 years! It's the heart of all we do as Latter-day Saints. I use Roots Magic, too. I rolled my eyes when I read the announcement that the Church's site would no longer support PAF....I have used it for years and never felt like I needed anything else. So, I researched it a bit and chose Roots Magic. You should have seen me the day my hubby installed it for me and we followed the directions to transfer all I had in PAF (over 20,000 names) to Roots Magic. I literally closed my eyes and pressed the button...and VOILA! It all transferred perfectly. It is easy to use and there are lots of tools and lessons to help.
That would be quite a project to try to get it all on ONE sheet of paper....in fact, to me it sounds like a project to fit on your walls of one room! The fan charts are nice...and they can be really "pretty"....but I personally still prefer the standard pedigree charts. Back to Adam is another "problem". Yes, there are genealogies on the internet that go back that far,but the question then becomes how accurate are they? I applaud the interest in doing so, however, I would start with a smaller task of say 10 generations and see how that goes. Trying to get everything onto one sheet of paper....even a really, really, long one would be more possible by just extending say your own surname....father, to grandfather, to ggrandfather, etc. The problem is, that when you start with yourself, your lines DOUBLE every generation....and if you can envision that, it gets unwieldy rather quickly! You would also be limited as to what information you could include, like birth date and/or death date. Information also takes up space! I have a fold out 15 generation chart that I carry with me when doing research. You might want to look into one of those. I bought several from Stevenson's in Provo, Utah and they are only $2.00 or $2.50 if I remember correctly...and it is front and back! Whatever you decide to do...I know I would be more than interested in how you make out!!!

10 generations can be quite ambitious, even if you have good history in the Church for generations who have worked on it. Your odds of hitting brick walls go up pretty good the further back you go. But it is fascinating work for sure.

I'm working this year on getting all I have to my kids for Christmas -- names, books, histories, pictures, files, everything -- and it is daunting. We're at about 30,000 names, the vast majority NOT being my work but those of parents and grand parents. My work has been in collecting and organizing the family scriptures that are journals, diaries, pictures, histories and documents.

I appreciate the pedigrees, I really do. But they pale in comparison to all this other stuff. I challenge any to devote even 40 hours of their time to this work and NOT get sucked into it for life.

Another vote for roots magic! It's true--best program for syncing with family search and getting family ordinance work ready for the temple wish they had a true compatibility with Macs. I find their work arounds inadequate. For now I use an old windows laptop. Also, I pay for ancestry.com. Worth every penny.

linj2fly wrote:Another vote for roots magic! It's true--best program for syncing with family search and getting family ordinance work ready for the temple wish they had a true compatibility with Macs. I find their work arounds inadequate. For now I use an old windows laptop. Also, I pay for ancestry.com. Worth every penny.

Yes...ancestry.com IS worth every penny.

I joined the Church at 18, 44 years ago, and also started doing genealogy right away. I was given a project by the Family History Department. I had been on my first trip to SLC and was researching at the FH library (then located in the main Church Office Building). I got some help, since ancestors came from Louisiana and there wasn't a huge amount of information. I found two books about the Acadian and Church records of Louisiana. I sat there and could identify most of the surnames as part of my line. I was given permission to extract the surnames (that matched mine) which resulted in many thousands being submitted prior to going on a mission, after the Viet Nam War was over and the draft cancelled.

I think many members a blinded to the fact that a family includes more than the direct line. As I work with people, they are amazed at how many people need temple work if you include the spouses and children (and their spouses) of direct line children and tracing them back as long as we have permission for those whose birth dates are between 1902 to 2013.

I also think that the temple experience is much greater when you are a proxy from a family name. I've had some wonderful experiences over the years.

Zowieink wrote: I think many members a blinded to the fact that a family includes more than the direct line. As I work with people, they are amazed at how many people need temple work if you include the spouses and children (and their spouses) of direct line children and tracing them back as long as we have permission for those whose birth dates are between 1902 to 2013.

Absolutely true. Elder Packer --- the other Elder Packer -- made a statement at a Family History conference last spring and stated that something like 10 generations will yield about 8 million names. A lot of people didn't believe that math. But when you figure about 4 children per couple (that's conservative, too)...that's about what it works out to.

There is so much temple work to be done....

Roots Magic is an excellent program. Ancestral Quest is another. Both have free versions to test drive. Here is a link to compare programs and how they integrate with familysearch.org-

https://familysearch.org/products" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

If you are just starting please feel free to visit a family history center near you. The consultants would love to help you. Also, there is exciting news coming from the church for the first quarter of 2014 regarding Ancestry and other popular sites partnering with the Church.

Agree with others it is rare to get all the way back to Adam unless you link into a well researched line.

Word of warning- the good news is this kind of project (family history) is addictive . Not so good news - please try to source your work. Much of the work on the church website originated with the 4 group sheet project way back when and was not sourced just submissions by church members (and could be wrong). I have had to help correct many a family line of patrons coming for help.

FYI- as convert I've had to do all my family history and no one has worked on my lines but me....it is exciting how much information is available now from home than when I started 30 years ago.... have fun! I just found 3 generations of one line I've been searching for a long time.