Knowledge of family history is important knowledge to have, whatever your faith (or lack thereof). Knowing your family’s heritage can give you a sense of identity – you’ll learn who you are, and where you came from. Think of all the great stories of your ancestors’ lives and adventures you may be missing out on by not doing your family’s genealogy. You may find that you descended from street-wise gypsies or top-notch royalty. You never know what information and tales are waiting to be found when it comes to your family history.
People all over the world, regardless of faith or ethnicity, find joy in finding their ancestors and learning where their families came from. However, some groups have a particular interest in this work. One of these groups is the members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, more commonly known as the LDS Church. LDS family history is a focus found within this church because members are encouraged to do ordinances such as baptism for their ancestors who were not able to, or chose not to get these ordinances themselves while they were living. This is a way for people to feel a sense of connection and identification with their family.
LDS family history has taken off in popularity in the past few years, spurring the development of yet more databases and resources available for genealogy work. Finding your family has never before been easier than now, with ever-improving Internet Web sites and databases. With Web sites such as genealogy.com, familyhistory.com, and familysearch.com, you can have many family hunting services at your fingertips.
Some of the most helpful resources you can find for LDS family history are the immigrant records found in the family history library. Since many families immigrated to the United States after converting to the LDS faith, hard-to-find ancestors can often be tracked down using these records. These records are also a valuable resource for those not of the LDS faith; anyone who is interested in finding his or her family’s heritage is welcome to use the resources created for this purpose by the LDS church. Since the United States is made up of people whose ancestors immigrated here within the last 200 years, you can find out which country your ancestors were originally from with these immigrant records.
Finding your family’s history can be something fun and rewarding for anyone. Today there are many means you can use to find your ancestors, and taking advantage of these resources can be a fun quest for you to embark on. Pass your family’s heritage on to your children so they can have a sense of pride in and affection for their ancestors. And don’t forget to record your own stories and history so future generations can have pictures and records of you to remember you by. Doing family history, whether you’re doing LDS family history or another variety, can be a fun activity for you to do as a family. Watch your family grow closer through sharing the stories and other discoveries you make.
By Janelle Walker