This morning was my first time to give an in service lesson. I did not have to prepare the Power Point, as it has been used all week long. There was some discussion so we went a little over, but there were few guests, and several missionaries already out on the floor to help. We all participate in prayer meeting, but we are only required to do the week's in service one time. The topic was on four little-known aspects of FamilySearch. Two of these are especially interesting to me.
The first is standardizing dates and places in Family Tree so that the search engines will work for us, and not ignore the people we have put into our lines. Standardization is also necessary in order to print temple cards, so it is totally worthwhile the effort. Here is the link to some instructions: https://familysearch.org/wiki/en/
The second is the one I am most delighted to know about. The Source Box which can be found at the drop down list by ones name is available for storing one's own personal information. One can create a new folder, name it whatever [I started my name with AAA so it would stay close to the top!], and put whatever links or info is desired that one wants to remember. I can see it being a great place for passwords [not just for FamilySearch].
The other two are adding an unconnected person to the tree, and inverting colors on the pedigree chart.
My first hour on the floor was at the German/Slavic desk. No guests were needing our help so one of the elders pulled up a record he had been sent through Yammer to translate one name. My small win there was that I actually [probably was inspired] asked if the tricky letter might be a "V"--and although I was pulled away to help 2 guests from Switzerland, the others found an index for that set of records, and it was indeed a "V"!
Working with the Swiss guests was also a win. They were probably in their mid-20s, and were wanting to learn what resources were available. I followed my usual pattern, searching indexed records first, that showing them how to access Image Only collections--at which point the man was able to access records through the way points to small towns he was quite familiar with. Although they were so young that we did not have records of family members they could actually connect to, they seemed happy to learn about resources through the catalog, the wiki, the learning center, and Ancestry. They also seemed pleased that there is a Family History Center within an hour of their home. They both expressed amazement at the available resources.
I used half of my lunch time to go to the market close by for more apples. Then I went back to the Library for my research time. I was able to standardize a lot of records, do some merging, find some films that I can explore, and print off a set of temple cards, so next week and the following week I will be working for relatives! That is always a very happy thing to do.
I was pleased to get the transcript for the closing speaker at the FairMormon conference. Now there is only one talk and lots of Q & A sessions to get done.
My supper was another bread-less BLT and a few other items as well. I am now preparing some kidney beans for the coming week--and to share with my Cuban sister.
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