The person who was scheduled to give a spiritual thought for prayer meeting did not show up, so I volunteered to share what I got out of the thought one of the young elders gave yesterday. He referenced a popular song about just having 100 years to live, and that without goals, it is hard to recognize your accomplishments, as though the diamonds are lost in clutter. Since the in-service lesson was on setting research goals, I thought it went along with that. I have been realizing that I have just four months left here with the amazing resources of the Library at my fingertips so I need to make the most of my research time.
After the prayer meeting I worked more than an hour with one of the missionaries who serves on the B2, British, floor at the Library. His research today was in an area which was sometimes German, and sometimes Polish. Although I was not very efficient [no, I did not use a Research Assessment Form, and I did not encourage him to switch to a Research Log from the multitude of quarter sheets of paper on which he was making his notes], I was able to share with him my knowledge of Hansen's map guides. This enabled us to see that the locality mentioned by his relative was the neighboring community to where he found the birth record. In fact, the various records had four or five localities, all of which were quite close together. I received a big blessing from this. He did a Google search for the book, since he thought he might like to buy it. In looking at the ad, I noticed that it included the names of each of the localities which are identified in the book! I suspect I will be able to make use of that information while leading the study group, while helping patrons, and while doing my own research.
Using one of those same books, I was able to confirm that another missionary and I have ancestors from neighboring communities, which are also very close to where my husband's ancestors came from. Kreis Emmendingen records from Voerstetten were the very first records I researched four decades ago--and now some of those records are available online directly from German archives.
The last hour that I was on the floor I got to take part in the translation of an 1896 Jewish marriage record from a Polish area, amended in 1931. I learned a little about the nuances of records in that part of the world from that time period.
At last it was time for a quick lunch, and then on to research! Unlike other Saturdays when I have eaten lunch quickly so that I could do my research and then go back to the apartment early, this time I knew I would stay almost until the last possible moment. I did not get sleepy, which was a big blessing, and I just worked diligently on descendants of my Eppingen ancestors. Although I still do not set a specific research goal, I now have a method by which I can move through the process pretty efficiently, attaching existing records to my tree by searching, merging where possible, attaching sources whenever I can find them, and attaching photo-documents from the Ortssippenbuch. Even though the Ortssippenbuch is a secondary, and I have found a few errors [one I found today was one digit dropped from a Family number--but I was able to use sources from FamilySearch records to figure out that 655 should have been 6557!]. Anyway, I felt good about that work.
I knew that this evening I should be able to finish the transcript I have been working on, the last one from the 2016 FairMormon Conference, and as I accessed the Deseret News I noticed that Daniel C. Peterson, in his article on The Book of Mormon, referenced the work of the two scholars who made that presentation. That was an extra incentive to complete the transcript tonight. I have asked for help with proofing from the other FairMormon volunteers, but if I do not get a taker by Monday I will submit it to be posted. I am a fairly good transcriber, so I think I have caught most of my errors, but it always helps to have someone else look and listen.
Tonight I enjoyed another talk with my Sweetheart, and a nice text conversation with my youngest daughter. I pray that 2017 will truly be a Happy and Blessed New Year for us all.
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