Burley FamilySearch Center Happenings: Activities

These are activities that could be included as part of your Ward Plan.

Names Scavenger Hunt- Have the participants look through their tree to find people who's name start with the letters of the alphabet. See who can find the most letters and compare the most unusual names.

Using Ordinances Ready- Show participants how to use Ordinance Ready to get their own names for temple work.

Primary children can watch movies (FamilySearch has some fun one) while parents and older siblings are participating in other activities.

Primary children could work with YM/YW and present short skits based on family stories of ward members

Have family history linger longers- meal after church with some demonstrations about doing family history or just do "Relatives Around Me" at the linger longer.

Do 5th Sunday presentations on family history- could show how to use the apps- FamilySearch Family Tree, FamilySearch Memories or FamilySearch Get Involved or Together App

Have family history dinners- potluck dinners with a few couple/families and a short demonstration or discussion about family history following the meal.

Have YM/YW work with adults to assist in uploading their photos or stories into FamilySearch

Speed interviewing- like speed dating, each youth is across the table from older members of the ward and ask questions of each other for a minute before moving to the next person in line.

Have YM/YW put together interview stations. Ward members move from room to room and record (using the Memories app) stories about their ancestors.

Teach how to use Record Linking Lab or Goldie May. Easy enough for youth and adults. Record Linking Lab Volunteer options found here. Goldie May extension found here - there a video on this page giving a short explanation.

Learn to use the Get Involved App or Indexing on the computer. More information here

Ward activity with booths around the gym or in rooms- some for children, youth and adults. Examples of options: How to register for FamilySearch, how to retrieve a username or password, basic FamilySearch options of editing and adding info, how to add Memories, using the apps. If possible, might have a photo scanner and scan photos right there.

Do an activity using MapApp and pick a specific location. Everyone works on that location finishing the records for that area.

Hold Family History Activities within your ward- Sunday evening fireside or discussions, group visits to the FamilySearch Center, or other ward activities.

Using Primary Temple and Priesthood Preparation as a time for 11 year olds to start their account with their parents right there. The parents can take screen shots of usernames and passwords for future reference.

Youth Interview older people. Have the older people come with their own smartphones, log into their own accounts. The older people rotate from room to room to answer specific questions about their lives. The youth run the phones to record the interview directly into the person's memories on FamilySearch.

Family History Escape Rooms- Use google to find some options, and check out the Family History Escape app for a virtual experience.

Consultants select a few ward members to take a FamilySearch class. They meet every 2 weeks for 3 months to complete their training.

Work with the elderly in the ward with their own family history in their own homes. Option: Work on their family tree, prepare names for them to take to the temple, interview them about their own lives (video or audio), scan their photos and documents and put into FamilySearch. They teach them how to do it, but for the most part the consultants are doing the actual work. Assist them in getting their own patriarchal blessings or being sealed to their parents, if those things have not been completed. The elderly sign up for the slots for weekly or monthly visits. One could also call or assign a youth consultant to accompany the adult consultant to assist with this project.

One ward simply says do one family history related activity each week. Telling stories to family, sharing photos of FamilySearch, writing in one's journal or recording a memory of an ancestor.

Use the FamilySearch app to record the testimonies of Ward Members on their own accounts

Set a goal for total temple ordinances for the ward. Not a specific quota per member, but a group total for the ward including youth doing baptisms.
Consider running campaigns about specific activities for a period of time. For example focus on pioneers in the month of July; veterans in the month of November; women in Relief Society in the month of March. Possible campaigns can be found here: https://www.familysearch.org/inspire
Keep the plan fluid. Yearly plans might have monthly goals. Keep periodically to see how your plan is functioning.
Meet for 15 minutes after church every week, every other week or monthly. Same time and same place. Show one quick task, mostly on the phones as they have them in hand. How to do tasks, record hints, record an audio, add photos with the Memories app, etc.
Post monthly goals for ward members. Options: Display a picture of the temple in your home. memorize Malachi 4:5-6; write in your journal; add a memory to FamilySearch; read stories about your ancestors; make am appointment to attend the temple or visit the temple grounds; do some record hints of your family (or with record linking lab); record the blessings in your life; make an audio recording of a family member reading the Christmas Story or telling a family history story.

Create a list of possible activities and have each family set their own goals for the year. Options include: Create a FamilySearch account, learn to use FamilySearch, read stories of ancestors, upload photos of family members; learn to use the Memories app; learn to use the Together app; explore the Activities on FamilySearch; taste the foods of ancestors; learn about cultures or customs of ancestors; attend classes at the FamilySearch Center; visit cemeteries; learn to use Ordinances Ready; create a family facebook page or family group within FamilySearch; read conference talks about temple and family history; come to the FamilySearch Center and play on the discovery screens or record a video in the recording room.

Do Discovery Experiences for members of the Ward Council or Leadership members in the ward. They then share the enthusiasm with others.

Special 5th Sunday lessons about temple and family history including demos of using the phone apps.

Create a modern day Book of Remembrance. Make sure to have 4 generations in FamilySearch. Each person should have a life sketch and a photo attached. Then add in an many sources as possible.

Burley FamilySearch Center Happenings