Finding family, faith a great way for Idahoans to connect to their past, enjoy present

As a child I was always very conscious of family. There were family reunions, family celebrations and stories of ancestors who came from other countries. I knew that my paternal grandfather was born in Denmark, and that his wife’s family had immigrated from England. My mother’s family, on the other hand, was largely from Scotland.

Not surprisingly, I was fascinated by the history of those countries and eventually visited many of the towns where my ancestors lived. Locating those towns and villages (some of which no longer exist) involved a bit of research, as did finding the names of earlier and more distant relatives.

The interest in family history and search for family lineage are generally encompassed in the word “genealogy.” Many cultures keep records by kinship or lineage, sometimes referring to periods of history as the days or time of a specific individual or family.

The Bible contains frequent references to lineage, or the line by which one person is related to another. Chapter 5 of Genesis contains a descending line beginning with Adam, through his son Seth, and on down to Noah.

Although history begins from a specific event or time and moves forward, genealogy or family history begins with the individual and moves backward. Finding out about family history can be like doing detective work, or solving a puzzle. The most recent information is the easiest to find, while the oldest information is likely to be the most challenging.

For example, information about one’s parents is usually more accessible than information about great-grandparents — and the parents’ records may contain information about their parents. For example, if you locate a copy of your mother’s birth certificate, it typically identifies her parents.

If you are curious about your family history — where your ancestors came from, whether a great-grandfather fought in WWI or whether you are related to anyone famous — you might like to do a bit of digging. There are many online resources available to help you.

The world’s largest genealogical service is FamilySearch.org. Sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the app is free to anyone. After signing up, users can begin building family trees.

Once you start putting in your data, FamilySearch can provide unexpected information and links. Over the past 4 months I received an email notifying me that I have a relative who fought in the War of 1812, another identifying relatives who came on the Mayflower, and, most recently, an invitation to discover famous relatives!

Whether you are just thinking about family history, need some help getting started or are an expert, RootsTech Connect, the world’s largest family history event, will be virtual this year — and free. Held Feb. 25-27, there will be a wide range of instructors on family history topics for all levels and interests — an opportunity to learn how to find family records. Sign up at RootsTech.org.

The LDS Church teaches that the family is ordained of God, and that through the atonement of Jesus Christ, families can be together forever. By identifying ancestors, we can provide the sealing ordinances of the temple for them and link our families together through generations.

As we research, we learn more about earlier family members and develop a greater appreciation for them and a deeper sense of family.