Blog – Page 85 – Family Locket

Preserving Precious Family Photos with the Epson FastFoto Scanner

My sister-in-law, Camille Ridd Elder, is sharing today about the wonderful Epson FastFoto Scanner. At RootsTech 2019, I met Jack Rieger, product manager at Epson, who told me all about the Epson FastFoto Scanner. Watch the Facebook live video here: RootsTech 2019 FastFoto Scanner Interview. Epson gave us a loaner unit of the FastFoto to try out and share on our blog! Camille scanned all our Elder (and Ridd) family photos and shares her experience […]

By Camille Elder April 23, 2019 Creating and Sharing Family History

DNA-Recommended Testing Strategy

More and more people are taking DNA tests, either for fun – to see their predicted ancestral origins or ethnicity – or to learn more about their family history. DNA is a highly useful part and an important part of genealogical research. The Board for the Certification of Genealogists has added new standards regarding DNA to help genealogists in their research and analysis of family relationships. “Meeting the Genealogical Proof Standard requires using all […]

By Robin Wirthlin April 22, 2019 DNA, Research Tips

RLP 41: FamilySearch FamilyTree and the GPS

In our podcast episode today, Diana and I discuss how to apply the genealogical proof standard (GPS) as you work in collaborative trees – specifically the FamilySearch Family Tree. We talk about each element of the GPS and how you implement it with small changes in the way you add reason statements, sources, and additional explanations about your research to the tree. Links How to Improve the FamilySearch Family Tree with the Genealogical Proof Standard […]

By Nicole Elder Dyer April 22, 2019 Research Tips

Celebrating Your Family’s History at Family Reunions

Summer and family reunions are just around the corner! Sharing family history has long been on the agenda of many family reunions. The idea of family history at a reunion can sound boring to some, but there are ways to incorporate family history into any reunion that will be fun for family members of all ages. A few years ago I got really brave and planned a family reunion focused entirely on celebrating our family’s […]

By Alice Childs April 19, 2019 Research Tips

What Do You Want to Know? 3 Steps to Focus Your DNA Research

If you’ve been following this series of DNA blog posts, you are ready to create a research objective and move ahead in your genetic genealogy journey. With access to DNA results and information about matching relatives, you now have a tool that is like a sledgehammer that can break down brick walls in your family history research. DNA alone does not tell you anything about your family history. But when it is used in conjunction […]

By Robin Wirthlin April 16, 2019 DNA, Research Tips

RLP 40: DNA, Mind Maps, and Diagramming

In our podcast episode today, Diana and I discuss one of our new favorite tools, Lucid Chart! After Robin Wirthlin, our genetic genealogist friend and guest blogger, wrote about using LucidChart, and helped Nicole get started using it, we quickly realized how useful it is when doing client projects involving DNA matches. We talked about how Diana found her sister’s biological parents with DNA diagramming complex relationships of matches with MindMup, a free open source […]

By Nicole Elder Dyer April 15, 2019 Podcast

Why Miracles Occur in Temple and Family History Work

I’m excited that I’ll be speaking at Brigham Young University’s Education Week again this year, August 19-23. Education Week is a unique conference experience where classes are part of an overarching course with a unifying theme. Last year, I taught a course with Olivia Jewell entitled “Families Doing Family History Together.” There were four classes within that course, and one of them was entitled “Experiencing Miracles Together through Family History. I enjoyed preparing that lecture […]

By Nicole Elder Dyer April 14, 2019 LDS Family History

“Before We Were Yours” and a True Life Adoption Story from the Tennessee Children’s Home Society

With DNA testing turning up skeletons in the closet left and right, I was interested to read Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate. This fictional account of a family describes the horrific Tennessee Children’s Home Society operated by Georgia Tann in Memphis, Tennessee, from the 1920s to 1950. (The above is an affiliate link). Wingate created her story based on recollections of children who were kidnapped from their families and put into Tann’s “orphanage.” It […]

By Diana Elder April 12, 2019 Book Club, DNA

RLP 39: Tools for Using Your Ancestry DNA Matches

In our podcast episode today, Diana and I discuss three tools we love in AncestryDNA for sorting and using cousin matches. In addition to those three tools, we discuss some of the new features that AncestryDNA just announced at RootsTech as well! We talk about adding notes to your matches, using the shared match tool, and using unlinked family trees. We also discuss the new beta features called “New & Improved DNA Matches” that […]

By Nicole Elder Dyer April 8, 2019 Research Tips

Writing Letters to Connect Generations

Alexis Maurer who writes the blog The Adventures of the Baby Genealogist is sharing a guest blog post about family history for children. I’m excited for you to hear her great ideas! She does a lot of fun things to teach her small children about family history. -Nicole There is a power in connecting with another person. When we create that special bond in our families, our children and grandchildren are affected for the better. Letter […]