(Updated March 2022)
"If I were a missionary today, my two best friends in the ward or branch where I served would be the ward mission leader and the ward temple and family history consultant.
"People have an inborn desire to know something about their ancestors. That becomes a natural opportunity for our missionaries. As missionaries learn to love the people they teach, they will naturally ask about their families. 'Are your parents living? Are your grandparents living? Do you know your four grandparents?' Conversations flow easily when those who are drawn to speak with the missionaries are invited to talk about the people they love.
"At that point it can be natural for the missionaries, including member missionaries, to ask, 'Do you know any of your great-grandparents? Do you know their names?' The probability is that investigators will not know the names of all eight of their great-grandparents.
"Then the missionaries can make this suggestion: 'I have a friend at our church who can help. If we could find the names of some or maybe even all of your great-grandparents, would it be worth a couple of hours of your time to find out who your great-grandparents are?' That friend at church, of course, is the ward temple and family history consultant."
Ensign, October 2017, https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/ensign/2017/10/open-the-heavens-through-temple-and-family-history-work?lang=eng
Using President and Sister Nelson's 2017 RootsTech presentation, I have identified the following things that missionaries need to know and do in order to help their contacts get started in Family History and foster an interest in the gospel:
Download the FamilySearch Tree app and the FamilySearch Memories app
Setup an account with FamilySearch (both for members or non-members if they are potential investigators)
Navigate the basic features of FamilySearch Tree
Find the nearest deceased relative on the Tree
Enter photos, stories, or documents in the Memories section of the Family Tree
Involve the ward a family history consultant to help the contact finish filling out their 4-generation family tree
Downloading the FamilySearch Tree app
This process is very similar on both the iPhone and the Android platform. Both actions are more quickely and easily done on a WiFi Internet connection.
For an iPhone open the App Store or for an Android phone open the Play Store and in both cases search for "FamilySearch Tree." Then follow the instructions to download and install the App.
Search for "FamilySearch Memories." Then follow the instructions to download and install the App.
Creating a FamilySearch account
Rather than re-writing all the instructions, I suggest going to the following page on the FamilySearch website: https://www.familysearch.org/help/helpcenter/article/how-do-i-create-a-free-familysearch-account
Scroll down to the section entitled: Steps (mobile app) and follow the instructions there. Notice that some steps are different for non-members than they are for members. For example non-members do not have nor need a membership number. A non-member account will not give them temple ordinance information, but all else is the same.
Below these Mobile instructions are instructions for Family Tree Lite. This is for computers in areas where Internet connections are poor, slow, or very expensive. Missionaries who are called to these kinds of areas should become acquainted with this app. However, it can generally be ignored in areas with adequate internet service.
Navigating the Family Search Tree App
To begin, one must open the app.
Next open the menu indicated by the three horizontal lines
In the upper left corner on Android devices
In the lower right corner next to the word, "More" on iPhones and iPads
From there one can explore the various features of the app. It is advisable to spend some time and not rush this step. New users will probably need to have many of these things explained to them. the site: https://www.familysearch.org/rootstech/rtc2021/session/demo-getting-started-with-the-familysearch-family-tree-app is a good place to start. The first video is "Getting Started with the Family Tree App." There are some other YouTube videos relating to FamilySearch mobile apps--as well as other FamilySearch related topics--linked to the same site.
Adding photos, memories or documents to the Memories section of the Tree
Adding memories to the tree may be the best way to pique the interest of older people who realize the importance of preserving their heritage, and passing on histories to younger generations.
Memories can be added using either the Family Tree app, or the Memories app. The Memories app must be installed, because if you go to add memories on the Tree App, it will take you right to the Memories "App, and if the Memories App is not installed, you will be directed to the store where you can download it.
Instructions for adding memories can be found by going to the FamilySearch.org web page, signing in, and then clicking the circled "?" in the upper right section of the page.
This will bring up the "Help Center" menu. On that menu click on the link that says, "Getting Started, How to Do Family History."
The next page that comes up has several topics available to be explored.
Scroll down and click on the link entitled "Save Family Memories."
this page gives step by step instructions on adding photos and stories to FamilySearch using either a computer or a mobile device.
The content of all of the articles is worth being familiar with, but missionaries may want to refer investigators to the Ward or Branch Temple and Family History consultants..
The New York Times article, “Stories That Bind Us”: https://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/17/fashion/the-family-stories-that-bind-us-this-life.html
If you have questions, suggestions, or you just need more information, please email me at vernon.dunn@gmail.com or text me at 801-440-1614.