Registration is Open
Registration is Open
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This free event has something for everyone:
Two hours of children's activities.
Children's activities require separate registration.
Use the "Children's Activity" button below for more information.
Two youth(ages 11-18) classes: Escape the Past: The Family History Mystery
and Give Me 5: FamilySearch Edition
Youth classes are included in the main registration.
Youth are welcome to register for any of the classes.
Keynote speakers, Mike and Ronda Forsberg
Four breakout sessions with a total of twenty class choices.
Scroll down to view class descriptions & instructor biographies.
Local genealogical societies & historical organizations.
Doors will open at 8:30 am.
Keynote Speakers - Mike & Ronda fosberg
Keynote Speakers - Mike & Ronda fosberg
9:00 am
9:00 am
Mike and Ronda Fosburg live in Spokane, Washington. They met at WWU in Bellingham and will be celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary next year. For the first 17 years of their marriage, they lived many places while Mike was in the Air Force and then a government contractor. In 1993, they moved to Spokane and both taught at Central Valley School District. After retiring, they served a 2 year mission in the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. Since then, they keep learning and teaching about family history, as well as spending time with their 16 grandchildren. Mike is the drummer in a band that has been playing weekly for about 25 years Ronda enjoys sewing and quilting. They currently serve as the Spokane Area Temple and Family History Advisers.
CLasses
CLasses
Beginner (B), Intermediate (I)
Keynote Session 9:00 am - 9:50 am - Mike and Ronda Fosberg
Session 1 - 10 am - 10:50 am
FamilySearch 101/102: Basics of FamilySearch (B) Randall Pixton will teach us the basics of FamilySearch.org. If you are new to FamilySearch or just need to refresh your skills, this class will take you from creating an account to adding your family to the tree.
From Photo to Story: Your First Family Story with AI (B) Do you have an old family photo and a feeling there’s more of a story hiding behind it? In this beginner-friendly class, we’ll use ChatGPT to look more closely, ask better questions, gather what you already know, and turn one photograph into a family story worth keeping. No AI experience is needed; just a little curiosity and a willingness to click around on your keyboard and see what happens. Valerie Wride will be our instructor.
Leadership Training (B) Robert Mylroie will lead this class to help those with callings in Family History in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints learn responsibilities, develop goals and share experiences.
1890 US Federal Census (B,I) The majority of the 1890 US Federal Census burned in a fire, leaving a 20-year void. Learn what information we are missing and ideas for filling in the gap. PamWilliams Duce will teach this class.
Escape the Past: The Family History Mystery (ages 11 - 18) - Think genealogy is just dusty books, faded microfilm, and scrolling endless spreadsheets? Think again. Grab your squad, beat the clock, and test your wits in an interactive Family History Escape Room designed specifically for young men and young women ages 11 - 18. You will decode hidden clues, crack real family records, solve cryptic puzzles, and discover that piecing together your roots is basically high-stakes detective work. Presented by Stake Young Men and Young Women Leaders
Session 2 - 11:00 am - 11:50 am
FamilySearch 103: Beginner Research (B) Rhonda Budvarson will teach how to research your ancestors and learn more about them.
Google and Genealogy Research - How Does That Work? (B,I) Pam Heath will be the instructor for this class. In this class we will be looking at Google Search Tools, including AI. You’ll learn how to find books using Google Books. You’ll learn how to find articles using Google News. We will search Google Scholar and Google Patents. We’ll learn how to use Google Translate. And more! Hope you’ll sign up and attend.
Focus on Three Things Working in Temple & Family History callings in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints? Now what? Where do you start? Let’s focus on three easy things to help your wards stay on track! We can teach you and you can teach others! Mike & Ronda Fosberg will be the instructors.
Researching Tax Records (I) This class will cover types of tax records, what they can tell us about our ancestors, and where to find those records. Pam Williams Duce will be the teacher.
Give Me 5: FamilySearch Edition (ages 11 - 18) What can five minutes change? Maybe more than you think! Come discover how just five minutes on the FamilySearch app can help you uncover amazing people, stories, places, and connections in your own family tree. We’ll race through fun FamilySearch challenges, discover who in the room might actually be related, explore where our ancestors came from, and learn simple ways family history can open doors for sharing the gospel. Bring your phone with the FamilySearch Family Tree app downloaded and be ready to discover! Tammy Lively with be the instructor.
Session 3 - 1:00 pm - 1:50
FamilySearch Apps (B) Access to FamilySearch is as close as your phone. Easily look up an ancestor, add a memory, or do a family history activity. Rhonda Budvarson will be the instructor.
The Family Story Detective: Using AI to Find the Story Without Losing Your Voice (B,I) If you’ve already tried using AI for a family story and thought, “Well, that doesn’t sound like me,” this class is for you. We’ll use AI to dig deeper into photos and documents, explore the historical setting, and uncover questions that can lead to a richer story, without letting AI take over the telling. Valerie Wride will teach this class.
DNA & Genealogy: The Science Behind Your Family Tree (B,I) Blake Atwood, PhD, will be the instructor for this class. Ever wondered how a DNA test can tell you that someone might be your cousin, where your ancestors may have come from, or how much DNA you share with a particular relative? This class will look behind the scenes at the science and technical side of DNA testing. We will explore what DNA tests are used to determine relatedness and ancestry, how laboratories generate and analyze the genetic data, and how that information is used to identify potential relatives and estimate ancestral origins. We will also discuss how much DNA we actually share with different relatives, why DNA results are not always as straightforward as they may appear, and some of the potential sources of error and limitations of ancestry testing. Finally, we will connect ancestry genetics to the traits and diseases we inherit from our ancestors and explore how the same DNA that can help us understand where we came from can also provide information about our health.
Scanning Memories This class will cover the basics of handling old photographs, operating the center's scanning equipment, and archiving photos to FamilySearch. Elder Bean will be the instructor.
Bite-size Family History Activities (B) If you are overwhelmed by the thought of doing your family history, maybe start with some bite-size activities. Spend 5-10 minutes or less per activity getting a taste of family history. Pam Williams Duce will teach this class.
Roots, Recipes, & Remembering (Separate registration below, ages 3-11.) Come discover the people and stories that make our families special! At this hands-on family history class. Children will rotate through three stations.
Session 4 - 2:00 pm - 2:50 pm
Snap, Save, Share: A FamilySearch Memories Class (B) Ever wondered how to get those photos off your phone or computer and onto FamilySearch? This 50-minute class is for beginners of all ages — no experience needed and no computer required to attend. We'll walk through what FamilySearch Memories is, how to keep your photos private or public, and exactly how to get pictures from your phone, Google Photos, or computer onto FamilySearch. You'll leave with an easy-to-follow handout so you can try it yourself at home. Tammy Lively will be the instructor.
Ancestry and Me (B) Come learn about the basics of Ancestry.com and how to start your own tree. Discover how to find new Info on your ancestor through hints and add a memory photo. Anne Sorenson will teach this class.
Your History Now (B) We will explore ways to and what to record for you and your posterity. Questions to ask loved ones and how to get the conversation ball rolling so you don't miss out on stories and histories. Lorien Cord will be the instructor.
Scanning Memories This class will cover the basics of handling old photographs, operating the center's scanning equipment, and archiving photos to FamilySearch. Elder Bean will be the instructor.
Digging Deep on FamilySearch.org (I) Going beyond the database on the FamilySearch website, we will explore the other records and tools to help discover more records and research avenues. Pam Williams Duce will be the instructor.
Build, Create, & Connect (Separate registration below, ages 3 - 11.) Come have fun learning about the temple through creativity,building, service, and games!
Meet the Instructors
Meet the Instructors
Randall Pixton
Randall Pixton
FamilySearch 101/102: Basics of FamilySearch (B) 10:00 am - 10:50 am
Randall lives in Hayden, Idaho, and has lived his dream.
Family history is his passion, and he has helped hundreds of people around the world with their personal journey searching for their own families. He served as a fulltime missionary at Church Headquarters, training senior missionaries on FamilySearch, from the basics to advanced techniques. He also served in the Discovery Center in Salt Lake, Utah, RootsTech, and the Discovery Center in St. George, Utah.
His hobbies are fishing, adventures, and traveling around the world. His greatest joys are his grandkids.
Valerie Wride
Valerie Wride
From Photo to Story: Your First Family Story with AI (B) 10:00 am - 10:50 am
The Family Story Detective: Using AI to FInd the Story Without Losing Your Voice (B,I) 1:00 pm - 1:50 pm
Valerie Wride lives in northern Virginia, and claims no other explanation for being here other than she loves her sister, Tammy Lively. She loves to explore and share family history stories, and spends her Tuesdays buried in FamilySearch, boxes of photos, old journals, and memoirs. She has no formal AI training whatsoever, just a healthy curiosity and a willingness to poke buttons until something interesting happens. So far, it's helped her turn a lot of old photos into stories worth keeping.
Pam heath
Pam heath
Google and Genealogy Research - How Does That Work? (B,I) 11:00 am - 11:50 am
Pam is the Secretary and Chairperson of the Education Committee for the Kootenai County Genealogical Society.
She has been researching her Danish and Luxembourg family trees for 15 years.
Rhonda Budvarson
Rhonda Budvarson
FamilySearch 103: Beginner Research (B) 11:00 am - 11:50 am
FamilySearch Apps (B, I) 1:00 pm - 1:50 pm
Rhonda Budvarson enjoys Family History research, and helping others find their roots. She learned at an early age, by watching her parents carefully research and fill out Pedigree charts and Family Group Sheets. Now she serves as a FamilySearch Service Missionary and volunteers her time assisting in the FamilySearch Community and Product Development mission. You can also find her at the FamilySearch center on Thursdays from 2-5pm.
Mike & Ronda Fosburg
Mike & Ronda Fosburg
Focus on Three Things (B) 11:00 am - 11:50 am
Mike and Ronda Fosburg live in Spokane, Washington. They met at WWU in Bellingham and will be celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary next year. For the first 17 years of their marriage, they lived many places while Mike was in the Air Force and then a government contractor. In 1993, they moved to Spokane and both taught at Central Valley School District. After retiring, they served a 2 year mission in the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. Since then, they keep learning and teaching about family history, as well as spending time with their 16 grandchildren. Mike is the drummer in a band that has been playing weekly for about 25 years Ronda enjoys sewing and quilting. They currently serve as the Spokane Area Temple and Family History Advisers.
Tammy Lively
Tammy Lively
Give Me 5: FamilySearch Edition (ages 11 - 18) 11:00 am - 11:50 am
Snap, Save, Share: A FamilySearch Memories Class (B) 2:00 pm - 2:50 pm
Tammy Lively loves discovering who her ancestors were beyond the names and dates. Give her a census, an old newspaper, or a forgotten record, and she’ll happily follow the clues until a story begins to unfold.
She loves sharing those stories with her family and six grandchildren, and anyone who shares the joy of discovering those who came before us.
Blake AtWood
Blake AtWood
DNA & Genealogy: The Science Behind Your Family Tree (B) 1:00 pm - 1:50 pm
Blake Atwood, PhD, is a board-certified Laboratory Geneticist and Genomics professional with experience in clinical genetics, molecular diagnostics, and laboratory medicine. He earned his PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics from the University of Alabama at Birmingham and completed a Laboratory Genetics and Genomics fellowship at Baylor College of Medicine.
He currently serves as a lab director at Allele Diagnostics, where he is involved in clinical genetic testing and development of molecular diagnostic methods. He has taught genetic laboratory technology and methods to a variety of audiences, including genetic counseling students and pathology residents, through formal coursework as well as invited lectures and presentations.
Blake lives in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, with his wife and five children. Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with his family and being outdoors, particularly fishing, hunting, and camping.
Elder Jarom Bean
Elder Jarom Bean
Scanning Memories (B) 1:00 pm - 1:50 pm
Scanning Memories (B) 2:00 pm - 2:50 pm
Elder Jarom Bean is a young Service missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He's the oldest of 5 and has served diligently at the FamilySearch Center for 18 months.
Annie Sorenson
Annie Sorenson
Ancestry and Me (B) 2:00 pm - 2:50 pm
Hello, my name is Annie Sorensen and I live in the Post Falls. We have lived here for 20 years. I have 5 children, two of which were married this summer. I love the outdoors and love researching my family tree.
Lorien Cord
Lorien Cord
Your History Now (B) 2:00 pm - 2:50 pm
Hello, I am Lorien Cord. I have been a Family Search Center volunteer for almost 3 years and a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints my whole life. I have been married to my wonderful husband and best friend for 21 years. We have two cats and a multitude of neices and nephews.
Meet Your Game Masters: The YM & YW Presidencies
Meet Your Game Masters: The YM & YW Presidencies
Escape the Past: The Family History Mystery (ages 11-18) 10:00 am - 10:50 am
Guiding your escape (or trapping you inside we haven't decided yet) is your Stake Young Men and Young Women presidencies. Between them, they possess an oddly specific set of survival skills:
The High-Tech & High-Adventure Crew: Equipped with expert computer troubleshooting chops to hack the digital archives and the navigation skills of a river rafting guide to keep you from going off the deep end.
The Law & The Wild: Featuring an actual school principal to keep order, alongside a big game hunter ready to track down elusive ancestors.
The Chaos Wranglers: Decades of combined experience corralling unruly kids, cheering for dance routines, music recitals, and calling plays on the sports field.
The Heart of the Room: Gospel teachers ready to point you toward the bigger picture, backed by world-class listeners who can pick up even your quietest clues.
What You Need to Know
Who: All young men and young women.
The Mission: Work as a team, break the codes, and escape before time runs out.
The Takeaway: A whole new way to experience family history; zero boring lectures guaranteed.
Can your crew crack the family vault in time, or will you become ancient history? Come find out!
Pam is grateful for the love and support of her husband, Leon, children Daniel, his wife, Kylee, Sam, his wife Abby, Marcus, his wife, Lily, Emmalee, her husband, Gabe, and Elizabeth. Also her cute little grandchildren, Natalie, Oliver, Jack, Beau, and Daisy.
Pam Williams Duce
Pam Williams Duce
1890 US Federal Census (I) 10:00 am - 10:50 am
Researching Tax Records (B, I) 11:00 am - 11:50 am
Bite-size Family History (B) 1:00 pm - 1:50 pm
Digging Deep on FamilySearch.org (I) 2:00 pm - 2:50 pm
Pam Williams Duce has been a student of family history for over 30 years and will continue to learn and grow as long as she is able. She has been teaching classes and giving presentations for the last 25 years.
Pam’s love for learning about her ancestors started in her early years through the stories shared by her parents. Though not formally trained, as a preteen she did learn to read upside down and backward, believing it would come in handy when she became an FBI agent. Instead, it was useful while reading to her five children while simultaneously showing them the book.
Family History is full of great mysteries, stranger-than-fiction stories, and emphasizes the importance of all families. The perfect combination to create a deep desire to not only research her own family but also help others discover theirs.
Swedish research and DNA research are her current favorites.
Hayden Lake Stake Primary Presidency
Hayden Lake Stake Primary Presidency
Childern's Activities
Childern's Activities
Presented by the Hayden Lake Stake Primary Presidency. Children ages 3 to 11 are welcome to attend one or both classes. In order to have adiquate supplies. Please click the button below to let us know a contact name and email for the parent and the number and ages of children attending.
Concurrent with Session 3: 1 pm - 1:50 pm
Concurrent with Session 4: 2:00 pm - 2:50 pm
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