My Experience with FamilySearch Indexing
Using special indexing software from FamilySearch.org, teens in the River Trails 2nd ward (congregation) learned how to help others discover their ancestors.
Indexing is a way of extracting and recording the information of historical documents, such as census records, burial records, birth certificates, draft records and more, making it easier for people across the globe to find their ancestors online.
Recently, a group of teens in the Hurst Texas Stake area learned how this software works and how they can do it from their phones or computers to help others.
Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints can take the name of an ancestor, who was found through indexing, to the temple. And by proxy, complete ordinances like baptism and the receiving of the Holy Ghost on behalf of the deceased family member who may have never had the chance to be baptized while living.
Adam Oyervides, youth from the River Trails 2nd ward.
Adam Oyervides Shares His Experience with Learning How to Index
“The indexing activity for the River Trails 2nd ward went really well. Elder and Sister Franz, full-time missionaries, helped us to understand what indexing is. Before we started Elder Franz gave an amazing message on why indexing is so important and how it helps with doing temple work.
Elder Franz then added to his remarks saying that all of us are important, each individual, because we are the future leaders of the Church. It is our job to do temple work because the leaders of the Church now will not be around for so long. It is up to us.
Sister and Elder Franz, Missionaries for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Image courtesy of Elder Franz.
After their remarks, we started indexing. All the youth got on the computers and went to the FamilySearch website. This went pretty smoothly. After we logged in, Elder and Sister Franz showed us how to begin. We worked on a lot of people who served in the military from 1919. It was just amazing how so many people have been waiting to get their name indexed so they could be found and their names taken to the temple.
Some of the online documents were easier to make out the names. Some were harder because they were hand written in cursive. But with Elder and Sister Franz’ help, we made it through.
When we finished, Elder and Sister Franz told us indexing isn’t hard and it gets to be more fun as you go. They were right.
I believe all the youth learned a lot and had a good time. After that, we all saved our indexing documents and closed out of the program.
I know that the Church is true and indexing is a very critical and important work to help those who passed on to be able to receive the Holy Ghost and take that important step. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.”
To learn more about FamilySearch.org or sign up to attend a free genealogy class, click here.
To learn more about the work done in temples built by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, click here.
Article by Adam Oyervides and Rachel Scott. Photos of Oyervides by Jesica Eastman.