Family Connections

A few weeks ago our ward held a family history centered activity called "Family Connections" and I think the organizers did a really great job with it!

In one corner of the gym they had ward members bring family heirlooms and photos to display.

 

I don't have a lot of room in our apartment for displays, but I have a few. This was my contribution :)

(1. In the telephone frame is (L) my G Gp Holmes-Hoffman, and (R) his parents Franz (Frank) and Friedericke (Marie), 2. the round frame has one of my Gm and Gp Mathews' wedding photos, and 3. is my GG grandparents, George W. Stanton and Ellen Benson and their children)

In another corner they moved the couches and chairs in to create a cozy place to sit and chat and where some of the youth were stationed to help people download family history apps.

In the middle of the gym was a computer and projector where you could connect to relativefinder.org and see who you are related to in the ward (and everyone else could see it too!).

They had awards for those that were the closest relations, related to the most people in the ward, etc. Justin got honorable mention for being related to the least number of ward members at a whopping ONE haha☺

They also had tables set up where you could get help with your family history or just sign up for familysearch.org.

Another table was for an indexing challenge with prizes

They also had a family photo booth where you could choose your loyalty - either a red or blue background and either a BYU or Utes license plate. I'm a little peeved that a little red got in our family photo ☺

 They even had something for the kids! In one room they had people helping families make these cute little family trees out of hand prints.

Here's ours!

Nolan also enjoyed the toys in the nursery. "Outta my way! I'm tryin' to drive here!"

Dinner was served too and - get this - one of our ward members had just gone on a fishing trip to Alaska and shipped a bunch of salmon down for the activity! Yes I tried it haha. 

To top it all off they had Leatherby's ice cream and lots of different kinds of cookies. Justin was one of the ice cream scoopers.

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Descendants of William Black! I just love this family. Charlotte (in pink and purple) is my VTee and friend (who threw me a baby shower last year before she even really knew me that well!) and her cute kids. We're pretty determined to arrange a marriage between Nolan and cute baby Alice (don't worry, their common ancestor is too far back to make it a problem)☺ Charlotte's parents Rafe and Rinda Black are in the back. Rinda made Nolan some really cute baby items (again before she even knew me!) and even made him a BYU bib a few weeks ago. 

We are all descendants of William Black who was born in Lisburn, Ireland and joined the church in 1850, then returned to Ireland as one of the first missionaries to that country with John Taylor. He is buried in Rockville, UT just outside Zion Nat'l Park, but his original headstone is on display in the Utah Territorial Statehouse in Fillmore, UT.

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I was in a rush when we got home and just left the photos I had brought to the activity on the living room floor. After getting ready for bed Nolan crawled over to them and I couldn't resist taking a few pics! 

I think it's so important to get to know our ancestors and believe that each of us has a responsibility to be the link between the generations. There are family members that I knew and loved that Nolan will only know from what I tell him about them. For instance, my Gm Mathews. She was a wonderful lady that I want Nolan to know about, but he won't if I fail to tell him about her.

 

"If I want my children and grandchildren to know those who still live in my memory, then I must build the bridge between them. I alone am the link to the generations that stand on either side of me. It is my responsibility to knit their hearts together through love and respect, even though they may never have known each other personally. My grandchildren will have no knowledge of their family’s history if I do nothing to preserve it for them. That which I do not in some way record will be lost at my death, and that which I do not pass on to my posterity, they will never have. The work of gathering and sharing eternal family keepsakes is a personal responsibility. It cannot be passed off or given to another."

"A life that is not documented is a life that within a generation or two will largely be lost to memory."

-Elder Neuenschwander