I often wonder if the efforts I make as a novice genealogist make a difference. I rarely seem to be able to find and attach records to the appropriate people. There are so many options sometimes and it seems like I am just guessing sometimes. Even indexing names sometimes seems like my guess as I try to decipher handwritten records from two hundred years ago. It is easy to feel like my inconsistent and novice efforts to do Family History have little impact for good.
I opened Family Search this morning to do some indexing and found this new (to me) addition to Family Search. A whole page about My Impact. The page shows records I have indexed and records I have attached to persons in Family Search. Another section shows what happened to those names that were indexed and attached.
For example,
Male1897–1964
You indexed George Stanley Hanisko’s name. His name was taken to the Veracruz Mexico Temple on 26 January 2019.
Many of the names I had indexed were distant relatives of mine or Gil’s, like Gil’s 10th cousin twice removed.
Female1867–1948
You indexed Virginia Norfleet Jordan’s name. Her name was taken to the Oquirrh Mountain Utah Temple on 9 June 2017.
I find this new feature an answer to prayers. I keep trying to do Family History because I know that I have a responsibility to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with both the living and the dead. I have a firm testimony that making connections between families is what the Gospel of Jesus Christ is all about. Despite having that desire and the testimony, I have struggled to be consistent in working on Family History daily. Seeing these connections now happening because I took 15 minutes to index some names or research some hints, gives me a lot of encouragement and hope that my every effort is meaningful to someone. I do make a difference.
I am also in awe of my mother Serena Watt. She just turned 85 on Saturday, January 13. She has worsening macular degeneration and struggles to see a computer screen. She is an avid indexer of records. I was visiting her this week and found her in front of the computer checking indexed records for accuracy. She has been doing this more often because she can see the typed names better than trying to discern the handwritten names. What an inspiration to me she is! An example of someone whose abilities are declining but she still makes the effort to serve others.
The screenshot shows how much work she has done over the years. I can’t even imagine what her Impact page shows!
