Tag: connection

RootsTech 2023 “Uniting” Kickoff Video • RootsTech • FamilySearch

https://www.familysearch.org/rootstech/session/rootstech-2023-uniting-kickoff-video

Rootstech 2023 was a very inspiring experience for me. I have not been focused on Family History for past year. I keep getting distracted with all that goes on in life. This video and wonderful sessions and speakers have helped re-ignite my desire to do Family History on a daily basis.

Yesterday I took my mother-in-law, Brenda Parkin, to the Riverton Family History library.  I only recently learned it is open on Sunday afternoons from 2 to 6. We sat in the Family Story room for an hour and talked about her childhood  stories.  This was recorded as we talked. Brenda doesn’t like being on camera but she loves to talk about her life and so it was a good experience. She is willing to go back and keep talking.

Day #3 RootsTech in the Expo Hall

Research is showing that doing Family History and  making connections is good for one’s mental health. Here is a link to a class from 2021 RootsTech that goes into the science.

https://www.familysearch.org/rootstech/session/the-science-of-family-connection

I know it has been good for my mental health the last few days and in the past, when I have been focused it has helped me in ways I don’t know exactly how to quantify.

Elder Renlund of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints listed these blessings in an April 2018 talk: Increased understanding of the Savior and His atoning sacrifice; Increased influence of the Holy Ghost to feel strength and direction for our own lives; faith, so that conversion to the Savior becomes deep and abiding Increased ability and motivation to learn and repent because of an understanding of who we are, where we come from, and a clearer vision of where we are going; Increased refining, sanctifying, and moderating influences in our hearts; Increased joy through an increased ability to feel the love of the Lord; Increased family blessings, no matter our current, past, or future family situation or how imperfect our family tree may be; Increased love and appreciation for ancestors and living relatives, so we no longer feel alone; Increased power to discern that which needs healing and thus, with the Lord’s help, serve others; Increased protection from temptations and the intensifying influence of the adversary; Increased assistance to mend troubled, broken, or anxious hearts and make the wounded whole.

I am excited to start this journey again and grateful for the Lord’s patience with all my stops and starts.

Weekly Family History Activities

https://thefhguide.com/cfm-schedule-2022.html

The Family History Guide has this amazing resource. Each week there are family history activities that correlate to Come Follow Me study!! I can’t believe I haven’t used this resource.

Max and Serena Watt at Idaho Falls Temple

This picture of parents conveys the sealing power of covenants made in the temple. My parents even in their 80s still attend the temple on a weekly basis. Their example is a precious gift in my life.

Grandma Parkin sharing stories about Christmas ornaments from the past

I picked some pictures from my library that for me show the power of family and traditions. The power of stories is so great. Isaiah 50 through 57 tells the story of the coming Messiah and what He will do for me and all people.

Nicole making a Thanksgiving Cherry Pie

It has taken effort to develop the family tradition for making pies for Thanksgiving on the day before Thanksgiving. But, like so many traditions it has drawn my family closer to one another. I use my Grandma Baldwin’s Never Fail Pie crust recipe. My mother-in-law comes over and we use her family pumpkin pie recipe.

I am going to put together a book of recipes that I treasure from my parents and grandparents as well as Gil’s family recipes. Maybe that will be my Christmas gift this year.

Sunday Morning Study

Abiding in God and Repairing the Breach https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2017/10/abiding-in-god-and-repairing-the-breach?lang=eng

In reading from Learn of Me a study guide on Jesus Christ in the Topical Guide, this morning I was directed to this talk by Sis. Neill F. Marriott. She asks several insightful questions that I plan on pondering today.

1. How are we going to wholeheartedly accept His invitation to draw near to Him and thus enjoy the blessings He longs to give us in this life and in the world to come?

2. Do we trust Him enough to abide in Him and walk with Him?

3. What matters to you? What is lasting to you?

4. Can you feel the depth of the love running through Their preparations for your joy and growth?

Sis. Marriott uses this scripture from Isaiah 58:12. “And they that shall be of the shall build the old waste places; though shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called the repairer of the breach and the restorer of the paths to dwell in.”

I want to be a repairer of the breach and build up waste places. Waste places and breaches in people’s hearts and souls and relationships as well as waste places in lives and our environment. Our Heavenly Father’s love is the truly the key to life and growth.

“When we give our heart to the Father and the Son, we change our world–even if the circumstances around us do not change.” Neill F. Marriott

My Front Lawn- A Waste Place

Celebrate Life and Connection

Today our family celebrated the birthday of our dear friend, Gerrie Dixon. We enjoyed dinner with Gerrie at The Porch in Daybreak.

Gil, Gerrie, Shelly, and Nicole

Birthdays are truly amazing events. Birthdays reaffirm life and the passage of time. Birthdays are a way to mark another year of lived experiences. Birthdays whether we are celebrating 1 year or 100 years remind us that life is a true blessing meant to be lived and savored each and every day of that each year.

Oscar Wilde said: To live is the rarest thing in the world, most people just exist.

I am trying to LIVE each day of my life. A huge part of truly being alive is my connections to other people. To my husband, Gil, my daughters Jessica, Samantha, Cassandra and Nicole and my family and friends.

A recent article in the Deseret News about the impact connections /relationships have on aging might have been written with my friend, Gerrie, as one of the test subjects. https://www.deseret.com/2022/5/7/23060482/harvard-longevity-study-happiness-relationships-physical-mental-health-byu-waldinger-super-ager

Research, a lot of research, is showing that it is our relationships that helps us age well even more than our genetics. The theme for Rootstech 2022 was Connection. That is what the power of Elijah truly is the sealing power, the power of eternal connection.

I am so grateful for the connections in my life past, present and future. Living life to its fullest is all about creating, nurturing and celebrating connection.

Rootstech Aftermath March 7, 2022

I have been so moved by the scope of the Rootstech experience. I am at over 67,000 relatives and the technology allows me to contact each of those people directly by email. It also allows me to see my relationship with them. I just learned today that one of my friends in school, Clair Jackson, is my second cousin on the Dance/Watt side of the family. I never knew all those years of elementary and secondary school.

My goal with Rootstech this year is to take action! I can’t just be moved and influenced those three days! I need to learn, explore and do FH the other 362 days of the year. I need and want to Choose Connection; Discover, Connect and Share. Therefore, my goal is to watch at least 3 of the sessions on my playlist each week and put them into action. I can’t just watch and say that is cool, I should...and then nothing happens because of the fateful word, should. I should is going to become I am!

I actually put this concept into action last night. I finally called my parents and talked to them. I asked them about which U.S. presidents were most influential. Here is my Mom’s list: George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Ronald Reagan, Donald Trump (she asked if it was okay if she included this one, I told her that it was okay), Thomas Jefferson (because he helped write the Constitution). My Dad’s list: George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses Grant, Ronald Reagan, Harry Truman, Dwight Eisenhower and Donald Trump. We figured out that my father probably had his first opportunity to vote in a presidential election in 1956 when Dwight Eisenhower won re-election over Adlai Stevenson. That will go in their Storyworth book.

I was reading a short article on my Church of Jesus Christ home page from Sis. Eubanks about the Ukrainian Refugee Crisis. She said this:

Sister Eubank said voluntary service is not being used to its full potential. She pointed to JustServe, a free app that helps communities come together in service.

“People are the heart of the solution,” she said. “[Cooperative activities] remind us that we’re all children of the same God. Faith communities are perfectly positioned to do this because we’re very good at trying to make humanity come together and achieve a larger goal.”

Voluntary service is not being used to its full potential. I agree with Sis. Eubanks and I am feeling inspired and motivated to do more to help organize the desire and talents of people in my ward and community to serve and lift our brothers and sisters here and around the world.

Roots Tech 2022 Opening Day

I watched the Opening Session and then the evening session. WONDERFUL!! Theme this year is Choose Connection.

Talk about connecting..Relatives at Rootstech is an amazing app.

Over 50,000 relatives

The app will sort relatives by location and ancestor.

Technology is truly a blessing

Over 50,000 relatives and my mother whom I know is watching isn’t one of them. I need to call her tomorrow and get her to sign in along with my siblings. I choose connection!!

Rootstech 2022!

6 Reasons to Attend Rootstech 2022

I am going to be listening to and watching Rootstech 2022 starting March 3 through March 5! Join me in the virtual feast!

Classes for the event will have a mix of on-demand, livestream and interactive sessions that will allow attendees to learn, grow and connect to people all over the globe. Participants will also be able to connect with fellow attendees, speakers, experts and enthusiasts.

The conference is free and open to anyone. For updates, follow RootsTech on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.

The 2022 theme is “Choose Connection.” Family Search is encouraging participants “to #chooseconnection, whether it’s by learning about ancestors, traveling to homelands steeped in your heritage, or even discovering how you’re related to your friends, you can make powerful connections to the people and places that matter most to you.”

A new set of educational classes will be featured during 2022, along with new technologies to explore in the virtual expo hall and inspiring stories shared by keynote speakers. Keynote speakers include Argentine singer Diego Torres, American actor Matthew Modine, French baker Apollonia Poilâne, Ghanaian boxer Samuel Azumah Nelson, Food Network’s Molly Yeh, Palestinian comedian Maysoon Zayid, and Brazilian actress Thaís Pacholek.