Temple and Family History Challenge

Interested in learning more about Family History? The annual Roots Tech conference is free this year! Find out more information and sign up for the conference HERE!  
DECEMBER

SHORT CHALLENGE

  • Record the pregnancy/birth story of yourself, and your children. 
  • Include both parents’ perspectives if possible. 
  • Post these stories in Family Search. 

EXTENDED CHALLENGE

  • Find interesting facts about the time your parents or grandparents were alive or born.  
  • Write down 12 things you learn about them.  
  • Share the information with your family as a 12 Days of Christmas gift. 

NOVEMBER

SHORT CHALLENGE

Find the first person who came to America in your family using the fan chart or map my ancestors in FamilySearch. Find a family recipe that is used at Thanksgiving that was handed down.


EXTENDED CHALLENGE

Learn how to do basic research. 
  • How to find evidence on census records. 
  • Attach those census records to your family tree. 
  • Ask a ward family history consultant for help if needed

OCTOBER

SHORT CHALLENGE

Prepare names to take to the temple – you can use ordinance ready to complete this challenge.


EXTENDED CHALLENGE

  1. Learn a family story of general interest to multiple generation (think children’s book). 
  2. Write the story including differing accounts and opinions about what happened.  (If possible include photographs or illustrations). 
  3. Post your story on FamilySearch. 

SEPTEMBER

SHORT CHALLENGE  

  1. Take and share back-to-school pictures. 
  2. Add school pictures of parents and grandparents and share school memories with family.

 

EXTENDED CHALLENGE

  1. Write down or record your experiences with tender mercies.  
  2. Share them with your family. 
  3. Post them on family search if you feel comfortable. 
  4. If you feels it’s too sacred keep them in a place your family will be able to access them.

 

AUGUST 

SHORT CHALLENGE

  • Write a brief 2 page personal history including important dates, names, places, etc...  

  • Record it on FamilySearch, and share it with your family to read and reflect on. 


EXTENDED CHALLENGE

Find your oldest living relative and get their favorite memories of life. 

  • Ask them how things have changed. 
  • Record what they feel the most significant world event has been and why.  
If you are the oldest relative write these things down and share them with your family. 


JULY

SHORT CHALLENGE

  • Learn about a family member who is a pioneer in your family.   
  • What hardships did they endure?  How did they over come difficulties?

EXTENDED CHALLENGE

Pull out family photo albums and label all the pictures. 

  • If you don’t know someone, ask around. 
  • Post the photos to family search for everyone to see. 
  • See if your extended family knows who the mystery people are. 
  • Hint: Family reunions are a great time/place to have these conversations. 

JUNE

Short Challenge

  • Write your testimony and record it on FamilySearch (written or audio recording).
  • Write down a list of favorites. Update it every year and see where things change.

EXTENDED CHALLENGE 

If they are living, make and add an audio recording of your father and your grandmother (your father’s mother).  Add these recordings to their personal records on Family Search.

If they are not living, you or family members make short remembrance recording and upload. 

Remember to tag the recordings to all those deceased people whom the remembrances are about.

Talk to your family history consultant or watch the help videos if needing assistance in doing this. 


MAY

SHORT Challenge

Find out why you were given your first name and/or who you were named after. 

Enter the story of where you got your name from into familysearch.org  

Find out where and why your parents or grandparents got their names and enter that into family search.



EXTENDED CHALLENGE

Add 2 pictures and a story to your father’s memories, even if he is still living.

Add 2 pictures and a story to your grandmother, even if she is still living.

Keep working with the ward family history consultants to fix any problems found.


APRIL

SHORT Challenge

Learn how to index or teach someone else to index if you already know how.


EXTENDED CHALLENGE

Log onto www.familysearch.com 

Open your father’s profile (there may not be much content here if he is still living)

- Open and read all the sources and memories

- With it, view, open and note important dates that are missing or in the wrong format. (call the ward family history consultants for help with format or missing dates or see online help videos.)

Now continue on the same family line and do it for your grandmother and your great grandmother and your great, great grandmother.


MARCH

SHORT Challenge

In honor or Women’s History month, share a social media post about an important woman in your family!


EXTENDED CHALLENGE

If they are living, make and add an audio recording of your mother and your grandmother (your mother’s mother).  Add these recordings to their personal records on Family Search. 

If they are not living, you or family members make short remembrance recording and upload them to their memories on family search. Remember to tag the recordings to all those deceased people whom the remembrances are about. 

Talk to your family history consultant or watch the help videos if needing assistance in doing this.


    FEBRUARY

    SHORT CHALLENGE

    • Start a family text, group chat, Facebook or other social media page/group. 
    • Post monthly questions, and copy and paste answers, stories, etc. to Family Search. 
    • See how the perspectives of similar events can be so different among family members!

    EXTENDED CHALLENGE

    • Add 2 pictures and a story to your mother's memories, even if she is still living.
    • Add 2 pictures and a story to your grandmother's memories, even if she is still living.
    • Keep working with the ward family history consultants to fix any problems found.

    JANUARY

    Short CHALLENGE

    Record and share family recipes. Record stories in FamilySearch that have been passed down about these family recipes.

    Click for Help: Adding Stories to Family Tree


    EXTENDED CHALLENGE

    Log onto www.familysearch.org 

    • Open your mother’s profile (there may not be much content here if she is still living)
    • Open and read all the sources and memories
    • With it open, note important dates that are missing, or in the wrong format. (Call the ward family history consultants for help with format or missing dates or see online help videos.)
    • Now continue on the same family line and do it for your grandmother and your great grandmother and your great, great grandmother.
    Family History Consultants 

    Keith Pitchford 

    (801) 556-2812

    keith@pitchfordfamily.net


    Michelle Pitchford 

    (801) 556-2695

    michelle@pitchfordfamily.net