2022 RootsTech #ChooseConnection - Viewing From Home, But Feeling Like I'm There

This year's buildup to #RootsTech2022 was phenomenal! 

First thing that I must mention is THE SONG! "Choose Connnection" is one of the catchiest songs I've heard in a long time. Even as I think of it I can hear it running through my head. 

It is an original song that was written by Jonathan H. Wing, a RootsTech manager who oversees creative aspects of the event. https://www.thechurchnews.com/living-faith/2022-03-03/rootstech-2022-choose-connection-the-story-behind-original-song-music-video-and-social-media-campaign-244684

With the invitation from FamilySearch CEO Steve Rockwood to “Reach out to that person and send him or her a text or give them a call or contact them on social media and bless their day today with simply a kind word or a simple ‘How are you?’”

Before it even began there were opportunities to see just how many people you were connected to using the FamilySearchFamilyTree (FSFT) to enhance those relationships. Were they all correct? Likely not. Was it fun? Absolutely!

Within a couple of days of it going live, this was the screenshot that showed my connection to others registered for RootsTech.

By the time this activity concluded, I had over 100,000 more than what you see here. There were even opportunities to see if you were related to famous people. The excitement was beginning to build, and I couldn't wait for it to begin.

But what to choose? There were over 1500 classes to choose from. I made a playlist that included the keynote speakers, plus many more classes that I wanted to be part of. The great thing is that many of these classes are available for the entire year before the next RootsTech.

Here were some of my favorites, with many many more that will eventually be added to this list:

Sarah Cochran - From a Box in the Closet to a Treasured Family Heirloom: https://www.familysearch.org/rootstech/series/from-a-box-in-the-closet-to-a-treasured-family-heirloom

Elizabeth Swanay O'Neil - Resources for Researching Your War of 1812 Ancestor Online: https://www.familysearch.org/rootstech/series/resources-for-researching-your-war-of-1812-ancestor-online

James Beidler - Pennsylvania Predicament! Finding Keystone State Ancestry: https://www.familysearch.org/rootstech/series/pennsylvania-predicament-finding-keystone-state-ancestry

Diana Elder - Problem Solve with the Pre-1850 Census: Investigate the Tick Marks: https://www.familysearch.org/rootstech/series/problem-solve-with-the-pre-1850-census-investigate-the-tick-marks

Shannon Combs-Bennett - Research Strategies for Early Colonial Ancestors: https://www.familysearch.org/rootstech/series/research-strategies-for-early-colonial-ancestors

It may be odd to hear that as one who has been an Accredited Genealogist for the past twenty-five years, and a researcher long before that, that you would would find me listening to "Beginner Classes" during an event of this size. But, I do. I feel that any time we discover a new grandmother's surname, or we have researched our way into a new-to-us locality, we begin again. 

Many of those "Getting Started" classes may be found here: https://www.familysearch.org/rootstech/search?f.topic=0000017c-ee68-dc5c-a57c-eeecf1790000&f.text=Family%20history%20centers&p.index=0&p.pageCount=10

Probably the one topic I will spend the most time during this next year will be those focused to the members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Kerry and I are Family History Center Directors and need to stay current. Non-LDS may also find some great ideas, such as family reunions, working with youth, and emotional difficulties within family. You can find it here: https://www.familysearch.org/rootstech/search?f.topic=0000017c-ee69-dc5c-a57c-eeedb3970000&f.text=Family%20history%20centers&p.index=0&p.pageCount=10

But the keynote speaker on Family Discovery Day really resonated with my soul. Elder Ulisses Soares and his wife Rosana are from Brazil. He is an Apostle in the leadership of the Church. His address took he and his wife back to their native country as they visited places dear to their hearts. They walked where they met and dated, eventually entering into the temple they were married. Beautiful interior scenes show just how much this visit filled their heart with memories. I would recommend his address to absolutely everyone: https://www.familysearch.org/rootstech/special-session/elder-and-sister-soares-keynote-family-discovery-day

Though it's been about a month since RootsTech 2022 live has concluded, it will continue through the year to help us with our efforts to become better researcher, and to connect with our families.

RootsTech 2019 Giveaway!!

This is one of the last opportunities to win a free 

4-day pass to

RootsTech 2019!!!

Let's do it!

Perhaps you have changed your mind,

and really want to attend.

Perhaps you are wondering how you can do it.

Perhaps you have heard more about the speakers and celebrities

you will be able to see and hear at the conference.

You can see those here.

Perhaps you want to meet some of the some of the

wonderful speakers

you have heard at conferences and through webinars.

Or, maybe you want to spend a bit of time

in the world famous

Family History Library.

But, you're still just not sure.

Here's your chance!

Scroll to the bottom...

 Do you feel you connect with your ancestors?

Do you feel that you belong to something bigger?

I actually won a Dell laptop last year!

I am using it to write this blogpost.

Simply respond in the comments 

what it would mean for you to attend.

Please do it by:

Friday

18 January 2019

at midnight.

I will announce the winner on Saturday.

Come on!!!

You know you want to!

PS...If you have already paid for your registration,

it will be refunded to you.

Planning for RootsTech 2019

I am busy this week.

And, I'll just bet that you are, too!  In less than two weeks, Christmas will be here.  Then, we take a breath and the New Year with all of its festivities will be right here, too.

January will give us a chance to regroup, and think about how we're going to plan out our genealogy research and travels.  There are so many opportunities we have to become better genealogists, so that our hard work will have credibility.

RootsTech is always a treat for me.  

I've been to Utah more times than I can count in my lifetime.  I went when I was a young girl with my parents.

Mr. Kerry's family lives in Utah, and even before our marriage we were making trips so that I could get to know his large family.

Now, as empty-nesters, we continue to go so that I can do research at the Family History Library.  

RootsTech 2019 will be exciting again this year, with some extraordinary keynote speakers.  You can learn all about it here:  https://www.rootstech.org/

Some of you may be attending RootsTech for the first time, or may even be visiting Salt Lake City for the first time.  Perhaps you may be arriving a few days early, or staying a few days later.  There is much to do in the downtown area.  And, here is a wonderful guide to help you navigate your time:  https://www.templesquare.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Temple-Square-Planning-Guide.pdf

It is a wonderful pdf booklet put together to help you take advantage of all of the wonderful things that are available for you to do if you have the chance to explore.

I hope to see you there!

A "Mini" Roadshow

RootsTech has something for everyone.

If you have an item you would like to know a little bit more about, you can bring it to the Heirloom Show and Tell.

Here is a brief announcement that came through my newsfeed this past week:

Heirloom Show and Tell
Do you have an antique, an heirloom, or a photo that you’d like an expert to look at? Now’s your chance! Bring in any small item or a photo of a large item that you’ve been wondering about, and the experts will tell you more about it. No sign-up is required. Stop in during regular Expo Hall hours.

Book Scanning at RootsTech

FamilySearch has such a wonderful book collection, because of the many people who have titles that they own and have copyright of.

Once again, RootsTech will have a large section of the Vendor Hall set aside for book scanning.

I know first-hand how valuable this service is, for a few years ago at our Family History Center, a man came in with a large volume of family history that he had done himself.  He was so grateful to the LDS Church, and for the records of FamilySearch, for usage of their microfilm and microfiche had enabled him to compile a beautiful genealogy of his family's history.

He wanted his sons to have a copy, and was prepared to copy the entire book so each of them could have one.

He also wanted FamilySearch to have a copy, but he was unsure if he had the funds to make another copy.  

I contacted the Acquisitions Department, and they said to have him fill out a "Permission to Duplicate Form" slip, and send it out to them.  We did just that, and I used labels and a box from the Center to send it on.

We received it back a short time later, along with a free roll of the microfilm it was put onto.  It would become part of the collection, and people around the world would be able to view it.

Consider what you have at home that could benefit others.  If you find there is something, fill out a "Permission to Duplicate Form", and bring it with you.

Your generosity could be the answer to someone else's dilemma.

The "Permission to Duplicate Form" can be found here.

We All Need A Coach Sometime

We all need a coach sometimes.

We get stuck,

and just need a new set of eyes

to give us a fresh look.

Last year at RootsTech,

I volunteered to help out at the

Coach's Corner.

I was so happy to be able to point some of the attendees

in a different direction for their research.

And, I even had some pointers

that others gave to me.

This year, 

the Coach's Corner will be running again.

So consider taking the time to look through your research,

and have an expert help you see a different approach

to your research.

Here is how to sign up:

Book an appointment now.

RootsTech Keeps Getting Better and Better!

I am getting so excited I can hardly stand myself.

Just when I think

RootsTech couldn't get any better.

RootsTech gets better.

I have gone to this conference 

every year that it's been held.

And, I have never been disappointed.

Even Mr. Kerry has enjoyed coming to RootsTech!

One of the sessions I taught was even live-streamed!

I happened to be looking through the website this evening,
and all of the offerings are just phenomenal.

There seems to be something for everyone!
One of the features this year is someone
who I am not familiar with;
Her name is Natalia Lafourcade,
an internationally renown Mexican singer.
https://www.rootstech.org

If it's music, I'm all excited!

And, I just received notice that because of the great emphasis on
African heritage last year,
they're having a special social to give a repeat of last year.
Regina Mason will be in attendance for that.
https://www.rootstech.org/african-heritage-social

Salt Lake City is the place to be
at the end of February!

Learning and Teaching -- at the same time!

2 Jan 2018

Seventy.

I did seventy presentations across America last year.

I traveled to 34 different states, some with Mr. Kerry and some without.

I met and talked with hundreds, if not thousands of people. I reconnected with colleagues, and met dozens I had only known from Facebook. I met people who had heard me on webinars. Now, I have new friends.

I did it with a torn and recuperating rotator cuff and labrum, and a torn meniscus. I hobbled. I had one good arm. I yelped a couple of times, and hollered a couple of more times.

Sometimes I had to think about what hotel and what city I was in after Kerry called and sung to me to wake me up in whatever time zone I was in.

But, I did it. And, I loved it. And, I hope the people who invited me were pleased that they did.

And so, this year we begin again. I must admit I am scaling back a bit from what I did last year, for I need to catch my breath. I also need the therapy that comes from getting on my little tractor and mowing my field. I have solved every problem in the world on the back of my tractor.

So, some of you I will see again this year! Some of you I'll "see" during webinars. It's good to jump back into the saddle after being off for a couple of months.

3 Jan 2018

Today I'm going to piggyback off of yesterday's post.

One hundred and seventy-nine classes.

Yes, 179 classes that I have had the opportunity to attend or listen to via webinar.

I keep a list of every single class that I've ever taught or listened to, and save them year by year in a Word document. First of all, I do it to report to ICAPGen every five years that I am making an effort to keep my own self current.

But, most of all, I do it for me.

I've had the opportunity -- for free -- to listen in on classes about asylums, chancery court, Freedman's Bureau records, the Fugitive Slave Law and the Underground Railroad, early US religions, funeral homes, new technology, and on and on and on...

I am often asked what I do in between the classes that I am actually teaching. Are you kidding me? I'm in there taking more classes! These are opportunities that may not come around again soon. Every now and then you may find me hanging out with a colleague or two, for we all need a brain break.

But, more often than not, I'm sitting in a classroom learning right along with everyone else from the best in the industry.

Plus, the webinars! Geoff Rasmussen has led the way in providing free education, plus a vast webinar library to draw from.

I am forever grateful for the opportunities for the opportunities and invitation extended to me for speaking, for while I'm there I have even more opportunities to learn.

And, I did that all in one year.

Now, I'm perusing through the schedule for #RootsTech to see what classes I'll attend during my "down time". I've made it a goal to attend classes taught by people I've never heard of before. I did that during a conference this summer, and was totally delighted in the new offerings.

Kerry's dad always counseled his children to "keep their minds active and learning".

And, his mission president advised the missionaries:

"When you're green, you're still growing.

When you're ripe, you're almost rotten."

I want to be green.