Genealogy Dilemna: Sorting Out Multiple Marriages
Filed under: Genealogy, Family History & Temple Work, Intermediate Family History
The past week I worked to sort out the life of a man who was associated with four women. Because these relationships resulted in children, I wanted to be certain I had the proper children assigned to the correct parents. Internet searches complicated the matters, since different researchers gave the children to different parents, and some of the women had other spouses over time, and children from those relationships as well. If you’re facing a similar problem, there are a number of steps you can take to organize the families correctly.
Begin by listing all the spouses for each person you can find. You need the spouses who are not your direct line as well.
You also need the spouses of the non-direct spouses. For instance: Man A had children with Woman B, Woman C, and Woman D. You’re not sure yet which ones he might have actually married. Woman C is your direct ancestor. However, Woman C had an additional husband, and Woman D had two additional husbands. You need all the husbands and wives involved in this story and all the children resulting from each relationship, even though technically, many of them are not related to you in any way. Otherwise you run the risk of missing a child or assigning him to the wrong parent. (more…)
Getting the Most Out of Your Genealogy Vacation
Filed under: Genealogy, Family History & Temple Work
I just returned from a week in Kentucky. I was visiting, for the first time, the place where my grandfather was born, and where my ancestors lived from the 1800s to the time my grandfather moved out of state. I had one week to get as
much as I could from the visit.
I was helped by the fact that the town was just over two square miles total and everyone is pretty much related, one way or another. Because of this, the town boasted a wonderful genealogy library and historical society. I planned to center my week around that library. (more…)
Let Us Be Men
Filed under: Becoming More Christlike, Finding Happiness, Men & Priesthood, Service
The term “real men” is a popular one to bounce around, but the definition of a real man varies from culture to culture, even in the same country. Too many people equate true manhood with being rough and tough, liking freedom, doing as he pleases, and even being immoral. The Mormons have a different idea of what true manhood means. [Read more]
What is Wisdom?
Filed under: Finding Truth, Recognizing Truth, Uncategorized
One day, while reading the Book of Mormon, I was startled by a description of the prophet Ammon that I had not previously noticed, in Alma, chapter 18, verse 22:
Now Ammon being wise, yet harmless, he said unto Lamoni: Wilt thou hearken unto my words, if I tell thee by what power I do these things? And this is the thing that I desire of thee.
Wise, but harmless. This unexpected combination of words has stayed with me since that time and I’ve often thought 
about what they mean. It could mean the historian recording the event had a sense of humor, but it’s likely there is more to the phrase than might initially be obvious. How can you be wise, but harmless? The key lies in understanding the source of wisdom. When we are truly wise, and our wisdom comes from the proper source, we are harmless to others. When we mistake the source of wisdom, we can do great eternal damage to ourselves and to those we teach. (more…)
Preparing for a Genealogical Vacation
Filed under: Genealogy Know How, Genealogy, Family History & Temple Work
When times are tight, it can be hard to justify taking a vacation. Giving the vacation a practical purpose, however, can make it seem less of a splurge. You’ll get away from home, but you’ll be working hard on an important task. A genealogical vacation can be the answer to this challenge.
A genealogical vacation involves spending time in a place where your ancestors lived. It allows you to see for yourself where they lived, placing them into context. Even though things are changed, a genealogy buff with a good imagination can remove the houses, telephone poles, and cars and get a glimpse into the past. (more…)
Gardening With a Black Thumb
Filed under: Living Off the Land, Preparedness Basics, Year Supply - Food
My mother was an expert gardener. I knew it was really spring when she headed outside with her marigolds each year. Somehow that gene-and all the other domestic ones-bypassed me and everything I tried to grow died. Eventually, my children grew a large vegetable garden under the guidance of a family friend, and I stopped worrying about it. We moved a great deal in the later years, and gardening was not a priority. [Read more]
Planning With a Purpose in Everyday Life
Filed under: Finding Happiness, Home and Family
The Mormons (a nickname for members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) teach leaders to plan their activities with a purpose in mind, and to start with the purpose, not the activity. While this was designed for activity planning, it’s a principle that can be applied to much of our everyday life.
Mormons are taught not to choose a fun activity and then look over the program goals to see if it fits into anything. Instead, they ask, “What do we want to have happen in the lives of the participants?” Then they select an activity that will accomplish this. (more…)
Teach Your Children the Bible This Summer
School may be out, but there is no reason for the learning to stop. While religious education might be against the law in public schools, at home this summer, you can teach your children to love the scriptures, and maybe sneak in a little academic learning at the same time. (more…)
Remembering to Do Right
Most of us want to do the right thing and to keep God’s commandments. However, in the press of everyday life, with rushed schedules, pressure from others, and conflicting desires, it can be difficult to make good choices, or even to remember to do the right thing. (more…)
Why Mormons Have Callings
Filed under: Discipleship: Following in the Savior's Footsteps, Service
Because the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, whose members are sometimes called Mormons, is a lay church, everyone is asked to help with the work to be done. Each willing member is given at least one calling. A calling is often referred to as a ministry in other religions. (more…)