Objective

Complete your 4 generations on FamilySearch.org and attach at least one source documentation for each of your deceased relatives. This could include any of the items listed in #7 below.

Steps to follow on your PC

1. Log in to Family Tree
2. Update any missing persons in your first 4 generations.
3. Check all persons to find those who have no sources documenting their data.
4. Select a person without any records or documentation to add a source.
5. Click on the name.
6. Click on "Search Records"
7. Review all possible sources that come up.
   Possible sources include: birth certificates, death certificates, marriage certificates, censuses, pictures of headstones, passports, adoption papers, obituaries, etc.
8. Select one that appears to fit the person.
9. Click the name (colored blue) in the selected document.
10. To view the actual document click "View document" and follow the directions.
11. When the document appears, you can zoom in & out, rotate, lighten/darken, print or save.
12. Click on the back arrow in upper-left corent to return.
13. To accept the document click on "Attach to Family Tree"
14. From now on the documentation will be available to see when the person is reviewed.
15. Repeat steps 4 through 15 for all others in your 4 generations who are without documentation.
16. Report to your High Priest Group Leader or Young Men/Young Women President

"Your testimony of and conversion to the Savior will become deep and abiding. And I promise you will be protected against the intensifying influence of the adversary. As you participate in and love this holy work, you will be safeguarded in your youth and throughout your lives."

David A. Bednar, Oct 2011

Objective

Find picture(s) of your oldest ancestor(s). Scan the photo and tag it to the appropriate ancestor on Family Search.

Steps to follow on your PC

1. Locate your photos or slides of your ancestors.
2. Scan the photos and place in a directory on your PC.
3. Open ... http://familysearch.org/tree ... Log in.
4. From the Tree screen click on Memories.
5. Click on Photos.
6. Click on the "+" icon in the center of the screen.
7. From your directory, select the photo to upload.
8. From the photos in the gallery, click on the photo to upload.
9. When the photo comes up, click on it.
10. Stretch the circle to include the part of the photo you want to include, normally the face.
11. Enter the name of the person in the gray box under the image.
12. Check that the photo and the name are correct.
13. Enter any comments that you want to in the box "Person Description". Click on the "Add Description" box.
14. On the right, click on the photo or name.
15. Click on "Family Tree" on the right of the screen.
16. Click on either "Tree" or "Person" in the box.
17. The photo is now linked to the assigned person.
18. Report to your High Priest Group Leader or Young Men/Young Women President

How to handle group photos

1. As before, click on the group photo.
2. Click on the person you want to separate from the others in the group.
3. Center and stretch the circle on the face of the person.
4. Check the name on the right.
5. Add additional information or comments. Click on "Add Description".
6. Click on the name to the right.
7. Click on "Family Tree".
8. Click on either "Tree" or "Person" in the pop-up box to finish.
9. The new photo is now linked to the right person throughout FamilyTree.
10. Report to your High Priest Group Leader or Young Men/Young Women President

"Do you young people want a sure way to eliminate the influence of the adversary in your life? Immerse yourself in searching for your ancestors, prepare their names for the sacred vicarious ordinances available in the temple, and then go to the temple to stand as proxy for them to receive the ordinances of baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost ... I can think of no greater protection from the influence of the adversary in your life."

Richard G. Scott, The Joy of Redeeming the Dead, Oct 2012

Objective

Find a deceased ancestor that was a member of the church, who also received a Patriarchal Blessing. Then request a copy of it from the Church. When requesting the Patriarchal Blessing you will need to provide the following information:

• Your Church membership record number
• The blessing recipient's name at the time the blessing was given
• Birth date of recipient
• Names of blessing recipient's parents
• Approximate year the blessing was given
• Your relationship to recipients (ancestor)

Steps to follow on your PC

Option 1

1. Go directly to the Patriarchal Blessing Request site on the internet
2. Log in to the site with your churchofjesuschrist.org Account User Name and Password.
3. Follow step 1 by entering the deceased ancestor's information.
4. Scroll down the page and confirm your own information as shown.
5. Check mark the "I certify that..." box and click the "Request Blessing" box.
6. Report to your High Priest Group Leader or Young Men/Young Women President

Option 2

1. Go to the churchofjesuschrist.org site and enter "Patriarchal Blessing Request" in the white search box in the upper right corner of the page.
2. Click on "Patriarchal Blessing Requests".
3. Review the three ways a blessing can be requested, i.e., in person at the Church History Library, through the mail at the address provided, or online.
4. If requesting a blessing online, click on the blue "an ancestor's blessing" in the online paragraph.
5. Sign in with your churchofjesuschrist.org Account User Name and Password. Click on "Sign in".
6. Fill out your deceased ancestor's information.
7. Scroll down and review and confirm your own information as entered by the computer.
8. Place a check mark (Click in the box) next to the "I certify that the information..."; Click on the "Request Blessing" box.
9. Report to your High Priest Group Leader or Young Men/Young Women President

"As you respond in faith to this invitation [to do family history work], your hearts shall turn to the fathers. The promises made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob will be implanted in your hearts. Your patriarchal blessing, with its declaration of lineage, will link you to these fathers and be more meaningful to you."

David A. Bednar, The Hearts of the Children Shall Turn, Oct 2011

Objective

Trace your family lines to see what pioneer heritage you have in your family. This does not need to be a direct line, you just need to be able to trace it on your tree on FamilySearch.org This might be your father or your Great Great Great Grandfather; regardless find the individual who joined The Church first in your family lines.

Extra Mile

As you research your family history lines is there anyone whose work needs to be done? If so reserve it and get started!

Steps to Follow

NOTE: Do not check ancestors who died before The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was organized. The Sprint is looking for the earliest converts baptized since the Church was organized.

NOTE: If you find the baptismal date is later than other ordinances, use the earliest ordinance date out of all of the recorded ordinances.

"Their hearts are bound to you. Their hope is in your hands. You will have more than your own strength as you choose to labor on to find them."

President Henry B. Eyring, Hearts Bound Together, May 2005

Objective

The purpose of this sprint is for you to get to know the history of your family better by interviewing your oldest living relative. If you are the oldest living relative, transcribe to text some of your earliest memories.

Steps to Follow

1. Interview your oldest living relative.
   Sample interview topics:
   • What are your oldest memories?
   • What are the earliest memories of your parents?
   • What memories do you have of your earliest home(s)?
   • How did your parents meet? How did you meet your spouse?
   • Tell me about the schools you attended.
   • What positions and callings in church did you have?
   • What are some of the peculiarities, talents and abilities of your (our) family members?
2. Record this interview.
   You can use the following to record your interview:
   • Audio tape recorder.
   • Digital recorders, most of which are small and hand-held.
   • Video camera – film, tape or digital.
   • Digital still camera in the video mode.
   • PCs and laptops, some smart phones.
3. Transcribe the interview into text.
   
   • From the audio recording, type the interview directly into a personal computer or typewriter.
   • If you have a typed or printed copy of the interview, use one of the OCR (Optical Character Recognition) computer programs to scan and convert your text into digital format.
4. Upload the transcription to FamilySearch.org and attach it to the interviewee's parents and perhaps others mentioned in the interview.
   There are two methods of entering your interview into FamilySearch.org
   • Manually enter (type) the interview directly from within FamilySearch.org
   • Upload your interview after saving it on your PC as a JPG, PNG of PDF file. This is done in the manner outlined in Sprint #1 (January) under "Adding documentation" of the PowerPoint slide (Starting at Slide 9)

Extra Mile

As you add the transcription to FamilySearch.org also tag any individuals that are mentioned in the interview.

"If you learn stories about their lives, write them down and keep them. You are not just gathering names. Those you never met in life will become friends you love. Your heart will be bound to theirs forever."

President Henry B. Eyring, Hearts Bound Together, April 2005