Background

My father served in the South Pacific during World War II. Many servicemen returned home and didn’t talk about their experiences. It was painful. There was no psychological support in those days. They were told to go home and put it behind them, and that’s what many of them tried to do. Dad never talked much about the war. There was an occasional snippet, but mostly just stories of the personalities of the men he served with and got to know. We didn’t really know where he had served, or anything about his experiences other than that he was at the Battle of Buffalo Wallow.

Long after three of us had left home, my younger sister was tasked with writing about a battle for her high school ROTC class. She asked Dad about the Battle of Buffalo Wallow. Dad was ill, and I think he knew he wouldn’t be around much longer. He opened up to her about his experiences. He pulled out pictures from a secret compartment in his closet that our mother didn’t even know he had. Unfortunately, that was the only time Dad ever talked, and we never got the whole story. We had no idea of the significance of what he had done.

Writing the Story

Years later, my sister wrote about what Dad had told her for our family history. I thought the story needed to be told publicly, so I asked her permission to publish it on my little blog. A man by the name of James R. Odrowski read the story and commented on it. His father had served with our father.

Mr. Odrowski spent years researching The Battle of Buffalo Wallow, which resulted in a book. Early in November 2020, just in time for Veteran’s Day, he sent us copies of the book. He also shared a link to actual news footage of the Japanese paratroopers involved in the battle, and he had a two-hour meeting with us via the miracle of technology to share pictures and information.

Life-Changing Information From the Story

What we learned was overwhelming! The Battle of Buffalo Wallow was also called the Battle of the Air Fields—and it was part of the Battle of Leyte. We had no idea what Dad had gone through. Dad and Mr. Odrowski’s father were with the 44th General Hospital. They were supposed to be several miles from the front line, but ended up right in the thick of the fighting. Medical units were not trained for combat, nor were they issued weapons. They were to “do no harm” and were supposed to be protected from attack under the Geneva Convention. Japan never signed the Geneva Convention documents, and attacked clearly marked hospital ships and other medical units.

The 44th General Hospital had a moral dilemma. They could procure weapons to protect themselves and their patients, or adhere to the Geneva Convention with the high likelihood that they would all die. They requested weapons but were denied. By some miracle, the supply staff managed to acquire three ambulances full of guns. It is unknown where they got them, or the circumstances surrounding that event. To make a very long story short, the 44th General Hospital was still standing when the fighting was over, and not one of them lost their lives.

Having Dad’s story not only helps me to understand him better, but it is something my grandchildren will be able to read about on their hard days to gain hope, insight, and courage to keep going.

In December, I will turn 66 years old. My Dad passed away in 1985. Yet, I am just now learning all this. We are fortunate that Mr. Odrowski’s father did talk about the war, and that his son listened and was willing to do years of research so that this story could be told. Untold thousands of stories have been lost.

My Own Story

We’ve been told that Heavenly Father wants us to be a record-keeping people. Admittedly, my own journals have been sporadic in my lifetime. However, I have written about my life on personal blogs, as well as multiple forums such as LDS Blogs. In spite of the fact that I’m a very private person, my life is pretty much an open book at this point. I hope my grandchildren will be able to read about their grandparents and glean something that can help them get through the tough days in their lives.

A Directive From a Prophet of God

“A word about personal journals and records: We urge every person in the Church to keep a diary or a journal from youth up, all through his life.

 

Would every family, as they now hold their home evenings, train their children from young childhood to keep a journal of the important activities of their lives, and certainly when they begin to leave home for schooling and missions?” (President Spencer W. Kimball, “The Foundations of Righteousness,” Oct. 1977 General Conference.)

That’s a directive from a prophet of God. You can’t get much clearer than that.

An Explanation Behind the Directive

“Not one of my children has any recollection of my grandparents. If I want my children and grandchildren to know those who still live in my memory, then I must build the bridge between them. I alone am the link to the generations that stand on either side of me. It is my responsibility to knit their hearts together through love and respect, even though they may never have known each other personally. My grandchildren will have no knowledge of their family’s history if I do nothing to preserve it for them. That which I do not in some way record will be lost at my death, and that which I do not pass on to my posterity, they will never have. The work of gathering and sharing eternal family keepsakes is a personal responsibility. It cannot be passed off or given to another.

 

A life that is not documented is a life that within a generation or two will largely be lost to memory. What a tragedy this can be in the history of a family. Knowledge of our ancestors shapes us and instills within us values that give direction and meaning to our lives” (Elder Dennis B. Neuenschwander, Of the First Quorum of the Seventy, “Bridges and Eternal Keepsakes,” Apr. 1999 General Conference).

My father’s untold story is a perfect example of lost history. We have been extremely blessed by James Odrowski and his father. We now have a piece of the puzzle. We have the hope that we too can get through life’s challenges.

Suggested Method to Begin Writing Your Story

To read more of Tudie’s articles, click here.

“Tonight, and tomorrow night, you might pray and ponder, asking the questions: Did God send a message that was just for me? Did I see His hand in my life or the lives of my children? I will do that. And then I will find a way to preserve that memory for the day that I, and those that I love, will need to remember how much God loves us and how much we need Him” (President Henry B. Eyring, “O Remember, Remember,” Oct. 2007 General Conference).

Whatever method you use to get started, please write your story! Your children and grandchildren will someday want to know how you ever survived a global pandemic. They will want to know how you survived other challenges in your life. They will learn from your life. They will learn how to get up and keep moving when life knocks them down. If you don’t write your story, it is an opportunity lost forever.

Tudie Rose

Tudie Rose is a mother of four and grandmother of ten in Sacramento, California. You can find her on Twitter as @TudieRose. She blogs as Tudie Rose at http://potrackrose.wordpress.com. She has written articles for Familius. You will find a Tudie Rose essay in Lessons from My Parents, Michele Robbins, Familius 2013, at http://www.familius.com/lessons-from-my-parents.

When I watch a movie, I love the climax. To me, that’s the best part. When I listen to a song, I frequently have a favorite stanza. My daughter Melanie went to Nepal recently, and her favorite part was walking through the villages, particularly the small little villages in the mountains. The culture was diverse and different. Blessings, prayers, and passion were all exciting and memorable. Amy finished aesthetics school at the top of her class. She has pursued many areas and continues to investigate the opportunities and deceptions of today’s world. And Emily is well into her cosmetology profession. Her clientele has grown rather remarkably. She told me the best part of cosmetology school was getting treatments done for free. Certainly for those still in training, graduation is definitely an exciting part, and life after their preparations is just the beginning. There are lots of favorite parts, actually.

My hobby involves attempting to capture life’s experiences for my benefit and those in my family and extended family. That way we can cherish our memories many times throughout the years — even for the rest of our lives. And my sincere hope is that I can capture the best part of our experiences. Then my posterity will continue to learn about and enjoy the memories left for them to absorb and grow. We all benefit from this activity.

It is true that many of us enjoy great blessings of every kind. Compared with the world in the past, and many parts of the world today, our abundance is unheard of and likely unimagined. The “windows of heaven” are not just figurative. The promises of our day are definitely coming true right before our eyes.

So I feel that we are pretty lucky to be part of these times and enjoy the luxuries so abundant in our day, but even then I am sure our ancestors felt that way as well when they were alive.

What’s the best part of family history?

For me, I think getting to know past family members is exciting. Learning about them and the way the faced their challenges is inspiring to me. I love my ancestors for the hard lives they lived so that my family and I benefit greatly today from their many sacrifices.

Expressing appreciation to loved ones is important now, and someday I am sure we will have an opportunity to share our thanks with those that have blazed the way before us. One day expressing our appreciation to them in person will be real and significant, but it is important today that we recognize and acknowledge their gift. What a loss it would be to fail to enjoy because we failed to look.

To read more of Walter’s articles, click here.

Admittedly, I have been somewhat critical of many of the Israelites who, after they were blessed with freedom, later died from the bite of fiery serpents because they would simply not look. President Dallin H Oaks provides a thorough explanation of the event. Moses revealed the antidote was to look at the brass serpent lifted up on a pole, and they would be healed. The scripture notes that the Lord had prepared a simple way by which they could be healed, yet “because of the simpleness of the way, or the easiness of it, there were many who perished” (1 Nephi 17:41). How much like them we are when we fail to acknowledge God’s hand in our lives? Often, we simply need to look to live in appreciation of the bounty that we have been given.

Grandchildren are the best. Seeing so much joy between cousins and watching new mothers and fathers learn the ropes of parenting is fascinating. They do a great job with the grandchildren who are young, similar, and amazing. I want to help them learn interesting stories and facts about their predecessors. They will soon appreciate and admire the efforts even if they don’t see it now.

Hardship will befall us. Challenges are certain to impact your life. Doing what is right will help us prevail. This plan meant for us to have help. Family, friends, associates, and Church members are tasked with taking care of each other. We receive numerous blessings from both sides of the veil—I attest to that—especially when we help those who cannot help themselves. We do not have to face struggles alone.

The truth is that the Kingdom of God is well-organized and immensely strong throughout the world today. We know that as we align ourselves with the gospel of Jesus Christ, the outcome is sure and the great plan of happiness will all be fulfilled in our behalf. Jesus Christ is already victorious and by following Him, so are we. He is the way, the truth, and the light. Through Him we can experience true enduring happiness and eternal joy as families. That is the amazing grace of Jesus Christ.

And that really is the best part.

Walter Penning

In 1989, Walter Penning formed a consultancy based in Salt Lake City and empowered his clients by streamlining processes and building a loyal, lifetime customer base with great customer service. His true passion is found in his family. He says the best decision he ever made was to marry his sweetheart and have children. The wonderful family she has given him and her constant love, support, and patience amid life’s challenges is his panacea.

Old Rock Church on Capitol Hill, Salt Lake City, Utah

I used to practice the organ in the Old Rock church in the evening after I got home from work and while Anthony was still finishing up with work. I loved that old church. The layout and finishings were so amazing.

I’d walk through the church by street light until entering the chapel. The street light poured through the chapel’s stained glass windows. I’d only turn on the lights I needed above the organ and piano, leaving the rest of the chapel in still, partial darkness.

The chapel housed an old but vibrant pipe organ. I’d never played a pipe organ before and really enjoyed playing it and noticing the tonal variations the pipes produced.

Looking towards the piano and organ from the chapel doors

After I’d practiced the hymns for the next Sunday, I’d often take my seat at the grand piano. I loved playing the piano in that chapel. The acoustics were amazing and the piano itself was fantastic.

After concentrating during my organ practice, I just let my mind, heart, and hands wander over the piano keys. I played songs I knew and loved, but I especially enjoyed a period of creating — just letting my fingers go wherever they would. These moments were soul renewing for me.

Suddenly I Was Not Alone

One night while playing the piano in the old church, I knew someone had walked into the chapel. I instantly stopped and looked around, fully expecting to ask if the person needed the room. I was totally able to leave at any point so had already planned to vacate with the words on my lips during the instant it took me to turn my head to the door.

No one was there. Weird. I chalked it up to random street noise and still continued playing.

Looking at the chapel doors from the stand between the organ and piano

Again, someone entered the room. I quickly looked that direction. No one stood in the doorway.

I left the piano and headed to the darkened chapel doors. As I exited into the hall, I looked both directions. I checked the doors I entered ensuring I’d locked them behind me when I initially entered the church. Everything was in order.

I returned to the piano because I’d been in the middle of a joyful time and wasn’t ready for it to end. As one song blended into another, I felt another person enter the room and sit in a pew.

I stopped and looked at the pews. I sensed a handful of people looking at me. I checked within my heart to see if I felt a warning. I felt still and happy.

I felt my grandma saying they’d had a moment from their different responsibilities and they chose to spend a few moments with me while I played. Three of them entered the chapel door to alert me — if I was in a serene mental space — to their presence and teach me of their presence.

A little startled but deeply happy, I turned back to the piano again and played until my time was through.

Sensing While Still

Periodically, they would come and visit, different ancestors from both sides of my family tree. While playing, I would suddenly just realize someone or several were there. Sometimes they left before me. Sometimes I Ieft before them.

I noticed that I never sensed them while concentrating on learning a song. I noticed them when my mind was still, unhindered and worshipfully creating.

Change of Space

Five years ago, we moved from that ward to a new one. I had different responsibilities and didn’t even have a piano until recently. Though called to play the organ in the new ward, I didn’t go practice as regularly because of the requirement at this building to have a man at the building with me. That was inconvenient to the men I knew so I just practiced on Sunday as soon as I could get into the chapel.

I thought of my visitors and wondered if they knew where I was, but never really felt them again until August 12th. Some people were moving out of our ward and we would be honoring them with Aloha ‘Oe the following Sunday at church. I asked Anthony to go with me to the church so I could practice the song. He agreed and decided to take our bulldog to skateboard in the parking lot while I played.

I sat at the grand piano under the essential lights and played through Aloha ‘Oe. I love that song. It was written by Princess Liliʻuokalani in 1877 or 1878. My experience with the song has been singing or playing or leading Aloha ‘Oe after sacrament meetings as the congregation stands to bid ward members adieu. We sing the first verse and chorus of the song. We sing it in Hawaiian. It’s become very sacred to me.

Be Still … Until We Meet Again

After I finished practicing, I decided to just play the song freely and then moved on to other favorites that I haven’t played in a long while on such an amazing piano. As I played, lost in still thought, I suddenly felt them! Several visitors joined the room as I played. I stopped playing and smiled at them, holding back tears because it had been so long.

After a little while, Anthony came into the chapel letting me know the dog’s skateboarding time was done. According to our “going to the church” agreement, I quickly prepared to leave. But before I did, I sat looking into the pews and tried to convey my love for them — and everyone who came before.

Two days later on Friday, Anthony accepted a job offer that didn’t exist when I practiced on Wednesday. The new job wanted him in Texas in three weeks. The day after that, on Saturday, our beloved bulldog crossed the rainbow bridge.

On Sunday, I sat and played Aloha ‘Oe for a wonderful family and missionary who were leaving our ward. I also played it for us because it was our last Sunday (we hadn’t announced our move yet) and for our buddy Stig. I fought back tears and ugly sobs as I played through the song. And I realized that some of my people were there! They strengthened me to make it through the song.

Sweet memories come back to me, Bringing fresh remembrances of the past … until we meet again.

Be Still More Often

Packing commenced. I didn’t know if I’d be able to fit my electric piano into the moving POD. The first night after loading the POD, I needed some music therapy. I walked into a room devoid of everything but the piano and sat down and began to play. Music lifts my heart and invigorates my mind. I love the peace music brings.

As I sat alone, I felt one grandmother standing near me. I played for her.

I wondered why I hadn’t felt them while playing there before and had the distinct impression that I couldn’t feel them when I was chaotic emotionally or in a disheveled space. That room had been super full of everything that goes into a spare bedroom when it’s the only extra room. That was the first night with breathable space in there.

I felt like she came specifically for me to discover that lesson, which had personal further-reaching implications than piano visits.

Therefore, let your hearts be comforted concerning Zion; for all flesh is in mine hands; be still and know that I am God.

The crux of the matter is that the veil is thin. President Joseph F. Smith beautifully described my lesson.

“Sometimes the Lord expands our vision from this point of view and this side of the veil, that we feel and seem to realize that we can look beyond the thin veil which separates us from that other sphere. . . . [And we would understand that] those who have passed beyond, can see more clearly through the veil back here to us than it is possible for us to see them from our sphere of action.

I believe we move and have our being in the presence of heavenly messengers and of heavenly beings. We are not separate from them. We begin to realize more and more fully, as we become acquainted with the principles of the Gospel, as they have been revealed anew in this dispensation, that we are closely related to our kindred, to our ancestors, to our friends and associates and co-laborers who have preceded us into the spirit world. We can not forget them; we do not cease to love them; we always hold them in our hearts, in memory, and thus are associated and united to them by ties that we cannot break, that we cannot dissolve or free ourselves from. . . .

And therefore, I claim that we live in their presence, they see us, they are solicitous for our welfare, they love us now more than ever. For now they see the dangers that beset us; they can comprehend better than ever before, the weaknesses that are liable to mislead us into dark and forbidden paths. They see the temptations and evils that beset us in life and the proneness of mortal beings to yield to temptation and wrong doing; hence their solicitude for us and their love for us and their desire for our well being must be greater than that which we feel for ourselves” (Joseph F. Smith, in Conference Report, April 1916, 2–3).

What a beautiful consolation and truth. I realized a need to consistently purify my heart, mind, and surroundings to be aware of these gifts the Lord is willing to bestow. Because He is willing to bestow everything we need. He promised:

I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up.

There is always that “fond embrace … until we meet again.”

Delisa Hargrove

I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I have moved 64 times and have not tired of experiencing this beautiful earth! I love the people, languages, histories/anthropologies, & especially religious cultures of the world. My life long passion is the study & searching out of religious symbolism, specifically related to ancient & modern temples. My husband Anthony and I love our bulldog Stig, adventures, traveling, movies, motorcycling, and time with friends and family.

I found a picture of my mom and I when I was eight years old that was humorous. We both had swollen faces from having the mumps at the same time. I found a three generation photo of me, my mom, and her mom when I was a toddler. In the spirit of Mother’s Day, I put both photos on Facebook to share with family and friends. None of my children live close, so I looked forward to their phone calls which came as expected. It was a wonderful weekend until a downpour started Sunday evening. We got over an inch of rain in about twenty minutes and soon found it seeping into our basement! While I count my blessings that I have a home and we didn’t lose power during the storm, hauling things out of the water in the basement was not the way I wanted to spend Mother’s Day. Toward the end of the evening I remembered the Thanksgiving Day morning that I opened my cabinets to begin cooking to find cockroaches that had to be dealt with before I could continue meal preparations. I remarked that I wasn’t sure which day was worse. Remembering another tough time made it a little easier to cope with this recent one.

The past and how we or others have coped with it can help us deal with the present. My mother’s favorite saying was “If you can laugh or cry over a situation, laughing is a lot less messy.” I often remember that in tough situations. While I wasn’t laughing about our seeping basement, I wasn’t crying either. The key piece of advice from my dad was about relationships, which he shared with me just before I got married. He said that when my future husband’s behavior annoyed me, decide whether I thought it would still bother me in fifty years. If I thought it would, I should say something about it. However, if I didn’t think it would still be an issue in fifty years, just try to ignore it. It has taken me more years than I would like to admit to really put his advice into to practice, but things go better when I do. We all can benefit from the experience of parents, grandparents, and others who have gone before us.

I marvel at the courage of my paternal grandparents, who came here from Ireland as teenagers to start a new life. I really wish I had asked them about that time in their lives, what it had been like and how they had coped with the challenges. With our present economic insecurity, I wish I could ask my grandparents how they coped with the Great Depression. My parents and grandparents are now all deceased, so I can’t ask about their experiences. If you have parents and grandparents still living, start asking questions. Did they face similar challenges to your present ones and if so, how did they address them. Don’t wait to start asking, you never know when it might be too late. In a previous post: Interviewing Your Family Members: A Great Way to Discover Your Family History, I included some tips for doing successful interviews.

What about those who are too far in the past to interview them? Searching for records concerning their lives and then carefully considering what is included in those records can help us know more about the lives our ancestors lived. My father, like many of his generation served in World War II but was rarely willing to talk about his war experiences. It seemed the memories were just too painful. From his military discharge papers, I learned that he had served with an Army Air Corps unit that maintained the war planes. I wondered how many times he felt the pain of fellow soldiers not returning because their plane was shot down. Perhaps he struggled with survivor guilt because his military assignment kept him on the ground while others were dying.

Another one of my ancestors, Harmon Henry Miller served in the American Civil War. Searching the Civil War records on Alexander Street Press, which is available at any Family Search Family History Center, I learned in which military unit Harmon had served. I also found a history of his unit and the battles in which they had fought. One of the battles was the Battle of the Wilderness which was the first battle in which Union Lt. General Ulysses S Grant fought against Confederate General Robert E. Lee. The battle ultimately was a draw with neither side able to claim victory. A temporary truce was called in the midst of the battle to extinguish the fire, started by cannon fire and musket balls, which was so intense that soldiers were falling from smoke inhalation! They put out the flames and went back to fighting.

Another challenging time in my ancestral history is the Great Irish Famine of 1845 to 1850. Due to a potato blight, one million poor Irish peasants starved to death while two million others emigrated. My direct ancestors survived while remaining in Ireland throughout the Great Famine. I am currently reading a book about the Famine to learn more about what my ancestors went through.

We are fortunate in this age of information to have so much we can learn about the past. We can find the encouragement that we need to face our own challenges as we learn about the ones that our ancestors faced.

This post was originally published in May 2014. Minor changes have been made.

Christine Bell

Christine Bell has been seeking her ancestor for almost forty years and continues to find joy in each one she finds. She volunteers in a Family Search Family History Center where she helps others find their ancestors. As a convert to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Saints, she is grateful to be a member of the Church. She is a wife, mother of six grown children, grandmother of five going on six, and currently living in the western United States. Christine enjoys spending time with family and creating quilts for family, friends and Humanitarian Services of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

I had way more fun writing this article than you could ever have by reading it. I’m sorry.

Nevertheless, I recently had an epiphany of sorts. We often think about leaving our personal histories for our families and posterities. And that is true. We do record histories for others, but that is a secondary reason, actually. We write in a journal for ourselves. Does that sound weird? Of course it does. That’s why I missed it for so long, but the older I get, the more I realize that despite what we may think, recording a history is a bonus first and foremost to the author.

Every day, we see miracles all around us. Sometimes we seek out the opportunities and take part in realizing them. Other times, we witness them vicariously. Either way, we are edified. My daughters have had the opportunity of serving in third-world countries. Their experiences were wonderful and in many ways life-changing—for them and for us. Miracles happened as part of their service and still occur today because we recorded their experiences, and relive and cherish them over and over.

For this reason, Operation Smile is one of my favorite humanitarian organizations—one of many. As we support and celebrate the worthwhile activities of these humanitarian organizations, we get to enjoy and relish the good that they do, even when our ability or resources don’t allow us to directly participate. It’s incredible.

In fact, because I am kind of a techie, I began a website for my family: it tracks our activities, experiences, events, and the things that I believe in and cherish in my life, which of course pretty much all convenes around my immediate and extended family.

My 90-year-old mother often tells us that her memory is fading. She has been the catalyst for so much fun and good in our family. It was her dream that led us into the country four decades ago, which became a wonderful experience and is a cherished memory for us all still these many years later. The experience was filled with incredible joys (and challenges as well).

To lose memories of these significant times would indeed be a great loss.

Having written down a few of the memories of Castle Valley, I have seen the children and grandchildren now enjoy and relive these experiences with Granny and Grandpa even though many of them were not a part of that original move or the memorable events of that day. These journals enable us to relive these precious times again and again.

I’m also grateful to have recorded memories and details about my true love.

The best choice one can ever make is to believe in and follow Jesus Christ. Subsequently, I made the decision to marry the right person in the right place, at the right time, and by the proper authority. This privilege to wed my sweetheart and have a family has brought me a lifetime of joy. I could go on and on about the wonderful family she has given me, our beautiful home, her constant love, support, and patience amid life’s challenging times. But suffice it to say, she is exemplary in so many ways.

She is just perfect for me.

Recording what is important to me is like listening to my favorite song or musical rendition frequently. I get to celebrate all these good things in life—not just once, but repeatedly.

And that blessing is not unique to me. Today, young people wear their earbuds everywhere, and background music serenades everything they do. They are interested in listening to their favorite tunes that make them feel good and inspired. They repeat this activity frequently.

YouTube shows evidence of that principle as well. One of my favorite tunes has 179,756,480 views. That means people have collectively listened to that song the equivalent of, well, let’s see… How can we understand this large number of repetitions?

Perhaps this example will help: my family and I like football … a lot. A number of years ago now, BYU built a multi-million dollar football stadium in Provo, Utah. It is gigantic and accommodates screaming fans, marching bands, cheerleaders, and the teams. After LaVell Edwards’ incredible record as head coach of the BYU football program for 29 seasons, this football stadium was renamed the “LaVell Edwards Stadium.” I recall this event back in 2000 very well. The stadium holds 65,000 people. That is a lot of raving fans.

So for comparison purposes, the number of views of that one song is like the equivalent capacity of 2,765 Lavell Edwards football stadiums. I asked my daughter how to find the most-listened-to YouTube songs, and she said “Google it.” So I did. One popular song showed 3,977,870,824. That is nearly 4 billion views, and that wasn’t even the leader! I think you can say with confidence that people like repeating things that make them feel good, like songs.

Repeating worthwhile memories has the same meaningful value. They allow us to relive the good experiences over and over again. We feel inspired and motivated.

When it comes right down to it, there are tons of things you can celebrate and learn just by capturing your history and sharing it on the largest personal history medium that has ever existed… so far. But remember, we are still working on our histories each day, and the online histories continue growing exponentially every day.

One more story:

I didn’t walk miles in deep snow to get to school. I didn’t have to plow fields with oxen or wrestle them to make my way home—but I have witnessed stories of those that did. And because of their sacrifices, I have had it really, really good. We all have. My whole life has been in the lap of luxury within this great nation, just as a regular citizen. We all have been immensely blessed. Yet I am seeing things happening right before my eyes that we couldn’t even conceive a few years earlier. Similarly,I have no doubt that what is about to happen in our very midst will make the technologies and miracles of today look ancient. So like President Nelson said, hold on to your seat and fasten your seatbelt, because the amazing things that we have witnessed are nothing compared to the miracles we are about to see, experience, and record in our very own histories.

To read more of Walter’s articles, click here.

How do I know this? I have already experienced it throughout my life. And so will you if you consider the great blessings we take for granted every day. This is a continuation of the wonderful, miraculous promises we have already been given.

In today’s jargon, that realization “blows me away.” And as part of the kingdom of God here on Earth, we are already victorious.

And for that, we need not apologize.

These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. (John 16:33)

Walter Penning

In 1989, Walter Penning formed a consultancy based in Salt Lake City and empowered his clients by streamlining processes and building a loyal, lifetime customer base with great customer service. His true passion is found in his family. He says the best decision he ever made was to marry his sweetheart and have children. The wonderful family she has given him and her constant love, support, and patience amid life’s challenges is his panacea.

In the early days of Arizona many men and women, some of whom are your ancestors, gave the best that was in them for the Gospel’s sake. They endured hardships, privation and even tragedy, unmindful of themselves as they furthered our Lord’s work in this part of His vineyard.

I have gathered the following true stories from friends, neighbors, and relatives in hopes my grandchildren and great-grandchildren will read them and develop more faith in our Heavenly Father and thereby be better men and women.”

Many of these people were my ancestors, as families merged through marriage. Great Grandma Edith’s son Elwin Bushman married Genevieve Tanner.

Grandma Genevieve shared the following story of her grandfather, Henry M. Tanner. My dad often told this story during my childhood, reiterating that not only when we serve others are we in the service of God, but as a reminder that we’re never authorized to judge other people’s journey or progression back to God. The Lord provides commandments and ordinances to help us progress on the path, but He alone stands as our ultimate Judge.

Vision of Henry M. Tanner by Genevieve Tanner Bushman

Henry M. Tanner with his wife Eliza Parkinson Tanner

Grandfather Henry M. Tanner stood at the gate to the Celestial Kingdom and an angel asked him if he wanted to enter. He said, “I’d like to see what it is like but I want to return to earth.”

 

The Angel took him in to show him around. They came to a big beautiful home and Grandpa asked, “Who lives there?”

 

“That’s Bishop John Bushman’s home, ” was the reply.

 

Then they saw a funny little house and Grandpa remarked, “That’s a funny house for the Celestial Kingdom.”

 

“Well, that’s all the material that was sent to build a house,” said the angel.

 

They saw other places. Grandpa was surprised at some of the people who had made it there. Then he asked to see a friend’s home but was told he had not made it to the Celestial Kingdom.

 

Then Grandpa saw another big beautiful home and asked, “Whose home is that?”

 

The Angel replied, “That’s Johnny McLaw’s home.”

 

“I didn’t think he’d make it here. He didn’t come to church often,” said Grandpa.

 

“You didn’t think he’d make it to the Celestial Kingdom? Why not?” said the angel. “Who was the first to visit a home when death came to a family? Who always made the caskets and then had his daughters line them and fix them up until they were beautiful for loved ones to be buried in? What was always willing to help others? That was John McLaw.”

 

Then the Angel imparted this bit of wisdom. “It’s the service we do for others that sends the material up here to build Celestial Homes.”

 

Henry M. Tanner served 28 years as a counselor to Bishop John Bushman of the St. Joseph (Joseph City, Arizona) Ward.

Delisa Hargrove

I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I have moved 64 times and have not tired of experiencing this beautiful earth! I love the people, languages, histories/anthropologies, & especially religious cultures of the world. My life long passion is the study & searching out of religious symbolism, specifically related to ancient & modern temples. My husband Anthony and I love our bulldog Stig, adventures, traveling, movies, motorcycling, and time with friends and family.

Just consider the email accounts you have had, the pictures you have taken with your phone, and the myriad of other digital and physical keepsakes you have collected. Everybody has a box or two of keepsakes collecting dust without having a place to put them. My wife and mother-in-law made photo albums of the children when they were young. Each of my married children has an onslaught of media, and all of them have phones with thousands of images, videos, and posts in the aggregate. And we haven’t even begun to talk about the web pages, social media accounts, and digital cosmos of memories!

With an estimated number of approximately 4.54 billion web pages, it is easy to see that if just a small fraction of those are related to us, our homes, and families, we still have more data than we can possibly consume. The estimates will blow your mind, beginning with 2.5 quintillion bytes of data created each day at our current pace. Yes. That’s a big number—18 zeroes after the digits—every day.

So with all of this being only a small fraction of the memories that you have, how are we ever going to share the stories that we want shared, save the pictures we love, and communicate the messages we feel are important to our family, homes, and loved ones? I don’t yet have the answer, but gratefully I have received some valuable guidance that is helping me accumulate the most important items.

An excerpt from my father’s journal has always intrigued me and is the perfect segue into today’s discussion. He wrote the following:

I never really knew my Grandma because she had passed away. Grandpa lived down in the Santa Clara area of Utah. He came up to Salt Lake City on rare occasions. I was very young and barely remember seeing him before he passed away. I have a photograph that shows he apparently went on a trip with my family once when I was young.

I know my Grandpa very well though, because he wrote a journal that told much of his life’s experiences. I am so grateful for that. If I were to lose everything I had, and could only save a couple things, I’d grab my scriptures and [my grandpa’s journal]. It means that much to me. I’m sorry that my grandmother hadn’t written anything. She would have had much of interest to tell from her perspective. My great grandparents left their families in Switzerland and eventually came across the plains with handcarts to Utah. I wish I had something from them, too.

There are 164 pages in that journal. A copy was given to me when I was just a boy. Our family lovingly refers to it as “The Little Red Book,” and everyone in the extended family knows what we are talking about. Life experiences, wise counsel, and interesting family stories fill its pages. The cover of my book is marred and the binding on my copy somewhat broken because of significant use over many years.

Just as my father articulated, it has come to hold a special place in our hearts. Each of my children was given their own copy. The stories and people involved are familiar to them just as they are to me. I, too, feel like I want my grandchildren to know about our lives and benefit from our experience.

But we are having the exact opposite problem today. Instead of a single book or stack of papers or a memory to show for our lives, we have countless resources available and at our disposal. You may not even realize it, but it is spectacularly true. Government, church, schools, and society in general all use the Internet and phones. You have remnants of your life and experiences scattered all over the web.

So how are we going to begin sharing this wealth of information with our posterities? I don’t have an immediate answer. I am learning right along with all of you. But I can tell you what my family and I are doing in hopes of securing some things. My wish is that it will start benefitting all of you immediately.

1. Begin Now

Begin now. However you share your story, start right now. Life is busy and everyone need not wait to review all your stories, valuable memories, and life experiences. Besides, the wisdom and direction you share can begin benefitting people immediately. Why wait?

2. Think of Your Own Ancestors

You may feel that you have nothing to share or that what you do have is not important or interesting. Many of us feel that initially. But think of it this way: what if you had a glimpse into a family ancestor from a 100, perhaps 200 years ago? Maybe you share the same given name, maybe you have similar characteristics passed down through generations. Knowing what they did for a living or the challenges they faced would be interesting to say the least. I venture to guess that your posterity will have the same questions about you in a few years.

3. Schedule a Time

Schedule a regular time to save or generate your personal history. It may take form in the shape of letters, articles, notes, or a journal. The medium is not so important. It’s the content that is irreplaceable. Begin today and you will be glad you did

4. Share Every Day

Share portions of your history or journal every day, rather than waiting to drop the bomb on your friends and family all at once. I believe writing in our journals is as much for us as it is for our posterity.

5. Use Available Resources

Use predefined resources that are already available and working now. Family Search is a great example of this. There are dozens of other methods.

6. Practice Consistency

Be consistent. A little effort goes a long way. The benefits are immediate.

These are just a few ideas to get you started. Your memories are all just waiting for you to appreciate, save, and share them.

Don’t lose another minute.

Lead image via Huffington Post

Walter Penning

In 1989, Walter Penning formed a consultancy based in Salt Lake City and empowered his clients by streamlining processes and building a loyal, lifetime customer base with great customer service. His true passion is found in his family. He says the best decision he ever made was to marry his sweetheart and have children. The wonderful family she has given him and her constant love, support, and patience amid life’s challenges is his panacea.

Since you were born, you have been creating a history which is part of your family’s history. What do you have in your home that tells your story? The following is a good method for collecting what you have:

Get a cardboard box. Any kind of a box will do. Put it someplace where it is in the way, perhaps on the couch or on the counter in the kitchen—anywhere where it cannot go unnoticed. Then, over a period of a few weeks, collect and put into the box every record of your life, such as your birth certificate, your certificate of blessing, your certificate of baptism, your certificate of ordination, and your certificate of graduation. Collect diplomas, all of the photographs, honors, or awards, a diary if you have kept one, everything that you can find pertaining to your life; anything that is written, or registered, or recorded that testifies that you are alive and what you have done.

 

Don’t try to do this in a day. Take some time on it. Most of us have these things scattered around here and there. Some of them are in a box in the garage under that stack of newspapers; others are stored away in drawers, or in the attic, or one place or another. Perhaps some have been tucked in the leaves of the Bible or elsewhere. (“Your Family History: Getting Started” by Boyd K. Packer, Ensign, August 2003)

Depending on your stage of life, you may have the certificates, photos, and letters of previous generations in addition to the documents that relate to your life. The “get a box” idea can work even if you have just gotten your own first place and your history documents are still at your parents’ house, you will just need their help in collecting the items.

To read more of Christine’s articles, click here.

Once you have had time to collect things, it is time to organize them. That’s where the filing system you have chosen comes in. (See Genealogy 101.) You will probably want to create a file for yourself in addition to the surname files. Within files, place items in historical order which will make it easier to record the stories these items tell. Be sure to record your own story along with the stories of your ancestors. Your descendants will be grateful you did.

Are you keeping a journal? A personal journal will not only benefit those who might read it after you are gone but can help you also. We all have rough times in life. If we record those times and how we got through them, it can be a powerful aid for getting through future challenges. I will expand on writing your own history and journal keeping in future articles.

There are many things that you might find to put “in the box.” I would like to share some of the things that I found that helped me know my family better.

Old Letters and Cards

This is Cornelius and Mollie O’Neill on their wedding day.

So far, I have not found a journal kept by any of my ancestors. The closest thing to a journal that I have found are twenty-four letters that passed between my paternal grandparents while they were courting. I shared how they met in a previous post. Their letters are dated between 1910 and 1914. The early letters were exchanged while they were both living in Manhattan, New York. Picture dating without cell phones! They continued to correspond after Grandpa moved to California.

The letters are valuable to me because they show a side of my grandparents that I never knew. The year I was born, my paternal grandparents were both 65 years old. As a result, I only knew them as older people. Their letters show a glimpse into their lives when they were young.

Their letters reveal that the wedding almost didn’t happen! When Cornelius learned that he wasn’t her only suitor, he sent an angry letter telling Mollie of his discovery and that he was headed for California to find work in the oil fields. Not only is the tone of that letter radically different from all the others he wrote, his handwriting is different too. Even without reading his words, his handwriting speaks of his anger. In a short time, Cornelius calmed down, apologized for his angry letter, and continued his courtship with Mollie by long distance mail. The following letter speaks to just how close their marriage came to not happening!

Dated March 5, 1914 the letter reads as follows:

My Dear + loving Friend Mollie

Thanks very much for your kind and loving letter to hand a few days ago, unnecessary to express my delight at its receipt—First of all Mollie I am more than delighted to hear you are inclined to be mine again. And that you have gave up Jack Doran. And Mollie it was somewhat of a surprise to me to hear but I always said you would never marry him. Although I was a kind of believing it when you rote [sic] me that yous [sic] were engaged. But I am delighted to hear that it is broken off again. Hoping it’s true.

Cornelius and Mollie were married in Coalinga, California in December of 1914 and spent most of the rest of their lives in that little California desert town.

Among the cards that my O’Neill grandparents saved was a Christmas card they had received in 1950 from cousins in Ireland. There wasn’t anything remarkable about the card but on the envelope flap was a return address. I consulted a map and found the address was near where my grandpa had grown up. Since the card was over a half a century old, I thought the family might have been at the same address at the beginning of the twentieth century.

Consulting the Irish census of 1901 proved my hunch was right. Here was Grandpa’s cousin as a child enumerated with his parents and siblings! That census provided information about a whole family group that I didn’t know anything about up to that time.

Photographs

I love photographs! They give faces to the names you find in the records. The following is one of my favorites because it provides a window to the personalities of the subjects!

This photo taken about 1925 is Cornelius and Mollie O’Neill with their first car. It was a surprise for me to see a woman who I had only known as stately and reserved, posed on the hood of a car!

My uncle told me the following story regarding the car. When Cornelius was one of a few workers that did not become ill during the flu epidemic, he was promoted to a job that came with a company car. When Cornelius protested that he did not know how to drive, his boss replied that he had better learn fast or he was going to be doing a lot of walking! Therefore, Cornelius learned to drive. With a driver’s license, their own car was a natural next step.

My greatest frustration while looking through old photographs is how many of them are unlabeled. I know well how it happens since I have many photos that my husband and I have taken that are waiting to be labeled. If you have unlabeled photos, get a soft leaded pencil and write on the back of the photo who is in it and when it was taken. While it may seem silly because you know the people in the photos so well, that’s exactly why you should be the one to label them. And as you go through your photographs, you will probably remember stories you want to write down.

A trick I have learned in working with unidentified photos is to use the few that are identified as a clue to identity the ones that aren’t. I will use the following photos as examples.

While I don’t usually make a habit of talking to photos, when I found these, I said out loud, “Well, “Me,” I really wish you had identified yourself a little bit more.” A few photos later, I found this next one.

The caption, written in the same handwriting, reads, “Wilbur + Me.” Wilbur is my mother’s older brother which told me that “Me” is my mom! Once I recognized “Me” as my mom, I recognized, from other photos, that the building behind her in the first two photos is her grandparents’ house.

Next week, I will share what I have found to be successful for talking to other family members about they know about your family. So, start making a list of people you could talk to about your family. Start with your oldest relatives while they are still living and mentally alert. Be sure to put siblings and cousins on the list. It is valuable to talk with those that are close to your age because they may have photos, records and memories that you don’t.

This post was originally published in 2014. Changes have been made to make formatting consistent with site.

Christine Bell

Christine Bell has been seeking her ancestor for almost forty years and continues to find joy in each one she finds. She volunteers in a Family Search Family History Center where she helps others find their ancestors. As a convert to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Saints, she is grateful to be a member of the Church. She is a wife, mother of six grown children, grandmother of five going on six, and currently living in the western United States. Christine enjoys spending time with family and creating quilts for family, friends and Humanitarian Services of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

A view of Adam-ondi-Ahman, located in Missouri.

I wondered if it would be announced over the pulpit or discussed in a priesthood meeting at church. I never imagined that I would have the privilege to take part in it—not really.

But it’s happening all around us. From its 6 members just 188 years ago, the kingdom of God here on Earth has grown to more than 16 million members today. There were 5 million members when I left on my mission, and don’t get me wrong, that is significant—but look at the incredible growth since then!

Sometimes I have been amazed when we have arrived for tithing settlement late some Sunday evening, and the bishop, his counselors, and the ward and financial clerks are still there working. Some of you have received an email about upcoming ministering interviews. These messages may have been sent by the new feature available on the lds.org website called “Leader and Clerk Resources.” Every facet of the Church is expanding and growing to fulfill its destiny. We have been witnesses to that.

These are just small examples. The armies of the Lord are preparing for His coming. Believe me when I tell you that the Kingdom of God on Earth is fulfilling its destiny—temples, missionary work, technology, family history, priesthood, scriptures, and revelation, to mention just a few from the wealth of blessings available in the gospel of Jesus Christ. To articulate them all would be both impossible and unbelievable, but I have experienced enough to know of its verity. Let me provide one or two small examples.

I once applied for a job at BYU. It was just following graduation, and I wasn’t really sure where my family and I were headed at the time. The position was to create the means of sharing the family history resources between the universities owned by the Church. You might remember the thousands of microfiche images and dozens of microfiche machines in the Harold B Lee library.

Given the technology then, it was an overwhelming task, or so I thought at the time. After all, this was before the general distribution of the online resources and was similarly well ahead of cells phones. Not many years later, the Internet made its debut and was shortly followed by the explosion of technology and family history resources all over the Web.

Not only were the family history resources of the BYU library available to other Church universities but the world and homes on every continent enjoyed access. We are still just beginning to understand the immensity of the task and the potential blessings found therein with no end in sight.

There has been a blockbuster movie playing in the theaters recently. You may have heard of it: The Greatest Showman. Have you seen it?

During one part in the show, the main actor, Hugh Jackman, witnesses an opera singer performing. It is a crucial time in the film, and he is betting all his marbles on this act. The music hall is filled to capacity, and the audience waits anxiously. As the concert begins, at first he is nervous and rolls his eyes, hoping for success.

As soon as the strains begin to loft into the air and the melody grows, he is pleased with the outcome and the satisfaction shows on his face in the form of a smile. But suddenly the song culminates and the majesty of the performance begins to amaze him. His breathing accelerates. The presentation is really getting good and has exceeded his fondest expectations. But it’s not over.

As the piece reaches its climax, he is awestruck and can’t believe what is happening. At the song’s conclusion, the applause erupts and the audience leaps to their feet. He stands breathless and astounded—stunned, really—and can’t believe what just happened. It’s my favorite part of the movie.

I connect with this act because the drama is classic and the imagery well done and memorable. But really it is significant to me because I think that Jackman’s portrayed emotion is just the way we are going to feel when we realize the blessings the Lord has prepared for us to receive as we follow Him and keep His commandments.

Yes, there will be a day when we finally comprehend and fully appreciate the magnitude of His gift to us and are rewarded for our faithfulness. I have no doubt that amazed is just the way we will feel as we recognize the blessings that are in store for us.

And that emotion is not just reserved for after this life. You are the cream of the crop. Of the billions of people who have lived on Earth, you are among the select few who have been offered all the blessings of the fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ here on earth. We are only beginning to recognize its magnitude, and I have been a member of the Church my entire life. The gospel is the greatest message of all time, and we have the exclusive role to carry that message to the world so it can bless and strengthen those who take part in it. The growth of the Church has been astounding.

The blessings of the gospel are real. The promises of Jesus Christ will all be fulfilled. We can see their fulfillment in this life as we follow Him and keep His commandments. Do you believe that?

There is another situation I want to discuss briefly. You have all heard about this and no doubt many of you can relay the story better than I. It has to do with the Israelites. They have finally been freed from captivity and are wandering in the wilderness on their way to the Promised Land. Incredible miracles have freed them from the Egyptians and sustained them through their trials: parting the Red Sea, manna falling from heaven to give them nourishment, life-saving water from a rock, and many other manifestations of God’s power for their protection with a promise.

To read more articles by Walter Penning, click here.

In the midst of all this, fiery serpents are unleashed and bite the people because they fail to acknowledge God’s hand. This is obviously not good because the venom is deadly, but what happens next?

Moses is commanded to raise a brass serpent on a pole. The afflicted are given a promise that if they look at the serpent, they will be healed. Amazingly, many do not try that simple solution and because they fail to apply the promise to look and be healed, they perish.

How is this situation similar to ours today? Perhaps this has a lot to do with the commandments and opportunities given us through the Church, like family history work, missionary service, tithes and offerings, family councils, and much, much more. Is it possible that when we fail to apply these ‘solutions,’ we are just like the afflicted Israelites refusing to look at the brass serpent to be healed?

Not only is it possible, the experience is an allegory of the healing available to us through Jesus Christ. What a shame it would be to turn away from the very source that holds the power to heal and the solutions to all our problems and heartache.

I recently listened to a talk from nearly 20 years ago. This inspiring message was delivered by our dear prophet at the time, Gordon B Hinckley. His age was beginning to impact his ability to do the Lord’s work but he nonetheless continued to further God’s work on Earth. In this short time, the growth and resilience of the Church continued.

The promise, however, has remained the same for centuries.

But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. – 1 Corinthians 2:9

Now that is really amazing.

Walter Penning

In 1989, Walter Penning formed a consultancy based in Salt Lake City and empowered his clients by streamlining processes and building a loyal, lifetime customer base with great customer service. His true passion is found in his family. He says the best decision he ever made was to marry his sweetheart and have children. The wonderful family she has given him and her constant love, support, and patience amid life’s challenges is his panacea.

Mount Timpanogos Utah temple

In Gospel Principles, Page 258, Fifth Paragraph, we read: “Temple Ordinances have been performed for the dead since the early days of the Church. Consequently, some ordinances for our ancestors may have already been done. To find out which ancestors need temple ordinances, we can look in two places. Our own family records might have information about what has been done. If not, the Church has a record of all ordinances that have been performed in the temple.”

The most current form of this record can be found on FamilySearch.org. FamilySearch was created and is maintained by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and is the largest collection of free family history, family tree and genealogy records in the world. It contains a special feature just for members of the Church. That of being able to see if certain ordinances have been performed for various ancestors.

At the bottom of the Registration form there is a section titled: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints Membership Information (Optional). Latter-Day Saints must fill out this portion if they wish to see what ordinances have been performed for their ancestors.

The membership number that is asked for can be obtained from their Ward Clerk or from their own Temple Recommend. A Temple Recommend is a type of certificate given to members who are considered to be in good standing with the Church. A person may not enter the temple without a recommend. The confirmation date asked for can be obtained from the Ward Clerk.

Once registration is completed a church member will be able to sign on and begin their search for ancestors who have had their temple ordinances completed. This information can be obtained by searching the International Genealogical Index (IGI).

This is done by clicking the SEARCH tab at the top of the page that appears after signing on. The next page that appears will have a list of links in a sidebar on the left. One of those link options reads, International Genealogical Index. Once this is clicked on, a page will appear with a number of search options. It is not necessary to fill every search option offered there. Once you have decided which options to fill, click the search button. You will be taken to a results page showing numbered results.

Each number will have next to it the Name, Gender, and a date/place of either Birth, Marriage or Death for an individual. By clicking on the name of an individual you may then see more information about them. For Latter-Day Saints this includes a section titled: LDS Ordinances. This section will show what, if any temple work has been completed for that individual. There are several things that might appear:

* A capital B inside a blue box means Baptism. The date appearing next to that blue box is the date on which that individual was baptized.

* A capital P inside a blue box mean Sealing to Parents. The date appearing next to that blue box is the date on which the individual was sealed to their parents.

* A capital S inside a blue box means Sealing to Spouse. The date appearing next to that blue box is the date on which that individual was sealed to their spouse.

* A capital E inside a blue box means Endowed. The date appearing next to that blue box is the date on which that individual was endowed.

Sometimes an ordinance will appear but will not have a date next to it. Instead you will see either CHILD or CLEARED.

*CHILD indicates that the individual died before the age of baptism (age and therefore does not need those ordinances performed.

Philadelphia LDS temple baptistry

*CLEARED indicates that someone has submitted that ordinance to Temple Ready and that the temple work for that ordinance will be completed soon. TempleReady is a program created by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and is used to submit individuals to an LDS temple so their ordinance work can be completed.

Another thing you might see next to the dates of ordinances that have been completed are the abbreviated names of the Temple at which the ordinance was completed.

You may notice as you use FamilySearch that there is a lot of duplicate information. This usually happens when multiple people submit the same name, with slightly varying information. This often happens because many people do not check FamilySearch to see if temple work has already been done or has been submitted for completion for an ancestor before submitting that name to TempleReady. Please be willing to check FamilySearch before submitting your ancestor’s names to TempleReady to avoid adding to the duplication on the site.

Summer O