FindingAncestorsMadeEasy
and its ROADMAP products launched
June 23rd, 2015
FindingAncestorsMadeEasy: a family history site, introduces ROADMAP--a text, video link and pictorial guide with step-by-step instructions using new technical tools on FamilySearch, its collaborative partner websites and on other free sites in order to find your ancestors and their descendants.
A spring sunset on Lake of the Woods, Ontario. Some of the author's ancestors would have been familiar with such prairie scenes.
RECENT HISTORY LEADING TO LAUNCH
Since we have returned home from our mission in the Canada Winnipeg Mission in late October, 2014, we have been blessed to be able to serve once again in the Calgary Temple and as Assistant Directors in the Family History Center for the South Stake. Both of these interrelated callings have been a great blessing to our lives. In addition to all that, we decided at the close of our mission, largely due to the encouragement of others in the mission field, to commercialize ROADMAP--a product we initially developed on our mission to assist youth and adults in family history research. So, as you can see our lives are wrapped up the temple and family history. George M Leary is the author of the work but it could not have been done without the eagle eye of his wife, chief assistant and editor--Sister Margaret M Leary. This is just the beginning--please read on.
This is all rather timely--because, since the late fall of 2012 when we commenced our mission, family history research has dramatically changed and will never be the same. Indexed databases now available free to both members and non-members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have continued to expand. We now have about 20 billion historical records available to us at our fingertips. In addition, amazing technical tools have been developed to easily and effectively search this database. Some tools even search away without us doing anything. We just need to log-in, know where to go and see the results. All of this has been made possibly by FamilySearch and its collaborative partners, including Ancestry, MyHeritage, Findmypast and AmercianAncestors--the premiere sites in family history research worldwide.
We taught family history using the prototype of ROADMAP on our mission and again here in Calgary on our return with a great deal of success. Virtually everyone we have taught in workshop or in one-on-one settings have found deceased relatives and significantly expanded their family tree in very short order using these tools.
This is an exciting time to be engaged in family history research. Everyone can do it--youth and adults alike and feel the joy and excitement that comes from finding ancestors and their descendants.
PRODUCT LAUNCH
On June 23rd, 2015 the website was launched. By June 30th, 2015, social media accounts were set up with posts to Facebook and Twitter. Google Plus and Pinterest will come soon. The website is called "FindingAncestorsMadeEasy" with a product name--ROADMAP. Two ROADMAP products are offered--one for members of the Church and another for those who are not members. These products are text documents with video links and pictorial representations that guide users through successive steps in using the above premiere websites. Links to online training videos and articles along with examples and step-by-step instructions to take you through exercises to find your ancestors and their descendants is what ROADMAP is all about. ROADMAP is designed to be easy to use as a guide in family history research. We want you to be successful in finding your ancestors and coming to know and appreciate them as we have.
All the above websites are free to members of the Church online; and as well, are free to those who are not members through the FamilySearch website online and through a portal to gain access to its partner sites at the more than 4700 Family History Centers of the Church worldwide. This is a considerable value to both members and non-members as the cost would be hundreds of dollars annually if you were to pay independently for the same services. Although FamilySearch is now free to all registered users, its collaborative partners normally charge a fee to access and use their websites. Because of collaborative agreements, the Church can make these sites available free to all.
MANY ASK--"WHERE DO I START?" AND, HOW DO I KEEP UP WITH CHANGES?
We live in the wonderful age of information. However, the information out there on 100's of family history products, including on using the above websites, is voluminous and daunting. The question is often asked: Where do I start? And, how do I keep up with changes? Not only the beginner but also the experienced family historian or genealogist need assistance with so much information available on various free websites and also on others that are paid sites. ROADMAP provides a solution to these two important questions!
First, to answer the question: "Where do I start?" ROADMAP weeds through all of the information out there and gives you what's important, effective, easy to use and available free; and in an easy step-by-step format for each of the leading premiere family history websites. ROADMAP will give you a starting point on each of the above premiere websites and lead you through the process, one step at a time, in successfully finding records of your ancestors and their descendants and in building your family tree.
ROADMAP is an easy to follow guide. It is designed to be effective for both youth and adults including the novice to experienced family history specialist. Suggested instructions are given on how to use ROADMAP depending on your own level of experience.
Now, as to the second question often asked: "How do I keep up with changes?" Again, ROADMAP provides the answer. As you are probably well aware, improvements in the above premiere websites, expansion of their databases and introduction of new or more effective technical tools continue on a regular basis so keeping up to date can be a significant challenge for most. Family history is a dynamic environment with changes coming rapidly to the above sites and the technical tools they offer. Also, FamilySearch has announced plans to continue to seek out additional collaborative partners with significant databases and who can assist the Church in its massive indexing efforts--so we anticipate more partners in the future. Also, other new products, websites and technical tools are constantly being introduced. So the field of family history research is exciting but can be intimidating.
Again, this is where FindingAncestorsMadeEasy and ROADMAP will come in--they not only will bring you an online guide for the premiere websites in family history research that are out there but the guide will also be kept up to date as important changes are made. In this way, users need not worry about being out of date on things. The "Updates" tab on the website will archive all updates on ROADMAP so that users will know when they log-in if any changes have been made since the last time they used ROADMAP. All such updates are free to all registered members of FindingAncestorsMadeEasy.
We are excited to be able to help so many in this way in regards our "divinely appointed responsibilities" (Church Handbook of Instructions) to seek out our ancestors and their descendants and perform the necessary ordinances of salvation for them in our sacred temples.
ACCESS TO AND USING ROADMAP
ROADMAP is offered on an annual subscription basis at a nominal cost with free regular updates. With a paid subscription, your product will be accessible online at any time with no time-out restraints. Group discounts are available for group workshop settings. Contact us by email from the website to get your coupon.
Each of the two ROADMAP products are applicable to both the learner and the teacher of family history. They can be effectively used as a guide by anyone from any computer or mobile device while you are searching on any of the websites mentioned above. They can also be effectively used by family history teachers or consultants in group workshop or one-on-one settings to assist others in effectively using FamilySearch and partner sites.
Please let us know by the "Contact" tab on the website or "Comment" tab on the blog what success you are having using ROADMAP. We also encourage any suggestions, comments or questions you may have about using ROADMAP.
HAPPY FISHING. YOUR ANCESTORS AND MANY OF THEIR DESCENDANTS ARE WAITING ON YOU TO FIND THEIR RECORDS AND GET TO KNOW THEM.
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