Intro to Family Search Powerpoint

I used this presentation recently at a youth family history night to give a quick overview of the kinds of things they would be doing on Family Search. I couldn't believe how quickly they picked it up. I probably didn't spend much more than 7 minutes on the presentation and later I noticed the youth searching for records using the shortcuts I showed them. Maybe they already knew about the shortcuts and my presentation was boring to them, but here it is in case you need one.

Go to FamilySearch.org and sign in

You can sign in using your LDS account or you can create a new account

You will need your membership record number and a valid e-mail address. If you don't have your membership record number handy you can add it later.

Once you've signed in view your family tree

Start by filling in the blanks that you know already

Living people are private so even if you know someone is in the system, if they are living, you will need to add them as a new person. Don't worry about adding all of their details, though, because you are the only one who can see them.

Keep adding living people until you get to a deceased ancestor. Once you find a deceased ancestor and select them, all of their ancestors that are in the system should pop up.

Go to the person page for one of your deceased ancestors to view more information.

It's easy to edit details, but make sure you always give a reason and cite a source if possible.

You can find records by using the hints provided, searching from the person's page, or manually entering their information after clicking the search button at the top.

Click on the records that interest you to view more information. It's sometimes helpful to open the records in separate tabs so that you can return to the search page easily.

You can attach records that you find on Family Search to individuals in your tree so that you can find them easily next time and so that you can provide proof for any changes that you make.

Use the history list or possible matches to find the right person.

After you attach the record it will show up in the sources section of that person's page.

Green arrows mean that temple ordinances are available to be requested for someone in that family.

You can also find ordinance information by switching from the details section of the person's page to the ordinances section. This information is only available for LDS Family Search users.

Choose the ordinances you would like to request and hit continue

Please read through the Church's policy on requesting ordinances before continuing. Never request ordinances that require permission if you do not have permission from the closest living relative. The system will tell you if you need permission.

After you have requested ordinances they will show up in your temple section. When you select ordinances that you want to perform and click print the website will create a pdf that you can take to the temple office to get the names printed for ordinances. Once you have the pdf printed out, you are ready to go to the temple!