Imagine filling out a census form in 2008 and listing your one or two room home as currently needing rehabilitation. Your home’s outer walls are made of mud and sticks, the roof is bamboo, leaves, or thatch, and the floor is mud. The nearest “toilet” is in the bush. Your drinking, laundry, and cooking water is in a river, lake, or spring within 55-minute walking distance. The main fuel used in your home is wood, candle, or palm oil lamp. You have no radio, cell phone, TV, furniture, vehicles, or refrigerator. You may have a mattress. A primary school and health facility are at least within a 20-60 minute walk. Considering this information, how would you live in this home with six other people?
This census is a sample that represents the average household found in hundreds of census
records of Liberia. Anyone can access one of these census records at familysearch.org by
logging in and learning how to index. I have been indexing and reviewing records for years and
have been taken on a journey around the world in the process—sitting at my computer. It has
been an amazing journey and I have learned to appreciate other cultures and the progress of
civilization over the past century. Many people in the world currently live under difficult
conditions. I admire and appreciate these courageous, strong, and resourceful people.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints gathers information from many historical and public records that are put online by volunteers for everyone searching for ancestors or gathering family history. Geneology is a popular hobbie for millions of people throughout the world. Technology has opened up opportunites to link the world together in amazing ways. Rather than give impressive data of the millions of records that have been put online, I’d like to share how indexing and reviewing have opened my eyes to knowledge and understanding of humankind’s struggles, joys, heartaches and progress.
In the many years I’ve done indexing and reviewing, I have delved deeper into the places I’ve
indexed trying to learn more about the history of the particular era. In doing so, when indexing
death certificates, I learned many people died of the Spanish Flu in 1918-1920. There were four
successive waves that infected one third of the world’s population with an estimate of 50
million people dying. The history of this event is interesting to read considering we have
experienced the COVID19 pandemic and many of the issues, like mask wearing, were present
100 years ago. It was eye-opening to learn about what the people living back then experienced
during their pandemic.
My first indexing experience consisted of extracting death certificate information from records
in the Philippines. Since I have a daughter-in-law from the Philippines, I felt even closer to the
people who lived there as I reviewed their records. I value their lives as they became real to
me. Depending on the year I was reviewing, there were common things the Filipino people
died from that weren’t as prevalent in the U.S. because we had better access to health care. In
modern times, we are all aware that this is still true for many countries.
Indexing has helped me grow in my love for others because I have discovered we are all similar
in that we have the same needs and we all experience the loss of loved ones who die from
accidents, illness, and old age. I’ve grieved for the babies and children who died before they
had a chance to experience much of life, knowing their parents and family members were
heartbroken. Indexing the Colored Troop rosters unveiled information I never knew about or
understood. I grieved for those soldiers who died at a young age, often within months of
enlisting. Many tragedies unfold in these records and pieces of information quite often hold a
narrative that pulled at my heartstrings.
On a happier note, I’ve celebrated many marriages, births, immigration events, and people
living long lives through indexing. I have gained new skills and knowledge. My long exposure to
the Philippine records helped me became efficient in figuring out the spelling of Spanish names
because of this country’s history. The benefits and blessings of doing indexing have provided
learning opportunities beyond comprehension.
Many of the records document progress in medicine where people no longer die of some of the
illnesses and accidents of the past. It would have been wonderful to have had a back-to-the-
past opportunity to introduce the life saving inoculations, treatments, and diagnostic tools we
have available in modern times. Yet, we can only trust that the Lord, in His time, has revealed
certain things for man to progress as part of the ongoing process of world progression.
During the 2020 pandemic, I found that working in the records available in FamilySearch
provided a way for me to still do temple work. Whenever a name is recorded from these
records that have been copied and placed online, some family member searching for an
ancestor may be able to link his or her newly discovered relative to a family tree. In the case of
those who are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, temple work can be
done for the discovered individuals, since we members believe families can be linked to be together forever. It is exciting to find long-lost relatives and give them the opportunity to progress spiritually to reach eternal goals!
Data bases are growing beyond anyone’s wildest imagination where other genealogical sites
are gleaning and sharing information the Church discovers and vice versa. The hearts truly have
been turned from the fathers to the children and the children to the fathers (Malichi 4:6;
Doctrine and Covenants 2:2-3; 110:15; 138:47-48; Joseph Smith History 1:39). Being able to
connect families together in an eternal chain through sacred ordinances is a sacred and
worthwhile work. Indexing is exciting missionary work for the living and the dead!
Indexing work may seem intimidating at first. It took me time to learn how to read various
handwriting and poor typing (dirty keys). Some letters can look like two or three other letters.
Eventually, I’ve learned to search for clues on the page I’m indexing. Sometimes I have to
Google a certain town or city in a state or country to see how it is spelled. Other times, I’ve
typed in surnames to see if there is another name like it. These searches help match up proper
spelling that may not be clear when indexing. Sometimes an indexer has to go beyond the page
in an attempt to be as accurate as possible.
Familysearch.org offers a portal into the past assisting people towards the future. It offers
everyone an appreciation of the past and for other cultures. It expands our knowledge beyond
the confines of our narrow view of the real world that is often based solely on personal
experiences.
Remember, do not get discouraged or feel overwhelmed when you begin exploring the world of
indexing. You can do as little as one or two records a day. At first it will take more time but
you will gain proficiency and eventually find it fun, interesting, and satisfying work. You will
become an instrument in the hands of the Lord by moving His work along to prepare for His
second coming. It doesn’t get much better than that. Guaranteed!
handwriting and poor typing (dirty keys). Some letters can look like two or three other letters.
Eventually, I’ve learned to search for clues on the page I’m indexing. Sometimes I have to
Google a certain town or city in a state or country to see how it is spelled. Other times, I’ve
typed in surnames to see if there is another name like it. These searches help match up proper
spelling that may not be clear when indexing. Sometimes an indexer has to go beyond the page
in an attempt to be as accurate as possible.
Familysearch.org offers a portal into the past assisting people towards the future. It offers
everyone an appreciation of the past and for other cultures. It expands our knowledge beyond
the confines of our narrow view of the real world that is often based solely on personal
experiences.
Remember, do not get discouraged or feel overwhelmed when you begin exploring the world of
indexing. You can do as little as one or two records a day. At first it will take more time but
you will gain proficiency and eventually find it fun, interesting, and satisfying work. You will
become an instrument in the hands of the Lord by moving His work along to prepare for His
second coming. It doesn’t get much better than that. Guaranteed!
This is a sample of a census form. Imagine how much information is gathered from this source. Ship's passsenger lists, death and birth certificates, land deeds, solidier enlishments, voter records, and many other public documents provide information on millions of people.
