Sunday, May 20, 2012

Family History Fun for Families



KNITTING HEARTS TOGETHER WITH FUN, FAMILY HISTORY PROJECTS

Family history work has the power to do something for the dead. It has an equal power to do something to the living. Family history work of Church members has a refining, spiritualizing, tempering influence on those who are engaged in it. They understand that they are tying their family together, their living family here with those who have gone before.                           Pres. Boyd K. Packer, Ensign Aug 2003

Dress like grandparents—make a movie of a family story, poetry or music • Family tradition book along with comments from the family on each tradition • Frame a family picture collage • End-of-the-year “state of the family,” and awards banquet celebrating the events of the past year • Dinner at grandparent’s (ask questions and record answers—give candy for each question asked and answered) and make a trivia game • Photo wall (ancestors, kids growing up, marriages), remember…your house can “talk” • Time capsule • Yearbooks • Websites blogs • Write/email grandparents (I used to get $2.00 per letter from my Gram) • Newsletters and updates –  youth as editors • Collect and scan family correspondence and pix • Seven generations of brides in one picture frame (Pres. Hinckley) • Use FHE to catch up scrap books, write family histories, blog etc.(hire a child to help?) •  Discover (or create) your family crest, flag, and/or coat of arms and display • View historical movies set in time period of ancestors and see how your history fits in •  “Guess who” or matching contest with family history photos – then tell stories • Memory book for parents and grandparents with pix and memories written by children and grandchildren • DVDs from family video cassettes with narration (copy for each home) • Label family history pix and as you scrapbook them, tape record or video the descriptions and stories  • Field trips to family history places and video your adventures • Book of family quotes and sayings • Gigantic family “time line” at your reunion – paste photo-copies of pictures on it, and write next to them • Focus on an ancestor each month • Pass on a skill  • Create a family song book • Every family share a story at the family reunion (put them on-line also) • Make a book or on-line file with stories of the first person in each family line to join the church • “Pioneer Park” with activity stations of reenactments of family history events and stories • Missionary map and book of  experiences • “Clothes-line” time line • Swing dance with instructions from the “old folks” •Create a family history wedding photo display (for a wedding reception, reunion, etc.) • Video tour of your parents, grand-parent’s and/or your own home •  Plant a tree in memory of an ancestor • Create a “quiet” book for church with activity pages of ancestor stories and things they did • Family history crossword puzzles • Celebrate ancestor’s birthdays, anniversaries, and holidays • Family history stories for children’s school assignments  • Quilt for grandparents—block for each member of family with picture and name  •  Gram’s “funeral” while still alive – celebrate her life • Write in each other’s journals • Visit museums and cemeteries • Book lists of family favorites – read them • A jar of  memories—talk about each • G and G’s Christmas gifts (one for each grand-child) of family stories (simplified and illustrated by a grand-child)• Grandparent heirloom sharing night • Show and Tell activity – each person shares one item • Make a family tree • Letters to each child • Tapes/CDs/DVDs of testimonies • Grave rubbings • Book of spiritual experiences (gift to parents for Christmas) • Ancestor story quilts/wall hangings • “Men of God” poster • Pedigree charts and pictures framed and on walls • Book of homes the family has lived in  • Family cook book • Refinish furniture and heirlooms  • Family pen pals  •Yearly family and individual fact and goal sheets •  Family history questions in a jar


The youth have been prepared “for such a time as this…” They are intelligent and bright. They are proficient on computers and the Internet. They are a great untapped resource for good in the world! They have been reserved for these latter days, and they have a great work to do…This is our day and temple work is what we have been prepared to do. It is a work for every generation, including and especially the youth of the Church…We must keep our focus, and remember that the temple is the reason for everything we do in the church… I know that as we do this, the joyful day will come when we shall meet our ancestors once again and be able to say to them, “We did this for you.”                                                                                                              Elaine S. Dalton, Ensign, Nov 2004