After more than 6 months of silence I am back.
I have no idea if anyone is still here reading but I feel like writing.
Truth is I should be working on making an index for Belgian Laces but can not seem to focus very long on it right now. Instead my attention comes back here.
A little over a week or so ago we were advised that there would be an Online Beta Training offered throughthe Family History Library. Only 200 people could register however so I jumped on this opportunity with both feet.
The FHC and World Wide support team had explained at the FGS Conference last year that this was in the works to train FHC directors, new and tenured (6months and more) and consultants but nothing had been heard since.
In our stake, we are so scattered that training is difficult and costly. This would be perfect!
I let our people know of the training opportunity but only one other was able to get in on time.
Softy as I am, I felt selfish to keep my login to myself so I enquired to see if they would be interested in watching the seminar with me, taking advantage of my login. And what a treat it was!
Even though I hope those who drove a good hour to see this were not disappointed that my laptop didn’t accept the local projector. I had never had trouble hooking one up before...
We will know better for next time... Besides, when the FHL people talked about making sure I had speakers, I had no idea what they were talking about… I had brought my pc speakers from home but in truth I needed an extra cord to hook up to the projector as well…
SO… we will be prepared for the next time, if necessary…
Eight of us were able to attend this session that was seen by many others (at least 199 others) across the country. It was done using Adobe Conferencing. I had seen what it could do but had never participated live to a conference so this was all new to me.
Before we started, a map showed us people as they were signing in. It was so cool… We were among the first online but we soon disappeared off the map as the others signed in.
I must tell you I was a bit nervous as when I clicked on the link the window announced that “the session was over” and I was getting concerned about how it would work but… 30 minutes or so before it started the page opened into a new conference and that’s when we began seeing the people appearing on the map.
My favorite part was when the presenter read 1 Nephi 16:23
"And it came to pass I Nephi, did make out of wood a bow, and out of a straight stick, an arrow; wherefore, I did arm myself with a bow and arrow, with a sling and with stones. And I said unto my father: Wither shall I go to obtain food?"He then compared the FH consultants to Nephi.
He made these things YET he went to his father and asked him WHERE he should hunt.
In other words, we need to prepare ourselves but look to our leaders for direction.
To repeat (although not quote) him, we need to go to our leaders and tell them, “ Here, see the bows and arrows we have made, tell us where to shoot”
This brought on quite a few giggles among us as we pictured ourselves targetting our members with arrows... All we needed was the apples...
There is a new reporting line that is well defined in the new manuals and this is explained in the files they made available for download:
- the Priesthood Manual (book 2 Section 9) ; which can be downloaded also from your new FamilySearch Help Center
- The new FH Administrative Guide (8 pages) which outline everyone’s duties quite clearly, also downloadable from the new FamilySearch
- And the new, still draft version – but Jun 2008 – of the Consultant Training Manual.
If anyone reads this, just contact me and I'll send you my copy.
As a Stake trainer I have sent a copy to our people and told them to print it and become familiar with it. Using it will help them not have to reinvent the wheel as they set out to work through priesthood channels.
The session was suppposed to last 1:30 hour but instead ended after 45 minutes. There could have been a Q&A session but none of us were savvy enough to want to try it I don't think.
We were told that in the future these would be downloadable so could be replayed like podcasts… This should prove excellent for training purposes.
This was so wonderful!!! I am so grateful to have been able to participate in this today!
Explore some of the sites they suggested to try:
-
http://www.familyhistory.byu.edu/-
http://261.byu.edu/-
http://paftutorial.byu,edu/-
http://census.byu.edu/They reminded us gently that "
Our effort is not to compel everyone to do everythinm but to encourage everyone to do something."(Elder Dallin H Oaks, "Family History: In Wisdom and in Order, Ensign, June 1989, p6) And how true that is!
If we all were doing the exact same things we would have too many bakers, too many butchers, and not enough tailors and farmers etc... We need everyone to do their part and no part is too small...
I never cease to be amazed and grateful to live today when technology makes all this possible.
I would not have made a very good handcart pioneer. My mother-in-law was telling me the other day how I just don't diversify our meals enough... I apologized to my husband saying that cooking is a necessity to me not something I love doing. Maybe it's not right... I hope it's not wrong...
In any case, today was the first of many I hope...
It was wonderful!!! Can't wait for next time!!!
Only wish more people could be aware of this...
---
Update: 7/3
Becky Jamison shared a link that enables direct download from a site. Allow me to share the link with you so you can use it to your own benefit:
http://www.box.net/shared/8jr8h4iog0
