21 Day challenge details
DAY 1
KNOW YOUR WHY
“Find your WHY and you’ll find your way,” John C. Maxwell
Welcome to Day 1! Take a moment to think about WHY you want to participate in this 21 Day Temple and Family History Challenge. Do you want to strengthen relationships with living family members and/or develop a connection with your ancestors? Whatever your reason, write it down and put it somewhere you can see daily. Next,
DAY 2
CREATE YOUR PLAN
“The successful individual sets goals - they have a plan, the unsuccessful do not!”
Now that you know your why, it is time to create your family or individual “Temple and Family History Plan”. The plan should contain the following sections:
Purpose Statement
Temples
Family History
Family Relations
Sharing
See a copy of a “sample plan” on the Highland Ward website.
DAY 3
MEET FAMILYSEARCH
“Everyone’s pedigree merges into everyone else’s pedigree. So, if you go back far enough, everyone is related.” – Steven Pinker
Get familiar with FamilySearch. FamilySearch is a free website to keep your family tree and connect it to the global family tree. Using FamilySearch will also give you access to many free/searchable records. If you have a FamilySearch account, then lo
21 Day challenge details
DAY 4
ALL ABOUT YOUR NAME
“A person’s name is to him or her the sweetest and most important sound in any language.”(Dale Carnegie)
Your name is a connection to who you are as a person. It gives you identity.
Today, have a conversation with your family or a close friend about the story of your name, and each person’s name in your family or group. Am I named after a famous person? A family member? Doe
DAY 5
PHOTO DAY
“A picture is worth a thousand words.”
Scan some photos or documents and save them in digital format, OR
Upload and attach photos to the appropriate person in your tree in FamilySearch OR
Select a random photo from your life, write a short story about it. Include names, date, place etc…
DAY 6
TEMPLE DAY
As a family or group of friends visit one or more local Temples (finished or under construction) and take several family or group pictures. OR
Find a copy of your local or favorite Temple’s dedicatory prayer(s) and read and study it. (https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/temples/) (click on the temple name and on the left-hand menu is the link to the dedicatory prayer(s) for that t
21 Day challenge details
DAY 7
MOVIE NIGHT
As a family or with friends watch the movie Coco or Moana and discuss the meaning and message of the movie, OR
Watch family videos and talk about what you liked and/or disliked about them, have fun… OR
Watch a clip from the Tigger Movie where Tigger sings about his family tree. What does it tell you about your family tree? Maybe you can create your own family song. OR
Create a fun fa
DAY 8
MAKE UP DAY
Well today is a day to catch up!!
DAY 9
INDEXING
“What little you do today will be that much more than the world will have tomorrow.”
Index at least one batch of records on www.FamilySearch.org OR
If you have never indexed records, look at the Indexing “Overview” link and get familiar with Indexing, watch this Youtube video on indexing or contact the ward Temple and Family History Leader to learn how to ind
21 Day challenge details
DAY 10
TEMPLE ATTENDANCE
With your Spouse or Friend set a date to attend the temple. If required, set an appointment online at Ogden Utah Temple (churchofjesuschrist.org) for the Ogden Temple. If you do not have a Temple Recommend, please make arrangements to meet with the Bishop and find out what it will take to get a recommend to attend the Tem
DAY 11
EDUCATION DAY
“Never stop learning. Learning is required for success.”
Watch a Roots Tech Class or Keynote Speaker - RootsTech Video Archive
Watch a webinar from the Family History Library
DAY 12
HOMELAND DISCOVERY*
“A nation’s culture resides in the hearts and the soul of its people.” – Mahatma Gandhi
What are the countries your family originated from? Use the “birth countries” fan chart view at familysearch.org to view which countries your ancestors were born in. Choose one of these countries as your focus for this activity. (You can always repeat this activity for other homelands!)
21 Day challenge details
DAY 13
RECORD A STORY
Use the FamilySearch Memories app or your favorite recording app, record an audio story. Select one of their pre-written questions and record your answer. Or you can choose your own question and record it directly to your phone via a recording app. Your posterity will love hearing the story in your voice.
DAY 14
“COLORFUL” TEMPLE AND FAMILY HISTORY
Print a family history or temple related coloring page or activity (Family History Coloring Pages (churchofjesuschrist.org)) for every family member or friend. Yes, even you adults. When was the last time you colored a page? While everyone colors a page tell a story of when you were a child or share family stor
DAY 15
MAKE UP DAY
Time flies when you are having fun. Time for another make-up IF you need it. Just call a family member you have not talked to in a while and have a relaxing conversation.
21 Day challenge details
DAY 16
GRANDPARENTS MAKE LIFE GRAND
“Grandparents make the world a little softer, a little kinder, and a little warmer.” – Unknown.
Do you have a favorite photo of you and your grandparent(s) or a picture of just your grandparent(s)? Share the photo on social media. Write things about the grandparent(s) as part of the post or upload it to FamilySearch Memories to save for future generations and oth
DAY 17
CARING IS SHARING
“For most people sharing something about family history is much easier than sharing a Book of Mormon. We all like talking about our families.”
Today find an opportunity to share your favorite family history app with a less active / non-member friend or co-worker. OR
Share a moving story about one of your ancestors with a neighbor, friend, or co-worker.
Then make a quick note o
DAY 18
4 GENERATIONS – UPDATED?
I guess it is about time we bring up the 4 Generation Family Tree on Family Search. Check your family tree on Family Search to make sure it is all filled out and complete. Make sure it is all updated. Has someone passed away, a new baby born or did a marriage take place since the last time you reviewed your family tree?
Don’t forget about your siblings and their kids,
21 Day challenge details
DAY 19
MAKE A TIME CAPSULE
Today find a couple of things that show who you are and what is happening in your life. Some ideas include an old phone, a book, an all about me paper, a magazine, a photo of yourself, or a newspaper. Collect all the items you wish to include and put them in a bag, container, box, or any other time capsule container. Here are some good idea’s for creating Time Capsule’s!
Ti
DAY 20
Final Make Up Day
Here is your final make up day to complete any tasks left unfinished.
IF you are all caught up - check out the following for tons of fun Temple and Family History activities for children of all ages.
Family History for Children and Teens – Family Locket
The Genealogy Kids / The Genealogy Kids Home Page
Family Connections Experiment – A Family History Project (connections-experi
DAY 21
FINAL DAY
Now that you have reached the final day of this fun 21 Day Temple and Family History Challenge it is time to record your feelings.
Document your feelings about Temple and Family History. Has this 21 day challenge strengthened your testimony of Temples and/or Family History? What did you learn during this challenge? Here is an opportunity to write down your Testimony to share or not
Temple and Family History - You can do it!
THE HIGHLAND WARD TEMPLE AND FAMILY HISTORY PLAN
Purpose: Draw closer to Jesus Christ and unify families for eternity by helping individuals and families 1) receive their own temple covenants 2) discover deceased ancestors and unite ancestral families together through temple covenants 3) regularly attend the temple. This will be performed in a home-centered, church-supported way.
Ward Leadership Temple and Family History Plan
1. Assist all ward organizations around Temple and Family history implementation (Always ask – How can I help). The work falls under the direction of the Elders and Relief Society Presidents.
2. Call and Train and Coordinate the work of the Ward Temple and Family History Consultants
3. Assist parents in preparing 11-year-olds to receive their conditional-use recommends
4. Encourage all ward families and individuals in developing their own personal Temple and Family History Plan (see sample plan below)
a. Provide resources and help in the implementation of their plans
b. Provide training and encouragement to participate in the Indexing of records.
5. Assisting in the preparation of new converts and less-active members in attending the temple
a. Limited-use recommend – baptism of their ancestors
6. Encourage and Assist Ward Mission Leader by helping those he is working with, with their family history. Family history is a great missionary tool.
7. Encourage and motivate the youth to participate in Temple and Family History.
SAMPLE INDIVIDUAL / FAMILY PLAN:
_______________Individual /Family Temple and Family History Plan
Purpose: As a family or individual, draw closer to Jesus Christ and unify our families for eternity by 1) researching and discovering deceased ancestors and uniting our ancestral families together through temple covenants 2) regularly attend the temple 3) building relationships with our ancestors 4) sharing our love for family history with others.
Temples
1. As an individual or couple attend the temple at least _____ a month.
a. Make every effort to provide a family name for each temple visit.
2. Do one weekly activity as a family centered around Temples
3. Once a month visit different local temples and take family pictures at each one.
a. Learn the history and study the dedicatory prayer(s) of each temple visited.
Family History
1. As an individual or family research and input at least 4 complete generations into Family Search.
2. Find and prepare _____names of ancestors for the temple.
3. Set a monthly goal to Index Records on Family Search
4. Using technology store family photos, records and memories for all to enjoy.
Family Relationships
5. As a family find interesting facts and stories, for ____ ancestors.
a. Share with other family members
6. As parents instill family values through sharing family stories with others.
7. As a family / individual help grandma and grandpa _________put together their personal history through interviews, collecting and sharing photo and other important documents.
Sharing
8. Share the Family Search and other family history apps with non-members and less active families. Teach them how to find their ancestors or how to do Indexing.