Mother's Day: Blessings

To My Child

"You are the trip I did not take;

You are the pearls I cannot buy;

You are my blue Italian Lake;

You are my piece of foreign sky"

Author: Anne Campbell

This is one of my favorite mother's days poems. It fits my own life so well.

Traveling has always been something I have enjoyed -- not the packing or unpacking but the experiences and enjoyment of the trip itself.

I am grateful I had the chance to travel a bit before my husband and I married and had children.

When the children were young, I used to wonder if I'd ever travel again. We did travel but it was usually to the homes of our parents. There never seemed to be time or money enough to actually travel beyond our comfort zones.

After we were married for a dozen years, we had the opportunity to live in Europe for a while on a work assignment for my husband.

Living abroad presented some challenges -- mostly the day-to-day types such as communicating with our limited language skills.

Those years in Germany were wonderful. Our world expanded as we visited various places not only in Germany but other countries as well.

We visited some of the great cities of Europe -- London, Amsterdam, Madrid, and Paris.

We also visited some places which were significant to us personally or because they were ancestral homes.

There were never enough traveling adventures in my opinion. Too bad my husband had to work!

As the years pass, those memories of traveling with my family remain treasured ones.

Our world expanded through new friends, cuisine, and places. These are memories which have enriched our lives.

The children and I learned how to use the buses, subways, and trains as we explored Bonn and Cologne together. These skills proved useful to our son when he served his mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints ten years later.

On one vacation, we drove from our home in Germany to Spain. As we drove through the Spanish countryside, we saw bulls standing under magnificent trees which reminded us of "The Story of Ferdinand" by Munro Leaf. Suddenly the illustrations of that classic children's story came to life.

We saw the beautiful Mediterranean Sea at the beginning of our journey and the gray and fierce Atlantic Ocean on our way home.

Our German friends thought we were a little odd to drive those long twelve hours from Germany to Barcelona but to us it was all an adventure. Besides we were used to spending twelve hours in the car together for the trips to my parents house and never left our home state of Michigan.

We learned that zoos and aquariums were good choices on the local holidays because the other tourist sites were closed.

Language skills could be encouraged by reading the various signs for the animals. We might not have understood the local languages but the animals didn't mind at all. It was common to hear families talking to one another in a variety of different languages so visiting the zoo was truly an international experience.

Of course, even today, there are places I would still like to visit. The list is long and probably not possible to fulfill. I may never travel to some of the places I really want to see or those places I want to re-visit but it's alright. 

My husband and children remain a great source of joy to me. I feel grateful for the blessings they have brought into my life.

Quotes to Inspire: "What I Hope You Will Teach Your Children about the Temple"

President Ezra Taft Benson presented this talk originally at the Logan Temple Centennial on 17 May 1984.


President Ezra Taft Benson (1899-1994) -- 

Between Moses and Christ only certain prophets possessed the right to the higher priesthood and the blessings that could bring men into the presence of God. One of these prophets was Elijah.

Elijah held the keys of the sealing power and did many mighty miracles in his day. He had power to seal the heavens, raise the dead, relieve the drought-stricken land, and call down fire from heaven.

He was the last prophet to hold the keys of the priesthood, according to the Prophet Joseph Smith. He was subsequently translated and taken up into heaven without tasting death.

He, as a translated being, restored the keys of this priesthood to the Savior’s chief Apostles—Peter, James, and John—on the Mount of Transfiguration. But within a generation, the Church was destroyed by a major apostasy, and the blessings of the priesthood were removed from the earth.

It took a new dispensation from heaven to restore this blessing to our day. ...

[The] Kirtland Temple was completed at great sacrifice to the Saints.

Then, on 3 April 1836, the Lord Jesus Christ and three other heavenly beings appeared in this holy edifice. One of these heavenly messengers was Elijah, to whom the Lord said he had “committed the keys of the power of turning the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to the fathers, that the whole earth may not be smitten with a curse.” (Doctrine & Covenants 27:9.)

Elijah brought the keys of sealing powers—that power which seals a man to a woman and seals their posterity to them endlessly, that which seals their forefathers to them all the way back to Adam. This is the power and order that Elijah revealed—that same order of priesthood which God gave to Adam and to all the ancient patriarchs which followed after him.

And this is why the Lord said to the Prophet Joseph Smith, “For verily I say unto you, the keys of the dispensation, which ye have received, have come down from the fathers, and last of all, being sent down from heaven unto you.” (Doctrine & Covenants 112:32.)

( from President Ezra Taft Benson; "What I Hope You Will Teach Your Children about the Temple"; "Ensign"; August 1985.)



The entire talk may be found at the following link: https://www.lds.org/ensign/1985/08/what-i-hope-you-will-teach-your-children-about-the-temple

Road Trips: Passing through the Farmlands of Wisconsin Where My Ancestors Lived

My family drove up to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan last Friday -- to my father's log home in the big woods along the shores of a beautiful lake.

We wanted to spend time with my father for Easter and to celebrate his birthday.

The route we took was along I-39 and stretched the length of central Wisconsin for nearly 400 miles.

Some of the towns and cities along I-39 are important in the stories of my ancestors.

My parents met in Madison where my father attended the University of Wisconsin and taught ROTC classes. Both of their families had lived in several towns in Wisconsin. My father's family had lived in a few differnent places in northern Wisconsin.

Central Wisconsin is where my mother's family once lived. There are still a lot of farms in Portage and Waushara Counties which seem to stretch for miles in all directions. The huge irritation equipment is in place and some of the fields are plowed and perhaps planted with this year's crops.

North of Madison are the towns of Lodi, Westfield, and Plainfield where my maternal ancestors had settled at various times.

In fact, my maternal grandparents (Fred and Helene) met in Plainfield (Waushara County). My grandmother used to send notes to her beau, Fred Osterhaus, with his older sister. Helene and Lu were best friends in the small rural school they attended and remained for over 60 years.

Fred and Lu lived with their parents, Wessel Marcus Osterhaus and his wife, Addie Beatrice (nee Anglemire). Wessel was suffering from consumption (tuberculous). Wessel and Addie had tried living in Los Angeles, California for a couple of years but later moved to Wisconsin. I suspect they were trying to escape the polluted air of the cities. Some time before 1910, Wessel had bought the farm and moved his family there from Chicago.

Wessel would die in Plainfield of his ailments in June 1913. He was buried in Naperville Cemetery in Naperville, Illinois.

After my grandparents married, they had a farm near Plainfield. This is where my aunt and uncle were born. Fred and Helene eventually sold that farm and bought another one in Portage County.

The farm in Portage County is where they lived when my mother was born. Helene gave birth to this little girl so close to midnight that the family always wondered which side of the stroke of twelve heard Barbara's first cries. The doctor was late arriving but a faithful and experienced mother-in-law helped Helene through the labor and then bathed and clothed her granddaughter.

The 1920 U.S. Federal Census documents Fred Osterhaus and his family living on that same property. It wasn't a large farm but they owned several dairy cows and raised some crops.

While we drove along I-39, thoughts of my mother and her family filled my heart and mind.

We'll be going back north to visit Dad again in June. I hope that we can arrange a stop in Plainfield. My mother has relatives still living near Plainfield but most of her cousins have passed away now.

One of the things on my "to do list" is to visit the rural cemetery there in Plainfield. Some of our relatives are buried there -- including my maternal great-grandmother, Mary Emily (nee Ousley) Davidson. She died in April 1927 but it took me over fifteen years of research to discover where and when she was buried.

While there is no headstone on the grave for Mary Emily, this situation can be easily rectified and I hope to do so this coming year.

The family was probably too poor to spend money on headstones. The economy of the 1920s was especially hard on farming communities. Even before the Great Depression, the farmers and their communities had been suffering and losing their farms.

In fact, Grandpa Fred had lost his farm in Plover Township, Portage County several years earlier. He wasn't the only farmer to have this challenge. The local newspapers reveal the farm was sold already when Fred was advertising his six dairy cows were for sale.

As we passed through the farmlands, I remembered my heritage and the many family stories I have heard and uncovered over the years.

It doesn't seem to matter that these dear family members have been gone for so many years. They still play an important part in my life as I research their lives in public and family records. They are certainly remembered with love and fondness. I am grateful for them, especially their courage as they faced the challenges of their times.

"Days Gone By"

The special book upon the shelf
Was made with many hands.
Our ancestors who posed back then
All came from different lands.
Their pictures were all tucked away,
And rarely did we see,
The importance of these treasures -
The start of you and me.
The history of our families,
Now here in black and white.
Preserved with special care and time,
Each page is done just right.
When time permits, we take it down
And think of days long past.
Our hopes, our dreams, our heritage,
All safe and made to last.

~ Author Unknown

Quotes to Inspire: The Atonement of Jesus Christ

      "It is a significant responsibility to speak on Easter Sunday to Latter-day Saints across the world, who love our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We celebrate this morning His victory over death. We cherish our understanding and feel heartfelt appreciation for the Savior’s willing atoning sacrifice on our behalf. His acquiescence to the will of His Father won the supernal victory over death and is the transcendent event in the history of mankind. I appreciate this opportunity to speak about following the Savior."
     ~ Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles; “We Follow Jesus Christ”; Ensign, May 2010; p. 83.

     "This glorious doctrine is another witness of the all-encompassing nature of the atonement of Jesus Christ. He has made salvation available to every repentant soul. His was a vicarious atonement that conquered death. He permits the worthy deceased to receive all ordinances of salvation vicariously."
     ~ Elder Richard G. Scott of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles; “Redemption: The Harvest of Love”; Ensign; Nov 1990.

     “The temple is the house of the Lord. The basis for every temple ordinance and covenant—the heart of the plan of salvation—is the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Every activity, every lesson, all we do in the Church, point to the Lord and His holy house. Our efforts to proclaim the gospel, perfect the Saints, and redeem the dead all lead to the temple. Each holy temple stands as a symbol of our membership in the Church, as a sign of our faith in life after death, and as a sacred step toward eternal glory for us and our families."
     ~ Elder Russell M. Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles; “Personal Preparation for Temple Blessings”; Ensign; July 2001.


      We celebrate Easter to remember the Savior Jesus Christ and reflect on His atonement and resurrection. Family history and Temple work provide the opportunity for those who are no longer living to have the blessings of temple ordinances and covenants.

1940 U.S. Federal Census: Located First Ancestor!

Late last night, past the midnight hour, success marked my safari through the 1940 U.S. Federal Census.

It had been a long day -- not only for me but for many other genealogists as well.

The morning began with the National Archives website freezing or crashing. The website didn't work for me or for anyone else. As much as the National Archives staff thought they were prepared for the anticipation of family history researchers, they admitted later in the day that they had under-estimated the enthusiasm.

As a result, researching on the 1940 U.S. Federal Census was not going anywhere for anyone.

I tried using the website again a few times on Monday but to no avail. The situation even made the news on the Internet because the system had been in "ICU" for most of the day.

Then, just after midnight, I tried the website again. To my amazement and joy, I was able to download the sixteen pages available for the little town of Lindstrom, Chisago, Minnesota. (Maybe searching in the night while the rest of the world slumbers is easier on the system.)

The hunt was on for my Swedish great-grandfather, August Wilhelm Carlson!

After selling his farm in Chisago County, Grandpa August and his wife, Matilda, had moved into the town of Lindstrom. They were living in Lindstrom for the 1920 and 1930 federal census enumerations.

Matilda had died of stomach cancer in 1934 and August had never remarried. In fact, he would die in October 1941 so the 1940 U.S. Federal Census is the last one where he will be found.

It was exciting find August on the census. (Naturally he was on the second to the last image but sixteen pages aren't too many to read for a cherished ancestor.)

August W. Carlson is listed as a widower, age 76 years, and born in Sweden. His house was worth $2000.

Shortly after Grandpa August was located, I headed to bed with a cheerful heart. I was grateful that he had remained in Lindstrom because it made it so much easier to track him down.

I appreciate ancestors who "stay just where I last saw them".

1940 U.S. Federal Census: Excitement in the Air!

This morning marks the release of the 1940 U.S. Federal Census.

What adds to the excitement is that we can examine the digital images of the 1940 U.S. Federal Census at home. We do not have to fight traffic or make appointments at the National Archives or one of its branches. No longer do we have to find the proper microfilm in the cabinets or struggle with an uncooperative microfilm reader.

We don't have to fly out to Salt Lake City either to see the records on microfilms at the Family History Library. No hotel and restaurant bills breaking our family budget. No flight delays or car rental fees. Wonderful!

Yes, we really are fortunate to live today when digital images of important records can be viewed in our own homes. What a marvelous age!

While the release of this census is welcomed enthusiastically by many individuals and organizations, there is also a smaller group who complain that the information should not be viewed due to privacy issues.

This morning there was an article on the Internet stating that 21 million people are still alive who were found in the 1940 U.S. Census.

Since the census records are not released until after 72 years, those 21 million people have to be 72 years or older.

I look forward to reading other researcher's experiences as they search out their ancestors in 1940. The blogs and email lists should have a lot of interesting articles for us to share with one another.

In my own family, all my maternal relatives who were born before 1940 are now dead. Being able to see them in the census is exciting and gives me a chance to remember them with appreciation and fondness. Still I find myself a little more "homesick" for my mother and her extended family this morning.

I am looking forward to finding my mother in the census, plus her siblings and her mother. None of them had an easy life. I appreciate the opportunity to see their information and have some questions answered. Of course, I might have some additional questions after reading the census record.

On my father's side of the family, he and his three brothers are still alive. I don't think any of those four brothers would care that their information is now available for me or any other relative to see.

As for my husband's family, there are no relatives living who were born before 1940 -- except one aunt who is still alive. One uncle died in 1944 as his military unit crossed the Belgium border into Germany so this census will be the last one documenting his life.

There is some sadness when I consider how many individuals we have known and loved who are no longer with us.

So many times while researching family history, I think to myself "oh I wish I could ask some questions of my family members who are now dead". Perhaps some of my questions will be answered through the census enumerations for these individuals and families.

This morning I also started counting some of my more distant relatives who were living in 1940. Tracing them in the census will take me quite a while. The ones who lived in rural areas will be easier to find now. The ones living in larger cities may have to wait until the indices are available.

Nonetheless, I will be able to find many family members in the records. My parents were not married to one another yet so I will be able to check out their families prior to 1940. Additionally, three of my grandparents and five of my great-grandparents were still alive in 1940. Of course there are lots of aunts, uncles, and cousins to track as well.

Some people might count sheep but genealogists count ancestors!

So today is really an exciting day for sure! Good luck with your search!!

Scriptures: Living Again

"If a man die, shall he live again?.."
~ Job 14:14 (Old Testament)




"1 Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them.

2 And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre.

3 And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus.

4 And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments:

5 And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead?

6 He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee,

7 Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again."
~ St Luke 24:1-7 (New Testament).




"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
~ St. John 3:16 (New Testament).

Smiles for the Journey: OCUPSYSHUN -- Cencus Taker

"I am a census taker for the city of Bufflow. Our City has groan veery fast in resent years & now in 1865, it has become a hard & time consuming job to count all the peephill. There are not many that con do this werk, as it is nesessarie to have an ejucashun, wich a lot of pursons still do not have. Anuther atribeart needed for this job is god spelling, for meny of the pephill to be counted can hardle speek inglish, let alon spel there names.”

1940 U.S. Federal Census

Excitement is in the air because on Monday, 2 April 2012, the National Archives (www.archives.gov) will release the 1940 U.S. Federal Census at 9 a.m. EST.

The official website is located on http://www.1940census.archives.gov/. This is where researchers may see the actual digital images from the census.

A short video on the 1940 U.S. Federal Census may be viewed at http://tiny.cc/1940Census.

Both FamilySearch (www.familysearch.org) and Ancestry (www.Ancestry.com) have been counting the days until this important census will be available.

Of course the census records will not be indexed at the time the public can look at them.

Still it is possible to locate families in the digital images of the National Archives by knowing the enumeration districts where our families lived.

In the months ahead, FamilySearch Indexing (www.familysearchindexing.org) and Ancestry will be asking for assistance in transcribing the digital images to their database indices.

It is possible that the public will be so anxious to research their families on the 1940 U.S. Federal Census that the websites might be overloaded.

Why is the 1940 U.S. Federal Census so vital?

It is the last census for the Greatest Generation prior to World War II. So many of these great men and women who fought with the United States Military will appear on the 1940 U.S. Federal Census.

Many of them laid down their lives for the freedoms of others and thus will not be enumerated in the 1950 U.S. Federal Census when it becomes available in 2022.

It is also the census documenting the effects of the Great Depression on families throughout the United States.

There is a wealth of information in the 1940 U.S. Federal Census.

For instance, the enumerators documented personal information, including the level of education completed by each individual.

There are many questions about the employment status and occupations of all individuals 14 years old and older.

Not only were military veterans documented but so were their wives, widows, or minor age children.

We can also learn if an individual has a social security number and whether or not deductions were contributed to Social Security.

The number of marriages for each woman, as well as the number of children she ever bore (excluding stillbirths), are also part of the 1940 U.S. Federal Census.

Of course, as common in earlier census enumerations, the birthplaces of individuals and their parents are also recorded in the 1940 U.S. Federal Census.

If we are interested in the lives of our family members who were living in 1940, we need to take time to be familiar with the census and learn how to locate people on it.

This is a great opportunity for researchers to gain greater understanding of the United States in 1940. It is also a significant occasion for us to learn about our own specific families.

Hopefully, we can take time to use the 1940 U.S. Federal Census to add another facet to the lives of our ancestors and even ourselves (if we were born prior to 1940).

The next few months are an exciting time for family history researchers in the United States.

Good luck with locating your families in the 1940 U.S. Federal Census!

 

Quotes to Inspire: Favorite Quotes by President Spencer W. Kimball

When I was baptized in 1976, the prophet of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was President Spencer W. Kimball. His counsel on genealogy and temples are wise and inspiring. Even though it has been over 25 years since President Kimball passed away, his words are still worth considering.


President Spencer W. Kimball (1895-1985) -- 

“Most members of the Church are aware of our intense interest in the missionary work in the Church and the appeals we have made in many lands for the rededication to preaching the gospel and preparing missionaries to carry the good news of the restoration to the people everywhere. I feel the same sense of urgency about temple work for the dead as I do about missionary work for the living, since they are basically one and the same. I have told my brethren of the General Authorities that this work for the dead is constantly on my mind.” ("The True Way of Life and Salvation"; Ensign, May 1978.)

"Each time a temple is dedicated to the Lord the darkness pushes farther back, prison doors are opened, and light comes into the world." ("Temples -- Hundreds of Them"; Dedication of the Los Angeles Temple; 12 March 1956.)

"Some of us have had occasion to wait for someone or something for a minute, an hour, a day, a week, or even a year. Can you imagine how our progenitors must feel, some of whom have perhaps been waiting for decades and even centuries for the temple work to be done for them? I have tried, in my mind’s eye, to envision our progenitors who are anxiously waiting for those of us who are their descendants and are members of the Church on the earth to do our duty toward them. I have also thought what a dreadful feeling it would be for us to see them in the hereafter and have to acknowledge that we had not been as faithful as we should have been here on earth in performing these ordinances in their behalf." ("The Things of Eternity—Stand We in Jeopardy?"; Ensign; January 1977)

 

Ancestors Finding Aid: Brigham Young University Family History Archive

Imagine being able to go to outstanding family history libraries and researching your family's history.

Imagine having access to some of the best genealogical collections anywhere in the world.

Most of us do not have that luxury due to travel expenses, limited vacation schedules, family responsibilities, etc.

Still, just imagine being able to research anytime night or day -- without ever leaving home -- at some of these libraries.

This is no longer a trip merely for our imaginations but is truly an Internet reality for researchers throughout the world.

The Family History Archive is an online collection of published genealogy and family history books.


The archive includes histories of families, county and local histories, how-to books on genealogy, genealogy magazines and periodicals (including some international), medieval books (including histories and pedigrees), and gazetteers.


The book collections come from the following institutions:

• FamilySearch Family History Library
• Allen County Public Library (Indiana
• Houston Public Library (Texas)
• Mid-Continent Public Library – Midwest Genealogy Center (Missouri)
• BYU Harold B. Lee Library
• BYU Hawaii Joseph F. Smith Library
• Church History Library in Salt Lake City

There are over 40,000 items in this online collection. Most images may be downloaded and/or printed out by researchers.


More information concerning the Brigham Young University Family History Archive may be found at the following website: http://books.familysearch.org

Quotes to Inspire: Family History and Temple Work

Julie B. Beck, Relief Society General President -- "As Latter-day Saints, you have learned the importance of the temple and of temple ordinances. Over the centuries, many people have died without knowledge of the gospel. These people are your near and distant relatives. They are waiting for you to do the necessary research to link your families together and perform saving ordinances in the temple in their behalf.

"Having some knowledge of technology aids temple and family history work. You are a specially prepared generation with the technological talent to do this. My grandma Bangerter had a deep testimony and feeling of urgency for family history work. Many years ago, when she was compiling 25,000 names of her family, she had to enter each name by hand on forms. She would have been so grateful for a computer program to help her be more accurate and efficient. Now she has hundreds of talented young people among her descendants who are capable of assisting her from this side of the veil.

"The Lord has promised to plant in your hearts the promises given to the fathers and that your hearts would be turned to the fathers so that the earth would not be utterly wasted at His coming (see Doctrine & Covenants 2:2–3). Your technical skills are a partial fulfillment of this prophecy, and I hope you are feeling a sense of urgency about this work. You were born in this age to do temple and family history work. Your family needs your help. Your ward or branch needs your help in this important responsibility.

"You will receive personal blessings as a result of participation in temple and family history work. One of these is the opportunity to qualify for a temple recommend, which signifies your worthiness before the Lord. A temple recommend is a symbol of obedience."

( from Julie B. Beck, Relief Society General President; "This is Your Work"; Ensign; February 2012.)

The complete article may be found at the following link:

https://www.lds.org/ensign/2012/02/this-is-your-work

Sister Beck presented these thoughts originally as part of a CES fireside address entitled "Unlocking the Door to the Blessings of Abraham" on 08 Mar 2008.

The entire talk is available on the BYU Speeches website at http://speeches.byu.edu. (Note: CES refers to Church Education System).

New FamilySearch: Don’t Be Duped by Duplicates!!

It is easy to confuse individuals in New FamilySearch. Many people have identical names or rather similar names. Even in the same family, many individuals have similar or identical names for many generations.

For example, if a child died in the Netherlands, the next child of the same gender born into the family was given the name of the deceased child.

Additionally, due to the Dutch naming patterns, several individuals may have identical names but be born into different families on the same family tree.

Be very careful before combining individuals on your family tree. Look at the individuals’ dates and places. Check out the names of parents, spouses, and children.

Being extra careful assures that ordinances are recorded for the correct people and that ordinances still needing to be done can be completed.

Weigh all the information before accepting the duplicates. It is easier to merge individuals together than it is to divide them later. Pruning off unrelated branches can be very difficult.

It takes time to straighten out the “mess” so better to wait, research further information on the individual and family, and then decide whether the individuals are duplicates.

Remember -- not all family trees are alike. Grafting the wrong branches onto your family tree can cause weeping and wailing in your orchard for hours.

These simple guidelines will protect your family tree from genealogical diseases and pestilence.

Keep the fruit on your family tree healthy and productive by merging duplicates ONLY when you are certain that they match.

Quotes to Inspire: Temples

President Thomas S. Monson -- "First, may I mention that no Church-built facility is more important than a temple. Temples are places where relationships are sealed together to last through the eternities. We are grateful for all the many temples across the world and for the blessing they are in the lives of our members.
      "Late last year the Provo Tabernacle in Utah County was seriously damaged by a terrible fire. This wonderful building, much beloved by generations of Latter-day Saints, was left with only the exterior walls standing. After careful study, we have decided to rebuild it with full preservation and restoration of the exterior, to become the second temple of the Church in the city of Provo. The existing Provo Temple is one of the busiest in the Church, and a second temple there will accommodate the increasing numbers of faithful Church members who are attending the temple from Provo and the surrounding communities."
      ( from President Thomas S. Monson; "As We Meet Again"; Ensign; November 2011.)

The entire talk may be found at the following link: https://www.lds.org/ensign/2011/11/as-we-meet-again

Wessel Marcus Osterhaus (1866-1913)

Death Notice for Wessel Marcus Osterhaus (1866-1913)
"The Chicago Tribune"
24 Jun 1913

Wessel Marcus OOSTERHUIS was born 07 March 1866 in the little town of Leens, Groningen, Netherlands. His parents were Jan Hiddo OOSTERHUIS and Anna Catharina REISEGER.

As a child, Wessel sailed with his family to the United States on the S.S. Nevada in the spring of 1869. The passenger lists Johan OSTERHAUS (age 29 years), Anna OSTERHAUS, Wessel OSTERHAUS, and Jan OSTERHAUS. They sailed steerage class. (Wessel is mistakenly listed as a two year old female child on the ship's manifest.)

The ship originated in Bremer Haven, Germany and then made a stop in Liverpool, England before crossing the Atlantic Ocean. It arrived in New York City in May 1869. There were 2020 passengers on the ship manifest of the S.S. Nevada.

By July 1870, Jan OOSTERHUIS and his family were living in Chicago, Cook, Illinois (12th Ward). This census records a baby named Titia had been born in September 1869 so Anna had been pregnant on the ocean voyage.

Wessel's siblings were Jan, Titia, John and Jacob (twins), Martha, Mary, and Jacomina. Only Wessel, Jan, Martha and Mary lived to adulthood.

The Osterhaus family was living in Chicago when the terrible Great Chicago Fire burned over three square miles of the city in October 1871.

Wessel married Addie Beatrice ANGLEMIRE on 13 May 1886 in Kenosha, Kenosha, Wisconsin. They had come with another couple who had wanted to elope. The other couple supposedly didn't marry after all but Wessel and  Addie were wed by D.A. Mahoney. The marriage record notes that "the groom sworn as to the age of the parties".  Addie was only 15 years old and Wessel had just turned 20 years old two months earlier.

Wessel and Addie were the parents of eight children: Anna Beatrice, Lutitia Pemelia, Frederick Marcus, George Joseph, Wesley Marcus, Marie and Martha (twins who died soon after birth), and William.

Wessel and Addie lived in Chicago until sometime after the 1900 U.S. Federal Census. They were living in Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California in June 1901 when their youngest son, William, died at the age of 2 years from complications of spinal meningitis. (Willie was buried in Naperville City Cemetery.)

A 1902 City Directory for the city of Los Angeles lists Wessel M. Osterhaus working as a carpenter and his address is 221 Dacotah [sic]. By 1904, Wessel was living back in Chicago and listed as a carpenter. His address is 1015 N Park Avenue in the section of the city known as Austin.

Wessel and his family were living in Plainfield, Waushara, Wisconsin by the time of the 1910 U.S. Federal Census. They had left Chicago and bought a farm there. The census states that the farm was mortgage free.

Wessel died in Plainfield on 21 June 1913. The death certificate records his name as "W. M. Osterhaus". He was buried on 25 June 1913 in the Naperville City Cemetery in Naperville, DuPage, Illinois. He was only 47 years old.

As noted in the obituary found in the Plainfield, Wisconsin "Sun", Wessel had died of tuberculosis but had been bothered by several other health issues as well.

Three Cheers for the Remarkable Staff of Family History Centers Everywhere

Until this past January, I served in a corner of the Lord's vineyards as a family history consultant and was released only because our family moved out of the area. It was a privilege to work with members of my ward and also fulfill the responsibilities as the technical director in our local family history center (FHC).

Working in a family history center is a position which most people do not fully understand or appreciate. Nonetheless, it is task which stretches research skills and enriches the lives of everyone involved. I was grateful for the chance I had to work beside people who were not only excited about family history but were wonderful friends.

Staff members in family history centers may be members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints but they might also be community workers who are not members of the Church.

Latter-day Saints who serve in family history centers actually have a calling as a family history consultant. This calling has been offered to them through the appropriate priesthood leadership of their ward. The bishopric and the high priest group leaders prayerfully consider who in their ward might serve as a family history consultant. The member accepts the calling and is set apart by priesthood leaders before they begin serving. Some consultants work only with members of the ward and some work only at the family history center. There are also consultants who serve their wards as well as assisting at the family history center.

Community workers usually volunteer to work at the family history center. Sometimes they want to work at the family history center because they recognize that more staff members are needed. Sometimes another staff member encourages them to volunteer or recommends them to the director of the family history center.

Whether members of the FHC staff are Latter-day Saints or not, the responsibilities and obligations are approximately the same. The commitment to the FHC involves working shifts either every other week or every week. Shifts are commonly four hours for the day shift and three hours for the evening shift.

LDS staff members might serve for a few years before they are released from their family history consultant calling and receive a new calling. Sometimes the LDS staff members accept their calling with a lukeward response but, hopefully, their testimony of family history and temple work increase over the months and years they serve.

On the other hand, the community workers keep serving faithfully for years and years until other factors require them to resign -- moving, illness, age, etc.

Honestly, the dedication of the community workers has always amazed me. I hardly know where to begin to sing their praises but I do know that my own personal genealogical research and my belief in the goodness of people as been blessed by these wonderful community workers.

As an example, let me describe the efforts and diligence of one community worker at my former family history center. (Although I could share experiences from many other staff members as well.)

"A.G." serves as the daytime supervisor and works two or three shifts a week which works out to be 8 to 12 hours. She comes in all types of weather and rarely misses a shift unless she is out of town or not feeling well. She trains the staff members in FHC responsibilities and also helps develop their research skills. She often stays late to help a staff member who is struggling with an elusive ancestor.

"A.G." has done this for over 30 years!!

When our family history center needed an inventory of our permanent microfilm/microfiche collection for Online Film Ordering, "A.G." spent countless hours helping me with the project. My appreciation for her efforts will last for years to come.

"A.G." has been a dear friend and kind teacher to me for almost thirty years. I met her soon after I began serving in the family history center when I moved to Michigan as a new bride. She taught me a great deal about family history research, especially in the area of Swedish genealogy. (She is an expert in Scandinavian research, particularly Finnish family history.)

Additionally, "A.G." rejoiced with me through the joys of life and encouraged me when times were tough. When I had my two children, "A.G." treated them with grandmotherly affection. In fact, my son used to call her his "Church Grandma". She is a cherished friend indeed.

"A.G." and I spent years talking about my Swedish great-grandfather and how I couldn't find his ancestors because I didn't know his birthplace or his parents' names. "A.G." gave me many suggestions which we attempted. Mostly the suggestions were added to our 'things we tried with no success' list but "A.G." still helped me search for my Swedish ancestors. Her willingness to assist me never waivered.

There came a day when my Swedish research took a turn around the corner. It was not long after the family history centers gained access to the GenLine website which contained the digital copies of Swedish parish records.

"A.G." had always taught me to look through the information I already had for any possible clues I might have missed. She was right. I had had the solution all the time in the records I had already discovered.

Nevertheless, until I had access to the tremendous resources of GenLine, I couldn't find the puzzle pieces I needed to link my great-grandfather to his family members in Sweden. (A research story for another day.)

The day I found my great-grandfather, "A.G." was nearly as excited as I was.

During the following few months, she helped me read the original parish records. She helped me organize and connect all the various families. As a result, dozens of these Swedish family members received their temple ordinances and were sealed together as eternal families.

Truthfully, I am not the only one "A.G." has helped. Patrons come to the family history center just to receive her assistance. Staff members benefit from her insights and guidance as they research their own ancestors. I expect that "A.G." has nurtured a multitude of family trees for hundreds of people over the years.

So, in honor of "A.G." and countless others like her, three cheers for the remarkable staff of Family History Centers everywhere!!

Letter from First Presidency regarding Proxy Temple Ordinances

Letter mailed to Priesthood Leaders on 29 Feb 2012.






Dear Brothers and Sisters:

We would like to reiterate the policies first stated in 1995 concerning the submission of names for proxy temple ordinances:

Our preeminent obligation is to seek out and identify our own ancestors. Those whose names are submitted for proxy temple ordinances should be related to the submitter.

Without exception, Church members must not submit for proxy temple ordinances any names from unauthorized groups, such as celebrities and Jewish Holocaust victims. If members do so, they may forfeit their New FamilySearch privileges. Other corrective action may also be taken.

Members are encouraged to participate in FamilySearch indexing which is vital to family history and temple work.

Bishops are asked to post this letter on their meetinghouse bulletin boards. Church members may seek the assistance of the family history consultants in their area for additional information, if needed.

Name submission policies are also clearly stated on New.FamilySearch.org.

We appreciate the faithful adherence to these policies by all members of the Church.

Sincerely yours,

The First Presidency





Here is a link with further information: <http://www.ldschurchnews.com/articles/62066/Family-history---Church-asks-members-to-understand-policies.html">

Scriptures: Salvation for the Dead

"For this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit." ~ 1 Peter 4:6 (New Testament)




"Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead?" ~ 1 Corinthians 15:29 (New Testament).

The Family Tree Depends on Strong Roots

The strength of a tree lies in its roots – not its branches

(Dutch proverb from Twente)

Sometimes trees cannot withstand harsh conditions because they never developed deep roots.

This is also true with families.

Families need to have the deep roots nurtured with faith and love.

Children develop faith in their childhood when they learn to pray and learn to recognize answers to prayers. Children thrive in families where there is love and support for one another.

One aspect of family life which develops deep roots comes with our family heritage. Family reunions, stories, photographs, and genealogical records strengthen the roots of all family members.

When our family relationships are weakened through death, divorce, or other hardships, the subsequent generations suffer. Sometimes the results are harsh and obvious in the lives of family members. Sometimes the consequences show up in subtle ways but they are there nonetheless.

This is similar to a tree struggling through droughts or storms.

My maternal grandfather, Frederick Marcus Osterhaus, died in 1920. He was only 30 years old when he drown in Galveston Bay. He had been working as a dredger for just two or three weeks. A storm on the Bay caused a boating accident and Grandpa Fred and another man died.

Beatrice, Wessel and Barbara

Grandpa Fred left a widow and three small children. My maternal grandmother, Helene, was only 26 years old. My mother (Barbara), the youngest of the three children, was just 16 months old.

Helene and the children struggled a great deal over the years. Life was difficult enough for them in the 1920s but later, when the Great Depression came, their lives were almost unbearable.

My mother, Barbara, sometimes mentioned how difficult her childhood was but never explained in much detail because it was too painful.

When I first wanted to learn about our family history in 1977, I asked my mother for information. She didn't know a lot about her heritage but did have contact with some elderly relatives.

My mom talked with her Aunt Lu (Lutitia Pemelia Osterhaus Samuelson) who was born in 1888. Aunt Lu was the older sister of my grandfather and the oldest surviving relative on our Osterhaus side of the family.

Since Fred never had a birth certificate recorded in Chicago, it was Aunt Lu who supplied his complete birthdate. (The date was confirmed many years later by the World War I Draft Registration card filed by Grandpa Fred.)

Additionally, Aunt Lu gave me information about her siblings, including twin sisters and a brother who died as babies.

Aunt Lu also provided me with the information necessary to research my grandfather's heritage in earnest. I am grateful to Aunt Lu for taking time to help me learn about our family.

One of the first and best rules for researching family history is to start talking to the oldest members in the family. These elderly relatives establish the living link for the living generations and those generations which have passed away.

The oldest family members are invaluable for successful research so take time to contact them. They may have the details which can add generations to a family tree. The relationship developed with these relatives will also enrich a family heritage in other ways as well.

Most of all, these relationships nurture and strengthen the root systems on our family trees.

Eternal Families

Why do members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints research their family histories and perform ordinances in the Holy Temples?

We believe that families may be linked together with love and through the sealing ordinances found only in the House of the Lord.

Families are not only an institution for mortality but can be eternal.

"There perhaps is no theological doctrine of the Church that more intimately affects the life of the Latter-day Saint, be he man, woman, or child, than the doctrine of the eternity of the family unit. It brings hope, comfort, and promise to the Latter-day Saint. It motivates action in keeping the commandments of the Lord. It gives joyful purpose in life. As with all things, however that are rich in promise and genuinely rewarding, it exacts of each one of us its toll in adequately meeting our responsibilities toward home and family life as directed by the Father." (Belle S. Spafford, former General President of the Relief Society.)

The doctrine of eternal families is an essential part of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Eternal families are only possible because of the atonement of the Savior, who gave everything so that we might have eternal life (see St. John 3:16).

When the storms of life come (as they surely will) and hammer down on our homes, the principles of eternal marriage and families sealed together bring peace and security to each family member. The difficulties may be severe but it is easier to overcome the tribulations when we recognize we are on the same team.

Working to have an eternal family means that we strive to support and love one another. We aim for unconditional love in a world which seeks for self interests above the interests of the entire family.

While none of us are perfect, we can have joy and happiness in spite of the challenges of life.

To achieve this love between spouses and between parents and children requires unconditional love and a desire that our family will be happy. A good blueprint for family relationships may be found in the discourse on charity by the Apostle Paul (1 Corinthians Chapter 13).

The covenants we make in the temples provide families with the faith and love to endure -- no matter what happens. Family members gain an eternal perspective which encourages us to choose the right and see the goodness in each other.

Our Wedding Day

Washington, D.C. Temple

In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we learn about the eternal nature of families in our various lessons. We are taught that Heavenly Father established the family to be together through all the future generations. What we do in our families really does matter and has eternal consequences.

At Church, we sing about forever families in our hymns and in Primary songs. In fact, "Families can be Together Forever" and "I Love to See the Temple" are favorites by chidren and adults alike.

This week I noticed a video clip on www.lds.org which explores the doctrine of eternal families. I have included the link for this uplifting message at the end of my post.


Video:
Increase your understanding of the Lord’s purpose for families and of the blessings He makes available to them.

http://www.lds.org/pages/mormon-messages?lang=eng#families-can-be-together-forever

The Land of Beginning Again

Now is the time to travel to the Land of Beginning Again.

Many years ago, Louise Fletcher Tarkington (1878-1923) wrote a poem "The Land of Beginning Again" (see below). Her poem is filled with hope for such a place but she doesn't seem to know whether or not that land really exists.

In truth, this land where we can begin again is a place filled with the blessings of the Savior. Through His atonement and resurrection, we can receive the chance to abide with Him and feel His comforting spirit -- in mortality as well as eternity.

The Savior is patient and long-suffering as we learn to recognize His voice and follow His loving example. He makes everything possible and so I am willing to try once more by adding my thoughts and testimony to this personal blog.

Unfortunately, it's been far too long since I posted anything on "Life is a Homeward Journey". There never seemed to be enough hours in the days to do everything I wanted to do. I am sure that others share this situation as well. Ultimately, I found that my desire to post was overwhelmed by other responsibilities, activities, and concerns (personal, familial, and community).

And so, it is time to begin again -- to reflect on the homeward journey which we all face as part of our mortal existence. Ideally I want to do more than relate the whys and hows of genealogical research but include other aspects as well.

The land of beginning again really does exist but it requires us to welcome the Savior as our traveling companion. Through His atonement and mercy, we are able to begin each day anew through our personal repentance and acceptance of His gift to all mankind.

The Land of Beginning Again

I wish that there were some wonderful place

Called the Land of Beginning Again

Where all our mistakes and all our heartaches

And all of our selfish grief

Could be dropped like a shabby old coat by the door

And never be put on again.

I wish we could come on it all unaware,
Like the hunter who finds a lost trail;
And I wish that the one whom our blindness had done
The greatest injustice of all
Could be there at the gates like an old friend that waits
For the comrade he's gladdest to hail.

We would find all the things we intended to do
But forgot, and remembered too late:
Little praises unspoken, little promises broken,
And all for the thousand and one
Little duties neglected that might have perfected
The day for one less fortunate.

It wouldn't be possible not to be kind
In the Land of Beginning Again,
And the ones we misjudged and the ones whom we grudged
Their moments of victory here,
Would find in the grasp of our loving hand-clasp
More than penitent lips could explain.

For what had been hardest we'd know had been best,
And what had seemed loss would be gain;
For there isn't a sting that will not take wing
When we've faced it and laughed it away;
And I think that the laughter is most what we're after
In the Land of Beginning Again.

So I wish that there were some wonderful place
Called the Land of Beginning Again,
Where all our mistakes and all our heartaches
And all of our poor selfish grief
Could be dropped like a shabby old coat at the door
And never put on again.

                                                     ~ Louise Fletcher Tarkington