Author: Bonnie Mattson

Happy Mother’s Day!

Mother’s Day as we know it is 105 years old this year. But the celebration of the goodness of mothers is eternal. Whether you are a mother or love someone that is, this is a special time to contemplate the blessings of the human family and all of our mothers since the beginning. If you love a mother in your...

Watching, Waiting And Editing The Family Search Family Tree

Many people do not seem to understand why the FamilySearch Family Tree is a wiki-based program.  When Family Tree was new this was a big deterrent for a lot of people. They just didn’t like the idea that someone could come into “their” person’s information and make changes. A wiki-based program is created for that very purpose.  Google defines it this...

Are You Using The Study Center?

Have you ever noticed that new things are happening all the time on The Family History Guide?  Do you sometimes have a difficult time keeping up with all the wonderfully innovative and inspired additions?  The Homepage is the gateway to everything that is available on The Family History Guide.  Click on everything! Look under the Misc dropdown on the Homepage...

In Defense of Social Media

For a lot of people, social media is considered to be a waste of time.  It is certainly true that it can be.  It can also be the complete opposite of that.  There are hundreds of articles about Social Media and Social Responsibility out there on the Internet, both pro and con on social media.  It all depends on how we use...

Treasured Takeaways From Rootstech 2019

My mind is still flooded with the incredible memories of Rootstech this year.  It is a wonderful experience to be on the management team of The Family History Guide and to see and experience what goes on in a year’s worth of planning behind the scenes.  A big shout out to Bob Taylor and Bob Ives for the hundreds of hours of...

Rootstech 2019 ~ Lots of Learners, Teachers & Consultants Sought Help

As various stats were collected after RootsTech 2019, it became apparent that The Family History Guide had some very successful experiences there.  We had three wonderful presentations. Two were given by Bob Taylor, CEO of the Family History Guide, entitled “The “Family History Guide: Accelerating Your Learning and Research”.  The two classes attracted 1350 attendees.  It is estimated that a significant number of them...

Attending Rootstech 2019 Was Unforgettable

I am still feeling the exhilaration of Rootstech, after my return home on Tuesday.  The atmosphere is just electrifying there in Salt Lake City’s Salt Palace. It is a pure joy to be among people who have a desire to do their family history. In doing so, we can gather tangible evidence of our ancestors and preserve and treasure it. Often it...

Getting Our Posterity to Love Family History

Rootstech is almost here!  I am so excited to be returning to Salt Lake City to attend. I hope you are too! This is my 6th Rootstech experience and it just keeps getting better. Last year was my first year working for The Family History Guide.  Working in the Expo Hall at RT, teaching some mini-classes in our booth, doing demos of the...

The GPS of Family History ~The Family History Guide

This week I read a wonderful article about, Dr. Gladys West, one of the top 100 Women mentioned by the BBC, as one of the most important contributors to science in our times.  Dr. West was inducted into the Air Force Space and Missile Pioneers Hall Of Fame in 2018.  Dr. West, now in her 80s, is a noted mathematician and early contributor...

The Value of Church Records in Family History

One of the most rewarding things about doing family history research is the things you can actually discover from all kinds of records.  The facts recorded in birth, marriage, and death records on one family can really paint a picture of what life was like for those who have gone before.  Some call it “putting the flesh on the bones” when we can acquire information that goes beyond names,...