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By Paul Carter
LDS Genealogy Resources Impress Dallas Newspaper
DALLAS, TEXAS -- Reporter Jeff Parish presented his Texas readers
Saturday with an article that shed some light on why genealogy has
become an important hobby to millions. His article also describes how
extensive the genealogy records are in local LDS Family History
Centers, more than 20 of which are located in the Dallas-Ft. Worth
area.
The article in the Dallas Morning News cites several statistics about
genealogy records located in Salt Lake City: "2.2 million rolls of
microfilm, 742,000 microfiches, 300,000 books and 4,500 periodicals"
with "an average of 1.2 million names per month in personal
genealogies" being added. These records are all accessible from
Family History Centers: "3,400 around the world."
Mr. Parish refers in his article to the fact that, "family history
can be especially important to members of the Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter-day Saints, because they believe that a family can be
eternal." He explains that, "Under certain circumstances, rites can
be performed to bring non-Mormon ancestors into the church."
The article quotes Paul G. Nauta, communications manager for the
Family and Church History department in Salt Lake City: "As an
outcropping of that belief, they (members of the Church) have a very
strong desire to identify their ancestors and link them to their
families." Mr. Nauta then suggests the reason why genealogy research
has become so important to millions of people of all faiths, when he
says, "If you don't know your ancestors, you're lacking a major part
of your personal identity and your legacy."
In the course of the article, Mr. Parish interviews the Director and
two other patrons of the Family History Center in Rowlett Texas, who
praise the extent of the resources available at the centers. The
reporter refers to the fact that volunteers staff local Family
History Centers, how demand has grown for the records in Rowlett, and
how the tools of technology to access records have been upgraded
Source:
Mormons let cities tap files on genealogy
Dallas TX Morning News 12May01 N6
By Jeff Parish: The Dallas Morning News
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