In a recent article for Liahona magazine, London Brimhall wrote about the power of family stories. She quoted Elder Gerrit W. Gong of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, who recently taught that learning about our family “can change our lives in surprising ways. From their trials and accomplishments, we gain faith and strength. From their love and sacrifices, we learn to forgive and move forward. Our children become resilient. We gain protection and power. Ties with ancestors increase family closeness, gratitude, miracles. Such ties can bring help from the other side of the veil.” (April 2022 General Conference).
Here are three ways you and your family can discover your stories:
Access Them From the Fan Chart View in FamilySearch
First, log in to FamilySearch, then click Family Tree > Tree. Toggle the Tree View in the upper left corner to “Fan Chart” and make sure “Stories” is selected. People on your tree with stories attached will be highlighted with varying degrees of orange, depending on how many stories are attached to their profiles. Click on a person’s name > Person > Memories to access the stories.
You can also view a fan chart with stories highlighted like this in the Family Tree app. First, tap the blue icon in the lower right corner of the screen and ensure that the Fan View is selected, then choose “Stories.”
Use the All the Stories Web Application
Another easy way to see stories for both your direct ancestors and other extended family in one place is to use the All the Stories web application. Simply log in with your FamilySearch credentials and you will see a list of all your ancestor stories in one place. Click on one of the stories on the list to access it. Click on one of the blue dots on the fan chart to see the ancestor’s name and bring up a list of stories that pertain just to that ancestor.
Ask an Older Relative to Share Their Stories
Finally, if you don’t have many stories in FamilySearch, don’t be shy about asking older family members to tell you what they know, and then record the stories and save them to the Memories section of FamilySearch for posterity.
Conclusion
Knowing our ancestors’ stories helps us come to know them as real people. It also helps us understand where we came from and what we are capable of. Ensuring that our children and grandchildren are familiar with their ancestors will create a strong family narrative and help them thrive. What stories will you tell?
