What's the best way to store info?

There are many ways to store your family history info.  But the main thing that you should first know is that family history accumulates a lot of stuff.  Databases, vital records, pictures, journals, and more.  However, we're college students.  With this in mind, two things change the way that we can store info.  Firstly, we don't have space.  Secondly, we are very versed in the ways of the computer.  I have found the best way to store info is to scan everything.  If you can't scan it, at least type it up and then tell yourself where you can find a copy of the original.

Then, the power of family history programs is great.  Some people like PAF best, or FamilyTree Maker.  I will just insert my opinion here:  I don't.  The best program out there as far as I (Hannah) am concerned, is RootsMagic.  One really nice thing about RootsMagic is that there is a free version which only lacks about three features, all of which are completely non-essential features. RootsMagic also has the ability to interface with FamilySearch such that you can upload info to new Family Search, download info from new FamilySearch, sync up with new FamilySearch, and reserve temple ordinances from the program with the press of the button.  I also feel like RootsMagic has more places to include extraneous details that fit more into family history than genealogy (see last post), but are still nice.  It is also the best at organizing sourcing details.

So, get a folder in your My Documents, and make it Family History.  I usually organize then by surname.  Inside the more prolific surnames, I will then arrange by century.  For example, my surname has a lot of info to organize, as does my mother's maiden name.  However, names that I don't run into until the 1500s just don't have as much info to accumulate.

These are just my suggestions.  You can do it as you like.  But, family history without some database program is a veritable nightmare.  I will just say that.

Family History Committee Signing off.  Next post's topic: "How do you do family history on an estranged side of your family?"

What is the difference between family history and indexing?

Family History is a multi-faceted area which involves genealogy, family history and temple work.  Question 1b would probably then be, "What is the difference between family history and genealogy?"  The difference is that genealogy only deals with the vital information such as name, birthdate and place, death date and place, spouse's name, parents' names, marriage date, etc.  Family history deals with all of the other stuff.  What were some important things about their life?  Did they serve in any wars?  What was their occupation?  Did they do anything that marks them in history?  Only genealogy is technically necessary to submit names to the temple, but family history helps us to "turn the hearts of the children to their fathers."  The temple can seal you physically, but the family history is an important aspect of sealing yourself to them emotionally. 

Indexing, on the other hand, is a means to these ends.  The church possesses millions to billions of vital records from churches, government offices and more.  A massive volunteer force of members and some non-members has been recruited to look at these records on their computers via internet and type them up so that they are searchable. It is essentially family history data entry. 

Indexing is a great work, and a great place to start if you're very intimidated and apprehensive about family history.  That being said, indexing is moving along quite nicely, and the church is encouraging people who are just comfortably indexing to push themselves further to actually finding names.

This is the Provo YSA 18th Ward Family History Committee, signing out.  Tune in again for next post's question: "What's the best way to store info?"