October Indexing Open House

Catch the Vision

Indexing and Family History work lead to the TEMPLE

The Stake Indexing Directors and Stake Family History Center Directors were invited to an Open house in Salt Lake City on October 5th, 2012.The Keynote speaker was Elder Dennis Brimhall, Managing Director of the Family History Department.I was very privileged to be able to attend this all day event and I learned many things.  Some of which I would like to share with all of the Indexers and Arbitrators in Oklahoma City Stake.  This event gave me a whole new perspective on the role of Indexing. It also gave me another chance to visit my children , grandchildren and great grandchildren who live in Utah. :)

• We need to make the connection between Indexing and Family History work and the Temple. 

I was shocked to learn that on a Church-wide basis, only 2.4% of the members are preparing their family names to take to the Temple. That means that over 97% of us are not doing the work for our ancestors.  Why is that? Elder Brimhall said it was because many have dis-connected the "turning of their hearts" and Temple Worship. While it is not a waste of time to take a Temple name through a Temple session, it is by taking our own ancestors names that we will be able to receive both parts of the  Abrahamic Promise; even eternal life.

• The purpose of Indexing and Family History work is to help members perform Vicarious ordinances for their ancestors.   
• Indexing is inseparable from Family History work. It is the driving force, helping family history work soar to new heights.
• Many think that family history work is to be performed primarily by older people.  Elder Bednar said "I know of no age limit described in the scriptures or guidelines " of the church. All members, and all youth are invited to participate in Indexing and Family History work. There were special training sessions available at the Family History Library about implementing  Elder Bednar's Youth challenge to Index.
• Indexing is a valuable tool to use to "Rescue the One".
• Indexing  helps new member retention rates. There is an 80-90% retention rate for new converts who do indexing/family history work and go to the Temple for Baptisms, within a few weeks of their own baptism.
• Indexing was described by one Stake President as " A Temple experience that you can have in your own home".

STAKE INDEXING CHALLENGE FOR NOVEMBER

225,000 NAMES

In case you haven't heard, this is a new challenge that the Stake Presidency has set for November. This activity goes along with our Stake Temple Month, where we are encouraged to attend the Temple as frequently as possible. 

The Indexing challenge  is  to enable all members, active, inactive, home-bound, new members, investigators, or those without a current  Temple recommend,  to experience  that same Spirit  as they would if they could go to a Temple session.

A Challenge TIP!

If you want to get a jump-start on your indexing for November then try this:  After October 25th, download and index some batches and do not send them back. Save them till November 1st, then return all the batches you have worked.

Since there is a 7 day limit on how long you can have a batch in your work page, it is ok not to click on "send batch now" after the computer does the quality check. The batch will sit there till you decide to return it or the 7 day limit.

 Do not wait longer than 7 days  because  the batch will be withdrawn from your computer and you will not get any credit for your work.