Ward Legacy Project: Stake Director Training

Transcription

1 Ward Legacy Project: Stake Director Training Note: This document outlines the role of the Stake Director when the Ward Legacy Project is instituted at the Stake level. Ward Legacy Project- Overview The Ward Legacy Project is designed to assist members in the Work of Salvation through the power of personal stories. FamilySearch.org, the LDS department of Genealogy and Family History, is encouraging the use of stories to aid in engaging people specifically in Family History work. (see My Family: Stories That Bring Us Together booklet published in 2013) The stories targeted for collection are personal histories of the living and recollections about family members who are deceased. Family Search has added Oral History Recording Studios and high-speed photo scanners to select Family Search Centers in the United States as tools to facilitate the story recording process. An interested individual (patron) can schedule a one-hour session at the Family Search Center s Oral History Recording Studio where they are assisted in recording their life experiences. At the end of the session, the patron purchases a flash drive containing their newly recorded life history. The photos and stories about deceased family members can be uploaded to Family Search and attached to the Family Tree. The Ward Legacy Project is also a tool to assist members with recording and sharing their life stories. It brings the recording and photo services into the homes of families at the Ward level. The Ward Legacy Project is based on recording one to five stories selected from, but not limited to each topic: personal introduction, an ancestor, childhood, marriage, family and LDS conversion/baptism/mission/sealing. As people remember these experiences their hearts are turned to the work of salvation; either to perform the saving ordinances in the temple for their ancestors or to assist in missionary work with the living. The recording process for the Ward Legacy Project can be done using a computer, laptop, ipad or smart phone. The stories can be recorded directly to LegacyStories.org, a Family Search certified partner website. With LegacyStories.org, the stories about the living and the dead can be preserved and shared online. As the Stake Legacy Advisor, you bring these opportunities to each Ward in your Stake! Your responsibilities will include: A. Complete Legacy Stories Training B. Get Approval From Stake Presidency To Participate C. Create Stake and Ward Accounts On LegacyStories.org D. Train Ward Directors 1

2 You will have tools available to you through the Legacy Stories Church Legacy Project Leaders Group. You also have the support and help from other Ward and Stake Legacy Advisors across the world. Together, we will preserve, collect and share the stories of generations! A. Complete Legacy Stories Training It is important that you understand how to create an account and add content to Legacy Stories in the three media types supported (text stories, photos and audios) in order to assist others to do the same. Some members will choose to add content via the free LegacyStories ipad or smart phone app. Others will use the talking photos technology in Slideshows to record their narrative of a photo directly to Legacy Stories. While others may want to attach photos to narratives recorded and downloaded from a digital recorder. Still, others may prefer to type their stories in to share through the printed word. Please watch the video tutorials available here ( and do the following: 1. Create your personal LegacyStories account. 2. Complete your profile information: - Upload your profile picture and a welcome message. This is what people will see when they visit your LegacyStories page. Be sure to add your contact information in the About Me section of your profile. 3. Add your photos, up to five, with stories to your Legacy Stories account. These can be in Stories, Slideshows or Audios. Your stories will be the examples you share with those you assist with their own stories. Adding tags allows others to find your stories by topic. 4. Know how to add a story using a) the ipad or smart phone app, b) Slideshow recording feature, c) previously recorded.mp3 file upload to Audios and d) the text story. B. Get Approval From Stake Presidency To Participate The Ward Legacy Project is a companion to the Family Search booklet My Family: Stories That Bring Us Together and is an effective aid in hastening the Work of Salvation within wards and the stake as a whole. You will need the approval and support of the Stake Presidency before creating the Stake and Ward accounts on Legacy Stories. Print out a copy of the document Ward Legacy Project- Overview. Read through this document and be very familiar with how the Ward Legacy Project supports the mission of the Church. Also review the Ward Legacy Project- Generic information sheet. This will be customized for each ward and distributed to the Ward membership after the project has been approved. Meet with the Stake Presidency to discuss implementing a Ward Legacy Project for each ward in your stake. Use the Ward Legacy Project- Overview document as an outline for your presentation. You will need a laptop to show the video. Ward Accounts will be linked as Family to the Stake Account. Each Ward account will be monitored by the Ward Director. Training for Ward Directors will be done at a Stake Training Meeting 2

3 Emphasize the following points: FamilySearch has started the campaign to collect stories (see My Family booklet) FamilySearch has partnered with LegacyStories to share stories of both living and the deceased with the living, at the discretion of the LegacyStories account holder. Stories can be shared in several multimedia forms (photos, audio, text, blog). Stories of the deceased can be linked to Family Search. These stories unify a ward/stake These stories strengthen bonds between individuals and families These stories are the beginning of a life sketch for Family History These stories help participants to remember the blessings received through living the gospel and can ignite them to engage in family history and/or missionary work. These stories can be tools for the missionaries as they teach investigators (Record experiences of gospel topics before leaving on a mission to share while serving a mission.) C. Create Stake and Ward Accounts On LegacyStories.org As the administrator, you will set up the Stake LegacyStories account and also each Ward account. The Stake account will act as a hub for connecting the ward accounts. This format is similar to how the Stake Directory is organized on LDS.org. It is critical that you set the Stake account up under the general LegacyStories.org website URL. YOU CANNOT CREATE THE WARD ACCOUNT THROUGH AN INDIVIDUAL S AFFILIATE LINK. This project must be managed free from any monetary compensation. Stake Account Creation 1. Create an to use for the Stake account. Record the and password on the Stake Log found at the end of this document. This account should be maintained as part of the Stake Director s responsibility and is transferrable to any future Stake Directors. 2. Create the Stake account on Click on the Register Free button. The name of the account should be the full name of your stake with the word Legacies after it. (Example: Spring Texas Stake Legacies.) Enter the you created, the zip code of the Stake Center and a password (keep the password the same as creation password). 3. Complete the Stake account profile: - Upload a photo to represent the Stake page. No official LDS logos allowed. - Fill in the Welcome message with the following text (replace the stake name): Welcome to the Spring Texas Stake Legacies homepage. This is a certified partner site of FamilySearch.org but is not an official LDS church website. Get to know people participating in the Ward Legacy Project in our Stake. Click on a Ward in our "Family" section, then on an individual in the Ward s Friends section to hear their stories. - Click on the About Me section and enter your name and contact information. 4. Click on the affiliate tab and accept the terms of use. Record the unique URL on the Stake Log. The URL looks like this: legacystories.org/?wiz_id= (the four blanks represent 4 digits). This is the URL you will type into the browser bar when you 3

4 create the ward accounts. Using this URL will link the ward account to this stake account. 5. Log out of the stake account. Ward Account Creation Create an for each Ward. Use the same password for each. Keep the and LegacyStories account information for the stake and ward organized on the Stake Log. Use the following procedure for each ward account: 1. Type the Stake URL in the website browser bar. (Make sure you are logged out of every LegacyStories account before typing in the URL.) Click Register Free button. 2. Create the Ward Legacy account. - The account name should end in Legacies. (Example: Montgomery Ward Legacies) - Type in the ward and password. - Zip code can be that of the church building or bishop. - Upload a profile photo and type in the welcome message. See example: Welcome to the Montgomery Ward Legacies homepage. This is a certified partner site of FamilySearch.org but not an official website of the LDS Church. Get to know people participating in the Ward Legacy Project in our Stake. Click on a person in our "Friends" section to hear their stories. <insert line> Story Suggestions: introduction, childhood, baptism, mission, engagement/wedding, family, ancestor, etc. 3. Connect the Ward account to the Stake account as Family - Add Stake as Family: The Stake account shows up under the Friends section. Click view all under Friends. This takes you to a listing of accounts. Click on add as family in the Stake account listing. Send the family request to Stake account and close the message screen. - Remove the Stake account from the Ward Friends by hovering over the lower right side of the Stake listing to expose the Remove as Friend button. Press button and confirm removal. 4. Click on the affiliate tab and accept the terms of use. Record the unique URL that is generated for the Ward account on the Stake Log. Repeat this process for each remaining ward. D. Train Ward Directors After the Stake Presidency has invited the ward bishops to participate in the Legacy Project, schedule a 1.5 hour meeting to present the Ward Legacy Project to Ward High Priest Group Leaders and Family History Directors/Consultants. Encourage attendees to bring laptops and/or ipads. This meeting should be under the direction of the Stake Presidency with the invitation to attend the meeting originating with the Stake Presidency. As the Stake Director, you should have a complete list of all family history consultants from each ward. 4

5 The training meeting should be very similar to the meeting you had with the Stake Presidency. In addition, Ward Directors will need to know how to create individual accounts and how to record a story using the ipad or smart phone app. There will be time during the meeting to allow each consultant to create their own account. The last segment of the meeting will be a brainstorming session on ways to implement the Ward Legacy Project in their ward. As the Stake Director you will also help Ward Directors with any patron questions or issues. As preparation for this Stake meeting: 1) Print out the WLP- Ward Director document, one for each ward in the stake. Write in the Ward LegacyStories account information on the WLP- Ward Director document from the Stake Log. 2) Update the Ward Legacy Project- generic information sheet for each ward. Changes are in red on the information sheet - Title: change the generic title to <ward name> Legacies - Add 4 digit number to ward URL in step 1 ( ) - Save the updated sheet for each ward. (Example file name: WLP-Montgomery). Keep the file names consistent: WLP- (ward name) 3) Arrange beforehand to have a Ward Director assist you during the Stake Training Meeting so that you can demonstrate 1) how to add consultant information to the Ward Account, 2) how to create a personal account using Ward URL, and 3) how to record a story using the ipad or smart phone app. Have a picture of this Ward Director on the laptop that will be used during the Training before the meeting starts so that you will be able to add their photo to their profile. Ask them to be ready to give an introduction of themselves. Materials Needed for Stake Training Meeting - Laptop and projector with connecting cables, internet access required. Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox are preferred browsers. - 1 ipad - Ward Legacy Project-Overview (one copy for every attendee) - WLP- (ward name) (several copies for each ward) - WLP- Ward Director (one copy for each ward) Meeting Set Up - Set up laptop and projector. Have the internet open to LegacyStories. - Have copies of the Ward Legacy Project- Overview and WLP- (ward name) sheets on a table in the meeting room entrance. - Have WLP- Ward Director documents ready to pass out during the meeting. 5

6 Meeting Introduction (30 minutes) MEETING OUTLINE A member of the Stake Presidency should speak briefly in support of each ward participating in the Ward Legacy Project. He should share the vision of the Ward Legacy Project as it pertains to unifying, increasing Family History and missionary work in each ward and the Stake as a whole. When the time is turned over to you, ask those present not to create an account on LegacyStories until later when time and instructions are given to do so. Introduce the Ward Legacy Project following the Ward Legacy Project- Overview. Begin with the My Family booklet produced by FamilySearch. Play the Ward Legacy Project video. Discuss the benefits of participating in the Ward Legacy Project. Explain that the stories will be shared on the FamilySearch Partner site, LegacyStories.org. Do not discuss the different methods of implementing the Ward Legacy Project at this point in the meeting. LegacyStories- Ward, Stake & Individual Accounts (15 minutes) Explain that a Ward account has been created for every ward and they are connected to the Stake account as Family. Show them how to find the Ward account in the Friends section using your personal account as an example. Click to go to the Ward homepage. Show them how to find the Stake account in the Family section. Click to go to the Stake account. Show them all the wards found under Family. This is set up like the Stake directory on LDS.org. To see a participating member from the Stake homepage, click on the Ward and then the individual to see/hear their content. Remind them to wait to create their account. Each ward has a unique URL that members should use when creating their account so that the Ward and Member accounts will be connected as Friends on LegacyStories. Hold up the document Ward Legacy Project- Generic and tell they should have picked up the document customized for their ward when they first came in the room. Tell them you want to show them how to create an account using the URL and that they will be given time to do this during the meeting later. Again, ask them to wait to create an account. Invite the Ward Advisor to come forward to assist you. Log out of your LegacyStories account. Type the Advisor s Ward URL in the browser bar. Stress the importance of using the entire URL ending in 4 digits. With the Advisor doing the typing at the computer, help them create their account. Complete the Advisor s profile by uploading their photo (previously saved to the computer) and typing in a welcome message. Point out that the Ward Account is now shown under friends. Also have the Advisor open the About Me section to add contact information. This process should take less than 5 minutes. Create Accounts. Invite each person to create their personal Legacy Stories account using the URL on their WLP- (Ward Name) information sheet. Remind them to write their and password on their information sheet. If they do not have a picture available to upload, remind them that they can add that later. Allow 5 minutes. 6

7 Next, explain that the easiest way to record stories is by using the LegacyStories ipad app. Stories can also be recorded using an on-site audio recording feature found in the slideshow section on LegacyStories. Stories can also be typed in. The LegacyStories ipad app is free. Tell them to take out their ipads now and download the free LegacyStories app. (Type LegacyStories in the search bar and download) In July 2014, free iphone and Smart phone apps will be available. Take a photo of the Advisor with the ipad. Open the LegacyStories app and type in their name to create a new storyteller. This essentially creates a story folder for their recordings to go. There is no limit to the amount of storyteller folders you can create. Select Use an ipad photo and select the picture you just took of the Advisor. Explain that it is easy to record: Press the record button, tell your story, and press the stop button. Stories can be recorded as many times as needed. When the record button is pushed, there will be a timer counting from zero up to three minutes. The app allows for up to 3 minutes of recording time. Record the Advisor introducing themselves to the group (name, date, background, schooling, career, family, hobbies, etc.) Press the save button. Upload the story. One person in each ward has been (or will be) asked to act as the Ward Legacy Director. Part of the Ward Director s responsibilities will be to monitor their Ward Legacy account to accept friend invitations from those who did not remember to use the Ward URL when creating their individual account. The Ward Director may also send invitations from the Ward account to ward members asking them to participate in the Ward Legacy Project. The main responsibility of the Ward Director is to engage ward members in participating in the Ward Legacy Project. Pass out WLP- Ward Director documents, one to each ward. Brainstorm Session (remaining time left) This portion of the meeting is for discussing potential ways to implement the Ward Legacy Project. Implementation may not be the same for every ward. Under the direction of the High Priest Group Leader, the Family History Director and Consultants should work together to formulate an implementation plan. This plan should be presented to the Ward Council. Use the last page of the Ward Legacy Project- Overview to generate ideas. Allow time to let consultants brainstorm. Each member in the ward should have the opportunity to record their stories for the Ward Legacy Project. A general invitation to the ward for members to participate may result in a few individuals who record and share stories. Additionally, a sample Family Home Evening lesson I m a VIP (Very Important Person) In My Family Tree, found at the end of this document, can be a resource for families to help them get started. Consultants should also follow up with each participating family to introduce additional aspects of Family History (FamilySearch, Indexing, research, recording more stories, etc.). Story prompts (found at the end of this document) can be copied, laminated and used by the consultants to record member stories during home visits or in the Story Recording Booth approach. Let the consultants know you will be a resource to help with patron and website questions once they begin their Ward s Legacy Project. 7

8 Resources & Aids 8

9 Ward Legacy Project Stake Log Stake: URL: LegacyStories.org/?wiz_id= Password: Ward Password Ward URL (4 digit #) 9

10 FHE Lesson: I m a VIP (Very Important Person) in my Family Tree! Purpose: To orally record stories of important life events and experiences of each family member to preserve and share. There are two options for recording: 1) one person tells several stories, or 2) each family member tells their individual story about the chosen story topic. The activity for this lesson could be done over several weeks. Gospel Principle: Preserving Family History Materials Needed: Computer or laptop; ipad, Smart Phone or digital voice recorder; VIP Photos: current photo, childhood, baptism, engagement/wedding, family, other Ingredients for VIP favorite dessert Preparation: Prepare the VIP s favorite dessert. Know how to record stories using one of the following methods: 1) Website with recording and sharing capabilities (*See note at the end of the lesson) 2) Audio recorder- digital voice recorder (hand held, computer program or smart app) 3) Video recorder Additional resources: My Family: Stories That Bring Us Together booklet produced by FamilySearch Roots and Branches (Elder Quentin L. Cook, April 2014 General Conference Address) Opening Song: Tell Me the Stories of Jesus (Children s songbook, pg. 57), Opening Prayer: by invitation Scripture: Moses 6:46 and Abraham 1: 31 For a book of remembrance we have written among us, according to the pattern given by the finger of God; and it is written in our own language.... for the benefit of my posterity that shall come after me. Lesson: We are part of a wonderful family. We have the same parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. We share the same lineage and heritage. Our family is one unit of Heavenly Father s family. We can see where we fit into our extended family when we look at our family tree. Even though we all belong to our family and have many things alike, each of us is unique and special. We are VIP s- Very Important People! We all have stories. Our life experiences and stories reflect our journey here on earth. Our first parents Adam and Eve kept a record of their experiences to teach their children the gospel and share things they thought were important for them to know. (see scriptures listed above). 10

11 Sharing our stories is important for our family, too. Sharing our stories helps us preserve memories along with how we felt, what we learned and how it affected our life. Remembering our stories can also can help us to be thankful for all the blessings we have. When we share stories of following the commandments, such as being baptized, we remember how much Heavenly Father loves us and how He blesses us for living the gospel. We will have the desire to help others receive the same blessings. The Holy Ghost will help us act on these desires by prompting us to do Family History or missionary work. Our stories can also help others in our family, ward, neighborhood and people we may not even know. When people hear our stories they will know and understand us better. Our stories can teach gospel principles, inspire others and connect our hearts. Tonight we are going to record some stories. Our VIP for this family home evening is: (If the focus is to record stories of one person, say the person s name If the focus is to record one story from each family member, say you! ) Activity: This activity can focus on one family member sharing several stories from their life or each family member sharing their individual experience of the chosen story topic. These story topics are just suggestions so feel free to pick and choose or add new topics that are of interest. Try to find pictures for each topic. Record the stories as they are told using the technology you have chosen. Begin each story with the recording date. Story Suggestions and Topics PHOTO You You as a Child Your Marriage Your Family Your Baptism STORY SUGGESTIONS Introduce yourself as if talking to a stranger. Where did you grow up? Number of siblings? What is your profession/job, schooling? How do you like to spend your time? Share hobbies, talents, interests you have now. What would you like people to know about you? Share a story from your youth. Where did you grow up: hometown, interests, activities, education, family traditions, holidays? Were you raised in the church? How did you and your spouse meet? What first attracted you to your spouse? The marriage proposal. Engagement. Where did you get married? How has marriage blessed your life? Introduce your family, things you like to do together, how the gospel strengthens your family, family traditions, a specific family experience, etc. Tell about your baptism experience. Date, who baptized/confirmed you. Who attended your baptism? What blessings do you notice in your life because of your membership in the church? Were you raised in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints? How many generations of your family are members? Are you a convert? Who introduced you to the Gospel? Who taught you the Missionary 11

12 Ancestor Discussions? Share your testimony. Any stories that you would like to share of family members from the booklet, My Family: Stories That Bring Us Together. (Stories of the deceased can be added/linked to the FamilySearch Family Tree.) Other story suggestions: mission, conversion story, values, words of wisdom, spiritual experience, listening to the promptings of the Holy Ghost, a person who has influenced your life, family heirloom or keepsake Closing Song: Family History- I Am Doing It (Children s Songbook, pg. 94) Closing Prayer: by invitation Refreshments: VIP dessert Sharing: These stories should be shared. After all the stories are recorded, you can save to CD or DVD and give to extended family. If you use a website*, invite others to view your family stories. * Note: LegacyStories.org is a certified partner website of FamilySearch that works well. This free multimedia website has an internal audio recording feature. Ancestor stories can be linked to the FamilySearch Family Tree. The free LegacyStories ipad and smart phone apps make recording easy and uploads directly to the website. If you choose to utilize LegacyStories.org, create a free account for each family member as preparation for this lesson. Need help? There are help buttons on the site that have videos and printable step-by-step instructions. This website is also used as part of the Ward Legacy Project ( 12

13 Your Name Today s Date: Introduction How long have you been in the area? Where did you move from? What brought you to the area? Tell a little about yourself - Where were you born, raised? - Talents - Hobbies - Interesting fact about you - Education or Current Profession - Family - Relatives: last names in your genealogy Baptism Your Name & Today s Date Tell about your conversion to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. - Were you raised in the church? How many generations of your family are members? - Are you a convert? Who introduced you to the Gospel? Who taught you the Missionary Discussions? Baptism Date Who baptized you? Confirmed you? Share your testimony Your Name Today s Date Childhood Where were you born/raised? Did you live near relatives? How many siblings do you have? What number are you? Share a story about your childhood - games you played (hide & go seek, tag, kick ball, board games) - Where you on a team? Played an instrument? - school, friends, - family traditions growing up Your Name Today s Date: Marriage How did you meet your spouse? What was your first impression of spouse? What attracted you to your spouse? How did you (or spouse) propose? How long was your engagement? How many years have you been married? Which anniversary was most memorable? 13

14 Family Ancestor Your Name & Today s Date Tell briefly about each family member, starting with your spouse. How do you like to spend time together as a family? Do you have any family traditions? Tell about a memorable family vacation. What things does your family do to: - Strengthen relationships? - Strengthen testimonies? - Live the gospel? Your Name Today s Date What is your relationship to this ancestor? Did you know them personally? When/where was your ancestor born? Where did your ancestor live? Tell about your ancestor. How did your ancestor affect your life and who you are today? Mission Your Name & Today s Date Where and what years did you serve a mission? Did you learn to speak a foreign language? Who were your different companions? What did you learn from your mission? Tell about a person/family you taught the gospel to. Keepsake or Heirloom Your Name & Today s Date: Describe the item Who did you receive it from? How long has it been in the family? Who was the original owner? What do you want to remember about this item? Who will inherit it next? 14