Technology, our frenemy

Yesterday I visited a friend and showed him how to use the FamilySearch Memories app to easily record short stories for his grandchildren, They love his stories. He is a Metis elder and knows lots of stories. 

Then I suggested that he create a folder, perhaps calling it Grandpa's Stories, and add his recordings to that album. Then he can share the URL/web address of the album with family members. Then they can click the link to access the album. They do not need a FamilySearch account, just a device with internet access and a web browser. I think he was impressed by my technical expertise. 

After I returned home, we had a phone call from a niece that we have rarely been in touch with. 

She talked about family, one of our favorite topics. She said she had some family photos to share with us. 

Then we ran into a technology snag. We found that we use different technologies to communicate.

After the phone call, our landline phone kept ringing and trying to read confused text messages to us.

Then our niece phoned again and asked if we had received the photos.   

I explained that this phone is voice-only and has no text function.

She then offered to post them on Facebook, which we don't normally use, but where I would try to connect. She sent a friend request, which I accepted and I was able to see the photos and download them,

Then I figured out how to send a message to let her know that we had received the photos, and that if she would send me an email, I would send her a link to an album containing my photos on that family line. 

We quickly become comfortable with the technologies that we use regularly, but there is a whole world of other technologies.. .

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 Free "partner subscriptions" for Church members to commercial sites
https://www.familysearch.org/access/member-subscriptions 

Do I Have Relatives in the Church?`

 This is a common question from converts. As a convert of 52 years, it still interests me.

I recently had this question from a distant cousin. After listing a few relatives, I made the following suggestion:

On Feb 29 - March 2 we have RootsTech (www.familysearch.org/en/rootstech/) which we can watch at home for free, and one of their special features is Relatives at Rootstech, where you can see a map of your relatives who have registered for RootsTech (and have given permission for some of their contact info to be displayed,)  It is a lot of fun. As the world's largest family history event, many of these relatives are not members of the Church, but members who are actively involved in family history will also be there. Check it out on Feb 29th. You may be very pleasantly surprised.