Genealogy Conference

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

A few days have passed since the first Granbury Family History Conference. Ever since I was called as a Bishop, four years ago, I have desired to have a conference which would engage/unite members and the community. You made it happen. You have done a wonderful job and the conference was a success. I am very grateful (and humbled) by your efforts.

Because of your work many non-members, for the first time, stepped inside a building of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. If not for the conference, many would never had made the effort to visit us. This is important because they can feel the spirit in our dedicated buildings, walk the halls, see the pictures of the Savior that adorn the walls, and have the opportunity to interact with you. A barrier is broken down, and I believe we will see some of these same individuals walking into the church building in the future. (I saw that one Book of Mormon was taken from the table display.)

I thank you for spending time to clean the building so well, both before and after the conference. For time in planning, marketing, organizing, executing, and praying for this work. Thank you for supplies, projectors, and cookies.

I did have the opportunity to talk with members within and outside the stake. I had the pleasure of meeting with members who had not been to church for a long time (one for twenty-years), but came to the conference. I got the feeling from one sister that she did not really feel she was a full member because she had not attended church for so many years. I called her Sister, which she appreciated, I think she realized she is a loved daughter of our Heavenly Father and she has a place she belongs.

I know people made new friends (both members and non-members). I met new people in the community that I can say "hello" to at a basketball game, or a store, or another community event. If I see them and don't know what to say, I know we can talk about Family History. I also gained an appreciation for the value of having our own Family History Center, in the building, opened and utilized on a regular basis.

It was wonderful to see attendees eating lunch together and having great conversations. It seemed to me that people were engaged with each other and that is great. While the round tables were not envisioned for the lunch tables, I think they enabled better communication.

The door prizes were fantastic, the visiting presenters were wonderful. I enjoyed visiting with presenters and the people who set up displays. On a personal note, I most enjoyed the National Museum of the Pacific and will be in contact with them again.

I know that family history work will help our members grow closer as families (and as a ward), to connect with the community, to have meaningful missionary opportunities, to withstand the trails of life, and to strengthen their testimony of the Gospel, the Savior, and our Heavenly Father.

Your work on the conference strengthened my testimony and I thank you. I pray that you feel the love the Savior and Heavenly Father haves for each of you, and that you know you are involved in a great and marvelous work. I look forward to the next Family History Conference and the presentation from the General Authorities (on Thursday) this work.

Love,

Bishop Schenewark



HI Bishop  -

Thank you so much for being part of our conference.  I appreciate your efforts and support.  I heard from many of the attendees that they enjoyed your presentation and it was exactly what they were looking for.  You did a great job !!

We had a great turn-out as you probably saw.  I think the total attendance was about 110 as we had a bunch of no-shows but we also had 24 people who just showed up on Saturday morning


Life Section 1B of HOOD COUNTY NEWS Wednesday, February 19, 2020
Where do you start? Conference tips could help you delve into family history BY DEBBIE SCHNEIDER
If you have an interest in researching your ancestry, the Granbury Family History Conference is the place to be. The conference on Saturday brings a variety of speakers and 12 sessions to help you learn more about family history research. The Church Of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is sponsoring the workshop at 1226 Ross Lane