Indexing - Assigning to specific Stake/Ward

If you are participating in FamilySearch Indexing, please make sure all your information is correct.  By providing this information, you are better able to receive the proper help and support.

You can log in to the Web site and have yourself assigned to the correct stake--or, in the case of a community volunteer that is not LDS, a local stake--so that you can get help locally from a stake indexing director. To be assigned to a stake, use the steps below:

• Go to http://indexing.familysearch.org.
• Click Sign In in the upper right corner, and enter your user name and password.
• Click Sign In.
• Click on Edit at the bottom of the screen.
• Click in the Group or Stake field.
• Type in the name of the stake that you would like to be a part of.

If you aren't sure what the official name of the stake is, you can type in the name of the city, state, or country and scroll through all the options for that locality.  If you see several options for the locality, the correct stake does not seem to be in the list, or you are not sure which would be the correct stake, contact FamilySearch toll free, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mountain time at 1-866-406-1830 for further help from Indexing Administration.

• Select the desired stake from the drop-down list by clicking on the stake.
• Click Save.

You should now be assigned to a stake.  Also remember to type down the name of your ward as well.

If you would like to contact your stake indexing director or group administrator for any questions you might have, you should:

• Log in to the indexing program.
• Click on Help.
• Click on Support.

Indexing

Come and help assist in the work at https://familysearch.org/volunteer/indexing

People are encouraged to participate in FamilySearch indexing which is vital to family history and temple work.  It helps us remember our past generations and strengthens our hearts to turn towards our ancestors.

FamilySearch was introduced in 2006 and since then, there have been over 800 million records transcribed thus far.  Every little bit you do adds to those numbers.

Set a goal now to sign up for FamilySearch Indexing and decide to index: whether it is 1 name a day or 1,000 names in a month; for 5 minutes a day or 5 hours a week.  Index in English or Spanish or any other language you know.

Let the Spirit of Elijah touch your heart through the activity of indexing.  This experience can and will change your life for good if you let it.

Indexing

FamilySearch has a great volunteer program for indexing records.  Indexing takes scanned and digitized handwritten or typed records and allows volunteers to write down information such as names, dates, and places.  With this information, searching through records is faster and easier to do.  Instead of searching through pages and pages of microfilms, a person can easily go online, type in the name they are searching for, and (with luck) find that name in the database.

Not only is participating in indexing a great volunteer opportunity to help prepare records for search databases.  It also teaches you how to read old and/or sloppy handwriting.  Even with all the indexing and transcribing, family historians and genealogists still work with reading handwritten records.  And to be honest, many of the records are hard to read.  At times, it take a lot of work to decipher the handwriting.

With indexing, a person learns to recognize different styles of writing.  It may be difficult at first, but you will learn and improve on the skill.   The more records you index, the easier it will become and the more you are preparing yourself for the day when you find an important family document and need to decipher the handwriting.  You will be thankful for the practice.

If you haven't already, consider volunteering at:  https://familysearch.org/volunteer/indexing

If you are already an indexer, keep up the good work.  It may be hard and frustrating at times, but you will improve.  Just imagine what it would be like if one day a record you are indexing happens to have the name of one of your ancestors.  How would that feel to you?  Your work is allowing another person to search for their ancestor and find that name.  They will feel that same emotion you just imagined feeling.

Also, if you have been invited by FamilySearch to become an arbitrator (after indexing a specific number of batches), seriously think about accepting the offer.  It can be even more difficult to arbitrate because you are comparing the same record done by two different indexers and you have to make the decision of which is right.  But don't let that scare you away.  It too will be a great teaching tool.  It improves your skills as an indexer (for you should continue doing both arbitrating and indexing batches) and it lets you take another role in preparing these records for internet accessibility.

It is a great family history opportunity.  Don't let this experience and practice pass you by.  Consider joining in on the volunteer effort - whether it is through FamilySearch or another organization.