3 Mar 2018
I’m
so excited!! One of the features at the RootsTech conference was an app (kind
of like relativefinder.org or “find relatives near me”) that showed you
everyone at RootsTech who is related to you. I had a list of 300 names – and
was told later that they weren’t able to download all of my relatives (who were
there) because there were too many people using the app at the same time.
I
met up with two of my fifth cousins – sisters, who live in New Mexico, that I
never knew before! As soon as we met it felt like we’d known each other for
years– we had so much in common!! It was awesome.
Deborah
Vavra, me, and Vicki Young
Debbi joined the church in 1986. Missionaries came to their house looking for her
husband. She didn’t even know her husband was LDS, or, what that was. But, she
was interested in their message. Then, in 1994, her sister, Vicki, also joined
the church. They live in the same ward and stake in the four corners area of
New Mexico.
I
told them how we were tracted out in Berlin, Germany and were baptized in 1972.
And, also, how my grandfather homesteaded in NM before it was a state and that
I have a brother who lives there now. We found out we all love reading Tony
Hillerman mysteries, too. (His books are set in the four corners area of NM.) Both of
them have callings doing indexing (they have more than 130 indexers in their
stake!) It was really fun to get to know them! We met them on Wednesday, then
went to dinner with them on Thursday. They are delightful!
Bob
was surprised to discover that he’s related to one of the sister missionaries who works in
the mission office.
I
also met briefly with two other cousins—both were 8th cousins. It was
interesting to learn that each of the cousins I met is also an adult
convert to the Church. It makes my heart swell with joy to know that my
extended family is being gathered in to the gospel of Jesus Christ!
While
sitting in sessions at RootsTech this week, I’ve found myself thinking, several
times, “Oh, how I wish my mother was still here so I could ask her about ____.”
Or “Why didn’t I ask my mom more about _____? Now I have no one to ask.” (Sigh) Such is life. . .
1 comment:
What fun to connect with family at Roots Tech! I've seen posts about the app from other people, but not any follow up stories. Yours were great! Thank you for sharing them.
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