Extraordinary Visiting Teachers badge

Please copy this badge and attach it to your face book and blog. This will distinguish you as an Extraordinary Visiting Teacher, and hopefully motivate others to join the ranks. Thanks for your service and keep up the good work! Sincerely, Katie G.

Blank Gift Tags and One printed for Frozen Mixed Berry jam

The gift tag template was found at: http://alenkasprintables.com/freeprintables/blanktemp/gift_tag.png

CARD HANDOUT

FAMILY HISTORY RESEARCH, WRITING & BLOGGING by Katie Gauger

Front Page of Booklet Back Page of Booklet

Helpful Online Genealogical Resourceshttp://visitingteachingsurprisedocuments.blogspot.com/2009/09/family-history-research-writing.html
 All of the resources listed in this document can also be found at: A blog, short for Web log, is basically a very easy-to-use Web site. No need to worry too much about creativity or code. Instead a blog is basically an online journal -- you just open it up and start to write -- which makes it a great medium for documenting your family history search and sharing it with the world.

A genealogy or family history blog can be used for many reasons -- to tell family stories, to document your research steps, to share your findings, to collaborate with family members or to display photos. Some genealogists have even created a blog to share daily entries from an ancestor's diary, or to post family recipes.
• Blogging: The act of writing a post for a blog
• Blogger: A person who writes content for a blog
• Blogosphere: The online community of blogs and bloggers
The earliest blogs started in the late 1990s as online diaries. As the Internet has become more social, blogs have gained in popularity. Today, there are over 100 million blogs with more entering the blogosphere everyday. Blogs have become more than online diaries. In fact, blogging has become an important part of the online and offline worlds with popular bloggers impacting the worlds of politics, business and society with their words. Anyone can start a blog thanks to the simple (and often free) tools readily available online.

What To Include on your Family History Blog
Every family is different and every family history is different. That's why you should include some information about your family and it's history on your site. If you have pictures of your family and/or your ancestors, include these too. Tell a little bit about each family member so people coming to your site will know more than just their names. If you have created a family tree, add this to your site. Then tell what kinds of information you are looking for, if any. Are you looking for more information about your family's history? Other people who are related to your ancestors? Or, maybe you want to create a family directory. Either way, you need to tell people what your site is and what you need to make it better.

1. FAMILY HISTORY BLOGGING: Blog your family history (become a Geneablogger) If you haven't created your own family history blog, now is the time. It's free and easy! There is even have a companion video series for you that will show you how - literally - at the Genealogy Gems TV Channel at YouTube. There are 3 videos currently in the series with the 4th soon to come.
• Video Part 1 Creating a Family History Blog - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nE1oXYRLMlY
• Video Part 2 “Tuning up your blog” 11:49 minutes http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGhTir3iaFQ • Video Part 3 Continuing to set up your Family History Blog 17:56 minuets http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=nE1oXYRLMlY&pop_ads=0#t=347
• Video Part 4: Should be out this week.

2. BLOGGER.COM: Since the above Video Series are incomplete, if you want to learn more of how to maneuver around your blog, go to the tutorial at https://www.blogger.com/start You can:
• Take a quick tour
• Watch a video tutorial
• Discover more features
When you create a blog, you can share your thoughts, photos and more with anyone you wish all around the world. It is easy to use and to post text, photos, and videos from the web or your mobile phone. You can personalize your blog with themes, gadgets, premade backgrounds & headers, and much, much more. go to http://blogger.com

3. KATIE’S BLOGGING 101 GUIDE This is a quick tutorial on how to create a blog. You can go to the following link on one of my blogs, and print it off for yourself. This also lists some of my all time favorite blogs on subjects that interest me. Go to:
http://visitingteachingsurprise.blogspot.com/2009/01/blogging-101.html

4. USING YOUR IPOD..GENEALOGY PODCASTS & GENEAOLGY TOOLSIf you go to the following link, you can learn how to turn your Ipod into a Genealogy and Family History Tool.
• http://genealogygemspodcast.blogspot.com/2009/09/part-2-how-to-blog-your-family-history.html
• Genealogy Podcasts: http://genealogygemspodcast.com/index.php?post_id=244529
• http://www.familytreemagazine.com/podcast
• http://personallifemedia.com/podcasts/415-family-history
• http://familyhistory.podbean.com/
• http://podcasts.dearmyrtle.com/
• http://www.genealogygemspodcast.com/
• http://radio.lds.org/eng/podcasts
• http://blog.eogn.com/eastmans_online_genealogy/
• http://www.cyndislist.com/podcasts.htm

5. GENEALOGY BOOKS ONLINE (EBOOKS)
Genealogy Online by Patricia Crowe
• http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=jthoNqd8It4C&oi=fnd&pg=PT18&dq=blogs+for+genealogy&ots=BC7SPiXHnV&sig=y7N6Us4_jy87daaeSTfFzSEsRXI#v=onepage&q=blogs%20for%20genealogy&f=false• An Itiots Guide to Online Genealogy http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=vNMb_dZSOjEC&oi=fnd&pg=PR1&dq=genealogy+books+online&ots=457fwBkDB8&sig=78gVS3YVTtQzX891Mj-_kKSdPV0#v=onepage&q=genealogy%20books%20online&f=false
• Turning Memories into Memoirs – Dennis Ledouix ( a handbook for writing life stories) http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=QDUoXUx1UfIC&oi=fnd&pg=PA11&dq=related:auwx1u4nSMwJ:scholar.google.com/&ots=gvTZ_zREN_&sig=7ZROaNnYFAKtJNobf9kjEKeTd4Y#v=onepage&q=&f=false
• They Came in Ships ( a guide to fining your Imigrant ancestors arrival record) http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=thortsX3HVoC&oi=fnd&pg=PP13&dq=related:auwx1u4nSMwJ:scholar.google.com/&ots=6K8mKp48w7&sig=uoVe1fwJY-szE4XApnRq8ISX4e8#v=onepage&q=&f=false
• Unlocking Secrets of Old Photographs – Karen Frisck Ripley http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=Tdk4eVF0nbIC&oi=fnd&pg=PP11&dq=related:auwx1u4nSMwJ:scholar.google.com/&ots=F210aiKJlF&sig=V8I0kPUScu6KzS0WwbJa1tI1Hi4#v=onepage&q=&f=false

7. RADIO BROADCASTING - Genealogy topics
• http://www.familyrootsradio.com/
• http://radio.lds.org/eng/

8. WRITNG YOUR OWN FAMILY HISTORY
• http://www.cyndislist.com/writing.htm
• http://www.familysearch.org/eng/default.asp?page=home/welcome/site_resources.asp%3FwhichResourcePage=fhlessonseries
• http://www.familysearch.org/eng/default.asp?page=home/welcome/site_resources.asp%3FwhichResourcePage=fhlessonseries (writing a personal Family History)

9. EXCELLENT GENEALOGY SITES FOR RESEARCHERS
• http://www.familysearch.org/eng/default.asp
• http://www.cyndislist.com/
• http://www.familysearch.org/eng/default.asp?page=home/welcome/site_resources.asp%3FwhichResourcePage=fhlessonseries (how to use the internet for Family History research)
• http://www.familysearch.org/eng/search/websites/frameset_websites.asp?PAGE=browsekeysites.asp ( a bunch of family history sites on the web)
• http://www.familytreemagazine.com/101for2009/ (101 best genealogy websites for 2009)

10. BUILD A FAMILY TREE & HISTORY (Interactive & printable)
Build your own family tree and history and be able to email it to those you want to share it with when you are done. Go to http://www.pbs.org/americanfamily/tree/
• Printable Family Trees http://www.wikitree.com/printable/family-tree-diagram.html
• Printable family Trees http://www.familytreetemplates.net/
• Great site!!! http://www.earl.org.uk/family-tree-printable-pages.html
• http://www.uftree.com/family_tree_template.asp

11. FORMS & RECORD SHEETS (printable & downloadable)
• Oral History Record http://www.familytreemagazine.com/upload/images/pdf/oralhistory.pdf• Family Traditions form http://www.familytreemagazine.com/upload/images/pdf/traditions.pdf• Time Capsules http://www.familytreemagazine.com/upload/images/pdf/timecapsule.pdf
• Free downloadable & Printable forms needed to organize family history http://www.familytreemagazine.com/freeforms/

12. GETTING KIDS INVOLVED IN GENEALOGY
• Kids turn centeral Genealogy http://www.kidsturncentral.com/topics/hobbies/genforms.htm
• Kids Family tree printables & projects http://www.familytreetemplates.net/category/kids
• Cyndis List provides a comprehensive list of sites for children http://www.cyndislist.com/kids.htm

13. FUN & HELPFUL VIDEOS FAMILY - HISTORY RELATED
• Family Hairstyles http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRN1zn0AcxU
• Get Original Genealogy and Family History Records with FamilySearch New Record Search Pilot site http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lb6amn_4frQ&feature=related
• Searching on Google Scholar http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWz_jBrxnBE
• What is Genealogy Research? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tEhnGff-HzM
• The Genealogy Guy http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5osAppwAGFk
• Part 1 of Online Genealogy Information Gathering Method http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qO_RI4QnX4• Part 2 of Online Genealogy Information Gathering Method http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ynoQX-djFw
• Part 3 of Online Genealogy Information Gathering method http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S38ev9Kl0kk
14. GENEALOBY CLIP ART & GRAPHICS SOUCE http://genealogy.about.com/od/clipart/Genealogy_Clipart_Graphics_Family_Tree_Art.htm
15. FAMILY HISTORY BLOGSPOT - The following are blogs that are Katie’s or someone elses in her family. These are just samples of what people have done to create blogs for family history purposes, online family scrapbooking pages
• It All Started with Adelbert & Della Smith blog http://adelbertanddellasmithfamily.blogspot.com/
• Paul & Marcelene Gauger Family history blog http://paulmarcelenegaugerfamily.blogspot.com

HOW TO PUBLISH YOUR BLOG INTO A BOOKType in the search engine box “How to make your blog into a book” The following and more will come up on the page. Go into each and see the differences between the options each site offers, and then choose one and make your book. One thing to consider is the cost and each site has different costs to print your blog.
• http://blog2print.sharedbook.com
• www.blogbinders.com/
• http://emma-bagladee.blogspot.com
• http://www.blurb.com/create/book/blogbook
• http://blog2print.sharedbook.com/blogworld/printmyblog/cutestblog/index.html
• http://www.lulu.com
• http://www.creativecontinuum.com/

Cute Free printables for you & your sisters!

Sometimes I find the darlingest (if that is a word) things while surfing on the internet. Of course my surfing is because I am looking for ideas to pass on to you. I found a very cute site that has so many great ideas for little cute things to do for so many reasons.... like you know little thoughtful gift giving ideas for your visiting teaching sisters. I thought I would share some of them with you. Be sure to copy and paste the links into the search bar, as they are not active when I post here. Have fun ! I will add to the list as time permits. XOXO Katie

1. Printable Little Match book note pad. I would add a mini pen to go with it.
http://pattyschaffer.typepad.com/files/doodle-matchbook-1.pdf and http://pattyschaffer.typepad.com/files/tree-bookmarks.pdf

2. Templates for printing and folding cute little things like milk cartons, cones, boxes, cards, matchbook notepad, folding fan, etc. Very cute and cleaver! http://www.ruthannzaroff.com/mirkwooddesigns/templates.htm

3. Free Printable Grocery Shopping list, Honey Do's, cute birthday cards, recipe cards and other cute lists and printable things. http://www.erinvaledesign.com/leo_on_the_loose/freebies/

Cute and simple gift ideas to take with you Visiting Teaching

CANNING THEMED: (You will need to cut and paste these bolded links to your address bar as when posting they do not activate automatically.)
Since it is canning season, I thought I would share with you some fun ideas that I found while searching for canning recipes. Go to the following link: http://www.freshpreserving.com/pages/crafts/217.phpIdeas for using Canning Jars:
• http://wendyusuallywanders.wordpress.com/canning-jar-crafts-jar-mixes-and-jar-gifts/
• http://www.wisebread.com/sanity-saving-ideas-for-canning-jars
• http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf127414.tip.html
• http://www.motherearthsgarden.com/homemade-gift-ideas-get-out-those-canning-jars/
• http://baking.about.com/od/giftideas/ss/canningjarcakes.htm•

SEEDS THEMED: This is the time of year that you can start collecting the seeds from your flowers or vegetable garden. When plants go to seek, simply snip them off and lay them on a paper plate or paper towel to dry. It may take a week or two, but once they are completely dry, you can store them. Xpedex carries a whole lot of sizes of plastic zip lock bags from very tiny to large size. You will want some tiny ones. Then all you need to do is to print what kind of seeds they are on a colored piece of cardstock or paper and make your own header. Cut it to the size you need and staple it on to the top of the zipped bag of seeds. Instant gift giving, even when your garden is all dried up.

I found at http://www.survival-training.info/images14/SeedPacket2.jpg a template to make your own seed packets. Copy it off and cut it out. Seal sides together with a glue stick and insert seeds then seal the top. Very cute & Cleaver!

Another site to get this template for making your own flower or garden seed packet is this: http://www.squidoo.com/flowerseedpackets









Seeds: http://www.wpfamilychurch.org/files/The_Word_is_Seed.pdf

• Luke 8:11 “Now this parable is this: The seed is the Word of God.”

• Seed Quotes:

• “No one expects a seed to produce a harvest the same day that seed is planted. Sometimes the Word of God seems to spring up and bear fruit immediately. Yet, if we knew the details, we would understand that the fruit of the Word grew in that person’s life over time.”

• “A seed is persistent; it never gives up, but works day and night. Even when you are sleeping, the seed you have planted is working to grow and express itself in a fruitful harvest. We need to be patient and allow the seed to accomplish what it was sent to do”.


Here is another site that has a whole bunch of predrawn templates for different kinds of seeds, to just print off on your computerhttp://www.gardensandcrafts.com/seedpackets.html• Go to this site and then scroll down to find the template that you are looking for, then print from this site. The template used as a photo on this site won't work properly.

“A seed will stop growing without nourishment. Planting a seed is not enough to assure a harvest. A seed must be protected and taken care of until harvest time. A seed which is dug up, or not watered will not produce. The more the seeds planted, the larger the harvest will be. 2 Cor. 9:6 He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully”.

Talks using “Seeds” found though LDS.org

• James E. Faust, “Of Seeds and Soils,” Ensign, Nov 1999, 46
http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?hideNav=1&locale=0&sourceId=23ea6a4430c0c010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD

• Joseph B. Wirthlin, “Seeds of Renewal,” Ensign, May 1989, 7
http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?hideNav=1&locale=0&sourceId=0a0027cd3f37b010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD

• “In the Morning Sow Thy Seed,” Ensign, Jun 2009, 40–43 http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?hideNav=1&locale=0&sourceId=c6c5ceb47f381210VgnVCM100000176f620a____&vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD

• David B. Haight, “Planting Gospel Seeds of Spirituality,” Ensign, Jan 1973, 74
• http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?hideNav=1&locale=0&sourceId=2dbf438d9b76b010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD

"Faith is like a little seed, if planted it will grow" is a quote from a cute primary song. If you go to Sugar doodle, you can also find another template that is all drawn up with a tree on the outside of it with this quotes.

Maestras Visitantes

Maestras Visitantes
Mensaje Agosto 2009

Por medio de la oración, lea este mensaje y seleccione los pasajes de las Escrituras y las enseñanzas que satisfagan las necesidades de las hermanas a las que visite. Comparta sus experiencias y su testimonio e invite a las hermanas a las que enseñe a hacer lo mismo

Procuremos la instrucción académica y el aprendizaje
de toda la vida

¿Por qué debo procurar continuamente la instrucción espiritual y la secular?

D. y C. 93:36–37: “La gloria de Dios es la inteligencia, o en otras palabras, luz y verdad. La luz y la verdad desechan a aquel inicuo”.

Julie B. Beck, presidenta general de la Sociedad de Socorro: “El Señor nos ha dicho: ‘…dedicaréis vuestro tiempo al estudio de las Escrituras’ (D. y C. 26:1) y que ‘el Libro de Mormón y las Santas Escrituras [se nos han dado]… para [nuestra] instrucción’ (D. y C. 33:16). Toda mujer puede ser instructora de doctrina del Evangelio en su hogar y toda hermana de la Iglesia debe tener conocimiento del Evangelio como líder y como maestra. Si todavía no se han formado el hábito del estudio diario de las Escrituras, comiencen ahora y continúen estudiándolas a fin de estar preparadas para sus responsabilidades tanto en esta vida como en las eternidades” (“Mi alma se deleita en las Escrituras”, Liahona, mayo de 2004, pág. 107–8).

Presidente Thomas S. Monson: “Además de nuestro estudio sobre temas espirituales, el aprendizaje secular es también esencial… Les insto a procurar obtener instrucción académica, si es que aún no lo están haciendo o no lo han hecho, con el fin de estar preparadas para mantener el hogar si las circunstancias lo hicieran necesario.
“Sus talentos aumentarán a medida que estudien y aprendan. Podrán ayudar mejor a sus familias en su aprendizaje y se sentirán tranquilas al saber que se han preparado para las eventualidades de la vida” (“Tres metas para guiarte”, Liahona, noviembre de 2007, pág. 119).

¿Cómo puedo aprender durante toda la vida?

Presidente Henry B. Eyring, Primer Consejero de la Primera Presidencia: “Tendremos que tomar algunas decisiones difíciles en cuanto a la forma en que utilizaremos nuestro tiempo… Pero tengamos presente que nuestro interés por la educación no debe ser sólo por el término de la vida terrenal, sino por la vida eterna. Cuando veamos claramente esa realidad con una perspectiva espiritual, colocaremos la instrucción espiritual en primer plano sin pasar por alto la instrucción secular.
“…Y debido a que lo que tendremos que saber es difícil de discernir, necesitaremos la ayuda de los cielos para saber cuáles de la infinidad de cosas que podríamos estudiar nos beneficiarían más. Significa también que no podemos desperdiciar el tiempo divirtiéndonos cuando tengamos la oportunidad de leer o de escuchar aquello que nos servirá para aprender lo que es verídico y útil. La curiosidad insaciable será nuestro sello distintivo” (“Education for Real Life”, Ensign, octubre de 2002, págs. 18, 19).

Élder Robert D. Hales, del Quórum de los Doce Apóstoles: “Algunos de los atributos básicos que se necesitan para llegar a aprender durante toda la vida son valor, deseo fiel, humildad, paciencia, curiosidad y la disposición de comunicar y compartir el conocimiento que obtengamos.
“Mis queridas hermanas, nunca se menosprecien como mujeres o madres… No permitan que el mundo defina, denigre ni limite sus sentimientos de aprender durante toda la vida y los valores de la maternidad en el hogar, tanto aquí en la tierra como en la instrucción eterna, y los beneficios que brindan a sus hijos y a su compañero.
“El aprendizaje de toda la vida es esencial para la vitalidad de la mente, del cuerpo y del alma humanos; realza la autoestima y la motivación propia. El aprendizaje de toda la vida vigoriza mentalmente y es una gran defensa contra los efectos del envejecimiento,
de la depresión y de la duda en sí mismas” (“The Journey of Lifelong Learning,” en Universidad Brigham Young 2008–2009 Speeches [2009], págs. 2, 8–9). ◼