Of Good Report

Community Efforts Recognized in Peru

Members in Peru are committed to getting involved in the community. Recently, approximately one hundred young adults joined with municipal workers to clean the streets and avenues of a selected area. After the cleanup, trees and grass were planted to help beautify the area.

The Church’s public affairs office in Peru also organized a talent show at Chaclacayo Central Park held in conjunction with the community’s “Day of the Family” celebration. Several numbers were performed, and the city’s mayor personally thanked Church leaders for their service to the community.

In Chosica, Peru, local members invited a group of 120 senior citizens to their meetinghouse, where they entertained them with a program and presented each guest with a shawl.

Also in Chosica, a group of thirty-five members and nonmembers from the Moyapamba Ward area painted and refinished the local school building. Community officials recognized Church members’ efforts and complimented them for their work.

Love of Family Is Common Bond

To commemorate National Family Week, the La Verne California Stake presented La Verne Mayor Jon Blickenstaff a bound copy of his family history. The history, which was researched by Betty Jo Gillespie of the La Verne Second Ward, was presented to the mayor during a city council meeting.

In the meeting Robert Reeves, La Verne stake president, expressed the members’ appreciation for the strong pro-family stance of the city council.

“It is a privilege to live in a community where families are valued and actively supported,” he said.

“Love of family is a common bond among all people,” he continued, as he explained the family history project. “We want the community to know that these great resources and some wonderful expertise are available free of charge to everyone.”

The stake president also used the opportunity to invite council members and others in attendance to workshops sponsored by the stake where they could learn about computer research, using and managing genealogy files, preserving old photographs, and other aspects of family history.—Alene Harrison, La Verne, California

The Hearts of the Children

The Spirit of Elijah is strong in the Grand Junction, Colorado, area. For the past four years, members of the Church in the area have sponsored a family history fair, inviting individuals, organizations, and community businesses to learn more about family history.

Last year’s fair celebrated the International Year of the Family and included a special exhibit displaying ideas and suggestions for strengthening families. This year the fair offerings continued the theme.

Approximately five hundred visitors strolled through booths and saw a demonstration of family home evening, attended seminars on German genealogical research, and learned about capturing family photographs and histories on videotape. They also visited with members dressed in authentic costumes from different time periods who shared information and historical facts. The characters included Queen Elizabeth and her daughter, two soldiers from the Civil War, a Scotsman who played the bagpipes, and a Native American chief.

But the fair was only one of the family history highlights in the community. The local college teaches a continuing education class on the use of Personal Ancestral File®, the Church-produced genealogical software program for use on home computers. A local PAF-users group has been formed, and several local middle and elementary schools have site licenses and use the program with students and after-hours adult classes.

In addition, twice a year the Museum of Western Colorado, the Mesa County Genealogical Society, and the Grand Junction Family History Center sponsor a trip to the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. Preparatory classes are held for these trips at the museum and family history center, where participants learn the basics of family history work.—Patricia Roper, Grand Junction, Colorado