The
Three Day Assimilation Rule
I learned while homeschooling my daughter
that it took about 3 days for some new concept or topic or principle to
"sink in." This was a very important discovery. That a teacher could
try to cram more about a certain concept, topic or principle into non-hearing
ears and an uncomprehending mind the next day, but no learning would happen.
This would cause complete frustration with herself, thinking what a terrible
teacher she was, because the student simply didn't "get it."
However, after three days, the student
herself would begin to talk about that new concept or topic or principle!!!
With understanding. It wasn't because the teacher had given the lesson over and
over again (like I'd once thought was the case) but it just needed time to
germinate quietly in the dark recesses of the mind.
This past month has been such a period for
me.
RootsTech 2013 completely blew my mind. It
turned my thinking upside down... and I needed time to assimilate what I
learned. This is the reason that I have not posted here recently. I had gone up
to the event with very specific goals and each day drove my scooter around and
talked with the most amazing, inspiring people. I collected stories of how
God's hand was seen in their lives as they did their "genealogical
thing." I also attended fabulous Keynote speakers, along with presenters
who were at the top in their fields within the genealogical community. Many of
these were members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They
seemed to shine among their peers. They were looked up to and respected for
being innovators. They had fabulous stories to tell and told them well.
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| Talking at lunch with people from FamilySearch and other attendees |
Stories
were the Theme of RootsTech 2013
My goal of collecting stories was right in
line with the overall theme of RootsTech. I had even had cards printed to pass
out to people, encouraging them to contact me with their stories. On this card
it said, Bev Field, author of Elijah's Warriors. Of course I told
people, there would be no book until I had collected the stories. The stories
are coming, however, now I know there will be no book.
Bev Field author of “Elijah’s Warriors”
BEEinthedesert.blogspot.com
What!!!!
NO BOOK?
Yep, no book. My target audience was to be
young teens. I wanted to show them how God's plan was unfolding and that they
were His young warriors using the genealogical technology needed to move His
work forward, They would be responsible for finding records, indexing those record
collections, identifying specific individuals and then providing the necessary
ordinances for all of those who have ever lived anywhere upon the earth. This
means ALL who ever lived in China, Russia, Australia… everywhere. That means
the youth of those countries will be Elijah’s Warriors. The young native
speakers of every language will have to learn how to read OLD manuscript
writing in ancient mandarin, historic Spanish, and so on. They’ll have heavenly
help, of this I can share my testimony about.
NO
BOOK BECAUSE OUR YOUTH DON’T READ BOOKS ANYMORE!!!!
They watch 5 minute fast
paced YouTube visual stories. Maybe…just maybe
they might read an E-book on their Kindle, woops the young don’t DO
Kindle’s do they? In reality they want short quick bursts of infusion before
they go on to their next task; they want TWEETS, they want a continuing FB
conversation one sentence at a time. NO BOOK.
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| Others are pondering this same dilemma: How to Attract the Next Generation |
Now What Do I Do?
Mini
RootsTech Conferences All Over the World
RootsTech FamilySearch speakers told of
how there are to be Regional RootsTech Events in several countries this year.
Then maybe 60 such RootsTech Conferences in 2014. If the youth in American don’t
respond to this call, the youth of the world will. The cultures in China have
left the burden of their family stories on only one or two children because of
bans on large families. They will take up the cause for their families. Our missionaries will find those young people who will be China's warriors for Elijah. They may even be found in California or some other land where they have immigrated. They will recognize the Lord's work and will join in a great army of volunteers who are prepared and educated, with skills to do this work.
DO I ENCOURAGE THESE YOUTH THROUGH SHORT VIDEOS?
IS THIS MY CALLING?
DO I HAVE THOSE SKILLS?
SHOULD I ENLIST OTHERS TO HELP ME?
James Tanner learned this same lesson at RootsTech and is at this moment preparing his own short videos on topics of personal interest.
Are Videos My Voice?
Is my contribution the one I was working on called FamilySearch: The Game? This concept of a board game was one that I designed while living on Kwajalein, Marshall Islands and in Guadalajara, Mexico and even had presented to Deseret Books pre-2000. With no encouragement, or sponsors, it still sits in my files. Of course, the video game had just taken hold and all board games became less popular. Family games such as Monopoly, etc. became individual games played on computers, Playstations, etc. Joshua Taylor,a RootsTech presenter, said it is a small step from board game to video....so who knows. All I know, is that one of my gifts is visual creativity and I would demand quality. I don't know where this gift and my passion for family history will coincide. I guess it's still a gestation question.
