Speakers include author Gerald N. Lund and Filmmaker T.C. Christensen
Whether you have five generations of your family tree memorized or you can hardly remember your grandmother's name (but wish you did), the BYU Conference on Family History and Genealogy will provide tools and tips for finding and recording your family's story. The conference will be held Tuesday through Friday, July 28-31, at the BYU Conference Center.
This year's keynote speakers include Gerald N. Lund (author of The Work and the Glory and the Fire and Steel series), Robert Kehrer (senior product manager of search technologies for FamilySearch), Lisa Louise Cook (producer and host of the Genealogy Gems podcast) and filmmaker T.C. Christensen (The Cokeville Miracle).
The conference offers 160 classes on topics that include getting the most from Internet searches, recording and publishing family history stories, help for region-specific searching (including Scandinavia, England, Germany and the United States Midwest) and tips for using FamilySearch.
Check out the complete schedule.
Anyone with a family history calling in an LDS ward or stake can attend the conference on Friday, July 31, free of charge. That day's four breakout sessions will provide training and instruction specific to family history consultants.
In conjunction with this conference is a new opportunity exclusively for teens interested in family history work. The myFamily History Youth Camp is designed to help youth ages 14 to 18 learn to love family history and succeed as budding genealogists. The myFamily History Youth Camp runs parallel to the Conference on Family History and Genealogy but includes additional activities and classes, such as an excursion to the Family History Library in Salt Lake City and a combined dance with Especially For Youth participants.
Two evening events will be held in addition to the Family History Conference schedule:
- Wednesday, July 29: Free open house at the BYU Family History Library
- Thursday, July 30: A special viewing of The Cokeville Miracle, the T.C. Christensen film based on a true story of tragedy, faith and a miracle. (Purchase $5 tickets in advance; open to the general public)
CONFERENCE PRICES
Conference on Family History and Genealogy
- General Admission (noncredit): $180 (includes vendor information and class materials/handouts for all 160 classes)
- Credit: $484 (2 credits of History 481R-Family History Directed Research)
- Discounts Available for:
- LDS Family History Consultants: $130
- BYU Students: $20
- FamilySearch and Church History Department Employees and Church Service Missionaries: $75
- Missionaries: $65
- BYU Employees (and spouses) with BYU Benefits: Free
- Admission Add-Ons:
- Housing and Meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner): $170
- Lunch: $40
myFamily History Youth Camp
- Registration, with housing: $450
- Registration, without housing: $360
PURCHASE REGISTRATION
Conference on Family History and Genealogy
- Online: familyhistoryconferences.byu.edu (online registration closes July 27)
- By Phone: Call 877.221.6716, between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. weekdays
- In Person/By Mail: BYU Harman Continuing Education Building (770 E. University Pkwy, Provo, UT 84602), between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., weekdays
- On the days of the conference: Non-housing registration only if space is available
myFamily History Youth Camp
- Online: ce.byu.edu/cw/myFamily/index.php (online registration closes July 27)
- By Phone: Call 877.221.6716, between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., weekdays
- In Person/By Mail: BYU Harman Continuing Education Building (770 E. University Pkwy, Provo, UT 84602), between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., weekdays
- On the days of the conference: Non-housing registration only if space is available
