Temple & Family History Consultant

Day One

Do These Things First

Meet with the Temple & Family History Leader (if one is called) or the bishopric counselor assigned to this work. ↗ text Ask: What's the current state of family history work in the ward? Who are the members actively engaged? Who has been wanting to start but hasn't? What does he or she need from consultants right now?
Set up or log into your FamilySearch account. familysearch.org ↗ is the Church's free genealogy platform. Know the basics before you try to help someone else. If you're newer to it, spend an hour exploring your own family tree — you'll learn more in practice than in any overview.
Know who else in the ward is doing family history. These members are your allies. They have experience, they can help you help others, and they're often the best source of ward-level context. The ward clerk can help you identify who's been active in family history work.
Know the path to a temple recommend. You don't conduct interviews, but you should understand the process well enough to point a member in the right direction and answer basic questions about what it involves.
Know your local Family History Center (if one exists) and the stake's family history resources. These are your backup for questions beyond your expertise and a resource you can send motivated members to.

Your Role

What the Temple & Family History Consultant Actually Does

You serve as a ward resource — someone members can turn to when they want to start family history work but don't know how, or when they're stuck and need a hand. Your job is not to do the research for them; it's to help them take the next step themselves.

Practically: you help members set up FamilySearch accounts, find ancestors, identify names for temple ordinances, and get started with indexing. You may teach or support occasional ward family history events or workshops. You work under the Temple & Family History Leader (if called) or the bishopric's assigned coordinator.

You're helping one person at a time. A ward family history night can plant seeds. Sitting next to someone at a computer and walking them through finding their great-grandmother's birth record is what actually changes their relationship to the work. Start small. Start personal. One person who finds a name for the temple because of your help is more valuable than ten people who attended a class.

You don't need to be an expert genealogist. You need to know FamilySearch well enough to get someone started, and to know where to send them when the question exceeds what you know. Knowing the limits of your knowledge — and having good referrals — is expertise enough for most of what members need.

Helping Members

Common Ways You'll Help

Getting started

Help members create a FamilySearch account and do a basic search of their own family tree. Many are surprised to find significant work already done by others. Starting with existing records is far less intimidating than starting from scratch — it's the most effective first session you can give someone.

Finding temple names

Once someone has ancestors in FamilySearch, help them identify names with ordinances still needed. The "Temple" tab in an ancestor's profile shows what work remains. Walking a member through finding their first name to take to the temple is one of the most impactful things you can do in this calling.

Indexing

For members who aren't ready for genealogy research, indexing (transcribing historical records) is meaningful, accessible, and can be done in 20-minute sessions. Walk them through their first batch at familysearch.org/indexing ↗. It contributes directly to the overall effort and builds comfort with FamilySearch at the same time.

Temple preparation

Some members want to start temple attendance for the first time or return after a long absence. Be a warm, non-pressuring presence in that conversation. Know who to refer them to — bishop, executive secretary — and offer to walk alongside them in the process, not push them through it.

When you're stuck

Know where to escalate: the Family History Library (extensive free resources at familysearch.org), local Family History Centers, your stake consultant, and experienced members in the ward. You don't have to know everything — you have to know who does.

Tools

Resources You'll Use

FamilySearch

familysearch.org ↗ — the Church's primary platform. Free, collaborative, contains billions of records. This is where nearly all your work and member support will happen. Know it well.

FS Indexing

familysearch.org/indexing ↗ — the Church's volunteer transcription program. Free, available on phone and desktop. The best entry point for members who want to contribute but aren't ready for their own research.

RootsTech

rootstech.org ↗ — the Church's annual family history conference. Free online. Hundreds of sessions at every skill level. Good for your own learning and for pointing motivated members to during the year.

Family History Centers

In-person resource centers, often at meetinghouses or stake centers, staffed by expert volunteers. For research questions beyond your knowledge, this is your best referral. Find the nearest center at familysearch.org.

Gospel Library

The Church's "My Calling as a Temple and Family History Consultant" manual is in the Gospel Library app under Handbooks & Callings. Worth reading in full early in your calling — it's practical and focused.

Key Contacts

Who You Work With Regularly

T&FH Leader

↗ text Your direct leader in ward family history work (if this calling is filled). Coordinate on ward events, member outreach, and who in the ward needs support.

Bishop / Counselor

↗ text The bishopric counselor assigned to temple and family history. Keep them informed of members making meaningful progress toward temple attendance.

Ward Clerk

↗ text Membership records, new member list, and LCR access. Helpful for identifying members who may be new to the ward and haven't yet connected with family history resources.

Stake Consultant

↗ text Your peer resource at the stake level — advanced questions, training, and stake-level coordination. Build this relationship early.

Quick Notes

Operational Notes

Log active members you're working with, upcoming events, and anything worth handing off when you're released.