We first got started in genealogy and researching our family history when our first child was born.  You know those baby books, that have little family trees in them, right?  Well, we didn't even know the names of the Great-Grandparents, so it was time to start doing a little research.  Little did we know it would lead us down all sorts of crazy roads to all sorts of discoveries.

The first thing you need to do, right now, is ask any and all living relatives for any information they may have.  This is the absolute best way to get started and it doesn't cost a thing.  The more elderly relatives will LOVE telling stories and sharing all of the information they can remember with you.  This time with family really builds the bond and gets you excited about discovering the things that these family members can't quite remember.

As a part of talking with living relatives you can ask them about any pictures they might have or where pictures might be found.  With today's technology, you can scan or take digital photos of these old pictures, and you now have a working pictorial history that is easy to track.  Make sure you document who is in the picture, when it was taken, and where you go it.  This will be important information down the road.

Now the work starts.  There are SO MANY resources that it can be frustrating just figuring out where to start.  If there is a family member, living or deceased, that was a Mormon at any time, then they will have a record of your family history.  The Mormon Church has a huge archive of genealogy records.  You can start with ancestry.com or one of the other large paid or free websites.

With the internet, it has all become so much easier.  Even just 10 years ago it was typically necessary to visit local libraries and courthouses to find copies or original records, including deeds, birth certificates, death certificates, marriage licenses, etc.  Now, so much of this is possible from the comfort of your home and your computer.

As your questions get answered, you are sure to have even more questions.  You will also get conflicting information and bad information along the way.  That is normal and a part of the discovery process.  That is why it is up to YOU to make sure that you research correctly and efficiently so YOU are sure of the information you uncover.

Hopefully we here at My Family Ancestry can help you along your journey.