Marian JOhnson wrote:The reason most names are in new FamilySearch is because the temple work has already been done. The idea is to help people see what has been done, so that they can then DO RESEARCH to locate more names outside of new FamilySearch....
New FamilySearch was not intended to replace research, just make it easier to see what has already been done....
Marian's right--there's no standard, simple way to find ancestors whose work needs to be done. And as much as I love technology, the process can't reliably be automated either, by nFS or any other program.
I'm the daughter of an avid, life-long researcher who has carefully done much of our family's work. So finding names to do isn't easy on our lines! This is what works for me (please don't read this like I think you don't know this, but sometimes stating the obvious is useful
)
1. I pray to know what line to focus on, and I pray specifically for help to find individuals who need their work done. Prayers in the temple seem to be particularly effective.
2. Fasting helps too.
3. I try to listen to the guidance of the Spirit. If, while researching, I start to feel uneasy or sense a kind of block, that usually indicates I need to shift my focus to another family or line.
4. I concentrate on one generation of a family at a time, focusing on each individual by turn. I review census records and cemetery records to determine if any children are missing. Sometimes I find that work needs to be done for spouses of children.
5. Finally, I've found that steady, consistent effort is more effective than trying to "finish" my family history
.
I hope these ideas are helpful!
Kathryn
