"turning the hearts to the fathers"

 This week we explored many different types of researching. It was exciting and frustrating. Exciting exploring all of the records, photos, databases, maps, histories that have been recorded, digitized and easy to access. Modern technology is truly is miracle! Frustrating when I actually tried to narrow down on one of my ancestors to look for information about him. However, the blessing from this week, was that my "heart was turned to the fathers". I decided to research an ancestor that came to Massachusetts in the 1600's. Much of my genealogy has already been done, so I was not really looking for anything new as there are many people adding to my ancestor lines all the time. What happened during my research though, was learning that I had not just one family come to Essex, Massachusetts in the 1600's, but at least four. Maybe that is not significant (nobody else I told, thought it was.....is this not evidence of my heart turning?). I came to realize that these families stayed in the area for 200 years. Surely they must of known each other and interacted at times. I learned that because they did not have slaves, they kept their families close, working on the farm, supporting the family for generations. Why did they leave 200 years later? Because of Jospeh Smith and the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ. They followed the saints to Utah. They immigrated from England in the 1600's for religious reasons, they emigrated to Utah in the 1800's for religious  reasons. I come from a family with a rich religious heritage and belief in God. That deep belief in God and Jesus Christ is in my heart as well and I follow Him. Of course, I have know this before, but this week it was imprinted with the spirit on my heart. I am so grateful for the sacrifices my ancestors made to follow God. My testimony of the importance of doing family history this week was strengthened, even though it feels like it is done and I'm not sure what to do on my lines.