10 Ways to Honor and Share Your Pioneer Legacy
Contributed By Jenny Poffenbarger, ChurchofJesusChrist.org Church News staff writer
How are you a pioneer? Watch this video and then share your thoughts on social media using #IAmAPioneer.
Article Highlights
- New resources on FamilySearch.org can help you honor pioneers of all times and places.
- I Am a Pioneer page focuses on modern-day pioneers. Are you one? Share how.
- Sign in to FamilySearch.org to see if any of your ancestors were Mormon Pioneers.
“We can lead the way for others to follow. We can make our dreams a reality. We can build a solid foundation.” —Cris Rees, senior product manager, Family History Department
Pioneer Day on July 24 is an opportunity for members around the world to not only honor early Mormon pioneers but also to celebrate the unique legacy they are leaving for future generations. Our paths today might not take us across prairies pulling handcarts, but we are all pioneers breaking ground in our own countries and families.
“That each of us can make a difference is a universal message of hope and inspiration,” said Cris Rees, senior product manager of the Family History Department of the Church. “We can lead the way for others to follow. We can make our dreams a reality. We can build a solid foundation.”
The Church History and Family History departments have combined efforts to encourage members to consider the contributions of their ancestors and the legacy they themselves can leave for future generations. The result is new resources on FamilySearch.org that encourages members to honor pioneers of all times and places.
Following are 10 ways you can use these FamilySearch.org resources to honor and share your past and future legacy during the month of July.
The I Am a Pioneer page on FamilySearch.org focuses on modern-day pioneers.
1. Watch and share the new video. The inspirational “I Am a Pioneer” video [watch above] shows how you can be a trailblazer in your family and community today. Share the video using #IAmAPioneer.
2. Discover and share your legacy. Explore the stories and photos of your ancestors that others have added to your family tree on FamilySearch.org and then add your own.
3. Use the interactive maps. Click on different sections of the map on the site to read stories of Latter-day Saints worldwide who are making a difference as modern-day pioneers in that area.
4. Share your story. Using one of the shareable social media images provided on the website, share what makes you a pioneer using #IAmAPioneer.
5. Check out the social feed. Check out the feed of images and stories members are posting on social media sites using #IAmAPioneer.
6. Read and share FamilySearch blog posts. Read the blog posts written by members that tell the stories of both early and modern-day pioneers.
7. Read the articles. Read the new articles on the I Am a Pioneer family history topics pageof ChurchofJesusChrist.org.
Focus on the rich heritage of the early Mormon pioneers using a new feature that connects your family tree with the Mormon Pioneer Overland Travel database. Sign in to see if any of your ancestors were Mormon Pioneers. More than 1,000 pioneers have been discovered and added to the database this past year alone.
8. Discover and share your pioneer heritage. Find long-forgotten stories of your pioneer ancestors and the sacrifices they made for their God and their families.
9. Learn about the pioneer heritage we all share. Read inspiring stories of pioneers who left a rich legacy for all members of the Church to enjoy.
10. Discover life on the trail. Using the interactive map, follow along the pioneer trail and learn about key experiences and adventures along the way.
The I Am a Pioneer page on FamilySearch.org focuses on modern-day pioneers. Click on different sections of the map on the site to read stories of Latter-day Saints worldwide who are making a difference as modern-day pioneers in that area.
Using one of the shareable social media images provided, share what makes you a pioneer using #IAmAPioneer.
Check out the member-submitted images and stories displayed on a feed on the site.
Read the blog posts that tell the stories of modern-day pioneers and early pioneers.
Read inspiring new articles on the I Am a Pioneer family history topics page of ChurchofJesusChrist.org.
The Our Pioneer Heritage website focuses on the rich legacy of the early Mormon pioneers. Sign in to see if any of your ancestors are listed.
Follow along with the interactive pioneer trail.
