Aims in My Ancestry
Discover stories from your ancestry that
illustrate the Aims of a BYU Education.
illustrate the Aims of a BYU Education.
Discover the Aims in Your Ancestry
This small project is one of the elective tasks in the University 101 BYU Foundations class. Others may complete the assignment as well. It can be done in about an hour, but you can spend more time if you wish.
Steps
- Choose an ancestor you want to learn more about. (May be living or deceased.)
- Work with a family history missionary in the BYU Library to search for stories from your ancestor's life that illustrate one or more of the Aims of a BYU Education.
- Share what you have discovered and learned with someone important to you.
- If you are in UNIV 101, summarize what you learned on a single PowerPoint slide you upload to Learning Suite/Canvas.
Find Help at the BYU Library
Friendly missionaries in the BYU Library are ready to help you find stories, connect them to the Aims, and learn about library resources. There are a few ways to do this:
- Come to a Family History Stories Session during scheduled times.
- Schedule an appointment for yourself or a group. Contact familyhistorymissionaries@byu.edu or 801-422-3766.
- Walk in to the BYU Library Family History Center (2250 HBLL) during missionary service hours and ask for a missionary to help you.
What students are saying...
"I loved this project! It was so empowering. I was so amped after leaving the library. The Spirit of Elijah is so real!"
Makayla, Student Peer Mentor
“I learned in this assignment that my ancestors are imperfect, but inspiring. You can be inspired by imperfect people.”
Madeline, Student Peer Mentor
“I always knew that my family history was important to my parents and grandparents, but now that story is important to me.”
Dayton, Student Peer Mentor
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I discovered the Aims of a BYU Education have been part of my family long before I came to BYU.
Kyndall, Student Peer Mentor
Aims in My Ancestry-Mary Watson Nation.png
Image courtesty of Ava Porter.
Mary Harris Hafen Lifelong Learning Epitaph
Image courtesy of Joseph Jones.
Aims in My Ancestry-Cyrus Wheelock .png
Image courtesy of Michael Cross.
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Family History Blessings
"As we participate in family history and temple work today, we also lay claim to “healing” blessings promised by prophets and apostles. These blessings are also breathtakingly amazing because of their scope, specificity, and consequence in mortality."
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The Power of Family Stories
Knowing family stories increases self-esteem, reduces anxiety, builds resilience, improves overall wellbeing, provides a sense of grounding and connectedness, strengthens locus of control, deepens family ties & relationships, strengthens identify development. (Duke et al., 2008; Fivush et al., 2011; Haydon et al., 2023; Lunt et al., 2022)
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Family History: Connections That Last
A student shares a meaningful connection he found to his grandmother.
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Your Story is Worth Remembering
Five individuals who've led seemingly ordinary lives are reminded of the indelible mark they’ve left on the hearts of their loved ones
Want to Learn More?
Earn religion credit while discovering more
about your family history in HIST 205.
about your family history in HIST 205.