My energetic elder sister, Sheryn, was our go-to person for family history. There was no reason for me to even get into it, nor did I have a desire to do so. Then came a responsibility to oversee family history in my church unit, that caused me to need to know how to “do it,” do family history work.

I sought out assistance by going to the Ogden Family History Center in Ogden, where men and women dedicated to the work were busy doing it and teaching novices such as myself. One evening I made the attempt, entered the hallowed rooms, found a supervisor, and asked for help, and waited.

The minutes dragged on as I sat at one of the computer stations, staring at the screen, questioning my decision to try this. Suddenly a woman sitting at a workstation behind me timidly asked, “Can I help you?”

“Sure,” I replied, “I am a novice at this and know nothing, so I’m sure anyone could help me.”

This kind woman helped me sign into the familysearch.org website, then suggested we look at my family tree. She gasped after gazing at it, and in wonderful surprise said, “Now I know why I felt prompted to ask to help you. We are of the same family, having the same great grandfather. William had two wives, the first having died and left William with 6 children to raise, causing him to seek out and find his second wife. She was of Scottish descent. You are of the second wife, I of the first, and I have been desperately looking for information about this second wife and the 13 children she bore him.”

Incredible William had 2 wives and 19 children! Sheryn and Doris, my volunteer helper and 2nd cousin, later came to my house to share information about our Thompson clan. The key to bringing my family together through family history became a simple willingness to humbly try.

On another occasion I felt prompted to turn my e-bike around and ride into Slaterville one beautiful Saturday afternoon. This resulted in a chance meeting with cousins, descendants of maternal Great-Great Grandparents Sylvester Lyman and Nancy Ann Shaffer Perry, which led to our holding wonderful family reunions on the Perry homestead near Slaterville Park. We joyfully shared family stories of prophets, pirates, saints, and rascals!

Darrel Thompson, Ogden