Get to know your ancestors and where you came from with Family History Spotlights! Here is how it works: Primary children will choose an activity to do with the help of their family. Come up with your own activity or click on this link here to see a list of ideas or inspiration to get started. Then each month a child will be chosen from each Primary class to have their activity experience spotlighted on the ward website. The spotlight will represent what activity they did and what they learned about themselves, their ancestors, or temples. The info and/or pictures can be turned into their Primary teachers or a member of the Primary Presidency.
“As a Primary Presidency we hope that these spotlights will give the Primary children the opportunity to learn about family history work in a way that is interesting to them. We are also hopeful that this will provide an opportunity for children to connect with their Primary teachers and the other kids in their class. We’re excited to see what you learn!”
*Make sure a PHOTO CONSENT FORM has been filled out in order for your photos to be posted on the ward website!
2021 Family History Spotlights
SEPTEMBER
Nathaniel – Two Middle Names
My full name is Nathaniel Matthew Douglas Cannon. I have my dad’s full name in my name. I have two middle names because my parents couldn’t agree so I got both. The name Nathaniel and Matthew (which is my dad’s name) have the same meaning, a gift of God. The name Douglas is my grandpa’s middle name and my great great grandpa’s middle name and is my great great great grandpa’s first name which means Dark Stream. The name Nathaniel and Matthew are in the Bible both are Jesus’s apostles. I like the story my mom tells me of the old man who came into the hospital room and told my mom what name was. A day after I was born I got sick and was life flighted to Primary Children’s hospital many miracles occurred there and the Lord healed me. My mom always is telling me how I am a gift from God.
Sam Turner – Keeping the Tradition
My great grandpa Glade and great grandma Ruby Hall had a Christmas tradition that started when my mom Julie was very little. Every Christmas eve grandkids, parents, great grandkids would gathere at their house then turned into going to a church cultural Hall since the family kept growing. We would eat soups and deserts. We all gathered in a circle and received Christmas cereal with money. We looked forward to the cereal because great grandma Hall wanted to make sure we had breakfast on Christmas morning. Both of my great grandparents have passed on but my mom loved the tradition that she still wraps the cereal even though we know what it is and open it on Christmas eve. 
AUGUST
Ethan Bona – My Name
Spencer Allen – Compare-a-Face
Spencer decided to sit down with his sister Taylor and use the ‘Compare-a-Face’ activity on family search with each of their siblings. They had so much fun working together to see who each of them looked like. A couple of Spencer’s siblings looked like their grandparents, which was fun. Also, Ben and Spencer looked like the same great-grandfather. Spencer was so excited to show each of his grandparents when we visited them later in the week. Here is a screenshot of each of the kids.
Autumn Garritson – My 4th Great-Grandma, Annie Hicks Free
I used Family Search to look up pictures of my 4th Great Grandma, Annie Hicks Free. She was in the Willie Handcart Company. I’ve heard stories about her all my life. Two of my favorite stories are when she was crossing the plains one time she went to bed with her hair wet after crossing a river. It was so cold that her hair froze to the ground. She couldn’t get it off the next morning so they had to chop off her hair with an ax.
The other story is one day when she was still in England before she came to America she was sitting by a lake crocheting a pattern that the Queen designed and the Queen happened to walk by her and saw that she was crocheting her pattern. The queen asked if Annie could help her repair her handkerchief that had the same pattern!
The last picture of her is of her at her home in Salt Lake City, Utah!
Collette Patterson – Agnes Hunter 
Josh Johnson – Who I look like
I looked up what my name means. In Hebrew Joshua means: God is salvation. My middle name is Gilbert, it’s from my Dad. I also found out that I’m related to the Wright Brothers, Queen Victoria and Napoleon! I also found out that I look the most like my Grandpa Thomas.
Jamison Patterson – My 8th Cousin, five times removed
We did an activity where we looked to see what famous people we are related to. When we clicked on the name we got to see how we are related. I go to Harry S. Truman Elementary. I was excited to see him on my list. I also saw Hiram Page, who was one of my the eight witnesses of the Book of Mormon. I thought it was cool that his name is spelled the same way that my brother’s is. Some of the others that I thought were cool were: Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Joseph and Emma Smith, and Neil Armstrong. It was fun to find a connection to people that I learn about in history. 
Avalon Garritson – My Great Grandpa, the Hero
My Great Grandpa was a hero in World War Two. He got the tell the pilots where to fly because they didn’t have phones to tell them where to go. I was lucky because I got to know my Great Grandpa. He died a little while ago but he told me lots of stories. He told me about how he saved his whole plane when the bad guys tried to send a message that told them to fly the wrong way. He told the pilot that it was wrong and to trust his directions. We looked him up on Family Search and I got to see my Great Grandma and their kids and to see how many grandkids he had. I love my Great Grandpa. 
Sam Stowe
JULY
Carter Barlow – Famous People I’m Related to
My favorite books are Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales, so I was excited to look at what famous people I’m related to. Starting with Napoleon and the Wright brothers. The list made me feel good and excited and eager to learn more.
Jack Johnson – My Name
I did an activity about my name, Jack Wayne Johnson. Jack was a favorite name that my parents liked. My middle name is after my Grandpa Johnson. His name is Gary Wayne Johnson. I also found out that there are about 15,000 people with the first name Jack.
Charlotte Bona – My Name
My name is Charlotte Louise Bona. I got my name from four of my family members. I was named Charlotte after my Great-great-great Grandma Lottie. Her name is Charlotta Marcroft Kelly. She went by “Lottie” and loved acting and was a member of the Tabernacle Choir. I got my middle name from my Great-Grandma Johnson. Her name is Janet Louise Johnson. She loved talking to people and was a sassy and funny lady. She died when I was 2 years old, so I didn’t get to spend a lot of time with her, but I love her and I hope I get to see her again some day. My middle name also comes from my Grandma. Her name is Debra Louise Bona. I call her “Grammy”. She cares a lot about me and does my nails and hair and helps me do good things. There is also one other person my middle name comes from; my aunt. Her name is Tiffany Louise Bona. She’s the nicest aunt ever. She takes me to her work at the salon sometimes and plays with me and tells jokes. I love her and I know that she loves me too. 
JUNE
Zach Smith – My Grandpa John
My Grandpa John was funny. My Grandpa John loves me. He liked to play games and tease. I like when he laughed. He was a good Grandpa! My Grandpa John was in the Army during World War II and the Korean War. When I was a baby I wen to Washington DC with my Grandpa when he went on an Honor Flight. My Grandpa John liked BYU. He liked to go camping with me at his property in the mountains. I liked to eat cheese puffs with him. When he died last year I got one o9f his ties to keep and wear. I miss my Grandpa John, but I know he is happy and watches over me. 
Hayden Bona – Family History Game
I wondered if I knew my family as well as I thought, so I looked at the family history activities on familysearch.org and I saw a Family History Trivia game. I then made questions about what their favorite things were. That night, I played it with my extended family and I found out things I never knew about my family. 
MAY
Isabelle Marsha Patterson – We talked as a family about where each of the kids got their names. For Isabelle we had a list of several names that we liked. Once we were able to see her we decided what name fit her best. After deciding we found out that she has a great-great-great grandmother named Isabelle. Belle’s middle name is after her maternal grandmother, who is amazing. Belle has a special connection with her grandmother and loves that they share the same name.
