| The Mormon Church (LDS or The Church of | | | | modern day gold rush for genetic research. "More |
| Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints) is well known | | | | human disease genes have been discovered in |
| for their collection of genealogy records. | | | | Utah than in any other place in the world," says |
| There are many ways you can find information | | | | Ray Gesteland, Vice President for Research and |
| on genealogy records: | | | | Distinguished Professor of Human Genetics at the |
| 1. Search the Mormon Church's huge genealogy | | | | University of Utah. |
| record collection using a free genealogy search | | | | A religious culture can contribute a lot to science1 |
| engine. You will find searches, indexes and a | | | | To be able to research the basis of inherited |
| bottomless amount of helpful information on how | | | | diseases, scientists need to follow how illnesses |
| to find genealogy records. There are many free | | | | move through generations within the same family. |
| genealogy sites on the internet you must | | | | To be able to do that, there's one thing they |
| bookmark and cannot be without. | | | | need: a family history. |
| 2. The Latter Day Saints Church offers this free | | | | Many people create their family history as a |
| booklet to assist you in searching for your roots. | | | | person interest, however, for the Mormons, |
| Tips: | | | | genealogy is a sacred duty. |
| There is much information contained in databases, | | | | Members of the LDS church believe that |
| but finding what you are searching for can be | | | | genealogy is their precious duty. Mormons |
| tricky. Be sure to try various spellings of the | | | | research genealogy for theological reasons. They |
| surname and first name. Even try using first initials | | | | believe that helping the world conserve its family |
| if you can't find the person you are searching for | | | | history is a religious mandate. "That's why the |
| by using their full name. Checking "Exact Spelling" | | | | Church spends big bucks and has spent a lot of |
| will search for the name spelled in ONLY the way | | | | years - from 1836 on - bringing together records |
| you have entered it in the search engine and | | | | worldwide," says Donald Jessee, manager of |
| therefore will put a limit on results. | | | | special projects for the LDS Church. |
| The University of Utah in Salt Lake City is well | | | | This massive effort has resulted in the formation |
| known for human genetic research, thanks to a | | | | of the church's Family History Library. With a |
| unique present from the residents of Utah. Many | | | | collection of about eight billion names, the Library |
| of Utah's residents belong to the Church of Jesus | | | | is the largest collection of genealogical records in |
| Christ of Latter-day Saints, also known as the | | | | the world, and it's located in downtown Salt Lake |
| Mormon or LDS Church. And that has been a | | | | City. |