Posted by:
ltlgenie
(
)
Date: August 20, 2014 11:20PM
First, a quick intro. I’m a long-time lurker who was nearly a hormonal convert in the early 70s until I learned about the priesthood ban. I’ve had a number of Mormon friends (who were very nice people but who never really had time to just be friends). I enjoy genealogy and was doing some online research when I came across this site several years ago.
I’ve been visiting the Family History Library this week to get my genealogy fix for another decade. My impressions from wandering around Temple Square & City Creek are:
1. Apparently all excess pimply-faced male missionaries get assigned to the FHL. They were wandering around, talking with each other, reading, and, when sitting behind a desk & being asked for information, gave incorrect answers.
2. Most of the senior missionaries at the FHL also get no training in the very basic FHL practices (e.g. how to request a book from storage, or what to do about a microfilm reader that wouldn’t focus). They could help a patron find the bathroom, and help them make copies, but that was about it. At least they knew what they didn’t know, and would refer me to someone who did (unlike the “elders” who gave wrong information).
3. On the other hand, the trained genealogists behind the desk were amazingly helpful and knowledgeable. One helped me find records that I had been trying to find for years, and it took her all of 10 minutes.
4. The patrons of the FHL average age 65, even with the periodic invasion of groups of elders and sisters. (What’s the correct noun for a group of missionaries - a delusion of missionaries?) Yes, I was there during the week, but even after working hours the average age probably only dropped to 64.
5. What is it with the nametags? Anyone could tell that I’m not LDS because I wasn’t wearing a frumpy old-lady skirt. I guess the name tags just help the club-initiates easily spot each other. Next thing you know, they’ll have club dues, passwords and secret handshakes. (Oh wait…) I really wished that I had a made a fake Kate Kelly nametag ahead of time.
6. Unlike my last visit (about 10 years ago), during my twice-daily walks through Temple Square, I was never accosted by the sister missionaries. I was also disappointed that my hotel room (Plaza Hotel) didn’t have a Book of Mormon. I was hoping to do some anachronistic highlighting.
7. City Creek Mall is a pleasant place to walk & sit. I only saw crowds in the food court, in the restaurants, and a few people in H&M. Everyone else was just walking around (very few shopping bags).
8. Best overheard comment in the FHL: “The money that the church spends on genealogy resources is worth it, because if people get interested in genealogy, they’ll get interested in the church.”
For my very selfish sake, yes, please continue that delusional thinking. I appreciate using the resources. However, anyone in the real world who is doing genealogy research today is doing it online, so will have ample opportunity to learn about the rotten meat long before the missionaries have a chance to provide the curdled milk.