The month of August saw the Church participating in a Family History Exhibition at the newly opened Singapore National Library. It was truly a Singapore Stake effort as members from all the wards including the JB Branch and Family history Consultants sacrificed both time and effort in volunteering to explain family history to the public.

The exhibition was initiated by Kevin Shepherdson, a non-member Eurasian Singaporean. He had completed tracing his roots back 13 generations to the early 1600s using various resources including the Church’s vast collection of family history records found in the Singapore Stake Family History Center which he and his uncle visited over several years. He published a book on their research which received much interest from the media. When the new Singapore National Library was completed, he was asked to give a talk on genealogy as one of the activities to promote the new library. Mr. Shepherdson instead suggested a Family History exhibition entitled “Who am I? The Joy of Discovering Your Family History”. He invited the Church to be one of the sponsors, providing us with space and panels for our own display to tie in with his and others from the National Archives and the National Library’s collections.

The Area Presidency approved Church sponsorship and participation, and President Anderson, second counselor in the Area Presidency, suggested transforming the display into a mini family history center in addition to the panel displays. Many of the records resources and some equipments (microfilm reader, computer with online access) available in our Family History Center were brought to the exhibition held on the 9th floor of the Library for the public to participate in a hands-on display. This allowed increased interaction for the public with the exhibition. The panels displayed by the Church were adapted from scrolls that Taiwan and Hong Kong Family History Centers had used successfully in their respective Family History activities and they complemented panels set up by the Shepherdson family tracing their family roots, also family history research ideas and resources available on-line and in libraries and other panels put up the National Archive.

Rosters were drawn up for members to volunteer their services; and over 200 members including stake and ward family history consultants were involved in manning the month long exhibition with many repeating their assignments over several days. Great support was also provided by Brother Danny Chin, Genealogical Society of Utah representative in the Asia area with Elder and Sister Arthur, as well as Brother Richard Hunter (Public Affairs Area Director) and Elder and Sister Streiff of Asia Area Public Affairs.

Sister Annabel Li, the stake Family History Consultant, assisted by her husband Bishop Ernest Li gave a thorough briefing to members in preparation for their assignments. Brother Danny Chin also shared valuable insights into how additional resources to what is currently available in the Stake Family History Center are being received continuously through his contacts with many international genealogical organizations while President Chen gave words of encouragement and counsel to the members assembled who were all eager to learn and be prepared to assist visitors who may have interests in searching for their own family history.

The exhibition proved to be a success receiving over 17,000 visitors as well as press and television coverage. The Church gained much exposure as the visitors learnt that Latter-day Saints all over the world are very involved in family history. 250 people also signed up to learn more about family history research from workshops to be organized by the Family History Center. The month long Family History Exhibition was an excellent opportunity for Singaporeans to learn how to search their family roots and to discover the wonderful worldwide records and resources available to them through the Church.