Scotland Maps and Gazetteers

What a great week we've had at the library! Actually, we have lots of great weeks at the library! We spend our days with some very awesome people who make it a delight to be serving there. Being able to help the patrons when they come to do research is pure joy! I don't think there's anything in the whole world that makes one feel better than serving someone else.

I had the opportunity to teach one of the "Lab" classes to fellow missionaries.  On a volunteer basis we get to teach both inservice and lab classes. I was asked to teach a class on "Scotland Maps and Gazetteers." Following the example of a class taught by one of the full-time consultants I developed a self  directed class to explore online sites.  There are many good Gazetteers in the Library but with the continued advancement of technology it was great to explore some of the many websites that are available.  With a little chocolate for bribing, the class went very well. Why a class on maps and gazetteers you may ask.  I quote from a recent post I read by James Tanner called "Genealogy's Star" to answer the question:

"Old maps are fascinating. In the past, they were rare and hard to find. If you actually had an old map, it was likely a collectors item and not something you could pull out on a trip to find a location. Today, if there is one area of genealogy that is practically saturated by digital images it is maps. We have detailed satellite images of every square inch of the earth. With Google Maps Street View, I can look at most of the paved roads in many parts of the world as if I were actually driving down the road. Additionally, there are hundreds of thousands of maps online, complete, digitized and available, for the most part, free to the public with an Internet connection.

But so what? What use is there for this vast resource of digitized historical maps? How do you go about using maps in your genealogy? Maps are a tool and like any tool, there are certain skills associated with using them. Without those skills, the maps are nothing but pretty images. With those skills maps become a valuable historical and genealogical resource.

One of the reasons why old maps are valuable is because they give us a graphic representation of the ways our ancestors viewed the world and named the geographical features that surrounded them. Without searching an old map, sometimes references in our ancestors' histories are virtually undecipherable. Old maps open the door to understanding where our ancestors lived, or thought they lived. Maps, old or new, also give us a physically demonstrable connection with our ancestors' lives. If we can see where they lived, we know more about how they lived and can better understand the challenges of their lives. The first thing I always do when I am asked about finding an ancestor is go to the maps to see exactly where these people lived. That gives me an image in my mind to start my research. My experience is that the solution to many, if not most, genealogical mysteries can be assisted by carefully locating the events on old and new maps."

Wednesday, on our P-Day, we were in the Temple and the former YW General President, Elaine Dalton, was in our session. It's always fun to see these "famous" people in day-to-day settings. I know that she has been an influence for good in the lives of many young people.

With the summer over, our social calendar has diminished; from June through August we went to concerts almost every Tuesday and Friday night in the park and on Saturday night in the Assembly Hall.  It's too cold now for that and with school back in session the concerts are only held on Friday and Saturday nights. On Friday night we attended "The Austrian Cello Concerto and a Russian Symphony" in the Tabernacle conducted by Igor Gruppman with special guest cellist, Dan Gaisford.  They performed Concerto no. 1 in C Major for Cello and Orchestra by Franz Joseph Haydn, and Symphony no. 2 in E Minor, op 27  by Sergei Rachmaninoff. It was a great concert performed to a full house in the Tabernacle.

On Sunday morning we had the privilege of being in the Assembly Hall on Temple Square for Stake Conference and heard wonderful messages about rescuing those who are "lost."  This old building is so beautiful that we feel privileged to be able to go there for conference.  Notice the tree at the corner of the building that has totally changed color. Many of the flower beds have been planted with pansies and tulip bulbs that will bloom in the spring.

Our Stake Members leaving the Assembly Hall after conference

Beds just east of the Tabernacle (along with falling yellow leaves)

Last but not least, one of the sister missionaries on our floor brought this cute fruit tray to share. She carved it from a cantaloupe and added green bell peppers for the ears. YUMMY, delicious, and CUTE all in one!

Cantaloupe pumpkin