Hello, Michele! I saw your posting to the list and agree that the the Ancestral File was supposed to have begun with the 4-generation family group sheets we were all encouraged to submit in the late 1970's and early 1980's. My husband had only been a member of the church for a year or so and we were newly married when we sat down and put the information together to submit to our ward genealogy person. All of the information did indeed appear in the first version of Ancestral File. Do you happen to have any idea when the next updated version of the Ancestral File will be out and available to use in the FHCs? I am actually a consultant in a FHC here in Orem, Utah but have not been able to get any information on this as yet. Also, someone told me that the AF and IGI were available for purchase. Have you heard anything about this at all? Just thought I would check. ;) Thanks a bunch! Elaine Corson elainec@stinger.net http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/5637 JCBrooks@aol.com wrote: > Hi > > I don't think anything from the Patron Family Group Sheets > was ever entered into the Ancestral File, only stuff that was sent in > specifically for the AF. And now they only accept stuff on disk for the > AF. We hear people say all the time, "But we sent in the 4-generation FGS > years ago. Why aren't they in the AF?" The answer is because they were > never entered in the AF. > > I disagree...that's where the original database came from. I remember the > first time I downloaded some of it...there were 13-15 children per family > because the little old volunteer typists kept hitting enter when they were > working ...there were LOTS of errors on those. But I was given to understand > at the FHL that's where the original stuff came from. > > Of course it was a brilliant idea...in the "olden days" you had to go search > through those big binders and pull your famly group sheets and have them > photocopied....the wear and tear was impossible, it was horribly time- > consuming, and some people just took the originals home!!! The AF ws a great > idea. > > I will look forward to the new AF.....I submitted my stuff last year > (again)...so hopefully it will be there. > > Michele Brooks > >>