Writing Your Personal Family History Outline Chapters 1-6

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This outline is from page one: Writing Your Personal Family History and Chapters 7-12 can be found on the next page.

Chapter One: Ancestry

1. Who was the first of your ancestors to come to America? (Or the country of your residence)
2. Write about your father’s heritage.
3. Write about your mother’s heritage.
4. Write about your pioneer heritage. (If you don’t have any, how do you feel about being the "pioneer" in your family)
5. Write about the oldest relative you remember.

Chapter Two: Home and Childhood

1. Write about your father. (Birth, upbringing, talents, education, occupation, appearance, church and community service)
2. Write about your mother. (Birth, upbringing, talents, education, appearance, daily schedule, occupation, church and community service)
3. Draw a detailed floor plan of your home.
4. Write about your brothers and sisters.
5. Write what you know about your birth and first year.
6. Write about your elementary school. (Teachers, first day of school, bomb drills, favorite activity at recess, etc.)
7. Who was your best friend in elementary school?
8. Did you have a pet?
9. How did you do laundry? (By hand, wringer washer, cloths line, automatic?)
10. What radio programs, TV shows, cartoons, and movies do you remember?
11. Tell about family vacations and visits to grandma.
12. What ward did you live in? Who was your Bishop? Tell about Primary activities. (If you weren't a member at the time write about spiritual aspects or traditions from your childhood and family life.)
13. Do you have a favorite Primary or Sunday School teacher or favorite lesson?
14. Write about your baptism.

Chapter Three: Teen Years

1. Write about your Junior High/Middle School. Who was your favorite teacher and class?
2. Write about your best friend.
3. Who/what was popular in fashion, music, TV, Movie star?
4. What High school did you attend? (Size of school, favorite teacher, class, activities, student govt.)
5. Did you participate in YW/YM (MIA) Girls camp, scout camp?
6. Tell about stake conference.
7. Have you ever met a general authority or a prophet?
8. Did you participate in a dance festival?
9. Did you attend General Conference?
10. Did you attend seminary?
11. Write about your first boy/girl friend, first kiss.
12. Did you work during your teen years?
13. Were you in school plays or musicals?
14. Did you take private lessons for music, singing, sports?
15. Tell about your senior prom.
16. How was your testimony then?
17. Write about your most traumatic experience.

Chapter Four: Continuing Education

1. Did you go to college or a trade school?
2. Were you active in church during your college years?
3. Did you have roommates? What were they like? Do you still keep in contact?
4. Write about your first real job in your career field?
5. Did you continue education to a masters or PhD?
6. Do you have any published works?

Chapter Five: Love and Marriage

1. Tell about meeting your future mate. Describe him/her.
2. What kind of dates did you have?
3. Was it love at first sight?
4. Write about your engagement. (Proposal, parties, showers, wedding plans)
5. Write about your wedding day, marriage/sealing and reception.
6. Write about your honeymoon.
7. Draw a floor plan of your first apartment.
8. Was you’re a match made in heaven or did you work toward blissful peace?
9. Were there subsequent marriages?
10. What was your spouse’s most important quality then and now? Is it different?
11. Were there years of sacrifice? How did you get through them?
12. Did you travel or take vacations?
13. Draw a floor plan of subsequent homes.

Chapter Six: Children (Answer these 5 questions for each child.)

1. Tell about your (or your wife’s) pregnancy. (Sickness, spiritual experiences, food cravings, etc.)
2. How was the delivery? Quick or bad, was your husband (or you) there? Did you/your wife breast feed or use a bottle?
3. Write about your baby’s blessing, first word, step, tooth.
4. Experiences with: primary, school, baptism, blessings, priesthood, mission, college, marriage, work.
5. Write of other important experiences about your child.
6. What are they doing now, their special talents, skills.

See page 3 for Family History Outline Chapters 7-12

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