100,019

A little over five years ago my sister, Sue, infected me with the indexing virus! What is the indexing virus you may ask?

Family Search Indexing is a program that allows volunteers to view a digital image of vital public records, for example; the US 1940 Census, and create a digital INDEX of that record. Then those who are looking for their ancestors are able to search these indexes using their home computers and find their loved ones.

I was instantly hooked! (Hey, a habit that isn't expensive, although it is VERY addictive!) For years I've felt the need to participate in Family History work. I've yearned to be able to find my loved ones and the valuable pieces of information about them, but because of my dyslexia I am research-challenged! After looking at random bits of information for five minutes I feel like my head will explode!

Ahh, but I'm quite good at reading a digital image AND recording the information! That is something my dyslexical-brain can do!

It wasn't long before the fact that I was a wiz-kid in the *new* indexing program came to the attention of the Stake leaders and I was called as an assistant FREP (Fam... mumble, mumble! Oh wait, Family Records Extraction Person!). With that calling came an additional responsibility... ARBITRATING.

In a nutshell Arbitrating is quite simple. Each batch (digital image that one indexes) is indexed by two indexers. If all of the information matches the system accepts the information as correct, but if there are differences between Indexer A and Indexer B then that information, along with the image, is sent to an arbitrator who tries to figure what is the most correct information.

All of this is a very long preface to state...

I JUST FINISHED INDEXING MY 100,019th record!

YAY LITTLE JOANIE!

I'm so grateful that I am able to be part of such a great work... that I can make a difference in someone's life when that have the thrill of finding their great-great-grandmother! What a blessing.