Iron Rod Press Newsletter Vol. 2, No. 9 Help Your Posterity Walk in Your Footsteps March 3, 2026 - This whole series has been about walking in the footsteps of your ancestors. But have you ever thought that when you show your children or grandchildren, or nieces and nephews, where you lived or worshipped, what you ate, or introduced them to unique aspects of your story, you are helping them to walk in YOUR footsteps? This was a startling revelation to me recently, that you and I have a...
20 days ago • 1 min read
Iron Rod Press Newsletter Vol. 2, No. 7 Connect with Cousins February 17, 2026 - I met a woman recently who, through some modern-era polygamists in her extended family, had over 500 first cousins! That made my mere 30 pale in comparison. But then I remembered that when I opted-in to be a part of Relatives at RootsTech last year, I had over 50,000 cousins! To be fair, these weren't first cousins, but it allowed me to connect with distant cousins who could help me on my trip to Scotland a year...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
Iron Rod Press Newsletter Vol. 2, No. 6 Tell Me a Story February 10, 2026 - There's nothing better than a story to settle down a child at night. But what about adults? Can stories do the same for us?We can't talk about family history without also talking about stories. There is power in storytelling, especiall in true narratives: Stories connect us with other people, allowing us to feel more deeply their experiences; stories tie principles to real-life situations; and stories are remembered...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
Iron Rod Press Newsletter Vol. 2, No. 5 Cow Cuddling February 3, 2026 - We all wish we could travel to where our ancestors lived, to experience the culture, breath the air, and walk in their footsteps. But what if you could walk in the footsteps of a cow whose ancestors may have walked in the footsteps of your ancestors? "What in the world is she talking about?!" This is exactly the experience I had last fall. When I realized that I would not be able to go to either of the Scottish festivals...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
Iron Rod Press Newsletter Vol. 2, No. 4 What's for Dinner? January 27, 2026 - As a young mother, this was the one question that would drive me insane. Was this my life's lot - to figure out what to make for dinner for the next several decades? But as a lover of all things family history related, being able to eat food from the countries of my ancestors brings a whole new meaning to this question. When I visited Scotland for the first time, I was determined to try haggis and blood pudding,...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
Iron Rod Press Newsletter Vol. 2, No. 8 With Uplifted Hands February 24, 2026 - Religious beliefs are deeply personal. We can agree with someone on the existence of God, but how we perceive, follow, or define this Supreme Being can vary greatly from person to person. Yet even in these differences, we can find connection. And isn't that what the world needs right now? In a similar way, being able to walk down the church aisles your ancestors walked can be an empowering experience, even if...
about 2 months ago • 2 min read
Iron Rod Press Newsletter Vol. 2, No. 3 Occupations: Punching the Clock January 20, 2026 - Since we talking about family, how about sending this link to a sibling, cousin, or other relative to join us on this journey? The more the merrier! https://iron-rod-press.kit.com/profile I'm old enough to remember the days of using a time clock to record my work hours; taking my time card, slipping it into the machine, and "punching" it! Wow! Just writing that sentence makes me feel even old! Like us,...
2 months ago • 1 min read
Iron Rod Press Newsletter Vol. 2, No. 2 Taking Their First Breath January 13, 2026 - Where were your ancestors born? And I'm not just talking about the country, state, or even city. Do you know exactly where they took their first breath? I had known most of my life that my mother was born at the mouth of some canyon in Utah County. But I never really looked into which county. That was until last year when I realized that all my trips to the Timpanogos Cave Trail up American Fork canyon were...
2 months ago • 1 min read
Iron Rod Press Newsletter Vol. 2, No. 1 Welcome to Walking in Their Footsteps January 6, 2026 - Welcome to 2026 and our new series "Walking in Their Footsteps." The first question you probably have is, "Whose footsteps?" Fair question. The footsteps we are going to look for, follow, and learn from, are those of our ancestors. Since we are who we are because of them, why not get better acquainted! So, here's a few characteristics that might be helpful as we take this journey. Are you a...
3 months ago • 1 min read