June 12, 2025, 12:00 PM MDT
Recently, a pop-up FamilySearch exhibit helped Californians connect with their ancestors.
The free, interactive exhibit took place May 29th-31st at Westfield Galleria Shopping Mall in Roseville, California, ChurchOfjesuschrist.org reported. This was the first time a Miniature Family Search Center has been set up in a North American mall.
FamilySearch specialists, local members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and missionaries on the California Roseville Mission all supported staff on the exhibition. They helped people working on family history at computer stations, navigated through the FamilySearch phone app, and used green screens to pose for photos with their ancestor homelands as the background.
There was also a coloring book for kids and a map where people placed stickers to mark originals from their ancestors. By the end of the exhibition, stickers were dotted across all the populated continents and most countries.
Elder George M. Alvarado, president, 70 and executive director of the Family History Department, said California is the port of entry for many people around the world.
“We’re coming here and creating this pop-up so that members of our community can discover who they are and where they came from and continue to build a family tree of humanity,” Elder Alvarado said.
Sister Debbie Jasten, a local temple and family history advisor for the Roseville Coordination Council and a service missionary for the California Roseville Mission, said the exhibit was well received.
She also added that she was surprised by the interest and excitement of people as she realized she could learn more about her family.
“The biggest reaction was one of shock and adoration,” sister Justesen said. “Visitors were shocked to be able to find their families quickly. They saw those names and realized that these people were part of their families.”
Sacramento area publisher Paul V. Scholl visited the exhibition and was inspired, and planned to exchange his baseball hobby for family history research. He wants to upload his grandparents’ graduation certificate and marriage license to FamilySearch, and his large family can have them too.
“It was kind of surprising how far the information went. It was really fascinating,” Scholl said. “This will really help me interact with other families. I see that this can bring together a lot of families.”
