How to Use Family Groups on FamilySearch (Share Temple Names & Photos)

Send us Fan MailTired of printing, cutting, and mailing temple cards to family? In this Gathering Academy lesson, accredited genealogist Colette Hokanson shows you how to use Family Groups on FamilySearch — a simple way to share temple names, collaborate with relatives, and finally let your whole family see photos of living loved ones.Colette walks you through creating a group, setting it up, sharing reservations into it, and inviting members — step by step on screen. You'll learn how Family Groups fit into Ordinances Ready (the group is one of the layers it pulls from), how to share photos of living family members so everyone in the group can see them, and creative ways families use groups when a member lives far from a temple.Woven through it all is Colette's steady encouragement: this is God's work, and being in it a little every day invites the Spirit and moves your family's work forward.📌 Your invitation this week: Create a Family Group, invite someone to join, and test it out. Then leave a comment with any questions or glitches you run into so we can address them.💡 What Family Groups can do:- Share temple names so members can grab and print them at home or at the temple — no mailing cards- Hold up to 500 members; create up to 10 groups (family sides, ward, Relief Society, YSA, etc.)- Share photos and stories of LIVING people so the whole group can see them (a common frustration solved — normally only you can see living-person photos you upload)- Keep non-members in a group too — they'll see photos and stories, but NOT temple ordinances🎥 Listening on audio? Watch the video version on YouTube to follow along with the screen demonstrations. All lessons are under the "Gathering Academy" playlist.Q: What is a Family Group on FamilySearch and why use one?A: It's a shared space where you invite family or friends to collaborate. You can share temple names so members take them straight to the temple (no printing and mailing), and share photos and stories of living people so the whole group can see them.Q: How do I create a Family Group?A: On FamilySearch, go to Family Tree → Family Groups (or Family Groups from the main page), choose Create Group, name it, add a description, choose whether it can share ordinances and work in a shared group tree, agree to the terms, and create it. Then add living people and invite members with a copied invite link.Q: Will non-members in my group see temple ordinances?A: No. Non-members added to a group can see the photos and stories of living people you share, but they won't see temple ordinance information.Q: How many people and groups can I have?A: Up to 500 members per group, and you can create up to 10 groups.Q: How does a Family Group work with Ordinances Ready?A: When you use Ordinances Ready, it checks your family group names before it goes to names shared with the temple — so a relative or friend in your group can easily pick up names you've added.👉 Watch the full episode: [PASTE FULL EPISODE LINK]▶️ WATCH & LISTEN🎬 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thinningoftheveil🌐 Website: https://www.thinningoftheveil.com🎧 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/thinning-of-the-veil/id1753511394🟢 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6jWCfMHkZXwnSwy2b98J4M🎵 Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/a0a45561-d4c2-46d3-af8d-a1e967a21a25📖 BOOKPatterns of Revelation — Spiritual Foundations for Hearing God's Voice: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BW36MG9B📱 CONNECTInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thinning.of.the.veilFacebook Group (Gathering of the Gatherers): https://www.facebook.com/groups/1429562078443774Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/thinningoftheveil💛 SUPPORT THE SHOWVenmo: https://account.venmo.com/u/thinningoftheveilPayPal: https://paypal.me/thinningoftheveil✉️ Have you had a thinning of the veil experience? Email [email protected] — your testimony may be exactly what someone needs to hear.#GatheringAcademy #FamilyGroups #FamilySearch #FamilyHistory #TempleWork #Genealogy #FamilyPhotos #LatterDaySaints #ThinningOfTheVeil #GatheringOfIsraelSupport the show