ISLAND OF HOPE - ISLAND OF TEARS - ELLIS ISLAND DOCUMENTARY by CHARLES GUGGENHEIM

Island of Hope - Island of Tears; Charles Guggenheim; National Park Service; AVA15996VNB1 1992 (1989); From 1892-1954, Ellis Island was the port of entry for millions of European immigrants.

Old footage of life in the agricultural old country.  How our ancestors left their villages to immigrate to the United States for work.

ACCORDING TO MY REFERENCES YOU'D MAKE A SWELL VALENTINE

DO YOU PRAY BEFORE YOU BEGIN YOUR GENEALOGICAL RESEARCH?

I've been advised in the past by Latter Day Saints missionaries to PRAY to the ancestors in the spirit world for help in my genealogical research.  To me this is a form of ancestor worship.  I don't actually have a problem with the notion but I also have never prayed for other worldly research assistance.

Maybe this is because an occasional dream has provided guidance instead.

I suspect it is more ethical to pray to your OWN ancestors for help when it comes to genealogy research - or anything else - than to the ancestors of strangers you might be helping or working for. 

I do wonder what other people think of this.

I suppose it can't hurt but maybe it can.

Maybe it depends on the focus of the research.