The most important thing that you can do to get started with your family history and genealogy is to obtain or buy a computer program that is for storing your genealogical information. It will benefit your research if you use a program that can manage your family history and genealogy data with ease.

I use the Personal Ancestral File (PAF) which is available for FREE from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Please go to www.familysearch.org to download a copy for yourself.

• On the Home page, please click on "Download PAF" under the section: Free PAF Family History Software which is in the tan area under the search box in the 3rd column on the right.
• It will take you to the "PAF REGISTRATION", please fill in the information and click on the "Submit" button.
• Then select the English (v5.2.18) (9.7 MB) version and click the "DOWNLOAD" button.
• Then you will need to select if you would like to "RUN or SAVE" the new Program.  I suggest that you click on "RUN".
• Next, a window will pop up that asks you to select a language for the Installation.  English is the default or you can pick another.  Then click "ok".
• Then it will ask you a few simple questions that you will need to click your choices for.  
• When the installation is complete all that you need to do is click "FINISH".