Steve Olsen, senior historic sites curator in the Church History Department, says it would be helpful to have Church members all over the world helping locate Church history documents, photographs, or artifacts for the department. Such local and regional efforts could become a major part of the gathering of Church history in the future.
Chad Orton, an archivist in the Church History Department, says, "We really can't do what we have been asked to do in the scriptures—document the history of the Church—without the members letting us know what they have."
If you have or know of items that help establish the history of the Church in your area, contact the Church History Department at lds.org/churchhistory/donations to make them aware of the items. Church history staff will be glad to visit with you about the best way to document and preserve, or to donate historical items, Brother Orton says. The participation of local members is vital because they know the people, events, and items that are significant to the history of the Church in their area.