Trish Homer did not have a specific goal when she began indexing, but 10 years after submitting her first indexing record, Trish reached the 1 million mark.
To celebrate her accomplishment, the Relief Society in her Idaho Falls ward created a "Thanks a Million" party in her honor. The thoughtfulness of the party was kind, Trish admits, but her indexing days are far from over.
"It wasn’t a big, life-changing experience as much as, ‘Wow it happened, but now just keep going,'” she shares.
Due to her illness, which causes progressive weakening of the muscles, Trish has been in a wheelchair for 25 of her 65 years. But Trish stays positive and says her favorite quote is: "What I cannot do will not keep me from what I can do." She also says her illness has made it possible for her to spend time indexing and searching out names on her family tree.
She explains that, rather than spending her time on Facebook or pursuing online games, she indexes 400-500 names a day. That's more than 100,000 names a year.
And while most of her indexing projects are in English, Trish says she has memorized some Italian words and has helped with Italian projects as well.
“It brings the spirit of Elijah into my life,” she says. “It’s very peaceful and calming, which, during this life’s experience, we better be looking toward that. Otherwise, I don’t know how anyone makes it without that peace coming in."
While it can be difficult for some LDS members to find time to index, Trish says just setting one day apart for this special work could help contribute to the most important part of indexing: bringing families together.
With all the indexing Trish has accomplished and will accomplish in the future, she says she enjoys teaching others to index, especially her mother, 89, who does "a batch or two a day," Trish says.
She muses that maybe she has helped a stranger reach their goal for family temple work: “Hopefully I helped someone find their millionth.”
