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In late May 2025, a Northern California mall hosted an interactive FamilySearch exhibit, offering visitors free tools to explore their ancestry. The pop-up event took place at the Westfield Galleria in Roseville from May 29 to 31, marking the first time such an exhibit was set up in a North American shopping mall.
Elder Jorge M. Alvarado, General Authority Seventy and assistant executive director of the Family History Department, emphasized California's significance as an entry point for diverse populations. "California is the port of entry for many people from all over the world," he stated. "We came here and created this pop-up so we can help members of the community discover who they are and where they came from, and to continue to build the family tree of humanity."
Among those who visited was Paul V. Scholl, a publisher from Sacramento. Inspired by his experience, Scholl intends to shift his focus from baseball to family history research. He plans to upload his grandparents’ documents to FamilySearch for wider family access. “It was kind of mind-blowing how far back the information went,” Scholl said. “This is going to really help me engage with other family members.”
The exhibit featured several stations manned by FamilySearch specialists, local Latter-day Saints, and missionaries from the California Roseville Mission. Visitors could use computer stations for genealogical discoveries or get assistance with the FamilySearch app. There was also a green screen photo display for ancestral homeland pictures, a coloring station for children, and a world map where guests marked their origins with stickers.
Debbie Justesen played a key role in organizing and staffing the exhibit as an Area Temple and Family History Adviser and service missionary for the California Roseville Mission. She noted positive reactions: “I was surprised by [people’s] interest and excitement as they realized they had a chance to learn more about their family,” she commented.
