Yumanite, I have been going to the Family History Center in Mesa, AZ for years now. It’s incredible the sheer amount of information available to me there. Most of the microfilms have to be ordered from the Salt Lake City library, but they arrive here in 1-2 weeks with almost no trouble. The best records to rely upon are primary sources. Secondary sources are good only if they provide back-up information (i.e., references to primary sources). My sister (my partner in the genealogy research) and I have seen first-hand what happens when we relied too heavily on non-verified information from relatives…we hit dead-ends much of the time. When we are diligent and search the records until we find what we are looking for, we often are able to poo-poo the legends passed down through our family.
When you decide to go to do your research, don’t hesitate to ask the volunteers there for help. The folks at our Mesa center are wonderful and will do anything they can to help you find your family. We have (so far) traced our family back to the early 1600s and my brother-in-law’s family to the 1500s. Lots of information is there for the picking. Good luck and happy hunting to you!