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Start with: Documents you dig up without a personal story. Immigration documents, marriage, birth/ baptismal records [even your own] and death records will often list the names of grand parents [at least a maiden name] and places of residence. Most of these records, even recent ones, are open to the public if you know in what parish, town, county, and country to look. [Most addresses of where to write (in North America) are available now on the web, in some cases requests can be initiated by e-mail, but most require a payment.] In some countries the LDS church has not been able to microfilm the most recent records for various legal reasons[privacy]. Just like US census records are not available for 72 years.
The Mormon Church (LDS) has microfilms of many Estonian parishes, Lutheran and Orthodox, including some from Saaremaa, eg, Kihelkonna, which I have used. A list of the parishes where records have been microfilmed is available on-line
http://www.aai.ee/~urmas/urm/vast.html
[Vändra is listed] or you can visit your local LDS Family History Center to find out what is available. You do not have to be Mormon to use an LDS FHC--no one will try to convert you either. A list of FHC's is also available on line. If you find a film you want, they will order it from Salt Lake City, usually about two or three weeks of waiting. In the USA, it costs about $3.50 to use a film for three-four weeks at the FHC and for $3.50 extra you can extend it for another 2 months. A word of warning it can be addicting.
If you have knowledge of Estonian and basic German, you can probably plunge in after reading through the basic stuff on the LDS site (and/or watching the video at your FHC) There is a book about Estonian geneaology by S. Maldonado. Check out her web pages.
Generally I add, as important as all of the above is, it can all wait until you have checked all your own documents and most important interviewed all your older relatives (and their close friends).
If you your research takes you to Kihelkonna (or Lümanda), I have the beginnings of a modest database of Kihelkonna külad, some talud and moisad, and several thousand associated people, that I would be happy to share. (Do you realize that if you go back 10 generations you have over 1000 direct ancestors--unless there is a some of inbreeding).
If you have any questions don't hesitate to write.
Regards and good luck!!
Arvo Tars
PS Spelling of Estonian names varies over time and is complicated by the use of German orthography. [I have some notes about the variations of Estonian naming and spelling, which I gladly share if think you will run into problems with varoius names.]
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