Two Issues

[discipler]

First, I'm a newb and this is a newb question. How do I use the search feature that is up there near the top of the page. Each time I try, I get the message that I didn't use enough words or something like that. And when I actually search within a thread, many of the items that come up don't seem to be related to the search. Got any tips for me?
Second, I have the TP and this question is related to the "all people" tab and how I keep losing all of the people I selected. I just recently added 10 or so people, with photos, and a couple of days later they were all gone. All I have at the moment is a big fat option to "add favorite". Can I back up these favorites so that should they disappear again, I can go to the back up?
Thanks.