Policies and Announcements

The following items appeared in the April 1983 Bulletin.

Submitting Names for Temple Work. Priesthood leaders should convey the following information to Church members by announcing it in priesthood quorums and Relief Society and by having home teachers carry the message to each family.

In an effort to make it easier for members to submit names for temple work, family group record forms may now be used in some cases, described below, where formerly they could not be used. To implement this, the following instruction is now effective.

How to Submit Names

You may use three different forms to submit names to the temples:

1. Entry form (PFGS0095), for baptism, endowment, and sealing to parents

2. Marriage Entry form (PFGS0109), for sealing of wife to husband

3. Family Group Record form (PFGS0029), for all ordinances

You should record the name or names on one of these three forms and then, according to the specific circumstance, either take the form directly to the temple or send it to the genealogical service center that serves your area.

The Family of Which You Are a Parent

For the family of which you are a parent, you may fill out the family group record form. You may take it directly to the temple to have ordinances performed. When a large group of people plans to come to the temple together, these forms need to be sent to the temple six weeks earlier so that they can be processed and ready when the people arrive at the temple.

Your Parents’ Family

For your parents’ family, you should fill out the family group record form. You may take it directly to the temple.

Grandparents and Other Ancestors on Your Pedigree Lines

To have temple ordinances performed for deceased family members who are your grandparents or other progenitors, you may submit their names on the family group record form; or you may submit them on either the entry form or the marriage entry form, or on both. Whichever of the three forms you use, you should send it to the genealogical service center for your area. The service center will process the record and notify you when the name or names are ready in the temple.

Entry and Marriage Entry Forms Preferable

As you decide which form to use, you should remember that, because of the sacred nature of temple work, you should always provide as accurate a record of a person as you reasonably can. For this reason, it is preferable to submit names on entry or marriage entry forms whenever you can obtain sufficient information (usually the name, date, and place of birth, christening, and marriage). There are fewer chances for error in using these forms than there are in compiling family group records. The entry and marriage entry forms also allow you to submit the information as you identify individuals rather than wait until the entire family is identified. However, if you wish to submit the family as a group on a family group record form, you may do so.

When Dates and Places Cannot Be Found

After you have searched all available records and cannot find sufficient information to complete an entry or marriage entry form, you may submit a family group record showing all information you have been able to find. Part of the information on this form must be at least one date (year) for an event in the life of one person in the family and the geographic location of that event. Ordinances can be performed for all names on the family group record form if you record on the form your specific relationship to either the husband or wife listed on the form.

These instructions are also found in the third edition of the manual From You to Your Ancestors (PBGS0683), available at the Salt Lake Distribution Center. It will also be in the second edition of the manual From You to Your Ancestors in languages other than English.

Fellowshipping of New Converts. Research has shown that during the first two years after baptism, the activity of converts in the United States is equal to—and in many areas higher than—the activity of other Church members. However, with the passing of time, their activity tends to drop. This tendency points to the important role of local leaders and members in helping new converts remain active in the Church. Two very valuable aids to help priesthood leaders achieve this goal are the “Convert Baptism Checklist,” which is found on page 17 of the Stake Mission Handbook (PBMI4438), and the quarterly computer action list for new converts. Priesthood leaders should make sure that these two resources are used for each new member of the Church. By using these aids and by taking a personal interest in the activity of each new convert, priesthood leaders can help new members continue on the path to exaltation and become fully participating fellow-citizens with the Saints.