Activate or Change the Status of Temple Recommends Frequently Asked Questions

If possible, make a photocopy of the white copy of the recommend and give that to the clerk to activate it in Leader Resources or Clerk Resources on LDS.org or in MLS. If you can’t make a photocopy, write on a piece of paper the information found on the recommend (name of holder, gender, membership record number, recommend number, month and year of issue, ward name, and stake name). Sign the piece of paper and give it to the clerk. Keep this paper with the canary copies of other temple recommends.

You should verify that this recommend is actually for the person displayed on the screen.

In Leader Resources or Clerk Resources, do the following:

1. Click Temple, and then click Temple Recommend Status Report.

2. When the list of recommends holders appears, find the correct ward or branch by clicking the name of the ward or branch just above the list of names.

3. Click the correct ward or branch.

4. Scroll to find the name of the member, or enter the name in the Find member in list field. Click the correct name from the list.

5. When the member name box opens, click the View Member Profile link. The membership record number is located to the right of the member’s name.

In MLS, do the following:

1. Cancel out of the activation process, and click the member’s name. The membership record number is found on the Member Record screen that appears.

2. Write down the correct membership record number, and close the Member Record screen.

3. Use the last four digits of the number you wrote down to finish activating this person’s recommend.

4. Generally, do not refuse to activate a recommend because of a wrong membership record number. If there is any doubt, however, you should call the bishop to make sure before activating the recommend. If a bishopric member consistently prints wrong membership record numbers on recommends, notify the stake president.

Yes. You can go to Leader Resources or Clerk Resources on ChurchofJesusChrist.org and enter the information. See instructions on the Activate or Change the Status of Temple Recommends page.

Use Leader Resources or Clerk Resources on LDS.org to activate the recommend. See the instructions on theActivate or Change the Status of Temple Recommends page.

If I get an error message while trying to activate a recommend in MLS, what should I do? Some of these messages have a “Continue” button that will allow me to go on.

If you get an error message:

1. Most error messages will require you to contact the member’s priesthood leader before going on. You should cancel the activation of that recommend and write yourself a note about the particular problem. Contact the priesthood leader when you are finished with your activation session.

2. If the error reveals something you may be able to correct yourself, such as an incorrect temple recommend number, try again to activate the recommend.

3. If you would like additional assistance, please contact the Global Service Center.

Before you can activate or cancel a member’s recommend, his or her membership record must be assigned to a unit in your stake. Make sure you have the latest membership information. In MLS, on the main menu, click on Send/Receive Changes. This will download any new membership records. If the member you are trying to find still does not appear on the Activate Recommends or View/Edit Recommends screens, notify the stake president.

If you are using LCR on ChurchofJesusChrist.org:

1. On the home screen, click Membership, and then click Member List.

2. When the Member List opens, click the name of the ward or branch that appears above the list, and a list of units in the stake will appear.

3. Click the correct unit name.

4. If the member’s name is not on the list, contact the bishop or ward clerk and ask him to request the member’s record. (See the Request Records page for instructions.)

Yes, but only the stake can activate or cancel a temple recommend.

If you are on an MLS Member Record screen for an individual, click Temple and Mission on the left side of the screen. Then, in the top right of the Temple Recommend section of the screen, click Edit. (If the individual does not have a recommend, you will click Add.) Enter information as asked for on the screen.

You can also activate or cancel a temple recommend in Leader and Clerk Resources (LCR) on LDS.org. Follow the instructions on the Activate or Change the Status of Temple Recommends page.

No, but the stake presidency member may activate the recommend using Leader Resources from his home.

If the recommend is not activated before the member arrives at the temple, the temple presidency or temple recorder will need to call the member’s priesthood leader in order to verify the worthiness of the member to enter the temple.

Yes.

Keep the canary copies for 30 days, and then shred them.

The bishop should report the lost or stolen recommend to the stake presidency as soon as possible so the stake can cancel the recommend to prevent it being used by an unauthorized person. However, activating the new recommend will automatically cancel the old one.

A current copy of these instructions is available to print from the Record Keeping and Technology Support website or from the Member and Leader Services (MLS) software.

To print instructions from the Record Keeping and Technology Support website, click the print button on the Temple Recommends page.

To print those instructions from MLS, click on the Help menu in MLS, and select Print Instructions for Activating Temple Recommends.