Out-of-Unit Membership Records

Creating out-of-unit membership records is pretty common in YSA wards. With clerks constantly changing between semesters (and needing to be trained), I created a form to simplify the process of entering out-of-unit members... I attached it here as a PDF and a Word Document. Hopefully it will be useful to someone. Does anyone have any feedback/improvements?

I'm surprised to see "RS Adviser". I didn't remember that as requiring a married person per the handbook. A YSA adviser couple perhaps, but I'm not sure as they are required when the entire ward is YSA. But that's probably a "leader's discretion" kind of thing.

Otherwise, it looks like a useful form - especially for a unit with major turnover every semester.

An important note should be included for priesthood holders. "Note: In order to be added to a leadership position in MLS, priesthood ordinance information must be recorded on the record."

We have had clerks post in the forum with issues about not finding the name of the out of unit member for the priesthood office on the list of members. Once the priesthood information is recorded then a priesthood holder's name is on the list.

@russellhltn – In my stake, Relief Society Advisers are wives of bishopric members, high councilors, or other men serving in the stake. But you're right, it looks like it doesn't specify in the handbook – so it's probably just a stake precedent. I'll reword that...

I'm not sure if all wards have Relief Society Advisers, and I know some wards have out-of-unit clerks...

@jdlessley – that's a good note to include. My hope is that a clerk fills out as much as they can from the IOS by default when they're creating the record, but it doesn't always happen and that's a common problem.

Is there someone who could provide me with a list of what information on LDS.org tools is pulled from the home ward records and what is pulled from the out-of-unit record? I know that contact information is pulled from the home ward record, so entering it on the out-of-unit record isn't necessary. Are there other fields that are "overruled" by the home ward record?

Another note I might include is not to mark an out-of-unit record as "married" until their spouse's out-of-unit record is created. Otherwise it causes problems...

sbradshaw wrote:Is there someone who could provide me with a list of what information on LDS.org tools is pulled from the home ward records and what is pulled from the out-of-unit record? I know that contact information is pulled from the home ward record, so entering it on the out-of-unit record isn't necessary. Are there other fields that are "overruled" by the home ward record?

Actually none of the information from the out-of-unit record goes to lds.org at all. As far as lds.org is concerned, the out-of-unit record is actually just a way of entering a calling in MLS. It's the calling that gets sent to CDOL. CDOL in turn provides that calling information (and only the calling information) to the rest of lds.org. All the other information about the member comes from their membership record which can only be updated by the home ward. The out-of-unit record itself is completely local to MLS.

OK, so would I be safe to specify that in all cases, all we need for creating an out-of-unit record is the person's name, gender, record number, baptism and confirmation dates, and priesthood ordination dates?

sbradshaw wrote:OK, so would I be safe to specify that in all cases, all we need for creating an out-of-unit record is the person's name, gender, record number, baptism and confirmation dates, and priesthood ordination dates?

Keep in mind, you'll probably want contact information so it will be there in any reports generated by MLS.

russellhltn wrote:Keep in mind, you'll probably want contact information so it will be there in any reports generated by MLS.

Which brings up a minor point of updating contact information for out of unit members/leaders. The out of unit member information in the service unit is not updated by changes made in the home unit MLS or in the online Directory. Out of unit members/leaders may be familiar with the ability to update contact information on the online Directory. But those updates will not flow back to the service unit MLS. This can be a point of confusion.

I've updated the form for creating out-of-unit membership records based on feedback and suggestions I received here and a few other things I thought of. Here it is:

Looks good. I think you're a singes ward. From what I remember, student wards are allowed to have bishopric Counselors "from within" and don't have to use out-of-unit members. But that's an issue only for other wards wanting to follow your template.

I'm pretty sure the counselors don't have to be high priests; but they still have to be married, right? If so, you could have a counselor from within a married student ward, but not from within a YSA ward.

I checked the directory of our student branch. Both councilors are unmarried and I'm pretty sure are student age themselves. But Handbook 1 is the real authority.

Interesting! I don't have access to Handbook 1 so I'll take your word for it.

russellhltn wrote:I checked the directory of our student branch. Both councilors are unmarried and I'm pretty sure are student age themselves. But Handbook 1 is the real authority.

Handbook Section 9.1.6 indicates that councilors in YSA wards should be married but may be students or other young men. It doesn't mention anything about councilors in a YSA branch. Councilors in YSA wards in conventional stakes must be high priests but may be elders in YSA stakes.

I've done several updates to this document. I removed the checklist page and tried to simplify it and make it more generic so it would apply to any YSA ward or stake. There are also better instructions for stake leaders. I'd appreciate any feedback or suggestions. A new version is attached.

Sorry, I am joining the conversation a bit late ... but I have a related question that doesn't appear to be noted in the excellent guide that sbradshaw prepared.

We have 2 stakes. Stake 1 has a YSA ward, and the bishop of that ward is a member of Stake 1. Young Single adults from Stake 2 also attend the YSA ward, and when they begin attending, their records are moved to that ward. The YSA Bishop requested access to Stake 2 membership via LDS Tools. Stake President for Stake 2 approved the request.

Now I have to do it!! Here is what I think I need to do:
1. Create an Out-of-Unit record for the YSA Bishop in Stake 2 ... but I can't find that option from the Stake MLS computer. Does it have to be done at the Ward level?
2. Give the YSA Bishop a calling in MLS. Does it have to be a standard Stake Calling? Or can it be a custom calling? If a standard calling is required to access information on LDS Tools, what calling should I use?

Does that make sense? Any help is appreciated.

teuscher wrote:1. Create an Out-of-Unit record for the YSA Bishop in Stake 2 ... but I can't find that option from the Stake MLS computer. Does it have to be done at the Ward level?

In Stake MLS, it's under Membership, in the Other Record Changes pane (bottom middle).

teuscher wrote:2. Give the YSA Bishop a calling in MLS. Does it have to be a standard Stake Calling? Or can it be a custom calling? If a standard calling is required to access information on LDS Tools, what calling should I use?

Yes, it has to be a standard stake calling. The calling you use is up to you. It's not going to be a calling the bishop actually has, so you need to pick something that won't be too misleading. You might pick something in the Stake YSA area.

A. How can out-of-unit members that are sisters be assigned in-unit ministering sisters. My relief society leader is struggling on this and can't seem to make it work. If there is handbook guidance that disallows this, where is the guidance? B. Also, how can full-time sister missionaries serving in the ward be assigned as ministering sisters? Do they need to be added as out-of-unit members first? Would that even help?

I can't find it in the Handbook, but as I recall the "business rules" handed down to the developers doesn't allow out-of-unit members to participate.

Missionaries are to be involved "on a limited basis" (last paragraph 21.3)