What happens to records after the 9 step process is complete

We are currently working on the 9 step process in our ward, as the ward clerk I'm trying to understand how this all works, as we have some members called to find where these members are, if they are not at the last know address. From what I can gather from form discussions it seems like if we can't find the members after all those steps no one else will be able as well, so why do they get sent away? and what happens when they are? it seems that they will just be sent back. I get the point of the 9 step program which helps find these members so they can be contacted and hopefully they can come back to full fellowship and that is the main purpose.

They get sent to the "Address Unknown" file. The church does have some resources to work on that, so it's not completely abandoned. Lately, they been sending some back to the prior ward to have one more look, so be sure to save those notes so you don't have to start from scratch.

Also, if they are not found by headquarters, eventually they will be found "in the field" and a clerk somewhere will request their records – that is the hope.