Missing Ordination

Hi, we have a previously inactive new member to our branch that says back in 1990 he was ordained as an Elder in order to bless his second child in Jan of 91. The records on LCR and LDS tools, says he is a Priest. So in trying to figure it out, I went back to the current Bishop of the ward he says he resided in during that time. Bishop says he can't find any records and can't recall the name the member told me was the Bishop at the time.

The members mother told us the name of the person that did the ordination, but we can't find him. May be dead. The exwife says he was ordained and did do the blessing, but doesn't have have a copy of the blessing certificate or the ordination.

The child (who is grown now) is inactive, but the current wife game me his full name and birthdate.

So I'm wondering where I can go from here to try and get this verified. Would there be a record of the blessing in the membership records if the clerk at the time filed the blessing but not the ordination?

Any other suggestions?

waltc1 wrote:Would there be a record of the blessing in the membership records if the clerk at the time filed the blessing but not the ordination?

Handbook 1: 16.1.10 suggests that historical searches are only for events that happened before 1984. However, you might call Local Unit Support to see what information they have. They have access to more historical information that might shed some light. Perhaps locating the person who was bishop at that time.

That same Handbook section says what to do if it can't be verified.

The naming and blessing of a child is not a saving ordinance, so the record of that blessing is only kept locally in MLS. It will not be available now, and neither will the name of the person who gave the blessing.

I would review Handbook 1, 16.1.10 next, which explains what to do to record an ordination that is missing on a membership record. If you can find the necessary witnesses, you will be able to record the ordination on his membership record. If you cannot, he will need to be ordained again under the direction of the stake president.

Until 1984 wards sent a report to Church headquarters each year that included information on all of the priesthood ordinances and ordinations during the year. Because he was ordained in 1990, that report would not be available to check, so your research has to rely on leaders and other members who were there, or any certificates that were kept from that time.

As russellhltn suggested, you will be able to get the name of the bishop in the ward at the time with a call to Local Unit Support. You might then be able to contact him to help in verifying that the ordination took place.

Ok, so would I contact local unit support for the ward he was in at the time or in the current branch? And how do I find local unit support?

sorry to ask such simple questions, but I was inactive for 40 years prior to 2014 myself.

waltc1 wrote:Ok, so would I contact local unit support for the ward he was in at the time or in the current branch? And how do I find local unit support?

sorry to ask such simple questions, but I was inactive for 40 years prior to 2014 myself.

Assuming you're in the US/Canada, you can use this.

lajackson is correct that the blessing itself probably will not be on the church records, but it's usually the trigger to create a record for the child.