Address Previously Unknown

I’ve been seeing the attached memo on member tools for quite a while and have noticed it even by the names of very active (recently returned missionary, BYU students home for summer, and minor children of Branch presidency). Any insights?

A record coming from address unknown does not imply inactivity. It simply means that the previous bishop determined that the member no longer lived in his ward and he didn't know where to send it next. (Hopefully he had a clerk follow the checklist for moving records to address unknown, but that doesn't always happen.)

It is up to you to determine what, if any, fellowshipping activities are appropriate for that member's situation.

scgallafent wrote:A record coming from address unknown does not imply inactivity. It simply means that the previous bishop determined that the member no longer lived in his ward and he didn't know where to send it next. (Hopefully he had a clerk follow the checklist for moving records to address unknown, but that doesn't always happen.)

It is up to you to determine what, if any, fellowshipping activities are appropriate for that member's situation.

Is that the most recent unit or any unit in a certain time frame (ten years) or since birth?

allenjblodgett wrote:

scgallafent wrote:A record coming from address unknown does not imply inactivity. It simply means that the previous bishop determined that the member no longer lived in his ward and he didn't know where to send it next. (Hopefully he had a clerk follow the checklist for moving records to address unknown, but that doesn't always happen.)

It is up to you to determine what, if any, fellowshipping activities are appropriate for that member's situation.

Is that the most recent unit or any unit in a certain time frame (ten years) or since birth?

I know it's not since birth because my wife was in address unknown for 42 days and that doesn't show up for her. (Somewhere during that 42 days we were sealed in the temple, so I know firsthand that address unknown does not imply inactivity).

I'm pretty sure it is the most recent unit (was the record in an address unknown state immediately prior to the current unit?).

I think a feature was added to see prior units for the past year (to support temple interviews) since a person can bounce between different wards pretty quickly and the prior ward may not be the best one to talk to.

As for the message, if it's not the prior "ward", then perhaps they were in address unknown in the prior year. I can't imagine the message coming up if it's been over a year.