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Divorce - Maiden Name for Temple Recommend

5 postsstarted by bradweech 2,578 viewsoriginal topic

bradweech
New Member
#1
A Question has come up regarding a person who has recently divorced and would like a recommend with her maiden name. Does anyone know the process for this? If this is not the correct place to ask, please direct me there. Thanks...
russellhltn
Community Administrator
#2
I'm not sure as I understand the issue. His she asking for a recommend with a different name than her membership record? Or is she simply asking for a replacement Recommend with her new name?

If it's the latter, I think I'd be inclined to treat it as "lost" and follow the procedures from there.

If it's the former, I would be inclined to update her membership records to her current legal name. I would not be inclined to (re)issue a recommend with a name that differs from her membership record.

But let's see what those with access to the Handbook say.
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aebrown
Community Administrator
#3
BradWeech wrote:A Question has come up regarding a person who has recently divorced and would like a recommend with her maiden name. Does anyone know the process for this? If this is not the correct place to ask, please direct me there. Thanks...
The place to start is with the membership record. According to the MLS Software Manual (on page A-6):
Name Changes
When a member has legally changed his or her name, make the change on the membership record as soon as possible. Follow this same procedure to correct spelling or typographical errors. The bishop should make sure all legal requirements have been completed.
Once the name is legally correct on the membership record, the bishop can issue a new recommend with the new legal name. As with all situations where a temple recommend is reissued, when the person meets with the stake presidency, the old recommend will be turned in to the stake presidency, and the new one signed and given to the member, and then the new one will be activated. When the new one is activated, the old one is automatically canceled.
Questions that can benefit the larger community should be asked in a public forum, not a private message.
lajackson
Community Moderators
#4
Alan is correct on the procedure. No matter what name is written on the recommend, the name on the membership record will show up at the temple when the temple checks to see if the recommend is active.

If there are differences, the temple presidency may question the validity of the recommend, and even decide to call the bishop or a member of the stake presidency to verify that the recommend is valid.
bradweech
New Member
#5
Thanks to all. This was the info we needed.