Suggestion for LCR/Move Records Out

Sorry if this is duplicative, but I couldn't find a recent discussion that addressed this.

I'd lilke to make a suggestion to the LCR developers re: Move Outs with Address Unknown. I believe there should be a Notes field where we can add what we do know about a person, even if we don't have enough info to really identify a new address.

I realize there is an outlined process of steps to follow -- and we follow it. Sometimes we get some incomplete information. But, not being private investigators, we often run into deadends. So I think it would be helpful for all involved for us to be able to share what we know -- maybe that makes the search process easier for someone else.

For example, we have a woman in our ward who has three inactive adult children. Mom has been told by her children NOT to share address information with the church -- they're not interested, and don't want to be found. For two of the daughters, we have very general locations ("she's living in Concord" or "they've moved to the mountains and don't want to be found"). Our attempts to use online resources, including property records, have yielded no firm information. Now that we've done the legwork to get at least that far, it would be nice to record that information somewhere so that , in some future search, at least that's known.

Our EQ and RS are working hard to use every available resource to find lost sheep -- it's a shame that the knowledge dies once the record is moved out.

To me personally this sounds like a good suggestion and it's one I've though of before myself. But it's possible there are privacy issues that prevent it's implementation. I don't know.

But the decision makers for LCR do not read the forums in general. The best way to make a suggestion like this is to use the Feedback link at the bottom of LCR.

For the specific situation of the inactive children, the mother should relay to them a message from the Bishop regarding their membership status. If they don't want to be found/contacted, then it sounds like they no longer want to be church members. As sad as that may be, if they want to be left alone, they'll need to go through the official process of leaving the church. Otherwise, by remaining in the church records, we are obligated to keep trying to find them. I really don't understand why people make such a fuss about not wanting to be contacted by the church because they don't want to be members anymore, but refuse to follow the process of cancelling their membership.

Which leads back to the original suggestion of allowing an area to indicate the bits of information that we do know about a lost member.

diogenesblair wrote: I really don't understand why people make such a fuss about not wanting to be contacted by the church because they don't want to be members anymore, but refuse to follow the process of cancelling their membership.

I think most don't know there's a process. Every Primary child knows how to join the church. But if you ask the average member on how to leave, it's likely to be some variation of showing up at the bishops office with a cigarette in one hand and a bottle of whiskey in the other. Doesn't work that way.

The others don't understand why it has to be any more complicated then a verbal statement.

The process is only explained in Handbook 1, which only the bishoprics and stake presidency has access to.

I agree that a note would be helpful. When I've had parents reluctant to assist, I've told them I'm happy to send the new bishop a message or provide the new bishop's name and phone #/email so they can contact the bishop themselves and provide info.

If the move was recent and if they use the US post office change address tool to forward their mail, you can send a letter to their name at their old address but type on the envelope "RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED". The post office will not deliver the letter but will return the letter to you with their forwarding address on it.