Non-member record for someone who IS a member

We have a family in our ward in which the wife and kids are active but the husband rarely attends church. He is listed as the spouse of the wife in MLS (record number and birth date) and she was the head of the household. However, it recently came to my attention that he had been baptized. I tried requesting records but to no avail. I highly doubt that he has the baptism certificate, or the desire to find it and show it to us. How should I get his records or show that he's baptized? Do I request his records, try to change his existing record and add the baptism information?

She said they go through this every year. My guess is previous clerk's didn't know what to do. At one point she said her father (in a Stake Presidency) somehow found his records and verified they do exist and show he was baptized. It's further complicated because he changed his last name somewhere along the line. Any help would be appreciated. Should this go in the MLS forum?

I believe the CHI outlines the procedure. But, from memory, the the choice of:

- Find his records.
- Find his baptismal certificate
- Find witnesses to his baptism
- Re-baptize him.

I'm not sure what happens if he was never confirmed.

cooleric1234 wrote: It's further complicated because he changed his last name somewhere along the line.

Have you tried requesting his records under the older name, which perhaps is the name he was baptized under?

If you succeed in obtaining the record this way, the next step would be to verify that his name was legally changed, then change it on the church records.

RussellHltn wrote:I believe the CHI outlines the procedure. But, from memory, the the choice of:

- Find his records.
- Find his baptismal certificate
- Find witnesses to his baptism
- Re-baptize him.

I'm not sure what happens if he was never confirmed.

Okay, thanks. I imagine this might be even more appropriate to the MLS help forum, but do you know if there is a human in the loop on record requests? I don't know how to portray this situation in the request (there are no text boxes or anything like that). Also with the different possible last names I was just trying one then the other, I wonder if there's a more appropriate way?

You can try and call clerk support and see if they can help you locate the records. Then you'd know what to put in the request.

cooleric1234 wrote:Do I request his records, try to change his existing record and add the baptism information?

I don't think as a clerk you'll be able to add a baptism to a record without help from Clerk Support at Church Headquarters, as the MLS software enforces a restriction that Missions are to handle convert baptisms (anyone currently older than 8).

(Although, does the software allow you to add a baptism to a record if they were 8 at the time of baptism, even if the record is being updated years later?)

You CAN add the baptism and confirmation (with verified information) years later into MLS; however, you have to realize and be careful that the information documentation may have been superseded by an excommunication or requested name removal. Then re-baptism after proper clearances is the only solution.

chasejtlds wrote:You CAN add the baptism and confirmation (with verified information) years later into MLS; however, you have to realize and be careful that the information documentation may have been superseded by an excommunication or requested name removal. Then re-baptism after proper clearances is the only solution.

I found that adding those dates to the record only 'sticks' on the wards end. When the person moves or changes ward the record seems to go back to the original, non-baptized state. My guess is that only HQ can really make that information stick and become permanent on a members record.

I'd also suggest that going to clerk help is probably the best option here to find his original record. They can also search for him going off his parents records so having all his details, parents names & date of birth etc, would come in handy when you call -if you haven't already done so.