How are Convert Membership Records created?

8 postsstarted by BrainClay 4,926 viewsoriginal topic

Member
#1
I believe that the process for creating a membership record for new converts has been streamlined, but I don't know the process. The Baptismal Recommend Form is now electronic as I understand it. With the paper form/process, the new record was dependent on the ward clerk getting a copy of the baptismal recommend and manually creating a new membership record. Does it still work that way? What else changed? For example, I believe the new member is mailed a letter containing their membership number so they can create a Church and FamilySearch account.

I'm trying to create a simple checklist for getting new converts to the temple within two months. I created one several years ago, but I think I need to make major updates to it...

Brian C. Palmer
Ward Mission Leader
Platter River Ward, Front Range Colorado stake.
Community Administrator
#2
See General Handbook 18.8.3.
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Senior Member
#3
Here it is...
When a full-time missionary interviews a convert for baptism, he fills out the Baptism and Confirmation Record using the Area Book Planner (ABP) app. After the baptism and confirmation, the missionaries record the information in ABP and submit it to the ward clerk electronically. The ward clerk reviews the information in LCR and creates the membership record.
#4
For a child record form (age 9 to 17), when the missionary submits using the ABP app, are they still required to have a printed copy of as the form signed and scanned in? Or does the app allow for the parental signature to be input separately? I have missionaries in my unit that submit just a signature that isn't on the official Child Record Creation form, and I'm trying to determine if that is valid since the missionaries submit all this electronically and don't have access to the printed copies.
Community Moderators
#5
jansonrobertvanshaar wrote: Sun Aug 31, 2025 9:49 am Or does the app allow for the parental signature to be input separately?
That is correct.
jansonrobertvanshaar wrote: Sun Aug 31, 2025 9:49 amI have missionaries in my unit that submit just a signature that isn't on the official Child Record Creation form, and I'm trying to determine if that is valid since the missionaries submit all this electronically and don't have access to the printed copies.
The e-signature is valid for the permission verification. The parent/guardian reviews the information on the missionary mobile device and signs on the mobile device.
JD Lessley
Have you tried finding your answer on the ChurchofJesusChrist.org Help Center or Tech Wiki?
Senior Member
#6
We had a recent convert baptism, and the new member record was added to our directory without any clerk input. Evidently this is a new procedure, and I'm fine with this.
Senior Member
#7
zaneclark wrote: Mon Sep 01, 2025 9:58 am We had a recent convert baptism, and the new member record was added to our directory without any clerk input. Evidently this is a new procedure, and I'm fine with this.
Did the clerk get any alert about a new member record being auto-created? I'm not in a calling that has access anymore, but I do know that this past Sunday a local clerk got a "7 day reminder" email about a Pending Record that had been waiting for a week for clerk processing. So I'm interested in whether this is a brand-new thing, since it seems that at least a week ago the regular process was still in place (at least for this clerk who got the original Pending Action email two Sundays ago). Perhaps it's a phased-rollout as opposed to a global switchover?

I would expect (hope?) that if the record is automatically processed without any ward action, there should still be some kind of messages that the clerk/Bishop receive.
Senior Member
#8
Nothing came to me... I checked the pending and found nothing, so started checking and found his record already recorded. I agree that it would have been nice to receive a notice.