Language capability

I think I know the answer to this but not 100% certain...Is there any place on a membership record to show what languages a member can speak? I'm just talking about capability, not mission language. I've never seen it but my stake president is asking me. Thanks.

No, I don't think it was ever recorded.

Years ago with MLS, it allowed recording of "talents". A feature that I don't think saw much use. But that was a local addition and not part of the membership record itself.

I've never been polled on which languages I speak fluently, so I would doubt that information is presently being tracked.

Reviewing locations that are listed on a record (birthplace, mission, endowment/sealing, etc.) are not perfect, but will probably yield the best clues.

For example, many who serve in (e.g. California San Diego Mission) are called to speak English, but many also are called to speak Spanish.

I know of a Brother who was called to serve in Mexico City, but due to an injury early in his mission, was returned home and never actually learned Spanish; twenty years later, he is always having to explain that he doesn't actually speak Spanish when being extended ward/stake callings that require fluent Spanish.

There are two places that the stake president might be thinking of. In Church Account you can set a preferred language, and for patriarchs they used to be able to set additional languages (for giving blessings) in the old CDOL. That feature hasn't made it into the new CDOL yet.

jonesrk wrote: Sun Jan 21, 2024 12:45 am In Church Account you can set a preferred language

Is this information available to local units?

and for patriarchs they used to be able to set additional languages (for giving blessings) in the old CDOL. That feature hasn't made it into the new CDOL yet

jonesrk, do you have any inkling whether this is part of the transition plans, and will at some point (eventually) be added? We have a good number of Spanish-speaking members who want patriarchal blessings, and no patriarchs in nearby stakes who speak Spanish. But if/when this is listed in CDOL, it would make it easier for those who live in geographically large stakes, to determine what patriarch blessing languages might be available.

BrianEdwards wrote: Sun Jan 21, 2024 11:48 am

and for patriarchs they used to be able to set additional languages (for giving blessings) in the old CDOL. That feature hasn't made it into the new CDOL yet

jonesrk, do you have any inkling whether this is part of the transition plans, and will at some point (eventually) be added? We have a good number of Spanish-speaking members who want patriarchal blessings, and no patriarchs in nearby stakes who speak Spanish. But if/when this is listed in CDOL, it would make it easier for those who live in geographically large stakes, to determine what patriarch blessing languages might be available.

I haven't seen any plans for it, but I don't know that there's a lot of detail on those plans yet. I agree it needs to be on those plans. I'll make a note about it and recommend it to the team of the new CDOL.