With a recent update, temple and family history consultants now have access to Leader and Clerk Resources (LCR) on ChurchofJesusChrist.org for tools specific to their responsibilities. This access allows consultants to use the full functionality of Family Name Assist through LCR.
Going to the temple for the first time can be daunting. The preparation and procedures can be bewildering for youth and new Church members even before they enter the temple doors. Family Name Assist is becoming a preferred way to help Church members, youth, and others more quickly and easily reserve their first few family names to take to the temple for proxy baptisms.
In addition, temple and family history consultants now have access to the Family History Activity Report (FHAR). This report can be useful as consultants coordinate and plan with ward or branch leaders how to help members experience the blessings of discovering their ancestors and performing temple ordinances on their behalf.
Read more about these temple and family history tools below, and learn about how to access them in LCR.
Using Family Name Assist in Leader and Clerk Resources
Family Name Assist simplifies the process of preparing family names for the temple for the first time. It automates the creation of FamilySearch accounts, automates putting the deceased relative's information in the member’s family tree (including checking for duplicates and adding it to their reservation list), and allows the printing of family name cards for temple baptisms and confirmations. And it does all of this without requiring any prior experience with FamilySearch or family history.
Using Family Name Assist through LCR, a consultant can now bypass challenges members may have with signing in to or creating a FamilySearch account just before their next temple trip, enabling them to focus on the Savior and on uniting their family for eternity while preparing for and attending the temple.
Consultants can find Family Name Assist in the Temple menu in LCR. (If consultants do not find it there, they should check with their ward clerk to ensure that their calling was recorded correctly.)
Learn more about Family Name Assist, and access a quick link to get started.
Using the Family History Activity Report
Temple and family history consultants can also use LCR to view their ward or branch Family History Activity Report (FHAR). The FHAR is a helpful snapshot of family history activity in the ward or branch.
Updated monthly, the FHAR shows the number of members using FamilySearch.org, submitting family names for temple ordinances, and adding ancestors or memories to the FamilySearch Family Tree. It also gives a percentage of ward or branch members who have their first 4 generations in Family Tree. To learn more about the information in this report and how to use it, see the FHAR guide in the FamilySearch Help Center. (Note: To view this help center article, be sure to sign in to FamilySearch.org.)
How to Access Leader and Clerk Resources
To access Family Name Assist and the Family History Activity Report in LCR, follow these steps:
- Sign in to ChurchofJesusChrist.org using your Church account.
- Scroll through the row of application links, and click Leader and Clerk Resources.
- In the top menu in LCR, click Temple. The drop-down menu gives you the options to access Family Name Assist and the Family History Activity Report.
If you click "Family Name Assist," a page will open where you can begin helping members add information about their ancestors and print family name cards for temple baptisms and confirmations.
Help Ward Leaders Use Family Name Assist
Please remember that leaders in each ward or branch can use Family Name Assist to help new members and youth, and it does not require family history experience to use. The tool is designed so that those who are already helping members prepare for the temple can also help them print their first family names and enjoy the blessings of serving their own relatives almost immediately after they receive their temple recommend. It can also be a useful tool for groups attending the temple together to do proxy baptisms. If any of the youth in the group cannot find or print a name through Ordinances Ready for themselves (such as when they have forgotten their account information), a leader or consultant can quickly help them reserve and print a family name using Family Name Assist.
As you become familiar with this simple but powerful tool, you can help other leaders feel comfortable with it too. You may also want to ask your temple and family history leader, elders quorum president, or Relief Society president to help you ensure that all those with access to Family Name Assist in Leader and Clerk Resources are aware of it and feel comfortable using it.
After a member has participated in proxy ordinances for close relatives and learned about the temple through their first or first few experiences, family history consultants can also play a crucial role in helping members becoming familiar with FamilySearch.org. Entering more information into the FamilySearch Family Tree when members are ready will make it easier for them to use Ordinances Ready regularly when going to the temple and have a lifetime of joyful temple service and family history discoveries.
At FamilySearch, we care about connecting you with your family, and we provide fun discovery experiences and family history services for free. Why? Because we cherish families and believe that connecting generations can improve our lives now and forever. We are a nonprofit organization sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. To learn more about our beliefs, click here.
