Table of Contents
Introduction
Frequently Asked Questions
Related Resources
Introduction
On December 10, 2024, the FamilySearch ordinance system implemented clarifications to the official ordinance reservation policy to help users better understand and honor the ordinance reservation policy.
Clarifications included:
- Showing relationships back to 200 A.D.
- Re-adding "step" relationships into the types of ordinances that can be reserved.
- Declaring officially that you are related to your undivorced spouse's line.
The policy has not changed; however, the clarifications improve the ordinance reservation experience and ease of use. The FamilySearch reservation system has been notably enhanced, allowing for more accurate determination of relatives. These enhancements allow users to build their family tree with greater confidence and preserve their family history more accurately.
Although you are unable to submit some of these names to the temple due to a lack of a relationship, we assure you these individuals will not be forgotten. Once their names and information have been entered in Family Tree, other members of the Church who are related to them will be led to them via the technology within FamilySearch and through divine inspiration such as you have experienced. They will be able to submit their names to the temples for ordinance work.
As we adhere to the doctrine and policy, all of Heavenly Father’s children will be blessed in their efforts to do family history and temple work. One example of blessings received is that the policy has allowed the Church to gain greater trust with governments and record archivists, thus expanding access to records all throughout the world.
Frequently Asked Questions
Question: What is the ordinance reservation policy?
Answer: The ordinance reservation policy identifies your responsibilities, additional names you can submit, names you should not submit, and other situations that require permission for ordinances to be submitted. Read more here.
Question: When was the policy initiated?
Answer: The First Presidency issued a letter on 29 February, 2012, that was read to all Church congregations worldwide.
Question: Why was the policy initiated?
Answer: The policy was initiated to help Church members who are reserving ordinances to align with the Brethren, receive the blessings that come from complying with policies, lift and sustain the Prophet, and understand the Church handbook more fully.
Question: Where is the policy located?
Answer: The policy can be viewed in section 28 of the General Handbook: Serving in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Additional information can be found on FamilySearch.org here.
Question: Is this a FamilySearch policy?
Answer: No, the policy was initiated in 2012 by the First Presidency, and FamilySearch assists Church members in honoring the policy.
Question: Who are "our dead"?
Answer: Immediate family members, related ancestors, and your own descendants.
Question: Who am I related to based on the policy? Who can I submit for temple ordinances?
Answer:
You are related to:
- Immediate family members (your spouse, children, siblings, and parents).
- Related ancestors (your parents, grandparents, great-grandparents, and so on, and their immediate families).
You may submit the following:
- Biological, adoptive, step, and foster family lines connected to your family and your undivorced spouse's family.
- For descendants of your ancestors and descendants of your undivorced spouse's ancestors, follow these guidelines:
- You may submit descendants' spouses.
- Descendants' spouses may be sealed to their parents.
- It is acceptable to perform the parent-to-child sealing without also performing the parents' individual ordinances.
- Your own descendants.
Question: Who can I not submit for temple ordinances?
Answer: Do not submit parents of descendants' spouses. Do not submit other ancestors of descendants' spouses, including grandparents.
Question: Why could I previously reserve ordinances and now I cannot?
Answer: The FamilySearch reservation system has been notably enhanced, allowing for more accurate determination of relatives. These enhancements allow users to build their family tree with greater confidence, and preserve their family history more accurately.
Question: Why were clarifications made?
Answer: The clarifications are intended to help members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints better comply with long-standing Church submission policies.
Question: Can members still do names shared with the temple, even if they are not related to the person?
Answer: Yes. While the person sharing the name with the temple must be related, the person doing the ordinance does not need to be related.
Question: What if I can show that I am related to the person but Family Tree says I am not related?
Answer: Contact FamilySearch support. You will be asked to provide information, such as screen shots, showing your relationship to the individual. System administrators will review your request.
Question: Will the clarifications affect name submission experiences with industry friend products?
Answer: Yes, the same qualification rules apply for members using the website and when using industry friend products. Church members must be signed in and related to the ancestor to see a "ready" status.
Question: Will consultants and other helpers still be able to request ordinances on behalf of the user for whom they have signed in?
Answer: Yes. The relationships are calculated for the user being helped, not the person helping.
Question: Do the rules and policies apply worldwide?
Answer: Yes; however, in some areas of the world where records are limited, other reservations may be available.
Question: How does the relationship viewer in Family Tree determine whether I am related to a person?
Answer: The relationship calculator identifies relationships back to 200 A.D. The calculator also identifies descendancy relationships for your ancestors born after 1500 A.D.
Question: Can I seal a child to parents without the parents' temple work being done?
Answer: It is acceptable to perform the parent-to-child sealing without also performing the parents' individual ordinances.
Related Resources
Who You Can Submit for Temple Ordinances
First Presidency Issues Direction on Names Submitted for Temple Ordinances
General Handbook: Serving in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
What do the different ordinance statuses mean?
Clarified temple submission features
Why are the temple ordinance dates out of order in Family Tree?
Do I need permission from a close living relative to do temple ordinances?
Family Tree says I need permission to reserve ordinances. The 110-year policy does not apply.
Where does Ordinances Ready get names?
I cannot find any close living relatives to grant permission for ordinances
How do I request temple ordinances when Family Tree says I am not related?
Can I do temple ordinances for my aunts, uncles, and cousins?
How do I request proxy temple ordinances for a friend?
Can I do temple ordinances for an unconnected person that I added to Family Tree?