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Technology and Temple Work
By Rebecca | June 1, 2008
The Church has developed a new family search website with the aim of reducing the number of duplicate ordinances and to allow members working on the same genealogical lines a more effective way to share information. 
The website, new.familysearch.org, requires members to register using their membership number and confirmation date. (This information can be obtained from your Ward Clerk.)
Once registered, members can then use the site to look up ancestors, verify that ordinance work has been completed for them and to collaborate with others working on the same family genealogy lines. All existing Church records have been entered into the site. You should be able to find yourself and all members of your family.
Members may submit genealogy information as they research family lines. Once the information is entered, only the original author of the information may alter the record. Others researching the same family line who feel that information is incorrect may dispute the information and describe the information they possess that differs from that entered into the new family search. The original information remains, but a notation is made that there is a dispute. If the original contributor agrees with the dispute, he or she may alter the information in the entry. If the entry is not changed, however, the dispute notation remains so that future visitors to the site will have as complete a picture as possible of the information gathered.
The system allows for helpers to log on in behalf of members who are uncomfortable or unable to access the site. The information entered is noted as being authored by the member and submitted by the helper. Names and address of those contributing information can be shared to allow members working on similar lines to contact one another. This will help distant family members to work together to trace family lines and prepare names for temple work.
All of this means that members can now prepare names for temple work from any Internet-ready computer without having to travel to a Family History Center. First, the member should check the pedigree files to ensure that temple ordinances have not already been performed for the family member. Next, they should print a request for performing the ordinances. A worker at the temple can then scan the bar-code on the request and print ordinance cards for the individual.
I have not yet registered on the site. I learned about it today when our Family History Specialist presented it in Relief Society. I remember as a girl the arduous process that my mother went through to get names approved for temple work. I remember her waiting for weeks and watching the mail so that she could do the work for family members. Now, the process is almost instantaneous. In most cases, ordinances performed are updated on the site within 24 hours.
The Lord has inspired the design of the latest technology to further genealogy and temple work. It is a wonderful blessing to all members of the church, and indeed, to all the world.
Topics: Blessings, Family, Relief Society, Young Women |
June 1st, 2008 at 9:59 pm
I tried to login to the new Family Search with username and password from the old Family Search, which it said would work, but it didn’t. I’m going to contact the Church and see what’s going on because I’m excited to try this. Thanks for blogging about it.