LDS tools Android production version

[elderlarryhawkes]

For the average member, the MRN is not even needed to set up an LDSAccount, or to retrieve a lost password.

What is the method to create an LDS account without the MRN, and how to recreate the LDS account if the member forgets both their LDS account info and email account info?

[jdlessley]

For the average member, the MRN is not even needed to set up an LDSAccount, or to retrieve a lost password.

What is the method to create an LDS account without the MRN, and how to recreate the LDS account if the member forgets both their LDS account info and email account info?

To set up an LDS Account the MRN and birthday are needed for a member. Otherwise the LDS Account registration would be for a non-member. If the LDS Account is a non-member registration then they would not have access to websites that require member registration.

A member would need to know the e-mail address they used to register with LDS Account to recover a forgotten username. They would need their LDS Account username to reset their password if that was forgotten. For more complex situations they would need to contact the LDS Account support team to get it resolved.

[russellhltn]

the MRN is not even needed to set up an LDSAccount

We must be looking at different screens. It appears the MRN is needed to set up the account, but not to retrieve lost user names or passwords.

[lajackson]

We must be looking at different screens. It appears the MRN is needed to set up the account, but not to retrieve lost user names or passwords.

My apologies. I am having browser behind a firewall at work issues.

Yes, the members needs their MRN. So have them look at their temple recommend, or give them an IOS. They already know their birthdate.

If they forget their password and remember their login, I think they still need their confirmation date, rather than their birthdate, to get into the system and reset their password. So the IOS gets them their confirmation date, as well.

Still, I don't see a compelling need to walk around with a list of MRNs for the ward. Perhaps if you are having a "sign up for LDSAccount" drive or something. Even then, I think I would just hand out the IOS.

[elderlarryhawkes]

We must be looking at different screens. It appears the MRN is needed to set up the account, but not to retrieve lost user names or passwords.

We have already had some users who have forgotten there email account information too. So if you click on Forgot your user name, there is also a box to check that says don't have or forgot email address. Then it asks if you are a member and then it asks for your MRN again.

[RossEvans]

Getting back to elderlarryhawkes' original question above about the future of LDS Tools, I think it is still possible that when the LDS Tools app is expanded for leadership functionality, the online API will be sufficiently locked down so that the MRN can be available to authenticated leaders. While we can all second-guess about how much leaders really need this data, the Church has already granted them the priviliege of viewing it in several ways, including a browser authenticated by online LDS Account login. I agree with aebrown that multiple ways to view the information are desirable, I believe ward and stake leaders who say they find this functionality useful, and I think it can be done securely.

The only recent steps I am aware of to restrict the MRN have to do with capturing export files: The MRN has been removed from the MLS Membership.csv file, and from the geocoded membership file downloadable from the maps website. So I am assuming that batch exports are what are considered too risky -- either in theory or because there may have actually been careless abuses. That problem would not really obtain in a locked-down LDS Tools app that did not allow export of that data. Locking down such an API is difficult to do perfectly, but I think it can be done sufficiently to enforce an articulated policy on priesthood leaders who are the users of such apps. Bishops and stake presidents are hardly likely to hack the API deliberately, or run rogue apps that are prohibited clearly by policy.

[russellhltn]

I think it is still possible that when the LDS Tools app is expanded for leadership functionality, the online API will be sufficiently locked down so that the MRN can be available to authenticated leaders.

Possible. But that decision will be made at a level far above the paygrade of anyone in the forum.

[scgallafent]

What is the method to create an LDS account without the MRN, and how to recreate the LDS account if the member forgets both their LDS account info and email account info?

I went through this on Sunday with someone who needed access to new FamilySearch. We had the MRN and birth date and nothing else.

Given that information, we were able to determine the LDS Account user ID, determine the email address associated with that ID (which he no longer had access to), change the email address to a different address, and reset the LDS Account password. I don't know if an email went to the old email address as a notification that the email address had changed, since he didn't have access to the old address.

I walked out with a much clear understanding that an MRN and birth date gives me full access to your LDS Account. I definitely consider it sensitive now.

[thor0128]

Ward tools app gave me that information when you export the memberships from mls you have to have certain access right to even get the files to export. Put the mrn back in the exports we have been taught correct principles now let us govern ourselves. I can see them when I use my sign on to lds.org but sometimes we have areas without wifi so I can't get to the site. You don't want to know how many temple recommends that I try and activate that have the wrong mrn numbers. I am not always at the stake center to access the mls system to get the mrn numbers to fix issues for members. I truly understand the security issues I do, but having to run all over to do my calling is not fun either.. Just my two cents worth.

[aebrown]

Ward tools app gave me that information when you export the memberships from mls you have to have certain access right to even get the files to export. Put the mrn back in the exports we have been taught correct principles now let us govern ourselves. I can see them when I use my sign on to lds.org but sometimes we have areas without wifi so I can't get to the site. You don't want to know how many temple recommends that I try and activate that have the wrong mrn numbers. I am not always at the stake center to access the mls system to get the mrn numbers to fix issues for members. I truly understand the security issues I do, but having to run all over to do my calling is not fun either.. Just my two cents worth.

But you can look up members by name on the online Temple Entry System. Especially if you have wrong MRNs on the recommend, that seems like an argument for using the Search By Name feature -- then you can verify the MRN (since it is displayed when you do Search By Name).

So I fail to see how this is an argument for putting the MRN back in the exports.