Ordination not recorded

[jackwmoore]

Hi Brethren,

I'm a reasonably new Ward Clerk. In a recent membership audit, we identified that one of our members does not have an ordination to Elder recorded in LCR, however, it does have an ordination to High Priest recorded, which is causing an exception with our membership audit raising both The endowment date cannot be earlier than the date of Melchizedek Priesthood conferral, and The date of the member's sealing to his spouse should not be earlier than the Melchizedek Priesthood ordination date flags as only his ordination to High Priest is recorded in the system, which was after he was endowed/sealed.

I've contacted the member and they are not sure of the particulars surrounding their ordination to Elder, and although eager to help, I was unable to obtain more information from them directly for various reasons.

I've contacted CHQ, who were not able to see anything that I couldn't and had to refer me to the handbook, I've also emailed the Bishop of his previous ward to see if they might have any records.
As I'm going through that process I'd like to see if anyone here has ever experienced this sort of issue before and if you might have any suggestions?

[eblood66]

If at all possible you want to find two witnesses for the ordination as indicated in Handbook section 38.2.6.1. They only have to be able to identify the specific date (which sound like it may not be possible in this case) or the year and who performed the baptism (hopefully this is possible). When I encountered a similar situation before this is how I handled. In that case the parents were able to provide the necessary written statements. If you can only get a date then you may have to contact the GSD in order to add the ordinance since I think LCR requires a full date.

If you really can't find two witnesses then the handbook indicates the ordinance has to be redone. In this case that probably isn't necessary since he has already been ordained to High Priest. But the stake president will have to send a letter to the First Presidency to request that the endowment and sealing be ratified.

[russellhltn]

I'd read the last paragraph in 38.2.6.1 and section 38.2.6.2.

I'm guessing that quite some time has passed since the ordination to Elder. In light of his temple endowment and ordination to high priest, that would seem to be the correct course of action.

By chance, is a mission recorded? That may help establish an approximate year.

[jackwmoore]

By chance, is a mission recorded? That may help establish an approximate year.

Yes, there is a mission recorded, do you think if maybe I contact the missionary department they may have some information?
I guess I'd like to see if I can potentially exhaust all other avenues and do my due diligence before having the stake president write to the first presidency.

[russellhltn]

Depending on the age, there might be a possibility of checking the historical record. I don't know if that's still done.

The mission should narrow down the year(s) it could have taken place. I'd think it would be in in the ward before he left, but it's not impossible it was done in the MTC. It's also possible he was in a student ward, went home just before his mission and was ordained at home. I'm thinking it wasn't recorded because the ordination happened when the records were not "there".