Can Counselors in Branch Presidency Conduct Temple Interviews?

[tonygnzls]

If a Branch President is away and unable to conduct Temple Recommend interviews, can his counselors in the Branch Presidency conduct Temple Recommend interviews as well...?

[lajackson]

If a Branch President is away and unable to conduct Temple Recommend interviews, can his counselors in the Branch Presidency conduct Temple Recommend interviews as well...?

There is a provision in Handbook 1 where, in some circumstances, a counselor may act in place of a bishop who is absent, ill, or otherwise unable to perform his duties. Since a counselor in a branch presidency does not normally conduct temple recommend interviews, I would expect that if the need arose the 1st counselor would consult with his branch president and stake president for guidance. I find nothing in the Handbook that would preclude him from conducting the interview with delegated permission.

Since the conducting of temple recommend interviews is not normally an unplanned occurrence, I would think that the 1st counselor would usually wait for the president to return if the absence is not a long one. And if it is, the stake president has probably already provided guidance to him on what he is authorized to do in the absence of the branch president.

[gurney]

I have always been under the impression that as a branch presidency counselor I was not to do temple recommend interviews, but my stake president is confident that I can. Is there a source somewhere that specifies whether a counselor can or not?

[russellhltn]

I have always been under the impression that as a branch presidency counselor I was not to do temple recommend interviews, but my stake president is confident that I can. Is there a source somewhere that specifies whether a counselor can or not?

Looking at Handbook 1: 3.4.1, you may be correct. It's clear that councilors in a ward can do so, but I'm not seeing any such allowance for a Branch.

It may be worth consulting the Temple Recommend Book for additional instruction.

[lajackson]

Twice in the Handbook 1, 3.4.1 reference russellhltn gives, mention is made of the bishop and his counselors (when authorized) and the branch president (with no mention of counselors). The following paragraph for branches in missions only mentions the branch president. I believe counselors in branches are not authorized to do temple recommend interviews.

In my post immediately before yours, I mentioned that an exception might be made in the case of the absence of the branch president, in which the stake president or mission president would authorize the 1st counselor in the branch presidency to conduct the interview as an exception to the normal rule.

But I think you are right, and if you refer the stake president to that paragraph in the handbook, I think he would agree with you.