Membership record and welcome to the ward

[jcruse]

If a new convert has been baptized and confirmed--and we know these have been completed--but the missionaries have not yet completed the membership record, do we still "welcome" them to the ward? or do we have to wait until the record has been submitted/completed?

[russellhltn]

The Handbook only says "Recognizing new ward members, including recent converts" (29.2.1.1) It doesn't specify any conditions.

Some other quotes:

When a full-time missionary interviews a convert for baptism, he fills out the Baptism and Confirmation Record using the Area Book Planner (ABP) app. After the baptism and confirmation, the missionaries record the information in ABP and submit it to the ward clerk electronically. The ward clerk reviews the information in LCR and creates the membership record.

It appears it's on the ward clerk to make the membership record. Have the missionaries done their part?

For record-keeping purposes, an ordinance is considered not valid if the year it was performed is missing or incorrect on the membership record. In addition, a baptism is not valid if a membership record was not created.

I'd pass that along to the missionaries. The baptism doesn't count until the paperwork is done. Odds are, they won't get credit for the baptism in their reports until they record it. Hopefully that's enough arm twisting to get them moving. Otherwise, a chat with the mission president might be in order.

Bottom line, I'm not seeing an authoritative answer to your question. Perhaps it's something that should be passed up from bishop to stake president.

Part of me wants to put pressure on the missionaries, but I don't know as delaying things is good a good experience for the new converts. Personally, I'd rank the latter is more important.

[jcruse]

I understand all of that. The question is--without a record, do we welcome someone to the ward? We don't do it for someone who moves it, do we do it for someone who is baptized?

[sbradshaw]

I understand all of that. The question is--without a record, do we welcome someone to the ward? We don't do it for someone who moves it, do we do it for someone who is baptized?

There isn't a policy one way or the either, even for someone who moves into the ward. The purpose is to help them feel welcome and for others to know who they are. I would welcome them the first Sunday they attend, after moving in or being baptized.

[lajackson]

I have lived in wards where they do it the Sunday the new member is confirmed.

[Cmanrogers]

I have lived in wards where they do it the Sunday the new member is confirmed.

Something interesting to note is that the confirmation doesn't have to be during Sacrament meeting anymore, and can be during the baptismal service without any special approval (see Handbook 18.8).

The missionaries in PMG can fill out the baptismal form at any time, though it gives a special reminder to once a baptismal date is set (so ideally it's done before the baptism.) If they haven't done it yet, perhaps they're waiting on the new members information to input.

[BrianEdwards]

I agree that the Handbook doesn't connect the "welcome to the ward" with any specifics about records. So I also support welcoming new members (move-ins or converts) as soon as possible, regardless of whether their records are fully complete or fully transferred. These life transitions are key points in remaining active, and from the new member perspective, having ward leaders recognize and welcome them can go a long way towards helping them feel like they are seen and valued by this brand new congregation. Getting the "paperwork" resolved can be done in the background in the meantime.

[caillines]

I have lived in wards where they do it the Sunday the new member is confirmed.

It's been that way for as long as I can remember in wards I've attended. I just assumed it was the standard.