remove nonmember spouse's name from online ward directory

[williamjackson]

I'm back. An analyst from Local Unit Support called me again today to report that the non-member spouse has finally been suppressed from appearing in the online directory. As I had hoped, this does not appear to affect the Membership Record or Individual Ordinance Summary in any way.

[atom88]

I am still seeing non-member's spouses show up in the directory as of today in the lds.org/directory. I don't think this issue has been resolved still? Also, I see a head of household husband listed who I believe is deceased? What do you do if a member is currently married to a non-member and you want to keep track of the marriage (i.e. keep it in MLS), but not have it show up online? Is there a way to do this? Help! It seems crazy that it's been over 2 years now and this issue still hasn't been resolved?

[aebrown]

I am still seeing non-member's spouses show up in the directory as of today in the lds.org/directory. I don't think this issue has been resolved still? Also, I see a head of household husband listed who I believe is deceased? What do you do if a member is currently married to a non-member and you want to keep track of the marriage (i.e. keep it in MLS), but not have it show up online? Is there a way to do this? Help! It seems crazy that it's been over 2 years now and this issue still hasn't been resolved?

If you review other posts in this topic, you'll see that you can work with Local Unit Support to remove a particular nonmember spouse that you don't want displayed. That's the way to resolve this issue.

As for your other question about a deceased spouse, please post a new topic -- it's not helpful to raise multiple issues in a single post (and it's against the Code of Conduct, too).

[atom88]

So, there's no way for a website administrator or a ward clerk to do it online? If that is the case is this feature something that could be considered for an enhancement / upgrade in the next release?

[aebrown]

So, there's no way for a website administrator or a ward clerk to do it online?

That's correct.

If that is the case is this feature something that could be considered for an enhancement / upgrade in the next release?

If you'd like to make that suggestion, feel free to use the Submit Feedback link on LDS.org. I really doubt something like this would make it into the very next release, but it might well be considered for some future release. But you can always hope!

[jdlessley]

I am still seeing non-member's spouses show up in the directory as of today in the lds.org/directory. I don't think this issue has been resolved still?

What do you define as resolved? There is a procedure reported in this thread to call MLS Support to have a nonmember spouse name suppressed from being displayed. The direction from the Priesthood Department is to have the Directory reflect the member's marriage records. Getting the Brethren to change this direction is going to take considerably more than what has been discussed in this thread. So while many community members posting in this thread agree there is an inconsistency in displaying nonmember spouse information with the Handbook guidance, there is no indication to date there is any change in the direction from the Brethren. The ability to have an individual visibility setting in addition to a household visibility setting has not been released yet. If and when that will happen is unknown.

Also, I see a head of household husband listed who I believe is deceased?

The ward clerk or the assistant ward membership clerk should update the individual membership record after verifying the death. A member married to a deceased nonmember should have the marriage terminated due to death of the nonmember spouse. The individual membership record for a deceased member should be updated to reflect the death.

What do you do if a member is currently married to a non-member and you want to keep track of the marriage (i.e. keep it in MLS), but not have it show up online? Is there a way to do this?

That has been discussed previously in this thread. See this post.

[atom88]

jdlessley: so you're saying you have some inside knowledge of why the online directory was coded this way? I presume you're one of the developer's on the website? The reason being that "the priesthood department" whatever that is, has directed the programmers to always display what's in the marriage record (regardless of whether or not they are married to a non-member) in the online directory?

I wonder if "the priesthood department" realizes that this business rule in the code is causing non-members to show up on the online directory? Has someone from the website developers / engineer's group explained this problem to "the priesthood department"? Could be a simple miscommunication or mis-understanding of how this gets implemented on the website?

Perhaps a better business rule / logic would be for the exception where the marriage record contains a non-member spouse? Or at least allowing for the website privacy settings to turn this feature on or off?

[lajackson]

jdlessley: so you're saying you have some inside knowledge of why the online directory was coded this way? I presume you're one of the developer's on the website?

No, jdlessley is not one of the developers on the website. He is a volunteer who helps out here at the Forum. And it does not require inside knowledge to know why the online directory was coded the way it is.

The reason being that "the priesthood department" whatever that is,

The Priesthood Department is responsible for many areas of the Church, including curriculum, the LDS.org website, and a host of other things. The department takes its direction from the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve. They program according to instructions that they receive from the Brethren. Members of the Quorums of the Seventy also direct the work under their supervision and direction.

I wonder if "the priesthood department" realizes

As members, we would communicate things we believe headquarters does not realize through our bishops and stake presidents. Depending on the subject matter, the stake president confers with the chairman of his Coordinating Council (an Area Seventy), with a member of the Presidency of the Seventy (in North America), or on some specific matters directly with the Quorum of the Twelve or the First Presidency.

In this particular matter at hand, I do not know how far up the chain the issue has risen, but I do know it is into the ranks of the General Authorities. What they ultimately decide to do will be up to them.

It is an important enough matter, however, that Local Unit Support has a method of resolving this issue on a case by case basis that clerks can use where necessary, at least for the moment.

[jdlessley]

Perhaps a better business rule / logic would be for the exception where the marriage record contains a non-member spouse? Or at least allowing for the website privacy settings to turn this feature on or off?

There is a work-around presented to us for the immediate need to remove nonmember spouse names from the Directory. There is evidence from this post that there are at least discussions addressing a long term solution. Your second suggestion appears to be one of the options discussed. But what the long term solution will be is uncertain. Until then our only two options are as noted in this post.

[Gary_Miller]

I think the correct procedure, and most important, is to have accuracy in records. By this I mean marriages should be recorded on the record, whether or not the spouse is a member. And if I had to guess I would guess that the Brethren are looking at it the same way. Remember we are not creating records only for earth life but for all eternity and they must be accurate.