Add divorce from previous spouse

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udylj
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Add divorce from previous spouse

#1

Post by udylj »

We have a brother who has remarried about a year ago. He was divorced from his previous spouse but the divorce information is not on his current membership. How can I add the divorce information to his current membership?

Thank you,
Lex L. Udy
Ward Clerk
Olympus Hills Ward
Mt. Olympus Stake
801-278-4251
udylj@comcast.net
eblood66
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Re: Add divorce from previous spouse

#2

Post by eblood66 »

udylj wrote:We have a brother who has remarried about a year ago. He was divorced from his previous spouse but the divorce information is not on his current membership. How can I add the divorce information to his current membership?
Assuming that the old marriage is currently showing then from the menu select Membership > Records > Terminate Marriage. Enter the divorce date and 'Divorce' as the Termination Reason. Close the screen and save.

If the new marriage is the current marriage showing then the divorce must have already been recorded. Once a person is remarried the record in MLS no longer shows anything about the previous marriage except perhaps that the person was sealed to a prior spouse.
udylj
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Re: Add divorce from previous spouse

#3

Post by udylj »

The second paragraph of your reply is exactly what the brother's record shows. Our next problem is that the brother and his current wife (married now for over a year) want to be sealed. The Bishop indicated to me that the form he is preparing to authorize the sealing to the 1st Presidency requires that the divorce information from the previous spouse needs to be on the brother's current membership record. How does the Bishop handle this? The brother has provided the Bishop with all the divorce details, so dates, names and places are all known. Can the Bishop just include this information as part of the letter requesting authorization for the sealing?
Thank you, for the quick reply.
Brother Udy
eblood66
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Re: Add divorce from previous spouse

#4

Post by eblood66 »

udylj wrote:The second paragraph of your reply is exactly what the brother's record shows. Our next problem is that the brother and his current wife (married now for over a year) want to be sealed. The Bishop indicated to me that the form he is preparing to authorize the sealing to the 1st Presidency requires that the divorce information from the previous spouse needs to be on the brother's current membership record. How does the Bishop handle this? The brother has provided the Bishop with all the divorce details, so dates, names and places are all known. Can the Bishop just include this information as part of the letter requesting authorization for the sealing?
Thank you, for the quick reply.
Brother Udy
It sounds like when the previous marriage was terminated they didn't provide all the information. At this point I think your best bet is to send a Special Request (Membership > Records > Special Request). Select the brother and then provide all the information about the divorce. LUS should then be able to add the necessary information to his record.
russellhltn
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Re: Add divorce from previous spouse

#5

Post by russellhltn »

udylj wrote:The Bishop indicated to me that the form he is preparing to authorize the sealing to the 1st Presidency requires that the divorce information from the previous spouse needs to be on the brother's current membership record.
That would be understandable if the brother is getting married in the temple. But it strikes me as odd if he is already married, because I wouldn't expect to see divorce information on the record that the ward can see. So, I'd double check the instructions. And then I'd call LUS to see if they can see it.
Have you searched the Help Center? Try doing a Google search and adding "site:churchofjesuschrist.org/help" to the search criteria.

So we can better help you, please edit your Profile to include your general location.
lajackson
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Re: Add divorce from previous spouse

#6

Post by lajackson »

russellhltn wrote:I wouldn't expect to see divorce information on the record that the ward can see. So, I'd double check the instructions.
The information needs to go on the Application to the First Presidency, and the member has provided that to the bishop. I would just enter all of the information on the application and let headquarters worry about the actual membership record.

The ward will not see that prior information and, if it is not on the record, I think the Membership Department will enter it based on the information in the Application.
dkingshere
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Re: Add divorce from previous spouse

#7

Post by dkingshere »

I have the exact same situation, a brother wants to be sealed to his current spouse, but he has a prior sealing that does not show up on his membership record. He has provided Bishop with those details. With all the changes in LCR since this post, is the answer still that the Bishop should fill out the form using only what's available in the brother's membership record and HQ Membership will figure out the rest?
lajackson
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Re: Add divorce from previous spouse

#8

Post by lajackson »

dkingshere wrote:I have the exact same situation, a brother wants to be sealed to his current spouse, but he has a prior sealing that does not show up on his membership record. He has provided Bishop with those details. With all the changes in LCR since this post, is the answer still that the Bishop should fill out the form using only what's available in the brother's membership record and HQ Membership will figure out the rest?
No. There are many items that do not appear on the copy of the membership record that the ward holds. In the case you describe, the bishop should fill out the Application to the First Presidency completely with all of the information the member has provided, even if it is not shown on the copy of the membership record that is in the ward.
beantobe
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Re: Add divorce from previous spouse

#9

Post by beantobe »

Trying to find the special request and can't find it under membership>records>special request. can anyone point me in the right direction?
eblood66
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Joined: Mon Sep 24, 2007 9:17 am
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Re: Add divorce from previous spouse

#10

Post by eblood66 »

beantobe wrote:Trying to find the special request and can't find it under membership>records>special request. can anyone point me in the right direction?
Are you looking in MLS (on the clerk computer) or on LCR (on-line)? The Special Request option is only available in MLS. Another option is to email mlssupport@ldschurch.org.
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