Tech Forum

I have a couple in my ward, endowed, married, but both are sealed to their previous spouses. This couple has had several children together. Are those children to be listed as "Born in the Covenant" in MLS? My understanding was that the couple had to be sealed together, prior to having the children. I haven't been able to get a definate answer. Any ideas on where to look?

Check the Church Handbook of Instructions, Book 1, but I think you'll find the children are automatically sealed to the mother and her prior spouse.

Checking the MLS help file, I find:

"Children of biological parents. Born in the covenant (BIC) should be recorded for a member when the "sealing to spouse" date of the member's biological mother is equal to or before the member's birth date."

Check the Church Handbook of Instructions, Book 1, p 86. Russell is correct about the children being sealed to the former husband. The wording in the CHI helps clarify the situation. It also describes the situations where the children would not be sealed to the former husband.

Yes, I agree with the 2 entries above and CHI explains all this well. The children are BIC, but in the covenant of their mother with her first husband until such time as she gets it canceled.

Note that once it is canceled any children born to her after that then wont be BIC unless a new sealing has taken place before their birth. And also note that if she does go ahead with the annulment, the children already born today are still BIC of that first marriage and never have to nor can they change it.