Baptism Question

Discuss questions around local unit policies for membership (creating records, transferring records, etc.) This forum should not contain specific financial or membership information.
rodzen-p40
New Member
Posts: 2
Joined: Mon Jun 15, 2009 12:40 am
Location: USA, Alaska, Eagle River

Baptism Question

#1

Post by rodzen-p40 »

I'll preface by saying I used the search function and could not find an answer...

I have a member with a child that is approaching 8, and is scheduled to be baptized next moth. However, this member would like their child baptized in another ward while they are on vacation. Can that be done? If so who does the interview and who fills out the forms? I know we should input the records when it's done, but how do we know if it was witnessed properly? Any help would be great thanks.
User avatar
PNMarkW2
Member
Posts: 66
Joined: Thu Jun 11, 2009 2:44 pm
Location: Portland, Oregon, USA
Contact:

#2

Post by PNMarkW2 »

The Bishop in the home Ward does the interviews, and can authorize the Baptism to be done in another Ward. In cases I've been involved with in the past, the Bishop in the Home Ward would talk to the Bishop in the vacation Ward to make sure they were on the same page, then the Bishop in the vacation Ward would take over and see that it was done.
~Mark
Ward Clerk
Colonial Heights Ward
Portland Oregon Stake

-----
"For a list of all the ways technology has failed to improve the quality of life, please press three."
---Alice Kahn
atticusewig
Member
Posts: 308
Joined: Fri Jan 19, 2007 9:48 am

Recommend to perform an Ordinance

#3

Post by atticusewig »

If the person performing the baptism is from the
home ward, then prior to the vacation a local Bishop
can interview the man and fill out a form called
a "Recommend to perform an Ordinance" or something
like that to take with him to show the Vacation Bishop.

Most Vacation Bishops will accept a valid temple recommend
in lieu of such a recommend, but this form is for those that are
more by-the-book.

If the baptism doesn't show up within a month after their vacation,
be sure to call the family and get all the details so you can record
it. You'd be surprised how often Vacation baptisms aren't recorded.
Printing a blank Baptism form for the family to take with them and
fill out at the time of the baptism can really simplify matters.
Especially with the spelling and priesthood office
of out-of-unit members doing the baptism and/or confirmation.

- Atticus Ewig
techgy
Community Moderators
Posts: 3183
Joined: Sun Jan 13, 2008 6:48 pm
Location: California

#4

Post by techgy »

atticusewig wrote:...If the baptism doesn't show up within a month after their vacation, be sure to call the family and get all the details so you can record it. You'd be surprised how often Vacation baptisms aren't recorded.- Atticus Ewig
The vacation ward would not be able to record the baptism as they do not have the records. Information regarding the details of the ordinance should be returned to the home ward where it would be recorded. Followup here is important to insure that the recording of the ordinance takes place.
jbh001
Senior Member
Posts: 856
Joined: Thu Mar 13, 2008 6:17 pm
Location: Las Vegas, NV

#5

Post by jbh001 »

The Baptism and Confirmation Record form in MLS is used for collecting information for converts, children of record, re-creation of records. If it were me and assuming that I am the one that will perform the ordinance, I would ask my bishop to provide me with that completed and signed form to show that the interview has taken place.

I would then take that form along with a completed Recommend to Perform an Ordinance form or my current Temple Recommend with me, and present them to the bishop at the other ward.

Following the baptism and confirmation, I would ask that the relevant ordinance information be recorded on the baptismal form, and request a Baptism and Confirmation Certificate signed by that bishop.

Since the other ward does not have the ability to record the ordinance for a member not in their MLS database, I would then present the completed form and certificate to my bishop or ward clerk so that the ordinance can be recorded in MLS.
greggo
Member
Posts: 286
Joined: Thu Jan 24, 2008 9:36 am
Location: Battle Creek, MI

#6

Post by greggo »

atticusewig wrote:If the person performing the baptism is from the home ward, then prior to the vacation a local Bishop can interview the man and fill out a form called a "Recommend to perform an Ordinance" or something like that to take with him to show the Vacation Bishop.

Most Vacation Bishops will accept a valid temple recommend in lieu of such a recommend, but this form is for those that are more by-the-book.

If the baptism doesn't show up within a month after their vacation, be sure to call the family and get all the details so you can record it. You'd be surprised how often Vacation baptisms aren't recorded. Printing a blank Baptism form for the family to take with them and fill out at the time of the baptism can really simplify matters. Especially with the spelling and priesthood office of out-of-unit members doing the baptism and/or confirmation.
There are actually two home ward bishop's authorizations that need to take place one for the child of record and one for the priesthood holder. If done by the book, the home ward bishop should complete the baptism recommend form and the recommend to perform an ordinance (probably not the official names, but you get the idea). But as stated, a valid temple recommend can replace the form for the baptizer, and for either one, a call from the host ward bishop to the home ward bishop may suffice.
scgallafent
Church Employee
Church Employee
Posts: 3025
Joined: Mon Feb 09, 2009 4:55 pm
Location: Riverton, Utah

#7

Post by scgallafent »

rodzen wrote:I have a member with a child that is approaching 8, and is scheduled to be baptized next moth. However, this member would like their child baptized in another ward while they are on vacation. Can that be done? If so who does the interview and who fills out the forms? I know we should input the records when it's done, but how do we know if it was witnessed properly? Any help would be great thanks.
Since we went through this process Saturday with my youngest, here's the process we went through. There aren't any pronouncements of doctrine here and I'm not near a handbook today, so this is just to give you something to think about. Doing this can involve a fair amount of legwork.
  • Our bishop interviewed her for baptism, authorized us to go ahead with the baptism, and gave us the white copy of the baptism recommend/record with his signature
  • We talked to the bishop of the "vacation" ward (my parents' ward, in this case), who referred us to the high councilor responsible for Primary
  • He contacted the stake president in that stake, who authorized him to let us use the building after my parents' bishop talked to my bishop
  • My bishop called my parents' bishop and they chatted
  • The high councilor coordinated with the bishop to get keys to the bishop (my parents' ward meets in a different building) and arrange to have the font filled
  • I gave my parents' bishop the baptism record and my temple recommend -- We didn't fill out a recommend to perform an ordinance when we got the baptism recommend, but could have, and the bishops had talked on the telephone. I think there are written instructions that allow either recommend to be used.
  • She was baptized
  • I now have a completed baptism record that I will deliver to the home ward clerk when we get back
This is the third time we have had a child baptized "away from home," and the key steps of the process in every case have been:
  • Home ward bishop interviews and authorizes the baptism to proceed, since he holds those keys
  • Someone presides at the baptism at makes sure that ...
  • The baptism is performed properly :)
  • The appropriate documentation is returned to the home ward clerk to be recorded
(Would normally check handbook here, but I'm going out on a limb.) It doesn't have to be the bishop that presides. In one case, our bishop had me preside at the service because he couldn't be there. Having been through it both ways, I truly appreciate my parents' bishop showing up and coordinating the service so that I only had to worry about being the dad.
lajackson
Community Moderators
Posts: 11460
Joined: Mon Mar 17, 2008 10:27 pm
Location: US

#8

Post by lajackson »

scgallafent wrote:I gave my parents' bishop the baptism record and my temple recommend -- We didn't fill out a recommend to perform an ordinance when we got the baptism recommend, but could have, and the bishops had talked on the telephone. I think there are written instructions that allow either recommend to be used.
A temple recommend is sufficient. The Recommend to Perform an Ordinance form is only needed if the priesthood holder does not have a temple recommend.
scgallafent wrote:It doesn't have to be the bishop that presides.
A member of the bishopric normally presides, and he or the ward mission leader conducts. If more than one ward is involved, a member of the stake presidency presides and he or a high councilor conducts. A member of the bishopric from each of the wards involved should be there, too.

And I agree. It is much more fun to just be father and baptize and confirm. Congratulations.
rodzen-p40
New Member
Posts: 2
Joined: Mon Jun 15, 2009 12:40 am
Location: USA, Alaska, Eagle River

#9

Post by rodzen-p40 »

scgallafent wrote:Since we went through this process Saturday with my youngest, here's the process we went through. There aren't any pronouncements of doctrine here and I'm not near a handbook today, so this is just to give you something to think about. Doing this can involve a fair amount of legwork.
  • Our bishop interviewed her for baptism, authorized us to go ahead with the baptism, and gave us the white copy of the baptism recommend/record with his signature
  • We talked to the bishop of the "vacation" ward (my parents' ward, in this case), who referred us to the high councilor responsible for Primary
  • He contacted the stake president in that stake, who authorized him to let us use the building after my parents' bishop talked to my bishop
  • My bishop called my parents' bishop and they chatted
  • The high councilor coordinated with the bishop to get keys to the bishop (my parents' ward meets in a different building) and arrange to have the font filled
  • I gave my parents' bishop the baptism record and my temple recommend -- We didn't fill out a recommend to perform an ordinance when we got the baptism recommend, but could have, and the bishops had talked on the telephone. I think there are written instructions that allow either recommend to be used.
  • She was baptized
  • I now have a completed baptism record that I will deliver to the home ward clerk when we get back
This is the third time we have had a child baptized "away from home," and the key steps of the process in every case have been:
  • Home ward bishop interviews and authorizes the baptism to proceed, since he holds those keys
  • Someone presides at the baptism at makes sure that ...
  • The baptism is performed properly :)
  • The appropriate documentation is returned to the home ward clerk to be recorded
(Would normally check handbook here, but I'm going out on a limb.) It doesn't have to be the bishop that presides. In one case, our bishop had me preside at the service because he couldn't be there. Having been through it both ways, I truly appreciate my parents' bishop showing up and coordinating the service so that I only had to worry about being the dad.
This pretty much sums it up nicely. I'll check the handbooks to clarify. Thank you all for your quick response.
natet
Member
Posts: 69
Joined: Fri Oct 24, 2008 5:09 pm
Location: Richland, Washington, USA

#10

Post by natet »

This may seem like a silly question, but does it matter which ward issues the certificate?
Post Reply

Return to “Membership Help”