February 22, 2025, 9am
Their last name was brought to the temple and for new members of the Latter-day Saints’ Church of Jesus Christ, proxy baptism and confirmation.
It included creating a FamilySearch account, entering information, creating a family tree, identifying ancestors, and submitting the name to the temple, among other steps depending on the various circumstances.
FamilySearch Engineers now greatly simplifies the process, and what every bishop, elder president or counselor in the President’s Association must do is say to members, “Do you want to be baptized in the temple?”
The tool is called “Last-Last Assist,” and has zero family history expertise and research, says Elder Kevin S. Hamilton, 70 Directorate, who serves as executive director of the church’s family history department.
“All leaders have to do is ask questions,” he said. “Our research shows that in most cases new members want to be baptized for the deceased grandparents. …This is without the burden of having to do family history work. , providing the opportunity to quickly have that emotional connection with families with ordinances at the temple.”
The Last Name Assist was first introduced during 2024 temple and family history leadership guidance.
Leaders can use surname assist when members or young people come to recommend interviews for the first time, and Mark, 70 presidents who also serve as assistant executive director of the Family History department. Elder Bragg said: The church’s western North American region.
“What I like about this is in the minds of new or returning members or young people, that quickly links the Lord’s home with family history work. You can recommend and surname It’s about getting. They’re linked not only here, but forever. “It’s an important link, as you set a pattern for the rest of your life when you worship in the temple.”
New Year Assist Landing Page
To raise greater awareness and provide further support for surname assists, the church uses the following features to create a new familysearch.org landing page (www.familysearch.org/en/temple/guide-me/ family-name-assist) has been created. :
Two short videos to help new/reply members and young people. A “demo” feature that allows leaders and members to watch demonstrations of the process in which members are guided. For leaders to begin the process.
Who can use Last Name Assist?
Latter-day Saints who work for the Ward Council or have access to leaders and Clark resources at chamberofjesuschrist.org are bishops and branch presidents, ward clerks and executive secretaries, elders, rescue associations, rescue associations, primary and young women. Last name assistance can be used. President, Sunday School President, ward mission leader, temple and family history leader.
Success Story
Two church leaders agreed that the surname assist was a blessing to those who used it last year.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo branch president – an area with technology and limited internet access – used the tool to help 40 young people and unowned adults prepare temple surnames.
Counselors from the Relief Society of Colonia Juarez, Mexico, used surname assists to support more than 135 members.
A primary counselor in Auckland, New Zealand, used the tool to assist 60 members.
A bishop’s counselor in a Tonga ward in Utah helped over 100 members.
When he discovered it, the bishop of Orange County, California used surname assists in all youth interviews.
“In his ward there were no young people who had not gone to the Lord’s house without the name of their ancestors,” Elder Bragg said. “It’s starting to become a part of their culture and that’s what we want to see.”
Great opportunity
Elder Hamilton said success stories show that when leaders learn about tools, they recognize their value and use them repeatedly. With surname assists, leaders provide the perfect opportunity to “teach, bless and strengthen the faith and testimony of their new soft members.”
Elder Bragg added. “We can talk about what this really means to our ancestors. It’s much deeper than the management functions. It’s an opportunity to testify to the gospel of Jesus Christ.”
