Why are people allowed to reserve names to do temple work for people they are not related to?

Katherine Mary King Tamir

When I tried to reserve a name that had been born less than 110 years ago it wouldn't let me because I was not related. But when I tried to do it for someone born more than110 years ago it let me. I had told my Jewish friend that only family members could request work and to show her (b/c someone had told her differently) I went on and found out that it let me reserve names that I am not related to. Why?

Sanra

@Katherine Mary King Tamir

Thank you for posting in the Community about ordinances for individuals over 110 years old. When that situation appears anyone can reserve the ordinances because it is unlikely there is a close living relative, (spouse, parent, child, or sibling), still available to give permission, and the ordinances need still to be completed. The ordinances then become available to anyone who wants compete them.

Hope this answers your question.

Gordon Collett

It really is a shame that after being taught for over 100 years that we are to only do ordinances for our own relatives, for decades that we should not do ordinances for people less than 110 years old (previously 92, for a couple of decades that we should only reserve enough names to be able to complete them all in a short time span, after the public relations nightmare of many years ago (see: https://www.timesofisrael.com/mormons-defy-church-to-again-perform-baptisms-on-holocaust-victims/) that has intermittent flair ups, and after letter after letter from the First Presidency, members still claim ignorance of or willfully overlook the document that pops up every time they reserve a temple ordinance and refuse to responsibly govern themselves to the point that FamilySearch has found it necessary to program in software blocks to enforce church policy. If people were reading and following policy and being respectful of the rights and wishes of others, none of these software measures would be needed.

First it was the block against reserving names for people born less than 110 years ago. Now it is the limit on the number of names one can have on ones personal temple list. I wouldn't be surprised if the next software block is to run View My Relationship whenever someone clicks request and not allow the request to continue if there is no common ancestor (or common ancestor with a spouse). I also wouldn't be surprised if there is a storm of outrage when that happens (But I researched these people and they feel like family to me! If I don't reserve these people who deserve these ordinances, no one ever will!)

So you are correct, currently there is no block about reserving anyone we want more than 110 years old aside from our own conscience and willingness to follow clear instructions from the First Presidency.

LAHS6

@ Katherine Mary King Tami

This is what is says when the request button is pressed by someone wanting to reserve ordinances. So if the person is not related in some way to the deceased person, and they go ahead with the request to reserve, it seems to me that they are not being honest, no matter how good their intention is.

Church Policy

Please Read before Continuing

Temple ordinances are sacred and should be treated with respect. Please reserve ordinances for individuals only if you are related to them.

Who You Can Do Ordinances For

You are responsible to submit names of the following individuals:

1. Immediate family members
2. Direct-line ancestors (parents, grandparents, great-grandparents, and so on, and their families).

You may also submit the names of the following individuals:

1. Biological, adoptive, and foster family lines connected to your family.
2. Collateral family lines (uncles, aunts, cousins, and their families).
3. Descendants of your ancestors.
4. Your own descendants.
5. Possible ancestors, meaning individuals who have a probable family relationship that cannot be verified because the records are inadequate, such as those who have the same last name and resided in the same small geographic area as your known ancestors.