Temple Family Group Reservations Suggestions
- The math is wrong on My Temple Reservations. It should show how many unassigned names I have on my temple reservation list after I have assigned names to the Family Groups or Shared with Temple. I understood that Family Groups would reduce the number of names on My Temple Reservations. There also seems to be a max number for each Family Group based on the number of members. It would be good to be able to see what the max is and how close I'm coming to it with the names I share.
- It would be helpful if there was a column showing the relationship so I can decide whether to share with the temple or keep it for the family. I've had to click every name and check the relationship on the popup to decide whether to keep it or share with the temple. However, the visual of seeing which line the person is in is also needed.
- There needs to be 'page advance arrows' at the top in addition to the one at the bottom of the screen.
- As I have been working to assign names to Family Groups, I realize I need another Family Group and want to reassign names from one group to another. There are no buttons to do this or any explanation. The button that exists says 'Reserve for Later' which doesn't mean anything to me. What is it for? What does it do?
- Please understand that some of us have great distances to a temple. Many of us are not pioneer stock and have thousands of names to reserve. And we have 'skin in the game' from hours of research and prayer. We are playing our part as Ephraimites and gathering Israel on the other side of the veil. I've had names shared with the temple, and the work doesn't get done very fast there either. Before the pandemic I had about 300 names shared with the temple for at least 2 years and very little was completed and now its two more years later. Therefore, I would suggest that when we are doing endowments in the temple, that we are allowed to represent maybe 5 people at a time in a session instead of only one. Or is there some way that we can drop some curtains in a stake center and have a temple session? Wouldn't there be enough temple workers in a stake to make this possible? Any temple I attend is a 7 to 8 hr round trip.
- There are many ordinances I have not attempted to reserve, hoping that someone more closely related will pick them up. Limiting us on reserving names seems counter productive to gathering Israel. We encourage people to be engaged in family history and then pull on the reins and say 'Whoa.'
I like the Family Groups, but wish there was more instruction. Thank you for your work.
Nancy Ritter
Answers
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This blog article may help answer some questions for you:
This Help Center article may help you too:
https://www.familysearch.org/en/help/helpcenter/article/share-ordinances-with-a-family-group
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Nancy
I am just another 'lowly' User/Patron ...
[ And, I happen to be a Member of the Church ... ]
Regarding your suggestion, for "Temple" Reservations, with "Family Groups" ...
Just in passing ...
For starters ...
And, just thinking out aloud here ...
[ 1 ]
The 'Maths', on one's, List, of "My Reservations", is NOT wrong.
Please be, aware; and, advised, that ...
IF, one has "Share[d] with the Temple System", ANY of one's "Reservations"; THEN, such (ie. They), DO NOT appear, in one's , List, of "My Reservations"; and, of course, are NOT counted, in one's LIMIT.
The "Reservations", that one has "Share[d] with the Temple System", appear on one's List, of "Shared with Temple".
Whereas, ...
IF, one has "Shared" (ie. as you indicate, 'Assigned'), ANY of one's "Reservations", from one's , List, of "My Reservations", with a "Family Group"; THEN, such (ie. They), REMAIN, on one's , List, of "My Reservations"; and, are COUNTED, in one's LIMIT of x300.
The ONLY time, that such is taken off, one's List, of "My Reservations", is WHEN, one either, "Releases" the "Reservation"; and, "Shares" DIRECTLY with another User/Patron; and/or, another User/Patron, takes, the Work, from the "Family Group"; and, "Completes", the Work.
The MAXIMUM number of "Reservations" that a "Family Group" can 'Hold'/'Maintain', at a given time, is x1000.
[ 2 ]
'Yes', we NEED to check, EACH "Relationship", individually; as, "Relationships" can "Change", at any time.
Especially, when another User/Patron, makes a "Change", somewhere in our "Ancestral" Lines.
We should NOT expect, the "System", to do EVERYTHING for us, there are still tasks, that we MUST undertake.
[ And, on a "Regular" basis ... ]
Otherwise, the "System", would be so OVERBURDENED, the "System", would SLOW to a "Crawl" ...
[ 3 ]
I DO NOT deny, that having the advance Page/Screen ability, at the TOP of a Page/Screen, would be GREAT for "Experienced" User/Patrons.
But ...
That Said ...
Having the advance Page/Screen ability, at the TOP of a Page/Screen, MAY also be a "Trap", making us, somewhat "Lazy" (ie. NOT checking ALL those on a Page/Screen); and, certainly would be NOT be a good idea for the "Inexperienced" User/Patrons.
So ...
That Said ...
Overall, NOT such a good idea.
[ 4 ]
'Yes', you are correct.
There is NO ability/mechanism, to be able to "Move", ANY "Reservations", BETWEEN different "Family Groups".
Perhaps, that was NOT considered.
Or, perhaps, such was considered; and, NOT implemented, for whatever reason.
I can 'see', the 'Pros and Cons', on BOTH sides.
To be honest, I would humbly suggest, that for MANY Users/Patron, such would NOT be necessary; as, they may ONLY belong to ONE "Family Group"; and, for many OTHERS that do belong to MORE than one "Family Group", the "Moving", of the Work, between the various "Groups", WOULD be present, a considerable "Challenge"; and, as such, may CAUSE, more problem/issues, than is necessary.
So ...
That Said ...
I would suggest, the "keep it simple" principle ...
Individually, "Remove" the "Reservations", from one "Family Group"; and, then "Assign", those individual "Reservations", to another (ie. different) "Family Group", in each and every case.
As for: "Reserve for Later"; and, ... What is it for? ... What does it do? ... GOOD 'Questions'
[ As, I have NOT tried such; as, yet ... ]
[ 5 ]
I am NOT from "Utah", in fact, I am NOT even from "North America".
My Country, DID NOT even have a "Temple", until Late 1984.
We had to go, OVERSEAS, to a much smaller, neighbouring Country, to go to the "Temple", before that.
[ And, in fact, that OVERSEAS "Temple", was ONLY Opened, in Early 1958 ... ]
We now have x5 Temples in our County; but, our landmass, is the same size; as, the mainland USA.
[ And, yet, we were so BLESSED, to have, just ONE "Temple" ... and, NOW, that we have x5 ... is incredible ... ]
But ...
That Said ...
Definitely, 'No' ... we should ONLY be a "Proxy", for ONE individual/person, at a 'Time" (ie. "Session").
The Work is DONE (and, should ONLY be DONE), for ONE individual/person, at a 'Time" (ie. "Session").
[ On EACH occasion ... ]
The Work, should NOT be conducted; as, if such was ... "MASS Production" ...
We should ONLY be "Representing", ONE individual/person, at a 'Time" (ie. "Session"), on EACH occasion.
I "Research" ALL my Ancestors, that I take to the "Temple".
And, I TRY, to find out as much; as, I can, about them; before, taking them to the "Temple".
I WANT to get to know My Ancestors; and, I want My Ancestors to know, that they ARE Family.
I DO NOT want, to do such, "on mass" ... simply, one at a time.
The "Temples", are DEDICATED; as, the "House" of the LORD, for SACRED "Temple" Work.
That SACRED "Temple" Work, should ONLY be done/undertaken, in the "Houses" of the LORD, that have been DEDICATED, for that purpose.
OTHER "Church" Buildings, are NOT "Special" ENOUGH, for such purpose.
'Visiting' (ie. being a Patron of) a "Temple", to do "Temple" Work, REALLY, is "Special"; &, should ALWAYS be so.
The Work was DONE (in specially "Dedicated" Sties); before, the "Temples" were built; but, since the building of "Temple" commenced, the Work has ONLY been DONE in the "Temples".
[ 6 ]
The LIMIT was NOT applied/imposed to makes things difficult.
The LIMIT was applied/imposed; because, ...
Unfortunately ...
There were SOME Users/Patrons, whose List, of "Reservations", for "Temple" Work, literally numbered in the THOUSANDS, upon Thousands ...
They are the RESAON, for the enforcement/imposition, of a LIMIT, for "Reservations", in our List.
[ ie. A FEW, "Cruelling" it, for the MANY ... who are doing the right thing ... ]
That was WHY, such a LIMIT of (ONLY) some x300 was established and applied, in the first place.
[ Whereas, some have suggested, a LIMIT of x1000; and, others, like myself, at least, a LIMIT of x500 ... ]
Now ...
That All Said ...
Just my thoughts.
I know, that this certainly may not help/assist; but, I hope, that this may provide you with, some additional, insight; and, perspective
Brett
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Nancy
Furthermore ...
"Family Groups", are relatively NEW ...
And, yet ...
There is MUCH instruction/guidance in relation to "Family Groups" ...
[ And, they are being 'Tweaked'; so that, some of the NEW 'Tweaks', may NOT (yet), be documented ... ]
[ eg. "Reserve for Later" ... ]
Here are some "Knowledge Articles", in 'FamilySearch':
What are family groups?
https://www.familysearch.org/en/help/helpcenter/article/what-are-family-groups
How do I create a family group?
https://www.familysearch.org/en/help/helpcenter/article/create-a-family-group
How do I invite people to join a family group?
https://www.familysearch.org/en/help/helpcenter/article/invite-people-to-join-a-family-group
How do I join a family group?
https://www.familysearch.org/en/help/helpcenter/article/join-a-family-group
How do I edit a family group’s name, photo, or description?
How do I send a message to a family group?
https://www.familysearch.org/en/help/helpcenter/article/send-a-message-to-a-family-group
How do I give administration rights in a family group?
https://www.familysearch.org/en/help/helpcenter/article/give-administration-rights-in-a-family-group
How do I share ordinances with a family group?
https://www.familysearch.org/en/help/helpcenter/article/share-ordinances-with-a-family-group
How do I unshare ordinances from a family group?
https://www.familysearch.org/en/help/helpcenter/article/unshare-ordinances-from-a-family-group
Can I share ordinances with the temple and a family group at the same time?
How do I remove someone from a family group?
https://www.familysearch.org/en/help/helpcenter/article/remove-someone-from-a-family-group
I reserved ordinances that were shared with the temple. Can I share them with a family group?
Shared family group reservations
https://www.familysearch.org/en/help/helpcenter/article/shared-family-group-reservations
How do I reserve or print ordinances that have been shared with a family group?
How does sharing with a family group compare to other ways of sharing ordinances?
How do I delete a family group?
https://www.familysearch.org/en/help/helpcenter/article/delete-a-family-group
How do I stop receiving email notifications for family groups?
https://www.familysearch.org/en/help/helpcenter/article/email-notifications-for-family-groups
How do I leave a family group?
https://www.familysearch.org/en/help/helpcenter/article/leave-a-family-group
What happens when family group members die, become incapacitated, or no longer use FamilySearch?
https://www.familysearch.org/en/help/helpcenter/article/family-group-members-die
Oh ...
And, of course ...
I ALMOST forgot ...
How many family names can I reserve? Is there a reservation limit?
https://www.familysearch.org/en/help/helpcenter/article/reservation-limit
I hope, that these may help/assist, somewhat.
Brett
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Thank you for your comments. Some of what I expressed is intended for those who work on the technology involved in tracking reservations. I understand what you explained about the math, but the math still has issues that need to be resolved and more easily understood. The temples have been at a standstill for 2 years. And so as we sat at home unable to participate in religious activities, we at least researched and gathered Israel. And now, we have too many names . . . . ? --Nancy
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Reserve for Later allows a group member to attach their name to an ordinance in the group that they want to do later. Those they are doing right now, they print.
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**Reserve for later allows a group member to move the name to their own reservation list so that they can do it later.
I am so happy to see and use the family groups feature!!! Our family is actively using this great resource my grandchildren line it cause they can find family baptisms by themselves! (I know they can also use ordinance ready, but this way is much better because THEY can choose the names, easily print more names and print names from another gender! My granddaughter prints cards for the whole group that goes, both young men and women).
***I agree with many of Nancy’s suggestions. Here are two I fully support plus one of my own suggestions.
1) Add ability to identify relationship. This could be done in several ways
1 — add a column that shows the user through which grandparent (eg family line) or spouse’s grandparent they are related. This algorithm is already being calculated in View my Relationship
THEN add a filter for the names that are in this column so that we can filter to names only in one specific line. We should be able to select multiple people in this filter, eg both of my mothers parents (so that I can match the filter to my purpose, eg finding family names for a cousin or grandchild that has two or more common lines)
2 — add a view my relationship link on the reservation for each person that opens in a new small window (like the persons short info window)
Again, add a filter at the grandparent or great grandparent level. Maybe the level could be user choice
3 — users Create a list of “lines”, (like the list of names I follow), eg I could add my 4 grandparents or 8 great grandparents (the list could have a limit). This list then populates a filter, from which we can select multiple people)
2) Add the ability for the “owner” of the names to move names between family groups. please!!! I am managing 7 family groups. I have to bring my names back to my reservations and then move them again to a new family group.
this would be particularly helpful combined with being able to identify the relationship, eg I mistakenly put a family name into the wrong family line group. I only knew this because I recognized the name. It would have been so great to be able to filter the family group to see if any were in the wrong group. And then easily move them to the right group
3) THIS IS IMPORTANT: change the term “Unreserve” for names someone brings to their list from a family group. No one will think unreserve means Return to the family group from which it came Please change this to something like RETURN
Let’s keep the ideas coming from users of this great feature!!!
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@RitterNW I would like to share something with you. I understand the frustration of being far from a temple and hard to always get as many names as we would like to do.
I am a temple ordinance worker and every name is an individual and precious that is why we only do one endowment name at a time. The endowment is much different than the other ordinances we do in the temple and that is why we focus on the one and not multiples.
The temple is also a dedicated building for temple ordinance work unlike our church houses and is the only place where these sacred ordinances are performed.
What I am finding is more people are bringing their family names to the temple and those family names shared with the temple do take longer to get to. Something that I have heard often if our time is not the same as the Lord’s time and the time our family waits for their work to get done is a lot less than we see it.
My words may not take away your frustration, but I am hoping it will help you with your perspective.
Kind Regards,
Shannon
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