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How do I get permission to do ordinances for my friend?
Our friend Zoe Wilson was an active member of our ward and was the only member in her family. She was baptised in 2017 but hadn't been through the temple although she held a limited use recommend and went with us to do baptisms for her family. Zoe had a learning disability and our bishop felt she wasn't ready to receive her endowment yet although Zoe was very eager to get a full recommend. I became her 'helper' on FS and have done a lot of research on her behalf during lockdown and we have many family names to take to the temple once it reopens. Unfortunately Zoe died suddenly last October and I would love to do her ordinances and enable her to be sealed to her parents. As she had no living parents/spouse/siblings/children there is no one to give permission. Her only living relatives are 2nd cousins in Australia who are not members of the church. I have been informed that I would need to get special clearance to enable me to complete her ordinances - who do I need to contact about this?
Best Answer
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Carol, you're welcome.
If, by chance, you find that you and Zoe are distant cousins, you could perhaps request her ordinances, according to this knowledge article: https://www.familysearch.org/help/helpcenter/article/i-cannot-find-any-close-living-relatives-to-grant-permission-for-ordinances
The article states: "If the person is a relative and the person has no living close relatives, you can request permission to do the ordinances."
This article also directs you to the Church's General Handbook: Serving in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 28.1, for more information.
Best wishes.
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Answers
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Hello @CAROL BILLAM
We are very sorry for the loss of your friend. Please review the following knowledge article about requesting proxy ordinances for a friend: https://www.familysearch.org/help/helpcenter/article/can-i-request-proxy-temple-ordinances-for-a-friend
Regrettably, the article states that "If your deceased friend has no close living relatives that can provide written permission, then a request cannot be granted."
You mention that you have helped Zoe assemble her lineage in Family Tree. By any chance, did you check your relationship to her ancestors? Of course, you would not be signed in as her helper to do this, but so often, in my experience, there is some kind of family relationship to our friends' ancestors. If you found that you are related somehow, you could comfortably proceed with completing ordinances where permission would not be required.
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Thank you for your reply even though that wasn't what I wanted to hear. I thought that there would be an exemption for members of the church. I haven't come across any connections with my family although we do have a surname in common so there is a possibility I suppose. So if I found a common ancestor I could say we are related even if there is no relationship specified? Or if I found someone in the church who is related to Zoe I guess they could reserve the ordinances and pass them on to me to do?
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