Move to "add unknown". Scope of contacting friends & family?

[MurdockM]

Before moving a record to address unknown we must contact known friends and family of the lost member.
Does that include contacting the leader of their parents ward/branch. To have that leader ask the parent(s) for current contact info?

I feel uncomfortable emailing a leader who does not know me. I have to include enough (confidential) information on the missing member so the leader will be willing to take the time to vet me in CDOL before replying.

PS: I thought I had already posted this question. However, I can't find it among "my posts". I'm apologize if this is a duplicate.

[russellhltn]

In the distant past when I was a ward clerk/ward membership clerk, I saw messages from SLC to ask a member in the ward about a relative's whereabouts. I'd imagine they still do that as needed.

My personal view is that the ward should ask the ward council and any known friends or family in the ward about their location. It's about using the local knowledge, things that can't be learned at a computer terminal in SLC.

[davesudweeks]

I concur with russellhltn's response. I don't think the church expects a local clerk to become a master at researching where someone moved to. But often there are locals in the ward boundaries who might know. I believe Ward Council's are expected to give it a good "college try" and then send the record to Address Unknown. Remember, the responsibility rests with the ward council, not just the clerk (as only one member of the ward council). I have been successful when I served as clerk at enlisting the local full time missionaries for some of the checklist items (with the Mission President's approval of course), like visiting neighbors to see if they know where the family moved to.

[MurdockM]

Thanks for your responses.

I feel better about checking only with "local" sources. Thus, leaving the checking with other unit leaders to be done by Church HQ folks through their official emails and letterhead.

Ya, I too remember from way back 30 ish years ago, those notes of request to contact "so and so" for a family members current location would come in the Bishops' mailed weekly packet.