Question
Gramps,
When I was very young, my entire family went to the LDS Laie Hawaiian Temple to be sealed. I remember the event quite vividly. A few years back, I went to my bishop to obtain my membership number, and there is absolutely NO record of me being sealed to my family. All of my 5 brothers were listed, and of course my parents, but not my name. Does this mean that I am not sealed to my family?
Tricia
Answer
Tricia,
I’m sorry to hear this. This can be very troublesome and disappointing to our tender hearts. I know of a couple individuals who had something similar happen to them where an ordinance and a blessing wasn’t recorded.
I was on my mission when I first heard about an individual who was baptized and his baptism wasn’t recorded. He had a similar question, “Did my baptism not count”? The answer provided to him is that his baptism did count, and although his first baptism did count he would need to be baptized again. This baptism though was more for records of the Church. All things need to be done in wisdom and order, and part of that order is having a record of it happening. He understood, and he was baptized again.
The other individual was an individual who had received his patriarchal blessing. This individual received his patriarch blessing when he was younger. He read it multiple times, and one day he went to read his patriarchal blessing and he couldn’t find it. It was lost. He, like you, visited his bishop and stake president to receive another copy; unfortunately, he discovered that his original patriarchal blessing wasn’t recorded on the records of the Church and the Church didn’t have a copy to print off and send him. He was disappointed, but eventually he met with his bishop and stake president and a new appointment with the current stake patriarch was made and a new patriarchal blessing was given. This time, they made sure it was recorded.
This is one of those things, no matter how hard we try as imperfect individuals there seems to be a time when something should have been recorded and it wasn’t. Maybe you are wondering or telling yourself that a baptism and a PB are not the same as a sealing, and you are correct a baptism and a PB are not a sealing; however, the same principle applies to a sealing also. As to my current knowledge there are two potential avenues to take here:
The first, talk with your brothers and have them share their witness with you in writing. Have them send a letter. Also, if anyone can remember who the sealer was and who the witnesses were that would be great also. Reach out to them and see if they can provide their witness also. If so, I know at times, this is sufficient for them to add your name to the record. If for some reason this isn’t possible then the next step is the right one.
The second, just like the individual from my mission who was baptized again, you will have the opportunity to do the work for yourself (at least I believe you can). Set up an appointment with your bishop or stake president and they can instruct you further. It may be as simple as you going to the temple and being sealed again, only for record. Just like the individuals baptism, if you were sealed, then the sealing has already taken place. Now you just need to do it one more time for Church records. I’m sorry this has happened. But nothing to worry about, get sealed again. And this time you are old enough to comprehend and understand the importance of this work/ordinance. You may have a wonderful opportunity and spiritual experience that will bless your soul. Either way, you are good, no worries as to your first sealing.
Gramps
