Providing LDS Temple Ordinances for Your Ancestors

(last updated 07 August, 2005)

Vicarious Ordinances for the Dead: Why Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints do Family History

Saving Ordinances Can Be Performed Vicariously

Jesus' own baptism by John the Baptist taught the apostles that it is necessary for every person to receive certain ordinances in order to return to the presence of Heavenly Father. People who die before having the opportunity to receive these ordinances can receive them after death. At the temple, worthy members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints may receive these ordinances on behalf of their ancestors. 

Two Components of a Vicarious Ordinance

A saving ordinance has two components: a physical action to be performed, and a spiritual covenant to be made. A covenant is a sacred agreement between a person and Heavenly Father. If the person carries out his end of the agreement, he receives certain blessings from God in return. Living Church members can receive the physical part of the ordinance on behalf of an ancestor, but the spiritual covenant can be accepted or rejected only by the ancestor. When a living member of the Church receives an ordinance for an ancestor, the ancestor is given a choice as to whether to accept the ordinance and its covenants or reject them. 

The Choice Belongs to the Deceased Individual

While Heavenly Father's plan of vicarious ordinances for the dead allows for each member of the human family to have equal opportunities to receive the saving ordinances, then, each person still must choose for himself whether to accept these ordinances and their covenants. Each of us makes our own choice as to whether to follow Jesus and return to our Heavenly Father.

Minimum Information Needed to Submit Ordinances:

To perform a temple ordinance for an ancestor, you must first find specific genealogical information:

Baptism and Endowment

• Name
• Sex
• Event date, such as a birth date (at least a year)
• Event place, such as a birthplace (at least a country)

Sealing to Parents

• The items listed under Baptism and Endowment
• First or last name of the father

Sealing to Spouse

• Name of the husband
• Marriage date (at least a year)
• Marriage place (at least a country)

For more information, see pages 10–14 of A Member's Guide to Temple and Family History Work.

The Steps and the Helpers:

You're not alone in doing this work! Family history consultants are called to help you: 

1. Choose an ancestor for whom information is readily available.
2. Choose an objective (a fact you want to find).
3. Do the research.
   • Decide what records to search.
   • Search the record. You may need help navigating, reading, interpreting, or analyzing the record.
4. Prepare a temple submission disk.
5. Do the ordinance.
   • You will need helpers to do the ordinances for ancestors of the opposite sex.
   • To find other ward members willing to do temple work for your ancestors, ask the family history consultant or high priests group leader.

You can find the high priests group leader in your ward. You can find family history consultants in your ward or at family history centers. To find the center nearest you in the United States, call the Family History Help Center at 801-240-2584.