The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is providing members the choice of a digital temple recommend on a mobile phone or tablet rather than a printed-on-paper recommend, as Latter-day Saints now have.
The Church issued a comment Thursday, May 22, in response to recent media inquiries about mobile recommends.
“Over the next several weeks, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will begin providing the option of issuing a member’s temple recommend on a mobile device, instead of a recommend on paper,” said Church spokesman Doug Andersen. “Church members may choose one of these options, to allow them to enter a temple. For those who opt for an electronic recommend, it will be available on the Member Tools app on their phone or tablet that can be scanned at any of the Church’s temples. With this additional recommend option, the Church hopes it will improve and simplify the experience for all who attend the temple.”
A Latter-day Saint with a current temple recommend may choose to keep their printed recommend or switch to a mobile recommend. At the time Church members renew expiring recommends or receive new recommends, they can choose between a paper or mobile temple recommend.
A member can have either a printed recommend or a mobile recommend, but not both.
Latter-day Saints can follow step-by-step online instructions on how to request, set up and use a mobile temple recommend.
Currently online at the Search Help Center of ChurchofJesusChrist.org, several pages can help members and local leaders with step-by-step directions regarding mobile temple recommends, including a page for members with recommends and a separate page for local leaders who issue the recommends. The Help Center section of the Member Tools app should have similar information once a member’s stake, district or area has authorization to issue mobile recommends.
When the feature is available and accessible on a digital device in their area, those who desire to receive or switch to mobile temple recommends should contact their local priesthood leaders. Once the recommend is approved, the member can access the mobile temple recommend through the Member Tools app on a mobile device.
For members with current recommends
For those with a current paper recommend, the “Member Guide: Switching to Mobile Temple Recommend” directs one to:
- Request a mobile recommend from the bishop or branch president.
- Open the Member Tools app (IOS 16 or newer and Android 8.0 or newer are the smartphone operating systems required), navigate to the Home menu, and tap “My Temple.”
- Tap “I Agree” to activate the mobile recommend.
- Scan the QR Code at the recommend desk when arriving at the temple.
The page also reminds that:
- A profile photo on the Member Tools account is required and should be uploaded before a mobile recommend is requested.
- Screenshots of mobile recommends will not be accepted at the recommend desk.
- A member may have either a mobile recommend or a paper recommend, but not both at the same time.
A similar Help Center page provides quick guides for a local stake and mission leaders and for ward and branch leaders in issuing a mobile temple recommend.
For bishoprics and branch presidents
For bishopric members and branch presidents when a member requests a mobile temple recommend, the steps include:
- Once logged into Leader and Clerk Resources, select “Temple” and then “Temple Recommends” in the dropdown menu. Then use the Find Member search bar to look up the members.
- The leader either switches the active recommend format from printed to mobile.
- Under Format, the leader selects “Mobile” and then “Save.” Then click “Issue Temple Recommend.”
- The member then activates the recommend on the Member Tools app.
For stake, mission presidency members
For a stake or mission presidency member meeting with a member to complete the interview process and new recommend application:
- The leader logs into Leader and Clerk Resources, clicks on “Temple” and selects “Temple Recommends.”
- The leader looks up the member using the search box and verifies the mobile recommend format has been selected by the bishopric member or branch president. Note: If the printed format has been selected, the stake or mission leader cannot switch the recommend to the mobile option. Instead, the leader is to complete the activation process for a printed recommend and direct the member back to the bishopric or branch president to switch the recommend to the mobile format.
- The stake or mission leader then clicks “Activate Temple Recommend.”
- There will be instructions in a pop-up window to help members access their recommends in Member Tools.
