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Joseph Fielding Smith Jr. (10th prophet):
The Lord has called upon us to look after our dead, to seek out their genealogy. This spirit has gone forth, the keys that were bestowed by Elijah are here, and the hearts of the children have turned to their fathers. One of the greatest evidences of the truth of the story told by the Prophet Joseph Smith that Elijah came to him and Oliver Cowdery is the fact that people who are not connected with this Church, who have no sympathy, perhaps, with the Church, are gathering the records of the dead. Their hearts have turned to the fathers.
Our duty of course, is to seek after our dead. We have a department in the Church, the Genealogical Society, where we are gathering in these records for the benefit of the members of the Church, where we can receive information, and are able to give help and encouragement in relation to these matters that pertain to the salvation of our families.
Source: McConkie, Bruce R., ed. Doctrines of Salvation: Sermons and Writings of Joseph Fielding Smith, Vol. 2. 128. Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1954-1955.
This policy doesn't extent to those who have been excommunicated.