Support for a missionary in another part of the world?

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davesudweeks
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Location: Washington, USA

Support for a missionary in another part of the world?

#1

Post by davesudweeks »

I was reading this thread and have a "possibly somewhat related" question.
https://tech.lds.org/forum/showthread.p ... missionary

A missionary from our ward returned from her mission last week and there is surplus money in her Missionary Account in MLS. After the broadcast today, her father approached me (all her mission money was donated by him) and asked if there was a way to transfer her surplus money to support a missionary getting ready to go out from a ward in her mission.

Her mission was to a third world country and sending a check through the mail may be a theft risk (which is why he doesn't just send a check to them).

I understand the handbook restriction on writing missionary fund checks to wards outside of our Stake, but is there a way to notify CHQ of the ward in question and ask them to pull the money from our Ward Missionary fund and deposit it in the other ward?

Any alternate suggestions?
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aebrown
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#2

Post by aebrown »

davesudweeks wrote:A missionary from our ward returned from her mission last week and there is surplus money in her Missionary Account in MLS. After the broadcast today, her father approached me (all her mission money was donated by him) and asked if there was a way to transfer her surplus money to support a missionary getting ready to go out from a ward in her mission.

The sentiment is very kind and generous, but I would be very wary of this. The very firm rule is that once a donation is made, the donor no longer has any control over what is done with the money. Otherwise it's not really a donation to the Church.
Questions that can benefit the larger community should be asked in a public forum, not a private message.
quicky
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#3

Post by quicky »

I believe there may be some control of the money by the donor. If a mission is prepaid and a missionary comes home early for some reason I believe the missionary's parents (if they prepaid the money) can have the unused monies put into a tithing category. It cannot be returned to the donor.
crislapi
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#4

Post by crislapi »

Quicky wrote:I believe there may be some control of the money by the donor. If a mission is prepaid and a missionary comes home early for some reason I believe the missionary's parents (if they prepaid the money) can have the unused monies put into a tithing category. It cannot be returned to the donor.
That's about as much motion as you can do. You cannot even transfer ward missionary funds from one ward to another ward in a different stake. If noticed by CHQ, they will issue you a reprimand letter with a copy of the check. The possibility of sending a ward check to a ward in a different country? Nil.
davesudweeks
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Joined: Sun May 09, 2010 9:16 pm
Location: Washington, USA

#5

Post by davesudweeks »

In my reading of the handbook this afternoon, we could transfer the excess Ward Missionary funds to the General Missionary fund (with Stake Approval) that is pulled to CHQ and then redistributed. However, that will not guarantee it will get to the specific missionary, just be available for use in that manner as needed. Not only that, I suspect there are needs in the Stake and they would opt for us to transfer it to them for use within the Stake.

I'll run the request by the Bishop tomorrow and recommend we keep the excess in the ward. We have 2 other missionaries out with limited support options so there is a good place for it right here.

Thanks for the comments and suggestions.
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