KenTheRealtor Posted December 26, 2008 Report Share Posted December 26, 2008 ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Palerider Posted December 26, 2008 Report Share Posted December 26, 2008 my son has been home for over a year now...he served in panama.....it cost us 400 dollars a month Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KenTheRealtor Posted December 26, 2008 Author Report Share Posted December 26, 2008 So does the cost vary upon location? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven22 Posted December 26, 2008 Report Share Posted December 26, 2008 It is $400 anywhere you go in the world. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KenTheRealtor Posted December 26, 2008 Author Report Share Posted December 26, 2008 How do they expect 19 year olds to be able to afford that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Palerider Posted December 26, 2008 Report Share Posted December 26, 2008 How do they expect 19 year olds to be able to afford that? if it wasn't 400 dollars wordwide it probally would me more depending on where you are called. If someone really wants to go there are ways to obtain the finances to go. We always find something to complain about but it takes extra work to find a solution. If money is an issue speak with your Bishop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cullenh Posted December 26, 2008 Report Share Posted December 26, 2008 Pale is right ... best thing to do is to talk to your bishop in some cases the church has been known to help individuals on there mission. My son has been saving for his mission since he was baptised. And what ever he still needs help with when time comes we will help with the finances. Guess what I am trying to say is that each situation is different. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john doe Posted December 26, 2008 Report Share Posted December 26, 2008 How do they expect 19 year olds to be able to afford that?Uhhhhhhh, get a job? Many times family members also help out. Sometimes wards will ask various members to help support a missionary in need, and sometimes members will voluntarily contribute to the missionary fund. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Palerider Posted December 26, 2008 Report Share Posted December 26, 2008 My wife and I committed to paying 400 a month for our son when went. We were both kinda worried where we were going to get this money from. Our Stake President told us that when we started paying it that it would seem tough at first then after a few months we wouldn't miss it. I thought he was crazy. I can honestly say after a few months he was right. We did not miss the money one bit.If I had to do it again I would. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KenTheRealtor Posted December 26, 2008 Author Report Share Posted December 26, 2008 Okay well first of all saying get a job is insulting because I have one, and saving up that much money isn't financially feasible for a job for a 21 year old. Maybe I shouldn't go on a mission because I think I'd have a hard time dealing with pathetic people like you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
susieSA Posted December 26, 2008 Report Share Posted December 26, 2008 It is $400 anywhere you go in the world.I am not so sure about that..... I think it defenitly depends on where you go... $400 per month in some parts of the world would be luxury.... Last time I checked missionaires were on mission to serve not to live it up...In some countries missionaries need alot less than that....My brother has been back from his mission in Kenya for almost 2 years... I am not sure that he needed that much for his mission per month...In my brother's case he saved up as much as he could working weekends & when he finished school he was able to work more often...I did help him a little bit too... When it was time for him to go on mission my family did help him a bit... I am not sure how it works in the USA but over here not many people contribute to the missionary fund anymore.... And you don't really get people who sponsor... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Palerider Posted December 26, 2008 Report Share Posted December 26, 2008 I am not so sure about that..... I think it defenitly depends on where you go... $400 per month in some parts of the world would be luxury.... Last time I checked missionaires were on mission to serve not to live it up...In some countries missionaries need alot less than that....My brother has been back from his mission in Kenya for almost 2 years... I am not sure that he needed that much for his mission per month...In my brother's case he saved up as much as he could working weekends & when he finished school he was able to work more often...I did help him a little bit too... When it was time for him to go on mission my family did help him a bit... I am not sure how it works in the USA but over here not many people contribute to the missionary fund anymore.... And you don't really get people who sponsor... Susie....it is 400 no matter where you go....the church did this a few yrs back to make it as managable as they could.:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
susieSA Posted December 26, 2008 Report Share Posted December 26, 2008 Susie....it is 400 no matter where you go....the church did this a few yrs back to make it as managable as they could.:)That just seems like a heck of alot of money to me for a missionary to need per month....Considering they don't pay rent etc themselves... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Palerider Posted December 26, 2008 Report Share Posted December 26, 2008 That just seems like a heck of alot of money to me for a missionary to need per month....Considering they don't pay rent etc themselves... it was based on an average....there are places in the world where its cheaper to live and places where its more expensive....the money each month pays for their rent and they get money to buy food and other things needed. When I srved it cost me 350 a month and that was back in 79-81. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elgama Posted December 26, 2008 Report Share Posted December 26, 2008 That just seems like a heck of alot of money to me for a missionary to need per month....Considering they don't pay rent etc themselves...This is how it was explained to me:because missionaries are assigned and do not get to choose the money goes into the pot and missionaries in each mission get back what they need to live, everyone pays the same. More help is avialible in some places than others.There is no way a missionary in Scotland could survive on $400 which is £200 a month it wouldn't cover share of bills,, food and bus travel. Switzerland they require even more to live, wheras a missionary in Nigeria or Peru can get by on a lot less. They can also get by on less if they are in an area with a lot of members eager to feed them - in my area at one point missionaries got one- two meals a week and I was giving them both (deal was they helped me out for the second meal)-Charley Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cullenh Posted December 26, 2008 Report Share Posted December 26, 2008 I have heard of that happening before Pale as in most cases that when family struggles with the expenses and go on faith in doing it that things work out and the blessings are there!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eternalpromise516 Posted December 26, 2008 Report Share Posted December 26, 2008 (edited) Okay well first of all saying get a job is insulting because I have one, and saving up that much money isn't financially feasible for a job for a 21 year old.Maybe I shouldn't go on a mission because I think I'd have a hard time dealing with pathetic people like you.there was nothing insulting about suggesting a job. the PP didn't have any prior knowledge that you were already employed, and i find that comment very offensive. no prospective missionary can have an attitude like that. how are you supposed to successfully serve the Lord thinking that way?secondly, it IS financially feasible for a 21 to save up money for a mission, even though i do agree it is a sizable chunk - $9,600. you just have to set up a budget every month and put back what extra there is after taking care of other responsibilities, such as bills and tithing. of course, most aren't able to get the 400 a month or the whole amount needed for the mission in a short amount of time, you know what i mean? i have two best friends in the field right now, and they both had two jobs or more, and even then it took them some time to get the financial aspect in order. for example, i'm saving up money right now for a new car, whether it be used or new, but i know that i'm not going to be able to save back what i need if i don't follow a reasonable budget. i'd prefer to not have to finance it, so i'll have to have around $7,000 at minimum.to start a budget (if you don't already have one), keep your receipts, copies of any bills for a month, and any other financial statements, then at the end of the month sit down and roll up your sleeves. you'll also need to record all of your outside sources of income. next, write down (or type in a spreadsheet if that's your thing) a list of all your monthly expenses, whether it be bills or anything else you spend your money on. after this, you'll need to determine which expenses are fixed and which are variable (stay pretty much the same each month and vary all the time). there's many links out there that'll further explain or help you how to do this all, i've included one below. just google it, yahoo, ask, whatever search engine you may use.when you've sorted out what category your expenses fall into, total up your income and then total up your number of expenses. ideally, you'll want to have more income than expenses. if you see that there are more expenses than income, look at the variable expenses and see what can be reduced. the best way i learned to save money is to include an amount that you wish to put into a savings account or other method/place to save your money in is to include it as a fixed expense in your budget, that way you pay yourself first. it's all manageable, you just have to take the time to set yourself up in the beginning and make goals. even if you have to request assistance from your bishop, that's ok! most, if not all bishops would love to help a member serve a mission!good luck, and please keep us updated on your progress!Creating a Budget - How To Create a Budget Edited December 26, 2008 by eternalpromise516 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BenRaines Posted December 26, 2008 Report Share Posted December 26, 2008 I got a job to pay for my mission, my son did too. Some years ago, as Palerider has already said. the church standardized the cost churchwide for missionaries to serve. In areas like London and Tokyo it is over $2,000 a month to support a missionary, housing costs mostly, in South America it can be as little as $100. To avoid some missionaries from hitting the mission lottery, going to South America at $100 instead of those over burdened by London or Tokyo. Now all missionaries, families, wards, support a missionary at $400 month. The balance is made up from General Mission Fund of the church or by wards and stakes. It is preferred that a young man who decided to serve a mission have more invested than just giving up two years. I have seen some that it is a two year vacation with someone else paying the bill. That is not good. I know I felt that I was not going to waste my money, my parents money or my time by going on a mission to play around. Ben Raines Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
susieSA Posted December 26, 2008 Report Share Posted December 26, 2008 "Now all missionaries, families, wards, support a missionary at $400 month. The balance is made up from General Mission Fund of the church or by wards and stakes." That doesn't happen over here anymore.... I could go into why... But it is probably better that I don't.... The general missionary fund does exist over here but is not used for everyone... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Palerider Posted December 26, 2008 Report Share Posted December 26, 2008 I left for my mission in 1979 and to get my money for my mission I sold my 1979 Ford Thunderbird. I owned it for 10 months and about 9 months later I knew I needed to serve a mission. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Palerider Posted December 26, 2008 Report Share Posted December 26, 2008 "Now all missionaries, families, wards, support a missionary at $400 month. The balance is made up from General Mission Fund of the church or by wards and stakes."That doesn't happen over here anymore.... I could go into why... But it is probably better that I don't....The general missionary fund does exist over here but is not used for everyone...The way it works here is....if someone in our stake is serving a mission the stake supports him or her. There is a another line on tithing slip other than the General fund and that money stays local to help support our local missionaries. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
susieSA Posted December 26, 2008 Report Share Posted December 26, 2008 (edited) The way it works here is....if someone in our stake is serving a mission the stake supports him or her. There is a another line on tithing slip other than the General fund and that money stays local to help support our local missionaries.Yea... That also only goes to certain people... Not everyone...Meaning that over here the expense is on the shoulders of the missionary & family to provide whatever the amount it per month... Edited December 26, 2008 by susieSA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BenRaines Posted December 26, 2008 Report Share Posted December 26, 2008 Just because a missionary, his family, the ward, the stake or others pay $400 a month to support a missionary does not mean that a missionary receives $400 a month for their expenses. When my son served in the Dominican Republic he received around $120 US a month for his personal expenses. Apt was paid by the mission, housekeeper was paid by the mission, utilities were paid by the mission, car and car insurance was paid by the mission. The money he received each month was only for his personal expenses. That amount is determined by the mission president and the church missionary committee in SLC. For a mission president to change the amount, due to inflation, etc. he must request an increase to SLC and explain why needed. Ben Raines Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john doe Posted December 26, 2008 Report Share Posted December 26, 2008 When I went in 1982, it cost me about $350-400/month. We used our own funds to pay for the apartment and utilities, plus all expenses including car fees and gas if we had a car. Nowadays, I understand that the missionary pays $400USD to the general church missionary fund and the mission (or the church) pays the monthly expenses and disburses or allocates a certain amount each month back to the missionary. This amount is deemed to be enough for the missionary to buy food and other personal things. I assume this amount is different for each mission and even perhaps for different locations within a mission. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beefche Posted December 26, 2008 Report Share Posted December 26, 2008 I believe that the $400/mo is for missionaries who leave from US/Canada. Any other missionary leaving from another country will not have the $400/mo--instead their expenses will be determined by the country where they are serving. My understanding is that for those missionaries that pay the $400/mo but whose missions are less than that, will have the remainder of the $400 go towards another missionary who's expenses are more than the $400. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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