Problems with my mission : finances . . .

[Guest JoshDwellington]

Alright,

Before I got my call, my bishop and my stake president were OK to help me pay for my whole mission. They both were very kind and understood my situation, and they both told me not to worry about the financial side, just to stay focused.

But we got a new stake president and a new bishop just before I received my call.

They both asked me to pay as much as I could for my mission, then the rest would be filled by members of my ward. The thing is, I was told to "ask them" to be generous (begging would be more appropriate), and my ward is basically made of retired and/or unemployed, handicapped people for now.

I will NEVER ask them to pay for my mission, since they can hardly make both ends meet

So, the current missionaries in my area advised me to ask the MTC president and my mission president once I am serving to get some help.

What do you think ??

should I listen to the missionaries' advice ??

Won't I disrespect my bishop then ??

Only one month left, still haven't been to the temple ... feel like I got betrayed

Thank you in advance

Edited July 17, 2009 by JoshDwellington

[Guest Alana]

Interesting to see you have a month before your mission and some wires get crossed and there's a bit of contention. I think the adversary is being pretty obvious in this case, don't fall for his trap.

[ZionsRodeVos]

Another perspective to look at is that great blessings are given to people for helping missionaries. It could be that there are many members of your ward that need those blessings right now and they won't know you need help with your mission unless someone tells them. In this case it sounds like your bishop has asked you to tell them.

I don't know if this next suggestion is allowed but you can ask your bishop if its OK for you to let the members know by announcing your need either in sacrament meeting or in priesthood and/or relief society.

It also sounds like this is a test of your faith. You need to believe that your new bishop knows what he is doing and do what he has asked to the best of your ability. Maybe talk with him or with the elders quorum president/high priest group leader and ask them if they know anyone who would be financially able to help you out and then approach those people.

What the current missionaries have suggested is a good idea too and worth doing but I don't recommend you set aside your bishops council to you simply because you feel the members of your ward can't help and simply because it would be easier to talk to one or two people than to talk to many people in your ward.

Please don't feel betrayed, I agree with Alana that the adversary is trying to frustrate you even before you start your mission and if he succeeds then it will hinder your efforts during the mission. Keep in mind that God will not allow you to be overwhelmed. Trust in him always and pray to him for guidance and he will help you understand what you need to do in this last month before you start your mission.

[beefche]

Actually, I believe it is the bishop's responsibility to approach the members. When I went on my mission, my ward helped me with the financial part. I never approached anyone--the bishop took care of that.

Recently, in our ward, we had 7 missionaries out at the same time. Some of them needed assistance. The bishop approached each active family and specifically asked to help with the financial assistance. When he approached me, I specifically asked how much money was needed and he gave me an amount to donate.

[beefche]

A couple of other thoughts.

Alana is correct in that the adversary works hard on missionaries. I had some experiences when I was turning in my papers and after I was called that taught me that Satan desires missionaries. Be alert and attentive. Stay focused and worthy and plead with Heavenly Father to help you and strengthen your faith and goodwill. Learn to forgive others for any betrayal you feel.

Also, as a person who needed financial assistance on her mission, please, please take this to heart. I felt so badly that I had no help from my family in support. I paid for 1/3 of my mission, my home ward paid a 1/3, and a stake in Utah (over 1500 miles from me) paid 1/3. I vowed to myself to be in a position some day to help pay for another missionary's experience. When the bishop approached me to assist with our ward missionaries, I was overjoyed to be in a financial situation that allowed me to donate a large amount on a regular basis. I also privately approached a YM in my ward nearing mission age that I knew couldn't afford it, that I would be willing to pay a significant portion of his mission.

Remember this through your life--live within your means and be wise in your pursuit of education and career so that you can bless someone else with a mission just as you have been blessed by others for your mission.

[Guest]

How much does it cost to go to a mission?

[Dravin]

Unless its changed since I went (got home just shy of a year ago) it's $400 a month, or $9,600 in total, this of course doesn't factor in things such as buying supplies to get you to the MTC (clothing, first aid kit and the like) or expenses on your mission that aren't suppose to come from your support money (new clothes, medication for preexisting conditions and so on).

[De_Niro]

I do sympathise with you. Not wishing to criticise your leaders, but it does appear that in the beginning they were more keen on having you agree to serve a mission than seriously take your financial situation into consideration. That said, what efforts have you seriously made to put money by for your mission?

I worked full-time for 15 months prior to serving my mission to save money and even after that I still had to rely on my family and ward members to contribute the remaining portion. Like you I don't like to encroach upon other people (especially if they are not financially well off), but it enabled me to serve the lord for 2 years, plus I've faithfully paid my tithing and other contributions ever since which is not insignificant.

There should already be a mission fund established in your ward, but my advice to you is: work like crazy between now and when you go, and put everything you can feasibly afford into your own mission fund; then go and serve your mission faithfully and allow the members to help you. Serving a faithful mission will bless your life and others' immeasurably!

[Guest JoshDwellington]

first of all, thank you for your quick replies !

second thing, I'm extremely thankful for your positiveness, it cheered me up =]

I did work, but the money I earned is FAAAR from being enough unfortunately.

How gladly would I like to pay for my whole mission, but my family situation is not at its best now =/

The cost is still the same yes : ~285euros+ / month for me

so it's about US 400$

@ ZionsRodeVos : merci, haven't looked at it this way

@Beefche: maybe my ward's worried, because the last one that served a mission came back depressed and now needs mental assistance . . .!!

Hope I can make it better !!

@ De_niro : about the leaders :

The words my CURRENT bishop / stake president used to justify the new decision are:

" we want you to show us you're autonomous, you have to do all you can first, b/c we won't give you all that money "

(kinda shocked when i heard that at first since they knew about my parents health and my personal finances though)

Words of my PREVIOUS bishop/stake president :

" don't worry boy, we have more money than we need, just study the language + scriptures, everything will be alright "

Result : did all I could, still broke lol

Thanx again, I really really really hope things won't get worse!

[FlaviusHambonius]

Josh,

Nix to the missionaries advice--I wouldn't wait until I was on a mission and then tell my mission president, because that would seem to burden a person, I know it would me. I wouldn't want that issue hanging over my head.

If you have given as much as you can--then I would leave it at that.

You only have a month--so I think I would try to focus on thing's that needed to be.

But maybe your missionary buddies are on to something--it seems as though they're approach is to wait until your mission is underway before you tell your MP--I think they're definitley wrong in what to appears to be they're reasoning--I doubt very highly that the church would ever send missionaries home due to financial reasons--but it does indeed have a blackmail face to it. IMO

I've never served a mission, but if I was in your situation, I would want a clear conscience--not cluttered up with questions like: 'did I do the right thing'

If the church wants to send you now-- they will send you. I wouldn't worry about the financial aspect.

Or you can wait another year and save all the mula you can--but as you said before, it would be far from enough most likely.

I also agree with bigtime with what beefche stated about the responsibility being with the Bishop as far as approaching the congregation for financial assistance.

From what I have read from some of the posters is that some of them recieved greatly appreciated support from the ward/church, only to reciprocate the favor and blessing and in many instances--many times over.

Seems like a cycle of goodwill to me.

It's too bad the extreme was from one end of the spectrum to the other as far as the Bishops--it also seems to me that the preceeding Bishop had some sound advice.

No disrespect to your current Bishop intended--but I'm sure the church has enough money to send a worthy servant out in to the world to testify of Christ.

[Guest Alana]

Also like to add, it's ok if you don't have the money for a mission. My husband was more or less active when he was 20 when the stake president asked him if he would serve a mission. As far as I know it, the ward payed for it 100%. I'm thankful every single day that he had that experience. I'm also grateful for the times that we've been asked from the pulpit to be more generous in our donations, it leads to blessings, even someone giving $5 can do more than you can imagine, for the person donating.

[LDSVALLEY]

I can see the points of both current and past Bishops. Personally I think it is more appropriate for a Bishop to do this not yourself. But it is pointless to debate which is more correct. You have a short time and a serious problem. If the current Bishop wants you to put forth effort to help find those willing to fund then you should do so. It is an act of faith on your part the leader of your ward with the authority from God has given you instruction on what you must do. Now his reasons could be that being new it is simply a personal belief or two he has direct instruction from the Lord in this situation to do it this way.

It will not be easy to achieve this, my suggestion would be simply to talk to a member you are close to or respect about what has transpired and the rumor mill will pave the way for you. Remember that when you give a member the opportunity to help they can be blessed from God for doing so. When we act selfish and don't ask for the help we deny them that reward from heaven.

Remember it will not be easy to do, nor will it be easy in the Mission Field. You will have to ask members to do things they don't want to do in order to have missionary work progress in some wards. You will have to have the courage of your convictions to stand up to abuse and ridicule on occasion. Maybe, just maybe this is a way for the Lord to test your faith before going out. If you can't face a difficult situation around those you know how will you do it on a mission?

Try and serve in the South West United States or Nova Scotia Canada both areas seem good at feeding Missionaries!!

Personally I would be disappointed if I were you. But now you have two choices, you can do nothing and complain about the Bishops direction, maybe you can get around it or raise enough backlash he will take care of it. Or you can Do as he suggests no matter what opinion you, I, or others have about it. Prove to yourself and the Lord you will do everything it takes to serve a mission.

Understand I sympathize greatly with your plight but you have little time so you have to decide what path to follow.

[Guest JoshDwellington]

thank you dear brothers and sisters for your sound advice !

it is true, I don't want to wait and leave for the MTC with anything but positiveness in my heart. You guys are right : I should clear all my problems NOW and not wait.

I'm in for one looooong talk with my bishop tomorrow !

Mom already said we could use 2000euros for my mission so I'm basically paying 1/3 woot

I'm saying it again, I'm really thankful you all replied so fast and took the time to help a fellow brother

[Just_A_Guy]

It doesn't sound like the counsel from your old and new bishop is inherently contradictory--pay as much as you can, and the ward will make up the rest.

The new Bishop isn't pulling a major bait-and-switch on you. Missionaries aren't supported out of general ward funds or by Salt Lake money; there's a special ward missionary fund that supports missionaries who need it and that fund is replenished by the donations of ward members. At some point, Church members will have to be approached and asked to replenish that fund sufficiently to keep you on your mission. Your new bishop is just making a procedural error about who is supposed to solicit donations to that fund. It's not your responsibility--it's his.

I would just respond to the Bishop, as tactfully as possible, "OK, I saved x amount, and here's a check for it. I've gotten some conflicting advice about how the rest is handled--would you mind looking it up in the Church Handbook of Instructions and letting me know if it has any suggestions about how I should proceed?"

Edited July 19, 2009 by Just_A_Guy

[pam]

Let me ask this...if a person is going on a mission that does not live in your area but you would like to personally assist...how does one go about that? Do you put that on a donation slip specifying or how does that work?

[BenRaines]

Pam, in the past you need to make the donation to the specific ward where that missionary is serving from. Donation slip mailed to that Bishop or Branch President. It is not possible, that I am aware, to make the donation in your ward for another ward's missionary credit.

It appears that the soon to be missionary in this discussion is in France.. Hence euros.

It may be possible to get that until number and make a local donation to that ward or branch credit but I do not know. Question for your Bishop or Palerider.

Ben Raines

[pam]

I was just curious for future reference.

[Guest JoshDwellington]

It doesn't sound like the counsel from your old and new bishop is inherently contradictory--pay as much as you can, and the ward will make up the rest.

The new Bishop isn't pulling a major bait-and-switch on you. Missionaries aren't supported out of general ward funds or by Salt Lake money; there's a special ward missionary fund that supports missionaries who need it and that fund is replenished by the donations of ward members. At some point, Church members will have to be approached and asked to replenish that fund sufficiently to keep you on your mission. Your new bishop is just making a procedural error about who is supposed to solicit donations to that fund. It's not your responsibility--it's his.

I would just respond to the Bishop, as tactfully as possible, "OK, I saved x amount, and here's a check for it. I've gotten some conflicting advice about how the rest is handled--would you mind looking it up in the Church Handbook of Instructions and letting me know if it has any suggestions about how I should proceed?"

yes, I told him yesterday my mom would let me 2000euros, I asked him if I could give it cash or transfer them now b/c my bank account will be close for a while.

LOL, I kinda frightened him when I said 2000cash haha the look on his face

I think I know what you mean, when you say missionary fund.

Heard it's empty b/c before me there were like 3 missionaries in my ward that left almost at the same time, then after me there will be no one for 10 years b/c the next kid is around 12 !!