Financial Auditor's Report

[Just_A_Guy]

There was a brief statement at the end about the Church following the principles of living within its means, avoiding debt, and planning for the future. Is that new? I don\'t recall hearing it before (in an auditor\'s report).

[Guest]

Faramir and I were wondering the same thing. Is it new, or have we never noticed it before?

[pam]

I haven't heard it before either.

[mordorbund]

I seem to recall President Hinckley making such a statement in the past, but not an auditor. It certainly wasn't in last year's report.

[mordorbund]

And it looks like it hasn't been used all the way back to 2005.

 

Elder Bednar said something similar last conference (https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2013/10/the-windows-of-heaven?lang=eng) (would it have expired if not for the auditing department?).

 

 

 In the financial operations of the Church, two basic and fixed principles are observed. First, the Church lives within its means and does not spend more than it receives. Second, a portion of the annual income is set aside as a reserve for contingencies and unanticipated needs. For decades the Church has taught its membership the principle of setting aside additional food, fuel, and money to take care of emergencies that might arise. The Church as an institution simply follows the same principles that are taught repeatedly to the members.

 

Here's a President Hinckley quote (but not the one swimming in my head, maybe that was Elder Bednar) (https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2001/10/the-times-in-which-we-live?lang=eng):

 

 

I can assure you that we who are responsible for the management of the affairs of the Church will be prudent and careful as we have tried to be in the past. The tithes of the Church are sacred. They are appropriated in the manner set forth by the Lord Himself. We have become a very large and complex organization. We carry on many extensive and costly programs. But I can assure you that we will not exceed our income. We will not place the Church in debt. We will tailor what we do to the resources that are available.