Official Documentation of required funds for Missionaries

We need some type of documentation stating that a missionary needs $400 per month support. We have a family in our ward that is facing a legal issue and with that, needs documentation.

Is anybody aware of this kind of official documentation?

It would help to know what exactly is needed. Is it the amount that's in question or that this is a "required" expense? You might look though the papers that were signed as part of the application process to see if there's anything that could help. Most of the other things I can think of are of the "should" verity that may not be strong enough to satisfy the court (depending on the situation).

It probably wouldn't hurt to have the bishop call legal and talk to them about it.

The missionary department would be a good place for the Bishop to start. I think I would do that instead of going straight to legal.

jrwagz wrote:We need some type of documentation stating that a missionary needs $400 per month support. We have a family in our ward that is facing a legal issue and with that, needs documentation.

Is anybody aware of this kind of official documentation?

The Bishop's Notification of Full-Time Missionary Call has a line that shows the "amount expected from local sources for this missionary." That's the easiest place to start. I would get a copy of that to the family's attorney and then have the attorney determine whether additional documentation is needed.

I doubt very much that you're going to find anything that will meet your needs. The reason for this is because the $400 per month is very specifically not to support that particular missionary. It is a donation for the church's charitable purposes. If the family stops paying, the missionary will not be dismissed from his/her church service, but the church will have to make other arrangements.

allenjpl wrote:I doubt very much that you're going to find anything that will meet your needs. The reason for this is because the $400 per month is very specifically not to support that particular missionary. It is a donation for the church's charitable purposes. If the family stops paying, the missionary will not be dismissed from his/her church service, but the church will have to make other arrangements.

Which is why I asked for exactly what needs to be proved. The closest you may be able to get is a letter from the bishop saying that a verbal promise was made. But the lack of "damages" for failure to pay may make this a moot point. But it all depends on what has to be proved.

That's also why I suggested the bishop talk with legal. They may have a better idea of "dos" and "don'ts".

I get the impression that these members are seeking to prove something that cannot be proven because they see things differently than CHQ sees things. As others have noted, the $400 monthly obligation falls on the ward, not on the missionary nor the missionary's family. Yes, the family wants to support that obligation but they will not receive any form of "punishment" if they can't or won't. The only way this whole system works out to be a charitable contribution from a missionary or his family is that A) The missionary volunteers to serve the church, B) The $400 is not the real cost of supporting the missionary during that volunteer service and C) Those who donate to the missionary fund do not receive any specific, tangible item(s) for their donation. But, yes, let the legal team at CHQ explain it better than I can.

I can think of a number of reasons why it would be legally necessary to verify the amount that a family is expected to contribute toward the support of a missionary. Whether or not the family would be allowed to continue to use their money toward such a contribution is a totally different matter, and would depend on the circumstances in which the question is being asked, along with who will be controlling the family funds in the future.

The letter the bishop receives is a good starting point. The letter last announcing the equalized cost of mission support would also be another source, although that letter is so old I was not able to find a copy of it at the Official Communication Library.

lajackson wrote:The letter last announcing the equalized cost of mission support would also be another source, although that letter is so old I was not able to find a copy of it at the Official Communication Library.

The letter announcing the change in the equalized amount to $400 for missionaries from the US was dated 30 June 2004. I have a PDF of the letter. If someone really needs it, they can send me a Private Message.