Donation Question

Our ward's full-time missionaries recently did a service project and the people they helped gave them a donation. The missionaries would like to donate that money to our ward's mission fund; however, the check was made out to "LDS Missionary Fund". I'm pretty sure our ward can't include that check with our donations (due to the payee's name). So my question is: what should the missionaries and/or I do so that we can deposit this check into our ward missionary fund?

On a somewhat related topic, we had a ward member donate online to the general missionary fund instead of the ward's missionary fund. Is it possible to reclassify an online donation once it is made?

My understanding is the ward can do that.

From the online donation FAQs:

Q11. When I reviewed my previous donations, I noticed I made a mistake and put my donation in the Fast Offerings category instead of in Tithing, where I wanted it. Can I change a completed donation?

A11. No, completed donations cannot be edited. However, you can print a copy of your completed donation, take it to your ward or branch financial clerk, and ask him to correct the donation category for you on the ward or branch computer.

Hilohi wrote:Our ward's full-time missionaries recently did a service project and the people they helped gave them a donation. The missionaries would like to donate that money to our ward's mission fund; however, the check was made out to "LDS Missionary Fund". I'm pretty sure our ward can't include that check with our donations (due to the payee's name). So my question is: what should the missionaries and/or I do so that we can deposit this check into our ward missionary fund?

Depending on the bank, I would think you just deposit it the way it is. We have a ward member who makes out her checks to the bishop and we just include them with the normal deposit. If the bank will not take the check, I would think you would have to call SLC for instructions.

bastahmer wrote:

Hilohi wrote:Our ward's full-time missionaries recently did a service project and the people they helped gave them a donation. The missionaries would like to donate that money to our ward's mission fund; however, the check was made out to "LDS Missionary Fund". I'm pretty sure our ward can't include that check with our donations (due to the payee's name). So my question is: what should the missionaries and/or I do so that we can deposit this check into our ward missionary fund?

Depending on the bank, I would think you just deposit it the way it is. We have a ward member who makes out her checks to the bishop and we just include them with the normal deposit. If the bank will not take the check, I would think you would have to call SLC for instructions.

I used to jokingly refer to checks that were made out to the bishop as his "tips," and just had him endorse the back. Never had a problem. "LDS Missionary Fund" would probably count as being close enough so that the stamped endorsement would be fine.

Just to show you how closely banks look at deposited checks, a short story. Our ward decided to have two financial clerks (long story). I had been in for years and they called an 'assistant' to the assistant. I was called as Gospel Doctrine Teacher and I was told by the Stake Presidency that I was to be released. On that information, a new 'signature card' was filled out, without my name. I was not aware of that fact. I wasn't released and I wasn't released, and then they decided not to release me. In the mean time, I had been signing checks on various occasions. Nothing was said or done by the bank nor the Church about a 'non-signature card' person signing checks. When I found out about that, I stopped signing checks, and we are now trying to get everyone to church at the same time so we can send in a new card so I can start writing checks again (legally).