Stake wants to transfer ward mission fund

Hi there, I'm a counsellor in a bishopric. Our stake presidency would like to transfer the funds from our ward mission fund into the stake account to help other wards, or to send on to the general missionary fund. Has anyone ever heard of this happening? We have a decent amount in our fund, and they are willing to leave us enough to cover mission costs for a few months. Anything in the handbook that allows a ward to keep the money for future needs?

A couple of years ago our stake made a request for all "surplus" funds to be sent to the stake - if we didn't have anybody out in the field or a specific person who was expected to be leaving within a definite time frame then the funds were to be sent to the stake to help missionaries who needed the assistance right now. If the money is just sitting in an account because "we'll need it someday" then it really could be put to better use elsewhere.

jdbasile wrote:Has anyone ever heard of this happening?

Yes. As long as those are excess funds and not planned for (for example, someone who has paid for their entire mission in advance), then you should do as requested. Handbook 1: 14.4.3, 4th paragraph provides the basis.