Books of Mormon for Missionaries

Whose responsibility is it to provide copies of the Book of Mormon for missionary usage? The Elders for our Ward have been getting copies from our materials center, and we are almost out. I'm still a relatively new clerk and wasn't aware we were providing the books for the missionaries. As it is the end of the year our budget is about shot. Is this a normal expense that I need to be planning for, or can the missionaries get copies from somewhere else? Thanks.

Twenty years ago, all missionary resource needs (Books of Mormon, pamphlets, videos, etc.) were procured by the mission office and routinely distributed through the mission's Zone and District leadership channels directly to the missionary companionships. That system worked very well back then, but things may have changed?

The Books of Mormon in our material center are used by members (mostly youth without digital devices) and adults whose digital device batteries are dead

You may want to contact your mission's office to verify the current distribution protocol/inquire about replenishing the books.

mdigi wrote: Sat Nov 04, 2023 3:48 pm Twenty years ago, all missionary resource needs (Books of Mormon, pamphlets, videos, etc.) were procured by the mission office and routinely distributed through the mission's Zone and District leadership channels directly to the missionary companionships. That system worked very well back then, but things may have changed?

I am a current full-time missionary, and this is still the case. The process in my mission is we fill out a form to the mission office with what we need, or alternatively we run it up the chain to our Zone Leaders. While there are occasionally items we need that we can't get through the mission office and need to work with Ward leaders for (like ARP booklets), we normally taking scriptures from the library. If missionaries need more copies of the Book of Mormon, they ought to work with the mission office and perhaps take a deep look in the apartment. If there is a serious short term need, they could coordinate other missionaries to lend some.

The cost of the books comes out of a budget somewhere. Many missions do their best to keep their missionaries stocked up. I have never known a mission to object if the members are willing to provide them. In the case of our original poster, it appears the ward has been doing this.

When the mission runs out of budget, they stop providing. When the ward runs out of budget, they stop providing. I have lived in places where a member will provide a case of books occasionally.

When I was a missionary, we were supposed to ask the family we were teaching to pay for the book. In most cases, my companion or I gave the book to the person as a gift. In most cases, it helped motivate them to read it.

Whose responsibility is it to provide copies of the Book of Mormon for missionary usage?

GHB 23.4.1 describes the monthly meeting the Stake President has with the Mission President "to coordinate efforts between the stake and ward leaders and the full-time missionaries." This seems like an ideal opportunity for discussion of this topic, if your Bishop wants to ask your Stake President to bring this up when they next meet.

lajackson wrote: Sat Nov 04, 2023 9:33 pm In the case of our original poster, it appears the ward has been doing this.

Or it was the "path of least resistance" for the missionaries.