Missionary Host Utilities

Any ideas on backup documentation for payments to members for missionary host utilities? I vaguely recall seeing a post implying that the Stake should get a letter. We don't have one.

mlh78 wrote:Any ideas on backup documentation for payments to members for missionary host utilities? I vaguely recall seeing a post implying that the Stake should get a letter. We don't have one.

We have done it two ways.

One time, we asked the bishop to send a letter to the stake identifying the family that should receive the set monthly amount paid to a Missionary Host Family. The finance clerk then uses that letter and makes the monthly payment until he is informed that the family is no longer hosting missionaries.

Since the stake president has to approve each situation in conjunction with the mission president, we have also used a written note from the stake president as our backup documentation.

The stake president mentions in presidency meeting each week if any family has begun hosting missionaries, or is no longer hosting them, and the stake clerk keeps track, working with the assistant clerk for finances to see that the proper families are getting the monthly payment.

I do not know that there are any specific instructions out there yet, other than the usual financial policies.

In our stake we have one of our High Council members responsible for missionary affairs. He works with the stake president and the mission home on approving and monitoring the host families. Once the inspections have been accomplished the high council member provides the stake clerk with a filled out copy of the form which then serves as documentation for payments. When there are changes made the high council member notifies the clerk to stop payments and provides another form once the new family begins hosting the missionaries. Seems to work okay for our stake and the auditors are happy with the process.

Pilotfly wrote:Once the inspections have been accomplished the high council member provides the stake clerk with a filled out copy of the form which then serves as documentation for payments.

Our stake follows a very similar pattern, the exception being that the high councilor provides the forms to the stake president who reviews and signs them prior to handing off for finance clerk action.

Our mission was one of the pilot missions for this program, and our processes have simplified a lot over time. To make a long story short, our high council rep over missionary work sends out an email once a month to the Bishops confirming where he thinks the missionaries are, and Bishops simply reply if there are changes. The mission and stake trust Bishops to select host families.

The HC Rep then sends an email to the stake financial clerk so they can write the checks. Keep in mind that the checks are NOT "rent", but reimbursements for increased utilities, etc. I think our mission still wants to have host families fill out a form, but our HC Rep takes care of that.