October 31st, 2011
Why does the Mormon Church make missionaries pay for missions themselves?
Question by Tim: Why does the Mormon Church make missionaries pay for missions themselves?
From what I’ve read, Mormon missionaries have to pay their own way, and this usually amounts to about $ 400 a month for cost of living. Considering how much money the church takes in from tithing and how big of a sacrifice it is to go on a mission for two years, it’s surprising to me that missionaries still have to fund it themselves. You’d think the church would at least partially cover the costs. Any thoughts or answers?
Best answer:
Answer by ♫♪+♂&♀=♥
i hate religion
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Tags: Church, Missionaries, Missions, Mormon, themselves
Filed under: Church News
it almost makes me want to move to utah and doup these idiots into making me rich
they do a lot of diff things that are not necessary…
GO TO METHODIST….FOR THOSE WHO dk the Bible says do not go door to door but invite people to church.
It’s the ultimate money making scam, huh. Brainwash people, turn them into zombies and keep charging them even for stuff that they give you. Mormons have to pay for the privilege of tending the gardens at their temples.
Because that poor, under-funded church simply doesn’t have the money to pay the expenses of the young men who donate two years of their lives to going all over the world trying to make converts.
They do, however, have the money to pay billions for a new shopping center/office in Salt Lake City, to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on the Prop. 8 campaign in California, etc.
How about that.
Peace.
p.s. I did a mission 30+ years ago, in France — and it was $ 650 a month back then. It’s surely much more than that now…
They do? What a bunch of cheapskates. Way to treat volunteers.
And it’s ultimately their decision to go yes?
What a dumb question.
…The tithing slip is broken up into numerous sections. Humanitarian aid, missionary funds, Perpetual education, Ward missionary and other (usually those who cannot pay rent etc).
Our leaders aren’t going out buying brand new Porsche’s, We believe in charity and spreading the gospel.. and sometimes a little sacrifice is needed for that. It can be hard but it is always a blessing to see when people who are less fortunate than I are being helped — that I may even though in a very small way helped.
We are not forced to go on a mission. As result of military service our current prophet Thomas S Monson did not serve a mission. I know of many members in good standing who have not served missions.
It is not a secret that you must strive to pay your own way to be able to go on a mission. So there is no surprises about the idea when people go to serve.
Now as to why we are asked to pay our own way, Christ asked his disciples to give up everything to follow Him during His mortal ministry. If a young man or woman does not have the faith to try to find a way to provide $ 425 a month for 2 years then why would we think that they would have the faith to be able to bring the spirit of conversion into anyone’s lives?
Now with that said there is actually a lot of members with in the church who will help those who simply cannot find that kind of money. I was one of those. I worked as hard as I could to save up money to be able to pay for my mission, however it was simply beyond my capabilities. God did not bless me in that area. However through the generosity of others I was still able to serve a mission. My story is not unique. There are many of our members from 3rd world countries who will serve missions in both their own countries and other countries.
If I look back at the struggles I went through trying to earn and save enough money to be able to pay for my mission, I would not change a thing. Through the struggles that I had I was able to grow so much. I am grateful for the opportunity that I had to go through that struggle. It was through that struggle that I truly started to learn about how to trust in the Lord, and recognize the blessings that He sends into my life.
I hope that helps you understand a little better.
Edit:
Since the time that WellTraveledProg served a mission the church has implemented a program that helps make it a lot easier for everyone to pay for their missions. In the early days (as hinted at by WellTraveledProg) what you payed would very based on where you served. For example if you served in some place like Japan or New York city your expenses would be a lot higher than if you were called to serve in some place like Central America. Now all of the money that everyone pays goes into one giant pool. Everyone pays the same amount and the extra money from those who serve in places like Central America helps make up the difference for those who serve in places like Japan and New York City. If there is extra money in the General Missionary fund that money is used to help people like myself and many of those who live in 3rd world countries. However in my case it was a friend of the family who helped me pay for my mission. Last I heard (and it has been several years since I heard any numbers) the amount that everyone payed is $ 425 dollars a month.
Because its standard practice to get free labor out of members. It’s not just missionaries. Gives them a vested interest in staying. (Why clean a toilet when you won’t be there next week?) Why pay a clerk, an elder, a teacher or janitor, when all that grumbling but still free labor is handy? Most Christian churches pay their staff, although many have unpaid help who clean each week. That’s why they always need money. Most LDS don’t pay their staff. That’s why they like money.
There are horror stories out there that would curl people’s hair about how missionaries were treated when they became ill, homesick, sick of their partner, depressed, lonely for the opposite sex company or just plain lonely. They are all told, overcome it. Stay where you are. It’s good spiritual exercise. They become the robots of the LDS.
because we serve the Lord voluntarily….
when I take in a dinner to a family – it is my cost for that dinner.
when I work in my neighbor’s yard, it is my cost and time, or whatever service provided I do so @my own cost and time….because I voluntarily did it – without being asked, without being coerced — because I believe it is what Christ would have me do.
motivation to serve a full-time mission is a desire to prepare the world and its peoples for the return of Jesus Christ
missionaries are expected to pay their own way, or as much as they can…..but in circumstances where extreme poverty or hardship may prevent a young person who wants to serve from going on a mission, the members of the missionary’s ward will help.
there is also aid available through a general church fund set up to assist missionaries.
most missionaries and their families save up for the expected time. many will have a missionary fund in which they can save money for their future mission….seen as a goal, like college.
1st, the name of Jesus Christ’s church is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. 2nd, the church does help pay for a mission. I know many people that had their missions paid for in full by the church.
You know what?
Jesus Christ SACRIFICED His perfect, sinless life for our redemption.
All that He asks of us in return is that we feed His sheep. Sometimes, that comes at a cost, a sacrifice–and how little our service would mean if it didn’t.
I actually wrote the Mormon prophet a few months ago about this very topic. I told him it was unfair for poor families to have to come up with money. I gave him some ideas on how to implement a new system where missionaries didn’t pay their own way, but I was told that it won’t change any time soon. Why would it? The Mormon church is a corporation and is looking more and more at the bottom line. Sadly it seems like this practice will continue.
Did you know that Seven Day Adventist missionaries are about the same age as Mormon missionaries, except they don’t have to pay for the mission and they get a scholarship to an SDA college? What do Mormon missionaries get? A $ 10,000+ bill. Not a big fan of SDA, but surely the Mormon church can come up with something that doesn’t screw over the missionaries like the current system does.
Mormons say a mission is optional, but it’s really not. Those who don’t go on missions are thought of as lower than those who did serve and many Mormon girls don’t even want to marry someone who didn’t serve a mission. Plus the embarrassment it would cause the family and how disappointed everyone would be in the poor kid who decided not to go.
Our church does help support the indigent who are called by God to minister for him, but in general it does not pay its missionaries. We have very little in the way of paid clergy, but our full-time general (worldwide) authorities do receive stipends — not exactly a way to get rich.
Would you rather hear the gospel from somebody who’s just doing it for the money, or from a person from a family who believes so sincerely that they’re willing to minister for free?
There was an Elder in my mission I had the privilege of serving with. He was 21 and he had his own business and his own condo that he left behind to serve. I don’t believe he would have been even half as good of a missionary if it was all expenses paid. And I don’t believe the missionaries who got to serve with him would have been even half as good without his example.
Jesus paid the price for our sins, why should he pick up the tab to tell everyone about it too?
Clergy should not be paid, with filthy lucre. No one gets paid in THE Church Of JESUS CHRIST Of Latter Day Saints, by such a pathetic reward as mortal’s money.
Jesus Christ said to put your treasure in Heaven, where moth doth not corrupt, and rust does not destroy.
A treasure in Heaven is eternal, Earthly rewards last for only a finite amount of time.
The church will help if you truly cannot afford it. However we dont believe in paid clergy because you should never have to wonder about why someone is teaching something. Money should never be a motive in sharing the gospel. You dont want people on missions simply because they would have a free vacation and live off the church.
you do it to become closer to god, it isn’t free.
The Mormon church is a cult, and the name of the game with cults is to bring money in for the use of the leadership.
.
Because they are paid, 2 year, Pastors.
Actually I have to comment on this, my pastor went to college and have a degree, why shouldn;t he be paid, however LDS Bishops have no education, they should nto get paid. Right??? They have no counseling degree in Psychiatry, yet they counsel members of their ward and tell people where they feel they their talents would be used in the kigdom. Does this make any sense?
I do not know why Bishops cannot go to college and get paid anyways, Jesus got supported by three women, mary, Joanna, and Suzanna. in Luke 8:2.
@Colebole yo have been summoned to answer a question:
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=Akceqtd_EZKmUdgYqNoZNzkjzKIX;_ylv=3?qid=20110323151231AASCewL
Of course it isn’t easy getting that much money together. I had to work for years before I saved enough, but I don’t personally regret it. Missionary work is amazing and can be a blast, but it’s also very demanding. Missionaries have to be dedicated on a level not typically required for people just out of high school, and having to work towards that financial goal before I left, having to put in the effort, was actually a form of preparation for me. It taught me to be responsible with my money, taught me to keep focused…it was beneficial, which is probably the point. Someone who can’t even keep track of their wallet isn’t going to be able to keep track of their lives when they’re far from home, after all.
Still, it’s not as though people who can’t get the money on their own are kept from serving. There are funds for those who can’t pay for it themselves (some provided by individual members, some by the church in general). The church only asks that people who can put in honest effort to care for themselves, which is something we’re advised to do in all aspects of our lives anyway.
It is because the LDS Church teaches self reliance and hard work. It also doesn’t bus people to church like other churches do. It doesn’t have a paid clergy. Volunteers run meetings each Sunday. It’s just the way the church is, and it makes you a better person if you have to work for it as apposed to receiving hand outs and enabling laziness.