Tithing Money - Where Does it Go?

[HoosierGuy]

I recently posted a blog on tithing money. Some one replied to my post and asked -


What does the Mormon church do with all the tithing money they collect? 10% of every mormon's income? Where does all that untaxed money go?


So, let’s break down tithing and where the money goes. I don’t really know myself. The one thing I do know is that the money I tithe does help the True Church of Jesus Christ and the Prophet and all the Apostles would never misuse the money. In fact, i would be willing to let any of the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve to hold my wallet and not peak inside of it. I would trust my wallet with my Bishop as well. I can guarantee he would not peak inside my wallet if I asked him to hold it.

So, break it down:

On a Tithing sheet there are these categories:

1. Tithing
2. Fast offering
3. Ward missionary
4. General missionary
5. Book of Mormon
6. Humanitarian aid
7. Temple construction
8. Perpetual education
9. Other (specify)


How is the money used in each of these categories?

[Rico]

I usually prayerfully give something every week to either general missionary, book of mormon, humanitarian aid, or temple construction. Even if its just a few pesos, I know each one will be used in the best way possible by our leaders. I am just thankful that I have not been given the responsibility to decide how the tithing is spent. That's an enormous responsibility.

[hordak]

Originally Posted by HoosierGuy

I recently posted a blog on tithing money. Some one replied to my post and asked -


What does the Mormon church do with all the tithing money they collect? 10% of every mormon's income? Where does all that untaxed money go?


So, let’s break down tithing and where the money goes. I don’t really know myself. The one thing I do know is that the money I tithe does help the True Church of Jesus Christ and the Prophet and all the Apostles would never misuse the money. In fact, i would be willing to let any of the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve to hold my wallet and not peak inside of it. I would trust my wallet with my Bishop as well. I can guarantee he would not peak inside my wallet if I asked him to hold it.

So, break it down:

On a Tithing sheet there are these categories:

1. Tithing
2. Fast offering
3. Ward missionary
4. General missionary
5. Book of Mormon
6. Humanitarian aid
7. Temple construction
8. Perpetual education
9. Other (specify)


How is the money used in each of these categories?

You can only find this info on the UK church as it is required to make this info available.

[HoosierGuy]

Originally Posted by hordak

You can only find this info on the UK church as it is required to make this info available.

I was hoping for some general answers. Nothing specific.

[john doe]

Tithing goes to the expenses of running the church on a daily basis. It goes toward church buildings and temples, and keeping the infrastructure going, as well as subsidizing Church-owned schools, colleges, and universities.

Fast offerings are generally kept by the bishop and dispersed as the local leaders see fit to aid those in their jurisdiction who are in need. It helps pay rent and utilities, buy groceries, and other temporal needs.

Ward missionary fund is used to help support missionaries from the local ward.

General missionary fund is sent to the Church's missionary department to use as they see fit.

Book of Mormon fund goes toward publishing and shipping copies of the Book of Mormon all over the world, generally for use by the missionaries.

Humanitarian aid fund is earmarked to go to the Welfare Department of the church, and is used to provide for the humanitarian efforts of the Church worldwide. It can go towards buying clothing and blankets or hygiene kits or any of a number of things needed when disaster strikes a region.

Temple construction funds are earmarked to go directly to the construction of temples worldwide. This would be a contribution over and above tithing.

The perpetual education fund was set up to aid those who live in third-world countries obtain loans or grants to go to college. The idea is that when the person who receives aid is able to, they repay the money and the funds are used to help someone else go to college or trade school.

The 'other' box is used for other things for which there is no appropriate box. One of the most common uses of this is when people repay the ward for dinner at the temple on a special ward temple night. The ward issues a check to the temple and the individuals pay the ward and put the funds in the 'other' box.

[jadams_4040]

Originally Posted by HoosierGuy

I recently posted a blog on tithing money. Some one replied to my post and asked -


What does the Mormon church do with all the tithing money they collect? 10% of every mormon's income? Where does all that untaxed money go?


So, let’s break down tithing and where the money goes. I don’t really know myself. The one thing I do know is that the money I tithe does help the True Church of Jesus Christ and the Prophet and all the Apostles would never misuse the money. In fact, i would be willing to let any of the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve to hold my wallet and not peak inside of it. I would trust my wallet with my Bishop as well. I can guarantee he would not peak inside my wallet if I asked him to hold it.

So, break it down:

On a Tithing sheet there are these categories:

1. Tithing
2. Fast offering
3. Ward missionary
4. General missionary
5. Book of Mormon
6. Humanitarian aid
7. Temple construction
8. Perpetual education
9. Other (specify)


How is the money used in each of these categories?

Tithing is the lords money. it is used only for purposes of bettering and building his kingdom, nothing else; If one chooses to donate to another category as well as tithing and fast; that is up to you. but tithing is mandatory and is used {very wisely} to do his work.

[tubaloth]

On a Tithing sheet there are these categories:

1. Tithing
2. Fast offering
3. Ward missionary
4. General missionary
5. Book of Mormon
6. Humanitarian aid
7. Temple construction
8. Perpetual education
9. Other (specify)

Each of these are there own category to where you can donate money. This isn’t a pick and choose where you want your tithing to go.

The first option is for tithing. 10% of your income. This is the only one that is “required”.

Tithing is used anything the church uses for money. Mostly Keeping up Churches and church own buildings, Church employees, and church material. The manuals you get, the ward party you enjoy and so forth all come from tithing that is given to the ward to run.
The real majority from what I have heard that tithing is used for is really BYU, and the other Universities the church owns.

Fast Offers is just that, the money you give to the ward for fasting for two meals (the money you would have spend, pulse some more). This usually kept in the local wards and stakes, what ever is not used is turned to the church in SLC and the church does it for any humanitarian work.

Missionary- is just that, is for missionaries. When a family has a missionary serving the family pays the church so much money a month (it’s a set amount, but I’m not sure what is now days) each family pays the same amount. You can donate money to this fund to help out missionaries.

Book of mormon is for the printing of the book of mormon, and to help cover the cost. I’m sure tithing helps in this area
Humanitarian Aid is what you would think, the church has other Humanitarian organzations that they also give money to (that aren’t owned by the church).

Temple is to help build temples
Perpetual Education is just that.
Other is used for other times when members or wards have some function and they have you donate money to the ward.


The church also has many businesses that it runs, and owns pretty much all the land in the Salt Lake Valley (it really doesn’t own it, but it kind of did at one point in time). Some people lease the land from the church, some they sell.

The church is doing a big downtown renovation in Downtown Salt Lake City (Temple Square). But all the money that is used for this comes from other investments the Church has, and even though it is going to cost some billions of dollars in the end the Church well make money.

[BenRaines]

Well said by John Doe.

Ben Raines

[Bookmeister]

I don't know exactly where it goes. What I do know is that I go outside and through all of my money up into the air. The Lord takes his ten percent and I keep the rest (at least I assume He takes His ten percent, since I never seem to be able to find more than 90 percent of what I tossed up there).

Just kidding, of course, but I do know the money is used wisely and often helps not only keep the ward buildings heated, but enables the Bishops and stake leaders to help those who need some financial assistance, for example.

[refman]

From The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints--

One of the blessings of membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the privilege of paying tithing. This privilege is a double blessing. By paying tithing, Church members show their gratitude to God for their blessings and their resolve to trust in the Lord rather than in material things. They also help further the work of the Lord in the earth, blessing others of God’s children with the opportunity to learn of Him and to grow in the gospel.

Through the prophet Malachi, the Lord declared:

"Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it" (Malachi 3:10).

Church members give their tithing donations to local leaders. These local leaders transmit tithing funds directly to the headquarters of the Church, where a council determines specific ways to use the sacred funds. This council is comprised of the First Presidency, the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and the Presiding Bishopric. Acting according to revelation, they make decisions as they are directed by the Lord. (See D&C 120:1.)

Tithing funds are always used for the Lord's purposes—to build and maintain temples and meetinghouses, to sustain missionary work, to educate Church members, and to carry on the work of the Lord throughout the world.