What It Is

The General Missionary Fund is a financial resource for assisting people from areas outside of the United States to serve full-time missions for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is funded entirely through donations from individuals and families who desire to help those with little or no financial support to serve missions and enjoy the blessings associated with that service.

Why It Is a Priority

There are more than 15,000 young men and women from international areas outside the United States who, at great personal sacrifice, are serving full-time missions in their own lands and in the U.S. Many of these missionaries come from homes where the total family income is less than $1,000 annually. Serving missions, therefore, puts a severe—if not impossible—strain on family finances. Along with family support, the Church expects their local wards and branches to pay what they can. If the family and local support is not sufficient, arrangements can be made for the General Missionary Fund to take care of the remaining expenses associated with missionary service.

Without the support from the General Missionary Fund, many willing, worthy young men and women would not be able to volunteer for missionary service.

What It Does and How It Helps

As contributions to the General Missionary Fund grow, so does the potential pool of missionaries who can receive financial help. Missionaries gain experience that benefit them and the Church well beyond their missions. Having developed a firm foundation in spiritual matters, many community and Church leaders emerge from the ranks of these returned missionaries. Their spiritual maturity and experienced leadership has proved to be especially important to the growth and stability of the Church in these developing countries. And, as the gospel prospers within their lands, the nations of the world are increasingly blessed.

There are thousands of other worthy young men and women anxiously praying for financial aid so that they, too, might have the opportunity to serve. You are invited to investigate the opportunities available to you to help increase the number of missionaries who, with strong testimonies and desires to serve, can do so.