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Question: Can one see the financial statement
for the Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter Day Saints?
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Answer: No !
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Documentation:
12/6/1994 (11:55 a.m.) Wayne Simister made call to Church Offices, first to the auditing department (801-240-2626), which, in turn turned me over to the Financial Dept.
Text of Conversation:
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Virginia: "Auditing, this is Virginia."
Wayne: I had a question. Is there a financial statement or something the Church puts out?
Virginia: A financial statement? ... a ... Could you hold just a moment? ... And who's calling? .. A .. And what is you're...
Wayne: Wayne Simister ... I was just interested -- I was teaching a class and we were discussing this and they weren't sure if a financial statement was available.
Virginia: There's usu... Well, let me just double check, okay?
Wayne: Thank you.
(Christmas Music from Tabernacle Choir while on pause for two minutes)
Virginia: Hello, Yes, I'm going to transfer you to one of our directors and I think they can help you.
Wayne: Ah.. Thank you.
Virginia: Just a moment.
(Christmas music for ten seconds)
Wes: "Wes Jones"
Wayne: Yes, I was just wondering if the Church publishes any financial statement that is available .. a .. for review?
Wes: (Pause) ... A .. Who would I be speaking to?
Wayne: A.. This is Wayne Simister. I'm a member and I was just just inquiring, a, .. mainly for a .. I've got a son out on a mission right now and the question came up between another member here awhile back, and I thought, well, I'll inquire.
Wes: A... a .. They don't publish a ... a... or are they required to publish a financial statement.
Wayne: I see. Now is there any way you could just look at if you came down to the offices at all?
Wes: (Pause) A... a... I'll tell you what, le' me, le'me give you the name and number of the .. a.. I'm the director of Auditing. The person, I guess, you ought to be making that inquiry of .... a ... a ... Where are you calling from?
Wayne: Salt Lake.
Wes: Salt Lake? The person you ought to be making that inquiry from .. a.. is a person by the name of Ron Humphries.
Wayne: Ron Humphries.
Wes: The Church comptroller ... and he could be reached at 240-2027.
Wayne: 2027. Okay, well, hey that will be great. I just thank you for your information.
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Next call made approximately at 1:30 p.m., 12/6/1994:
Emilou: "Finance, Emilou Speaking."
Wayne: Is Ron Humphries there please?
Emilou: He is. He's in a meeting at the moment.
Wayne: When would be a good time to reach him?
Emilou: It's really hard. (ha, ha) to find him not in a meeting. A... You'll just have to take your chances that he might be free... at the moment. A.. Right now he's in with one of his people. I don't know how long that will be.
Wayne: Okay, I'll call back a little later. .. Thank you.
~~~~
Next call made immediately. Re-dialed same number
Lamond: "This is Lamond, may I help you?" (a woman)
Wayne: Yes, I was calling for Lamond .. er .. Ron Humphries, I'm sorry.
Lamond: That's all right. He is on his phone. Could I take a message for 'im?
Wayne: Well, maybe you could answer a question for me. I have a missionary out in the field and he's out in the great Baptist country .. and one of the questions he asked was 'Well call the Church office' He was wondering if there is such a thing as a financial report that is available through the Church? And I said, 'well I'm sure there must be,..' but he said 'Well check it out because that's one of the things hits me right between the eyes... they say, well, the Church won't release financial reports and that's the sign of a cult.' And I said, no, no, no. (laugh). Could you tell me the answer to that or does somebody know?
Lamond: Well... a... we .. at the present time do not release a financial report... that's to the general public... a ..
Wayne: Now could somebody come down individually and look at it?
Lamond: A.. Well, I don't know. A ... umm .. Let me .. Let me find someone who's back from lunch that might be able to help you.
Wayne: Hey, that would be great.
Lamond: Hold on just a moment.
(On hold with Christmas Choir music for 30 seconds)
Lamond: I'm going to ring LeGrand Singleton for you.
Wayne: All right. Thank you.
(On hold again for 20 seconds)
LeGrand: "Hello"
Wayne: Hi. a .. Wayne Simister calling. I've got a son out in a mission in the southern states there .. out in the great Baptist country.. and he hit me with a question the other day. He said, 'Dad, could you call the Church office and get some information?' I said, well sure. .. a .. he said .. a .. one of his investigators said, "Well, the Church won't release a financial statement.. and a... you know, he said, 'that's a sign of a cult... and we don't go for that.'" (laugh). And I said "well no church really releases a financial statement and I don't believe that .. I'm sure our Church would."
LeGrand: Well, ... we don't release a financial statement. As far as the reasoning is concerned, I... a... I .. a don't know about that... other than they just ... well, a .. I really don't know except that we don't.
Wayne: Uh huh. Well, now, if an individual came down ... maybe a public financial statement wouldn't be released, but, now, if a person came down and said "Heh, could I look at the financial reports," would they let him do that?
LeGrand: ... No. No... They're very confidential. A.. There's only a few people in the Church that are able to look at it as a matter of fact.
Wayne: Oh, for heaven's sake.
LeGrand: It's not issued to all the general authorities, for example. It's just the ... basically the first presidency and the presiding Bishopric and the members that make up the appropriations committee.
Wayne: Uh huh....
LeGrand: And then the... well, that's basically it... other than those who prepare it.
Wayne: I see. Well... That answers my question, because, you know, he was curious .. and I said, well I.. I really don't have an answer for that, but I'll call and find out. And, so, ... Well, you've been most helpful. I guess that's the bottom line.
LeGrand: Well, sorry I can't help you more than that.
Wayne: Well, you've been a great help. You've answered my question. ...
LeGrand: Okay.
Wayne: Okay, Thank you.
LeGrand: Good bye.
Updated: December 24, 2000