Note 1: Nature of Operations and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies: Nature of Operations and Operating Segments (Policies)	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2012
Policies
Nature of Operations and Operating Segments	Nature of Operations and Operating Segments Great Southern Bancorp, Inc. (“GSBC” or the “Company”) operates as a one-bank holding company. GSBC’s business primarily consists of the operations of Great Southern Bank (the “Bank”), which provides a full range of financial services to customers primarily located in Missouri, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Nebraska and Arkansas. The Company and the Bank are subject to the regulation of certain federal and state agencies and undergo periodic examinations by those regulatory agencies. The Company’s banking operation is its only reportable segment. The banking operation is principally engaged in the business of originating residential and commercial real estate loans, construction loans, commercial business loans and consumer loans and funding these loans through attracting deposits from the general public, accepting brokered deposits and borrowing from the Federal Home Loan Bank and others. The operating results of this segment are regularly reviewed by management to make decisions about resource allocations and to assess performance. Selected information is not presented separately for the Company’s reportable segment, as there is no material difference between that information and the corresponding information in the consolidated financial statements. Effective November 30, 2012, Great Southern Bank sold Great Southern Travel and Great Southern Insurance divisions. The 2012 operations of the two divisions have been reclassified to include all revenues and expenses in discontinued operations. The 2011 and 2010 operations have been restated to reflect the reclassification of revenues and expenses in discontinued operations. The discontinued operations are discussed further in Note 29.

Note 1: Nature of Operations and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies: Nature of Operations and Operating Segments (Policies)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2012

Policies

Nature of Operations and Operating Segments

Great Southern Bancorp, Inc. (“GSBC” or the “Company”) operates as a one-bank holding company. GSBC’s business primarily consists of the operations of Great Southern Bank (the “Bank”), which provides a full range of financial services to customers primarily located in Missouri, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Nebraska and Arkansas. The Company and the Bank are subject to the regulation of certain federal and state agencies and undergo periodic examinations by those regulatory agencies.

The Company’s banking operation is its only reportable segment. The banking operation is principally engaged in the business of originating residential and commercial real estate loans, construction loans, commercial business loans and consumer loans and funding these loans through attracting deposits from the general public, accepting brokered deposits and borrowing from the Federal Home Loan Bank and others. The operating results of this segment are regularly reviewed by management to make decisions about resource allocations and to assess performance. Selected information is not presented separately for the Company’s reportable segment, as there is no material difference between that information and the corresponding information in the consolidated financial statements.

Effective November 30, 2012, Great Southern Bank sold Great Southern Travel and Great Southern Insurance divisions. The 2012 operations of the two divisions have been reclassified to include all revenues and expenses in discontinued operations. The 2011 and 2010 operations have been restated to reflect the reclassification of revenues and expenses in discontinued operations. The discontinued operations are discussed further in Note 29.