Estimated read time: 4-5 minutes
SALT LAKE CITY — The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced Wednesday it will have the highest number of missions ever — 450, after it opens 36 new missions in July 2024.
"Our rising generation is rising up to follow the call of their prophet, and they're demonstrating it by putting in their applications and going on missions," said Elder Ronald A. Rasband, of the church's Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
He said there has been an "exciting recovery" since the COVID-19 pandemic in the number of missionaries serving. There were about 67,000 missionaries at the end of 2019, before the pandemic; 56,000 missionaries at the end of 2021; 62,500 at the end of 2022. There are 72,721 full-time missionaries serving for the church as of Wednesday.
Elder Quentin L. Cook, of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said the numbers show members are responding to President Russell M. Nelson's call for missionaries in April 2022.
"It's gone up every month since then," he said.
Elder Cook said young people want to serve the Savior and live good lives, and the church will continue to create more missions if the pattern continues.
More missionaries
Elder Marcus B. Nash, general authority seventy and executive director of the missionary department, said the increase in missionaries is a sign that the younger members are choosing to serve God, and it's exciting.
"Against all the currents and winds of our society, they're stepping forward to serve because, as President Nelson said, the gospel is the only enduring solution," he said.
Elder Nash said his mission in El Salvador helped to broaden his mind, his experience and have a global perspective on life. He said he grew to deeply love people from a different culture and bonded with other missionaries.
The increase in missionaries, he said, will lead to members who understand the gospel and also want to share it.
"Serving a mission has a generational impact, and we know that as the church. We know the power of this," he said.
Sister Amy A. Wright, first counselor in the Primary general presidency, said these rising numbers are showing an increase in members who will serve their whole lives — "lifelong discipleship."
"At the very core of all of this, our hope and our prayer, is that when these missionaries look back on their service, that they see that they have found joy, great joy. Great joy in living the gospel of Jesus Christ and great joy in sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ," Sister Wright said.
Sister Wright said the church's emphasis on personal and family study with the Come Follow Me program may have influenced more people to serve missions.
"It's such an inspired way to really intentionally study the scriptures where you can see how they apply personally to you," she said.
Sister Wright said when members have a personal experience with Jesus Christ, they "can't help but want to share his light and his love."
Each stake in Utah will have missionaries
Three of those new missions will be in Utah — Spanish Fork, Saratoga Springs and Salt Lake City.
The church also announced each Utah stake, a group of between five and 12 congregations, will have a minimum of one set of missionaries instead of missionaries assigned to multiple stakes. Elder Rasband said this has never happened before, and he thinks members will "love it" as they get to know their missionaries.
"Utah is the mission field," he said.
He said missionaries aren't just available to teach, but are "out doing good."
Sister Wright said this will change missionary work in Utah "exponentially" and members will see miracles.
"Missionaries and members will really have an opportunity to get to know each other better, because together they're fulfilling a covenantal responsibility to help gather themselves, and others, unto Jesus Christ," she said.
Service missionaries, senior couples
Elder Rasband said the expansion in missions is worldwide; 18 of the 22 areas of the church have at least one new mission.
"We need it, to have proper places to put all these missionaries," he said.
As a former mission president, Elder Rasband said he understands there is only so much they can do; overseeing proselyting missionaries, service missionaries and senior couples is "a lot to pray over." He said missionaries should have leaders who can care for them.
Since his General Conference talk in October, when he encouraged more couples to serve missions, Elder Rasband said he has been happy to see more senior couples going to the missionary portal and starting applications. He said the church needs the life experience of senior couples, to help mission leaders and young missionaries — and he said there are different types of missions available to appeal to each couple.
Sister Wright said gradually integrating service missionaries into teaching missions where they serve under mission leadership, instead of their under stake presidents and service mission leaders, is increasing the size of missions too.
She said the greatest influx of missionaries from service missions is along the Wasatch Front where some missions have almost doubled in number of missionaries.
Sister Wright said creating new missions will help mission leaders "more intentionally minister to, teach, lead and guide these precious missionaries one by one."
A full list of new missions is available on the church's website.
