Overview
- The Church disclosed Friday that more than 90,000 full-time missionaries are now serving worldwide, including more than 30,000 sister missionaries—the largest number of women in mission service in church history.
- Church officials attribute the surge to a November 2025 policy change allowing women to begin missions at 18, a rise in seminary and institute enrollment, and focused local leadership efforts that encouraged youth service.
- The July 1 opening of 55 new missions increased the global mission total to about 506, and church leaders say the expanded volunteer pool has largely filled those posts.
- The growth follows recent membership gains reported by the Church, including a record number of convert baptisms in 2025, and represents roughly a 14.5% increase from 2025 missionary figures.
- Leaders say the shift will require more training and organizational scaling at mission training centers and local units, and officials have warned the current youth 'bump' in 18-year-olds may be followed by a demographic decline later.