SALT LAKE CITY — The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has reached an all-time record for its global missionary force, with approximately 88,500 full-time missionaries currently serving worldwide, church leaders announced Tuesday.
The historic figure surpasses the previous high of just over 88,000 set in 2014. The record-breaking ranks are comprised of young teaching and service missionaries, as well as older senior missionaries. Church officials attributed the recent surge in numbers to the first wave of 18-year-old sister missionaries beginning their service.
Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, who chairs the church’s Missionary Executive Council, celebrated the milestone in a social media post Tuesday. He wrote that the historic high reflects the “faith and devotion of a rising generation of disciples of Jesus Christ.”
The milestone comes as the Salt Lake City-headquartered faith continues to rapidly expand its global operations. The church recently opened 55 new missions worldwide, bringing its active total to 505. These geographic missions serve as administrative hubs for the thousands of volunteers deployed across dozens of countries.
Speaking at a seminar for new mission leaders in June at the Provo Missionary Training Center, Church President Dallin H. Oaks anticipated the upcoming record.
“Missionary work is soaring to new heights,” Oaks said on June 20. “In the coming weeks, we will have more missionaries than at any time in the history of the church. What a group to lead!”
Rasband said the record-breaking turnout makes this a “marvelous time to be engaged in the Lord’s work.” He added that as missionaries give their “heart, might, mind and strength,” they will find their efforts magnified.
Full-time missionaries for the church typically serve voluntary, self-funded missions. Young men serve for 24 months, while young women serve for 18 months, focusing on proselytizing, community service and humanitarian aid.