For the first time in the history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, more than 90,000 missionaries are now serving throughout the world.

The milestone was announced last week as the number of young women serving as full-time missionaries — over 30,000 — became the largest cohort of sister missionaries ever in the Church’s history.

These missionaries serve in more than 500 missions around the world, sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ, serving in local communities and inviting others to come unto Christ.

The record number of sister missionaries follows a November 2025 announcement from the First Presidency that young women who choose to serve full-time missions may begin their service at age 18, after graduating from high school or its equivalent. Earlier this year, the first wave of these 18-year-old sister missionaries began entering the missionary field. This change has contributed to a significant increase in the number of young women choosing missionary service, the largest share of whom are from the United States. This surge of young women serving missions is part of a landmark year for missionary service for the global faith.

Speaking to new mission leaders in June, President Dallin H. Oaks described the growing missionary force as an important moment in the Church’s history. “Missionary work is soaring to new heights,” President Oaks said. “We are currently being reinforced by the first wave of 18-year-old sisters beginning their service.”

At the time, more than 87,000 full-time missionaries were serving worldwide. President Oaks told the mission leaders the Church would soon have “the largest number of full-time missionaries in the Church’s history.” With last week’s announcement, that milestone has now been reached.

A Rising Generation of Faith

The increase in missionary service is one of several indicators of growing participation among the Church’s youth and young adults.

More than 1.09 million youth and young adults worldwide are now enrolled in the Church’s seminary and institute programs, the highest enrollment in the programs’ history. Institutes of religion alone have added more than 100,000 students over the past two years and now serve more than 450,000 young adults. Seminary and institute provide opportunities for young people to study the scriptures, deepen their faith in Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and gather with others who share a desire to follow the Savior.

Together with the growing number of young missionaries, these trends reflect a rising generation of Latter-day Saints choosing to participate more fully in the Church and deepen their commitment to Jesus Christ.

Growth and Participation

Growing youth engagement is part of a broader pattern of growth and participation in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints around the world.

In the United States, for example, there is clear evidence of vibrant activity among members of the Church. Church data show that over the last decade, there has been an increased level of Church participation across children, youth and young adults.

Over 900,000 people have joined the Church during the past three years around the world, taking the total membership of the Church to 17,887,212 in 2025. In the first six months of 2025, convert baptisms increased by more than 20 percent over the previous year in Europe, Africa, Asia, the Pacific and Latin America, with a 17 percent increase in North America.

For Church leaders and members, these trends and data represent more than numerical growth. They reflect individual decisions by people of all ages to worship, serve and make Jesus Christ a more central part of their lives — lives filled with joy and purpose.

President Henry B. Eyring, First Counselor in the First Presidency, recently described the hope found in the Savior as central to the Church’s growth. “The growth of the Church will accelerate when they find the gospel of Jesus Christ presented by missionaries. They see hope,” President Eyring said.

President Oaks similarly emphasized that the source of the Church’s growth is found in the message of Jesus Christ. “It’s a gospel of happiness and growth and information about the purpose of life,” he said.

“People who subscribe to its doctrine find that it makes their life more happy, more significant, more resistant to the difficulties we all experience in mortal life, and more able to serve their fellow men and to raise their children.”