- The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints said Friday it will now allow women to serve missions at age 18.
- The change follows a 2012 adjustment lowering men's mission age to 18 and women's to 19.
- The church now has over 84,000 missionaries worldwide with plans to create 55 new missions by 2026.
SALT LAKE CITY — The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints says women can now serve missions starting at age 18.
The First Presidency announced Friday, effective immediately, that young women who wish to serve a full-time mission for the church can begin their service at age 18 after graduating from high school.
"While the Lord asks every worthy, able young man as part of his priesthood responsibility to prepare for and serve a mission, we reiterate that missionary service remains an optional opportunity for young women. We recognize that for those young women who desire to serve a full-time mission, the choice of age to begin service will not be the same for everyone," a statement from the church said.
Sister Amy A. Wright, first counselor in the church's Primary general presidency, has served on the church's Missionary Executive Council for almost five years. She said the topic of the minimum age for sister missionaries has been reviewed and discussed throughout the time she has been serving, and probably was before she joined.
"I think it's just one of many ways that the Lord is letting the rising generation know how much he loves them, trusts them and needs them — especially his precious daughters," she told KSL.com.
Leading up to this change, the Missionary Executive Council had reached out to young women around the globe, seeking their feedback and their involvement in the revelatory process, Sister Wright said.
"It's significant when we talk about revelation that we include the rising generation," she said. "I believe that speaks volumes for how the Lord feels about his precious daughters and also how the leaders of the church feel about the women of the church."
The church is seeing an increase in missionary service "across the board" between all types of missions and for both men and women, she said.
According to the church, the number of teaching and service missionaries, including senior missionaries, has increased from 65,000 at the end of 2022 to more than 84,000 now serving worldwide.
Missionaries serve in more than 150 countries and teach in more than 60 languages. Last month, the church announced mission boundaries would be adjusted to create 55 new missions by July 1, 2026, increasing the total number of missions to 506.
The impact of the change will be "vast" and "eternal," Sister Wright said. The age change is for both teaching and service missionaries.
"There is this inherent trust that our Heavenly Father has for his daughters that they can discern the path that is best for them. This gives them the flexibility and a variety of options to move forward with faith and confidence that there is a specific plan for them," she said.
Sister Wright said she has already seen a "joyful reception" to the news on social media by the youth of the church.
"They are an essential part of the body of Christ and have an immense role to play in building the kingdom of God," she said.
Historically, men could serve missions at age 19 and women had to be 21, a practice that lasted from the early 1950s until 2012.
While opening the October general conference in 2012, then-church President Thomas S. Monson announced the missionary minimum age would be lowered to 18 for men and 19 for women.
"It is inspiring to see the number of young church members who continue to answer the call to share the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ around the world," said President Dallin H. Oaks, leader of the church. "These missionaries are helping to bless the lives of hundreds of thousands of people every year who are choosing to be baptized into the Lord's church."
Friday's announcement comes two days after the First Presidency announced that the Saturday evening session of the church's general conference will be discontinued.
