The gathering of Israel is accelerating — with record numbers of converts joining The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and entering the waters of baptism in every region of the world.
Speaking to new mission leaders in June, Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said that in 2024, over 308,000 of God’s children entered the waters of baptism and received the gift of the Holy Ghost.
This equates to about 50,000 more converts in 2024 than the previous year. It is also more convert baptisms than the Church has had in nearly 25 years.
He said this “spiritual momentum” has continued to increase in 2025. Comparing the first quarter of this year with the first quarter of 2024, every region of the world has seen at least a 20% increase in convert baptisms.
“This is remarkable,” he said. “In the last 12 months, ending May 31, the Lord’s hastening of His work resulted in the largest number of convert baptisms in any 12-month period in this dispensation.”
This growth is evident around the globe, like in Moriba Town, Sierra Leone, where 120 men, women and children were baptized in a single day on Aug. 23.
In Papua New Guinea, stakes have been organized faster than buildings can be erected for Latter-day Saints to gather. On June 14, 107 people stepped into the Bangoho River to be baptized. And another 129 were baptized on the weekend of Aug. 2-3, in Jiwaka Province, Papua New Guinea.
Months of work from the Makurdi Nigeria District presidency, full-time missionaries and members of the Church in Nigeria resulted in an unprecedented baptismal service on June 24, 2023 — 73 people were baptized that day, with another 37 people baptized on July 23, 2023.
Elder Cook also made it clear in his remarks in June 2025 that the recent increase is also impacting sacrament meeting attendance.
“As exciting as this increase in baptisms was in 2024, we were delighted to learn that the rate of increase for new members attending sacrament meeting was even higher. We thank the Lord for allowing us to witness His hand in these remarkable outcomes — He is the reason for the hastening," Elder Cook said.
Around the world, leaders of local wards, stakes and areas of the world are seeing people’s lives change as they develop their faith in Jesus Christ, repent, are baptized and receive the Holy Ghost. The work of salvation and gathering of Israel have especially accelerated as members of the Church have ministered to friends and new converts, focused on helping families and gone with new converts to the temple.
Missionaries and members linking arms
In the Philippines, the local area presidency has focused on sacrament meeting attendance, along with strengthening the youth to prepare for missions and helping new members receive a temple recommend within the first month after baptism.
Elder G. Kenneth Lee, an Area Seventy, said the area is on track to reach 20,000 baptisms in 2025.
This steady growth has come as members and missionaries link arms in their efforts to minister to part-member families. As the members fulfill their ministry assignments, the missionaries will teach the family during the week.
“So now you’re strengthening the whole family,” Elder Lee said. “It’s been one of the greatest things.”
This linking-arms approach has also helped many members get more involved in missionary work.
“They know they’re helping together,” Elder Lee said.
Creating a welcoming environment
Young single adult members in and around Washington, D.C., have also found success in teaching friends and bringing them into the gospel as they’ve created what one stake president calls “an environment where Heavenly Father feels comfortable sending those that are investigating the Church.”
According to President Alvin B. Jackson, president of the Washington D.C. YSA North Stake, the members are intentionally working at being extremely friendly and outgoing.
“So when missionaries bring a friend, or someone brings a friend to church, it’s been working out great,” he said. “If we can get them to church, we have a chance of getting them to the waters of baptism.”
And just like in the Philippines, new converts are continuing their activity in the Church when they go to the temple with a family name within 30 days of being baptized.
“One of the things that we’re trying to do is as soon as that person gets baptized, when they come out of the water, they should have their ministering brother or sister there,” President Jackson said.
He added that what he’s seen from covenant keepers gives him optimism for the future.
“It’s a really special generation,” he said. “When President [Russell M.] Nelson says ‘the best is yet to come,’ I think he’s talking about our young people. Of course, he’s talking about the Savior coming back, but what a great young crop of people that we have in the Church.”
A constant source of faith and hope
President Edson Douglas Silva Alves, president of the Santarém Portugal Stake, said missionary work in his area is “progressing with a spirit of faith and hope.”
He too is seeing a growing unity between full-time missionaries and the members of his stake, “which is creating more opportunities for teaching and fellowship.”
“The greatest strength comes when members live their faith with joy. That example naturally opens doors,” he said. “I had the blessing of baptizing many people here in Santarém, and each time I share the gospel of Christ, I feel my own testimony renewed and strengthened.”
President Alves’ stake is diverse, with many nationalities coming from different parts of the world. But, he said, “Jesus Christ unites us all as brothers and sisters.”
