In 2024, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints reported 308,000 people joined the faith, an increase of about 50,000 from the previous year and the most in 25 years.
That growth and “spiritual momentum” has continued in 2025, with every region in the world experiencing at least a 20% increase in convert baptisms and new members attending weekly worship services at higher rates, Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said at the 2025 Seminar for New Mission Leaders in June.
“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.”
The growth was evident with reports of large baptismal services from Africa to the South Pacific, with 120 men, women and children baptized in Moriba Town, Sierra Leone, on Aug. 23; and in Papua New Guinea, 107 people were baptized in the Bangoho River, with 129 more baptized the weekend of Aug. 2-3.
The hastening of the gathering of Israel is one of six highlights of Latter-day Saint missionary work in 2025. Here is a look back at some of the other notable events in missionary work from the past year, listed chronologically.
Significant Provo MTC update
In September, the Church announced plans to rebuild the Provo Missionary Training Center’s cafeteria and administration buildings to help meet the needs of a growing missionary force.
The MTC will remain fully operational throughout the multiyear project.
55 new missions
In October, the Church announced the creation of 55 new missions to give the global faith 506 missions worldwide — the most in Church history — effective July 1, 2026.
The number of young teaching and service missionaries and senior missionaries has gone from just over 65,000 at the end of 2022 to nearly 72,000 at the end of 2023 and more than 84,000 in October 2025. These missionaries serve in more than 150 countries and teach in more than 60 languages.
Church President Dallin H. Oaks said: “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. 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.”
New MTC in Africa
Two of the new 55 missions will open in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles dedicated a missionary training center in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, on Nov. 2.
The new MTC will serve one of the fastest-growing areas of the Church.
“Many young converts are of missionary age, and they want to go on missions. And so, this MTC in the Congo will cater more to the Congolese missionaries,” Elder Rasband said.
Sisters can serve at age 18
On Nov. 21, the First Presidency announced that “effective immediately, young women who choose to serve a full-time mission may begin their service at age 18 following graduation from high school or its equivalent.”
The announcement was made 13 years after the most recent change in age eligibility for missionary service — lowering the minimum age for men from 19 to 18 and for women from 21 to 19 — which occurred during October 2012 general conference.
The November 2025 statement continued: “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. We extend our love to the youth of the Church and commend them for their faithfulness.”
MTC service project
On Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 27, the Provo Missionary Training Center’s 1,347 missionaries worked together to assemble 500,000 meals.
The food items, provided by the Bishops’ Central Storehouse in Salt Lake City, were then sent to Utah food pantries.
“Many hands make light work,” said Provo MTC President Stephen W. Owen. “And, boy, there are a lot of hands.” Missionaries split into two groups, each performing two hours of service.
His wife, Sister Jane S. Owen, added: “This is a real Thanksgiving. We have been given so much, and to be able to do a service project to help others, we show our Heavenly Father how much we love Him.”
