Young women who want to serve as missionaries for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints can now serve at age 18, the Church announced on Friday, Nov. 21.
According to the statement:
“The First Presidency is pleased to announce 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.
“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.”
The announcement comes 13 years after the last age change for eligible missionary service was made in general conference on Oct. 6, 2012.
Prior to that time, male missionaries could begin serving at age 19, and female missionaries could begin their missions at age 21. That age change, announced by the late President Thomas S. Monson, moved to ages 18 and 19 for young men and young women, respectively.
After receiving feedback from sister missionaries, young women and women in the Church, general authorities counseled and came to the decision, announced today, that young men and young women should both be able to serve missions at the same age.
The age change does not change the voluntary nature of young women’s ability to serve a mission. Young men are called on to serve a mission as a priesthood responsibility. Young women’s opportunities are strictly voluntary.
The late President Russell M. Nelson reiterated the priesthood responsibility of missionary service in the April 2022 general conference.
Women have been serving as missionaries since the early days of the restored Church. The first sister missionaries of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints began serving in 1898 in the British Mission.
The age change 13 years ago resulted in an influx of missionaries entering the mission field. Today, more than 80,000 full-time missionaries are serving. The Church does not say that it expects to have a large influx of sister missionaries serving and counsels them to pray to find out whether the Lord would like them to serve a mission.
The Church announced in October plans to create 55 missions, effective July 1, 2026. The 55 new missions will give the Church 506 missions worldwide — the most ever in Church history.
The time when prospective missionaries can open the missionary portal and apply to serve as missionaries remains unchanged. The timing for that recently changed, and prospective missionaries are now able to open the mission portal 150 days before their availability date.
