Tuesday, January 8, 2013

LDS Missionary Application Numbers Remain Twice as High as Prior to October 2012 Announcement Lowering Minimum Mission Age

The Church posted an article on its Newsroom website providing updated information on the number of missionary applications.  The article reports that the number of missionary applications remains twice as high as prior to the October 2012 announcement that lowered the minimum mission age to 18 for men and 19 for women.  The article also indicates that the Church will primarily organize new missions from missions that exceed 250 missionaries. 

Click here for a link to the article.

Below is a list of specific locations where missionaries report plans or potential plans to create new missions:
  • Angola Luanda 
  • Botswana Gaborone (or South Africa Pretoria)
  • Cameroon Yaounde
  • Ethiopia Addis Ababa
  • Liberia Monrovia
  • Togo Lome
It is unclear whether the Church will reestablish many of its consolidated missions over the past decade as a result of the surge in number of missionaries serving.  Missions that once operated in the United States appear most likely to reopen due to the majority of missions in North America receiving 250 missionaries, the bulk of the missionary force originating from the United States, and easier accommodation for missionary housing than many other countries.

6 comments:

The Opinion said...

Does that mean there are 1400 applications a week. That would mean 70,000 missionaries(50wks x1400) a year are new in the field.
If this stays at this the church would have over 100,000 missionaries serving every year. Is this really right. WOW!!

Mike Johnson said...

It is possible that even in the long term we might see numbers close to 100,000 serving because the number of sister could close the gap with the elders.

Right now there is some compression--those that had already planned to leave at or older than 19 (21 for the sisters) and those accelerating their plans. In the long run, there should be more simply because of less time between high school graduation and the possibility of a mission for the individual to be distracted from a mission (marriage, job). The sisters may not catch up in numbers with the elders because of 18-month missions as opposed to 24-month missions, but I would not be surprised to see a lot more sisters in the mission field than we have heretofore seen.

Mike Johnson said...

The Church has released highlights and milestones of 2012, which in addition to temples, humanitarian service, and major events, also has the following section on church growth:

Church Growth

Eight new missions were created in Mexico, Colombia, Ghana, the western United States, the east South Pacific, and Russia on March 3.

The first stake in Cape Verde, an island nation 350 miles off the coast of West Africa, was created by Elder Erich W. Kopischke of the Seventy, Europe Area President, on April 29. Some 8,000 members live in six of the nine inhabited islands. Cape Verde is self-sufficient in missionaries.

The Hyderabad India Stake was created by Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve on May 27, the first stake in India. More than 1,500 members and friends met in the Novotel Convention Centre in Hyderabad.

On May 27, the Noumea New Caledonia Stake in Melanesia, located some 900 miles east of Australia, was created by Elder James J. Hamula of the Seventy. The first Church presence among these islands came with LDS servicemen during World War II.

Italian President Giorgio Napolitano signed documentation on July 30 granting the Church official status as a religion and “partner of the state” in Italy. The legislation grants the highest status given to religions and ensures several benefits for the Church in Italy. Previously, the Church was recognized as a charitable institution only.

On the day he turned 88, Elder Russell M. Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve organized the St. Petersburg Russia Stake—the second stake in Russia.

On Monday, October 29, Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve offered a prayer of dedication and blessing upon the country and people of the Central African Republic.

Latter-day Saints in Botswana rejoiced as the first stake was created in their country, the Gaborone Botswana Stake. Elder Dale G. Renlund of the Seventy and President of the Africa Southeast Area, along with Elder Colin H. Bricknell and Elder T. Jackson Mkhabela, both Area Seventies, organized the stake on November 4.

A historic milestone was reached on December 2 with the creation of the 3,000th stake of the Church. Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve organized the Freetown Sierra Leone Stake, the first stake in western Africa. “It is part of the latter-day miracle, evidence of our ‘marvelous work and a wonder’ that the Church has grown to the point where its 3,000th stake is in far-off Sierra Leone,” Elder Holland said.

James Perry said...

Here in England, all missions are increasing in size, Manchester (which I served and now live in) is increasing by at least 30 new companionships in the next 3 months. I have heard reports that Leeds is increasing by even more, but that wouldn't surprise me with the intense success they have had this year.

It will be interesting to see not only the increase in missionarys from LDS families who serve, but how many more converts will serve with added missionary (and member!) support.

coachodeeps said...

The first of the wave of new missionaries since the announcement of age change went into the MTC this past Monday. It is exciting to see the expansion and acceleration of the church and restored gospel!

Michael Worley said...

Are the 6 missions indicated for sure? If so, we know of 8 to be announced on Saturday--a contrast from the 50 that is rumored