Number of Mormon missionaries reaches all-time high of 75,000

Deseret News/August 15, 2013

By Sarah Petersen

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced Tuesday that the number of full-time missionaries has reached an all-time high of 75,000.

Since President Thomas S. Monson's announcement in October regarding age requirements for missionary service, a surge of young men and women in the LDS church have applied to serve a mission, pushing the numbers from 58,500 in October to the newly announced 75,000.

The Deseret News previously reported that the number of young men and women applying to serve missions jumped nearly 500 percent soon after the change, which led to the opening of 58 new missions, now totaling 405. The growing numbers also prompted the opening of a Missionary Training Center in Mexico.

In May, LDS Church Spokeswoman Ruth Todd said the church estimated more than 85,000 full-time missionaries would be serving by Fall.

Two videos included in the Mormon Newsroom announcement describe a day in the life of a normal LDS missionary.

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