The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints reported that 308,000 people joined the faith in 2024, an increase of about 50,000 from the previous year and the most in 25 years.
That growth and “spiritual momentum” will continue in 2025, with every region of the world seeing at least a 20 percent increase in conversion baptisms and new members having higher rates of weekly worship attendance, Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said at the 2025 New Missionary Leadership Seminar in June.
“This is amazing,” he said. “During the past 12 months ending May 31st, the Lord hastened His work so much that more converts were baptized than any other 12-month period in this dispensation.”
This increase is evident in reports of large-scale baptisms from Africa to the South Pacific, with 120 men, women and children baptized in the town of Moriba in Sierra Leone on August 23. In Papua New Guinea, 107 people were baptized in the Bangoho River, and a further 129 people were baptized over the weekend of August 2-3.
The Acceleration of the Gathering of Israel is one of six highlights of Latter-day Saint ministry in 2025. Here we take a chronological look back at some of the other notable events in our missionary work over the past year.
Important updates for Provo MTC
In September, the church announced plans to rebuild the cafeteria and administration building at the Provo Missionary Training Center to meet the needs of a growing missionary force.
MTC will remain fully operational throughout the multi-year project.
55 new missions
In October, the Church announced the creation of 55 new missions, starting July 1, 2026, giving 506 missions to faiths around the world, the most in the Church’s history.
The number of young education and service missionaries and senior missionaries increased from just over 65,000 at the end of 2022 to nearly 72,000 at the end of 2023 and more than 84,000 by October 2025. These missionaries serve in more than 150 countries and teach in more than 60 languages.
“It is inspiring to see how many young members of the Church continue to answer the call to share the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ around the world. Each year, these missionaries help bless the lives of hundreds of thousands of people who choose to be baptized into the Lord’s Church.”
Africa’s new MTC
Two of the 55 new missions were opened in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles opened a missionary training center in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo on November 2.
The new MTC will serve one of the fastest growing areas of the church.
“Many of the young converts are of missionary age and they want to go on missions, so the MTC in Congo will be more accommodating to Congolese missionaries,” Elder Rasband said.
Sisters can serve from the age of 18
On November 21, the First Presidency announced, “Effective immediately, young women who choose to serve as full-time missions may begin their service at age 18 after graduating from high school or equivalent school.”
This announcement comes 13 years after the changes in the eligibility age for missionary service made during October 2012 general conference, which lowered the minimum age for men from 19 to 18 and for women from 21 to 19.
The November 2025 statement goes on to say, “While the Lord calls all worthy and capable young people to serve in preparation for a mission as part of their priesthood responsibility, we reiterate that missionary service remains an optional opportunity for young women. For young women desiring full-time missions, we recognize that the choice of age to begin service is not the same for everyone. We dedicate our love to the youth of the Church and praise their faithfulness.”
MTC service project
On Thanksgiving Day, November 27, 1,347 missionaries from the Provo Missionary Training Center worked together to assemble 500,000 meals.
The food supplies, provided by the Episcopal Central Depository in Salt Lake City, were then sent to a food pantry in Utah.
“It’s a simple job that can be done by many hands,” said Provo MTC President Stephen W. Owen. “And, hey, there’s a lot of hands.” The missionaries divided into two groups, each serving two hours.
His wife, Sister Jane S. Owen, added, “This is a true Thanksgiving. We have been given so much, but being able to do service projects that help others shows our Heavenly Father how much we love Him.”
