The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has announced a significant change regarding the age at which young women can serve as missionaries. Effective immediately, young women can now begin their full-time missionary service at the age of 18, following their high school graduation or its equivalent. This decision was revealed on Friday, November 21, and marks a notable shift in the Church’s approach to missionary service for women.
In the official statement from the First Presidency, it was emphasized that while every capable young man is encouraged to prepare for and serve a mission as part of their priesthood responsibility, serving a mission remains optional for young women. The statement reflects an understanding that the decision of when to serve will vary among young women who wish to undertake missionary work. The Church expressed its love and appreciation for the youth and commended their faithfulness.
This announcement comes 13 years after a previous adjustment to missionary service ages, which occurred during the general conference on October 6, 2012. That earlier change allowed male missionaries to start serving at age 18, while female missionaries could begin at 19. The late President Thomas S. Monson was instrumental in implementing that policy shift.
The decision to allow young women to serve at the same age as young men was influenced by feedback from сестры (sister) missionaries and young women within the Church community. The general authorities determined that both young men and women should have the opportunity to serve missions at the same age, although the optional nature of missionary service for women remains unchanged.
Women have played an essential role in the Church since its inception, with the first sister missionaries beginning their service in 1898 within the British Mission. The previous age adjustment over a decade ago led to a surge in the number of missionaries, and currently, there are over 80,000 full-time missionaries serving.
In addition to this age change, the Church also announced that it plans to create 55 new missions, effective July 1, 2026. This expansion will result in a total of 506 missions worldwide, the largest number in the Church’s history. Prospective missionaries will still be able to apply to serve through their missionary portal 150 days before their intended start date, which was adjusted recently to streamline the application process.
This development reflects the Church’s commitment to supporting the participation of young women in missionary work and acknowledges their vital contributions to the global mission of the Church. The changes could pave the way for a renewed enthusiasm among young women considering a mission, aligning their service opportunities more closely with those of their male counterparts.