President Oaks says Church will soon have more missionaries than ever
August 28, 2026 at 12:04 PM MT · via newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org · Summarized by Mormon News from original reporting
President Dallin H. Oaks, first counselor in the First Presidency, said the Church will soon have more full-time missionaries serving simultaneously than at any point in its history. He did not provide specific numbers or a timeline.
The Church had approximately 67,000 missionaries serving before the COVID-19 pandemic. That number dropped sharply in 2020-2021 as missions closed and returned missionaries early. Missionary numbers have been climbing since pandemic restrictions eased.
The prediction comes as the Church faces retention challenges in some regions and static or declining activity rates in North America and Europe. Missionary work remains a core emphasis for the faith's leadership.
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