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The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announces 36 new missions, including Utah Saratoga Springs
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced on Nov. 2 the creation of 36 new missions set to open in 2024. The new missions will accommodate the rising number of missionaries now at over 72,000 worldwide.
According to a release from The Church, the new missions will open on July 1, 2024, putting the total number of missions at 450 — the highest number in Church history.
One of the new missions created is the Utah Saratoga Springs mission. Church leaders have created the new missions from already established missions. According to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints website, “This adjustment will allow mission leaders to have more interaction with missionaries and more missionaries to be assigned to wards and branches.”
Elder Marcus B. Nash of the Seventy, who serves as executive director of the Missionary Department, said he is “thrilled and grateful” that so many of the rising generation are choosing to serve.
The number of young teaching and service missionaries and senior missionaries has increased considerably over the past two years. The total number of missionaries has gone from 56,000 at the end of 2021 and 62,500 at the end of 2022 to more than 72,000 in 2023. Missionaries serve in 150 countries and teach in more than 60 languages.
In a policy update, prospective missionaries can submit their missionary recommendations up to 150 days prior to their availability date instead of 120 days. This change gives prospective missionaries more time to prepare for their missions, shortens the period between a prospective missionary’s availability date and mission start date, and reduces visa delays for missionaries assigned to serve outside their home countries.
According to the website, the new missions will be in the following locations:
Africa Central
1. Democratic Republic of the Congo Kinshasa South
2. Democratic Republic of the Congo Kolwezi
3. Kenya Nairobi East
Africa South
4. Madagascar Antananarivo North
Africa West
5. Ghana Accra North
6. Ghana Takoradi
7. Nigeria Calabar
8. Nigeria Port Harcourt North
9. Sierra Leone Bo
Asia
10. Cambodia Phnom Penh East
11. Thailand Bangkok East
Asia North
12. Japan Sendai
Brazil
13. Brazil Manaus South
Caribbean
14. Dominican Republic Santo Domingo North
Europe Central
15. Germany Hamburg
Europe North
16. Portugal Porto
México
17. México Mexicali
18. México Puebla East
North America Central
19. Montana Missoula
North America Southeast
20. Florida Tallahassee
21. South Carolina Charleston
North America Southwest
22. Nevada Henderson
23. Texas Dallas South
24. Texas El Paso
North America West
25. California Modesto
Philippines
26. Philippines Dumaguete
27. Philippines General Santos
28. Philippines Tuguegarao
South America Northwest
29. Bolivia Cochabamba South
30. Ecuador Quito West
31. Perú Lima Northeast
South America South
32. Argentina Tucumán
33. Chile La Serena
Utah
34. Utah Salt Lake City East
35. Utah Saratoga Springs
36. Utah Spanish Fork
For more information, see The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Newsroom article at https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/36-new-missions-church-of-jesus-christ .
