Church Adjusts Missions to Better Meet Needs Worldwide

Contributed By MormonNewsroom.org

  • 1 February 2018

To better fit the needs of each region of the world the Church will adjust the number of missions from 429 to 407, realigning boundaries for 19 missions and creating five new missions on July 1, 2018.

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Mormon Newsroom reported in October that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints would adjust the number of its 421 missions to better fit the needs of each region of the world. Today, the Church announces boundary realignments for 19 missions, as well as the creation of five new missions. With the following changes there will be 407 missions.

The following five missions will open in July 2018:

New missions

  • Brazil Rio de Janeiro South
  • Cote d’Ivoire Yamoussoukro
  • Nigeria Ibadan
  • Philippines Cabanatuan
  • Zimbabwe Bulawayo

Realigned and merged missions  

And the Church will realign the boundaries for the following 19 missions in July 2018 and merge them with adjoining missions:

  • Australia Sydney North
  • Bulgaria Sofia
  • California Modesto
  • California San Fernando
  • England London South
  • Greece Athens
  • Illinois Chicago West
  • México Reynosa
  • México Ciudad Obregon
  • Mississippi Jackson
  • New York New York South
  • Ohio Cleveland
  • Portugal Porto
  • Romania/Moldova
  • Russia Samara
  • Spain Malaga
  • Ukraine L’viv
  • Utah Logan
  • Washington Federal Way

Changes to mission boundaries are common. Since President Thomas S. Monson announced in 2012 the change in the ages for missionary service, the Church has created 76 new missions to accommodate a surge of growth in only a few years from 58,000 to 88,000 missionaries. The initial wave of missionaries has since receded to about 68,000 missionaries, as anticipated.

Fewer missionaries means that not only are fewer missions needed, but also a heightened importance of a more appropriate placement of missionaries in areas of need around the world; thus the creation of five new missions.

“We want missionaries to be in the best possible place and position to help people, whether through sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ or community service,” said General Authority Seventy Elder Brent H. Nielson, Executive Director of the Missionary Department. “The pattern established by the Savior is to make a difference in individual lives, one by one, all over the world, which requires continuous planning and organizing.”

Details on mission merges will be coming in future communications from mission presidents to parents of missionaries in the affected missions.

See this related article for a list of assignments for new mission president. For more information, visit MormonNewsroom.org.

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