Significant worldwide growth planned

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints revealed plans to establish 55 new missions set to begin operations in July 2026. The expansion represents a substantial increase in the organization’s global missionary infrastructure, bringing the total number of missions worldwide to 506.

President Dallin H. Oaks described feeling inspired by the continued willingness of young church members to participate in missionary work around the world. The announcement reflects boundary adjustments to existing missions alongside the creation of entirely new regional hubs for proselytizing and community service activities.

The expansion demonstrates the church’s commitment to increasing its international presence while responding to growth in membership and interest across diverse geographic regions. Each new mission will serve as a base of operations for dedicated volunteers who spend significant portions of their lives sharing their faith and serving communities.

Africa receives substantial attention

The African continent will host a notable portion of the newly announced missions, reflecting the church’s recognition of growing opportunities in the region. Among the locations receiving new missions are DR Congo Kinshasa North and Kenya Kisumu, areas where the organization sees potential for expansion.

1. DR Congo Kinshasa North: This mission will serve the northern portion of one of Africa’s largest and most populous nations.
2. Kenya Kisumu: The new mission targets the western region of Kenya, expanding the church’s presence beyond existing operations.

These African missions join others across the continent as the church works to establish stronger footholds in areas experiencing population growth and increased interest in religious organizations. The diverse cultural and linguistic landscape of Africa presents both challenges and opportunities for missionary efforts.

South American presence grows

South America will also see considerable expansion through multiple new missions in countries where the church already maintains established operations. Brazil and Peru will each receive several additional missions, including Brazil Guarulhos and Peru Lima Northwest.

The South American additions reflect the region’s importance to the church’s overall growth strategy. Latin America has historically represented a significant area of membership growth for the organization, making continued investment in missionary infrastructure a logical priority.

By dividing existing large mission territories into smaller, more manageable regions, the church aims to provide more focused attention to local communities while making it easier for missionaries to develop deep connections within their assigned areas.

Understanding missionary structure

Each mission functions as a regional headquarters coordinating the activities of young church members commonly referred to as elders or sisters. These volunteers typically dedicate two years of their lives to full-time missionary service, focusing on both religious teaching and community assistance.

The work encompasses more than just attempting to gain new converts. Missionaries often participate in humanitarian projects, language instruction, community service initiatives and other activities designed to benefit the areas where they serve regardless of whether recipients join the church.

New missions will be established in locations ranging from urban centers like Uruguay Salto to more remote settings such as Mongolia Ulaanbaatar West and Papua New Guinea Daru. This geographic diversity reflects the church’s goal of establishing presence across different types of communities and population centers.

Impact on communities and individuals

President Oaks emphasized that missionary work provides benefits extending beyond increasing church membership numbers. The activities help improve lives for hundreds of thousands of people annually who choose to join the organization through baptism.

The expansion to locations including Samoa Apia East demonstrates the church’s interest in maintaining connections with Pacific Island communities that have historically shown strong affinity for the faith. These regions often feature high percentages of church members relative to overall population.

For the young people who serve as missionaries, the experience typically represents a formative period involving personal growth, skill development and exposure to different cultures and languages. Many return from their service with enhanced abilities in communication, leadership and cross-cultural understanding that benefit them throughout their lives.

The July 2026 launch date gives the organization time to prepare facilities, train leadership and coordinate the logistics necessary for deploying hundreds of new missionaries to their assigned locations around the world.