Mormon church lowers minimum age for women missionaries to 18

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced Friday that it would allow women to serve missions as young as 18, lowering the minimum age by one year and making the age requirement the same for men and women.

The change, one of the first major steps taken by new Church President Dallin H. Oaks, levels the playing field and is likely a response to the growing number of young women involved in the Church’s global missions. These opportunities to serve are considered rites of passage for young church members, who strive to recruit new members and share the beliefs of the Utah-based faith that has 17.5 million members worldwide. The missions are designed to strengthen their faith, broaden their perspective on the world, and prepare many of them for future leadership positions in congregations.

This is the first time since 2012 that the faith widely known as the Mormon Church has changed this rule for missionaries. At this time, the minimum age for missionaries was lowered from 21 to 19 for women and from 19 to 18 for men. The change, seen as a watershed moment for women in the Church, led to a doubling of applications for new missions just days after the announcement.

This rule change led to a significant increase in the number of women on missions. Currently, about 25,000 of the 85,000 missionaries are women, said Sam Penrod, a church spokesman. This equates to 29%, a figure that has remained constant over the past decade. That’s more than double the 12 percent of women missionaries before the 2012 rule change.

The new change will likely lead even more women to serve in missions, said Matt Martinich, church growth researcher for the Cumorah Project, a privately funded research organization.

“It shows more equality in terms of missionary opportunities,” Martinich said, adding that mission presidents have told him that women also tend to be more effective as teachers and proselytes.

Church spokesman Doug Andersen said the change reflects Oaks’ desire to provide “additional options and flexibility for young women” who wish to serve. The 55 new global missions announced for the coming year will also help meet demand, he said.

However, certain disparities remain. The duration of missions remains longer for men than for women: two years for men and 18 months for women. And in the statement announcing the change, the Church stressed that every “worthy and capable young man” should prepare to serve a mission while it remains optional for women.

Faith reserves its primary leadership roles for men.

Last month, the church made available sleeveless versions of the sacred undergarments worn by female members. Social media was full of photos of long lines of mostly women waiting for their chance to enter specialty stores to purchase these items, which many women said made sense from a comfort and fashion standpoint.

LeAnne Tolley, a Utah resident and Latter-day Saint, said she is excited for her 14-year-old granddaughter who wants to become a missionary. His son served when he was 19, but his daughter did not, adding that there are different expectations in the faith for men and women.

Tolley said she now sees young people in her congregation and others in the area expressing a desire to share their beliefs and, more importantly, to share hope in an increasingly desperate world.

“Most religions – not just ours – seem to be experiencing this revival, especially among young people,” she said.

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