Global

With 36 new missions coming in 2024, get to know the cities, states and countries a little better

Scheduled to start July 1, 2024, the 36 new missions will be in seven U.S. states and 20 other countries

By Scott Taylor Nov 8, 2023 8 a.m. EST

A map of the 36 new missions being created in 2024.

Global

With 36 new missions coming in 2024, get to know the cities, states and countries a little better

Scheduled to start July 1, 2024, the 36 new missions will be in seven U.S. states and 20 other countries

By Scott Taylor Nov 8, 2023 8 a.m. EST

On Wednesday, Nov. 1, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced it would add 36 new missions worldwide, because of the increase of its missionary force to more than 72,000.

The 36 new missions will give the Church 450 missions worldwide — its highest-ever total.

To help its readers have a better sense of the new missions, the Church News is providing a little background of the cities, states and countries as well as Church membership, stakes and temples.

The 36 new missions, listed by geographic area, are:

United States

California Modesto Mission — The Church has 15 existing missions across the state of California, with the Modesto mission being reinstated after its 2018 closure and merging with neighboring missions. Located in the state’s Central Valley between Sacramento and Fresno, Modesto is currently in the California Fresno Mission and is home to the new Modesto California Temple that had its groundbreaking just last month. California has nearly 729,000 Latter-day Saints in 146 stakes, with the Modesto temple one of 12 total in the state.

Afternoon aerial view of the 99 Freeway and urban downtown core of Modesto, California.

Florida Tallahassee Mission — Florida has four current missions, with a previous mission headquartered in Tallahassee from 1971 to 2019. Tallahassee — the capital city, in the state’s panhandle — is currently in the Florida Jacksonville Mission and has the Tallahassee Florida Temple, which has been under construction since June 2021. The Church in Florida has more than 168,000 members, 34 stakes and four other temples — two operating in Fort Lauderdale and Orlando and two in planning in Tampa and Jacksonville.

Montana Missoula Mission — This western Montana city will serve as headquarters for the state’s second mission, joining the Montana Billings Mission. Currently in that Billings mission, the city of Missoula was identified for a new temple, as announced in April 2021. The Church counts nearly 52,000 Latter-day Saints, 13 stakes and operating temples in Billings and Helena in Montana.

View of Missoula from Mount Sentinel, in Missoula, Montana.

Nevada Henderson Mission — Nevada has three current missions, two in Las Vegas and one in Reno. Henderson, currently in the Nevada Las Vegas Mission, is the state’s second most populous city and is southeast of Las Vegas. Nevada is home to nearly 182,000 Latter-day Saints in 42 stakes, as well as operating temples in Las Vegas and Reno, one under construction in Elko and a fourth in planning for the Lone Mountain area of northern Las Vegas.

South Carolina Charleston Mission — This will be South Carolina’s second mission, following the South Carolina Columbia Mission. Charleston is on the state’s Atlantic coast about 105 miles from the capital city of Columbia. More than 44,000 Latter-day Saints comprise nine stakes in South Carolina, which has an operating temple in Columbia.

Texas Dallas South and Texas El Paso missions — Texas’ 10 existing missions include three in the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area — the Dallas East, Dallas West and Fort Worth missions. The metro area also has the dedicated and operating Dallas Texas Temple, the under-construction Fort Worth Temple and the announced Prosper Texas Temple. A mission in El Paso, which currently is in the New Mexico Albuquerque Mission, will be the farthest west in the state. Texas is home to more than 378,000 Church members, 78 stakes and eight total temples — five dedicated and operating, one under construction and two in planning.

Saratoga Springs Utah Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Utah Salt Lake City East, Utah Saratoga Springs and Utah Spanish Fork missions — Utah is home to 10 missions currently, including the Salt Lake City, Salt Lake City South, Salt Lake City West, Salt Lake City Temple Square and Salt Lake City Headquarters missions. The other two new missions will be additions in Utah Valley. Saratoga Springs is currently in the Utah Orem Mission and home to a new temple that was dedicated this summer, while Spanish Fork is currently within the boundaries of the Utah Provo Mission. More than 2.17 million Church members comprise 629 stakes in Utah, which is home to 28 total temples that are operating, under construction or in renovations.

North America (besides the U.S.)

Dominican Republic Santo Domingo North — The Caribbean island nation has three existing missions, including the Santo Domingo East and Santo Domingo West missions in the capital city on the south-central coast. The Dominican Republic Santiago Mission is headquartered on the island’s north coast. More than 147,000 Church members comprise 22 stakes in the Dominican Republic, which has one temple, in Santo Domingo.

Mexico Mexicali and Mexico Puebla East missions — Mexico is home currently to 32 missions, including the existing Puebla North and Puebla South missions. The city of Puebla is about 70 miles southeast of Mexico City. Presently in the Mexico Tijuana Mission, Mexicali is south of the Mexico-California border, about 90 miles east of Tijuana. Church membership is Mexico is nearly 1.51 million, comprising 227 stakes. The Church has 24 temples in Mexico — 13 operating, three under construction and eight in planning. One of the three under construction is the Puebla Mexico Temple, which had its groundbreaking in November 2019.

South America

Argentina Tucumán Mission — Argentina has 13 missions operating, with Tucumán currently in the Argentina Salta Mission. Nearly 475,000 Latter-days comprising 78 stakes are in Argentina, which has two dedicated and operating temples, three under construction and one in planning.

Bolivia Cochabamba South Mission — The Church has five existing missions in Bolivia, including one in Cochabamba. The country has more than 221,000 Church members, 33 stakes, and three temples — a dedicated and operating temple in Cochabamba and temples for Santa Cruz and La Paz in planning.

Brazil Manaus South Mission — A second mission in Manaus on the banks of the Negro River in northwestern Brazil will bring the total number of missions next year to 37. More than 1.47 million members of the Church comprising 281 stakes are in Brazil, which has 22 temples — 10 dedicated temples (including one in Manaus), two under construction and another 10 in planning.

Chile La Serena Mission — A new mission headquartered in the central coastal city of La Serena will be the Church’s 11th in the southwestern South America nation. La Serena is currently in the Chile Viña del Mar Mission. Chile is home to nearly 605,000 Latter-day Saints and 74 stakes, as well as five total temples — two dedicated and operating, one under construction and two in planning.

The statue of the angel Moroni atop the spire of the Quito Ecuador Temple, Oct. 11, 2022.

Ecuador Quito West Mission — With six existing missions in Ecuador, this new mission will be the third in the capital city, joining the Quito and Quito North missions. Nearly 262,000 Church members and 42 stakes are found in Ecuador, along with dedicated and operating temples in Guayaquil and Quito.

Peru Lima Northeast Mission — The Church has 14 existing missions in Peru, including six headquartered in the capital city — the Lima Central, Lima East, Lima North, Lima South, Lima West and Limatambo missions. Peru has more than 630,000 Latter-day Saints in 112 stakes, and nine temples — including the Church’s first in the country in Lima and a second in the metro area — Los Olivos — to be dedicated after the first of the year.

Europe

Germany Hamburg Mission — This is the second major Church announcement for Hamburg this year, with a new temple being designated for the city at April 2023 general conference. With existing missions in Frankfurt, Berlin and Munich, Hamburg will be headquarters for a mission again as it was from 1974 to 2010. There are nearly 40,000 Church members in 14 stakes in Germany, with operating temples in Frankfurt and Freiberg and a temple announced for Hamburg earlier this year.

Portugal Porto Mission — Joining the existing mission based in Lisbon, the Portugal Porto Mission follows a similarly named mission that operated form 1987 through 2011 and again from 2015 to 2018. Portugal is home to nearly 47,000 Latter-day Saints in seven stakes and the Lisbon Portugal Temple.

Africa

Democratic Republic of the Congo Kinshasa South and Democratic Republic of the Congo Kolwezi missions — With nearly 103,000 Latter-day Saints and 26 stakes, the DR Congo is home to five existing missions, including the Kinshasa East and Kinshasa West missions. Kolwezi is currently part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo Lubumbashi Mission. The country has four temples — one dedicated and operating in Kinshasa, one under construction in Lubumbashi and two in planning, for Kananga and Mbuji-Mayi.

Ghana Accra North and Ghana Takoradi missions — These two missions will be the fifth and sixth in the West Africa nation, with the current four including the Ghana Accra and Accra West missions. Takoradi is currently in the Ghana Cape Coast Mission. Nearly 102,000 Church members comprise 29 stakes in Ghana, which has three temples — one dedicated and operating in Accra and two in planning and design in Kumasi and Cape Coast.

Kenya Nairobi East Mission — This will be the Church’s second mission in the country, following the Kenya Nairobi Mission. The country has more than 17,000 Latter-day Saints and two stakes, and the Nairobi Kenya Temple has been under construction since September 2021.

Madagascar Antananarivo North Mission — The island nation off southeastern Africa is headquarters to the Madagascar Antananarivo Mission; this will be the second mission. Madagascar is home to more than 14,000 Latter-day Saints in three stakes, with the mission also including districts on Mauritius and Reunion Island. A temple for Antananarivo was announced in October 2021.

Nigeria Calabar and Port Harcourt North missions — The West Africa country will have double-digit missions next year, with the addition of these two missions giving Nigeria 11 operating. One of the nine existing missions is the Nigeria Port Harcourt Mission; Calabar is currently in the Nigeria Uyo Mission. More than 221,000 Latter-day Saints reside in Nigeria and comprise 68 stakes. The country has an operating temple in Aba and four more temples in planning, including one for Calabar that was announced just last month.

Sierra Leone Bo Mission — This will be Sierra Leone’s second mission, joining the Sierra Leone Freetown Mission. Sierra Leone is home to nearly 29,000 Church members in nine stakes, with a temple in Freetown under construction since March 2022.

Asia

Cambodia Phnom Penh East Mission — The Southeast Asia nation will get its second mission, following the Cambodia Phnom Penh Mission. Cambodia has more than 16,000 Latter-day Saints in two stakes and a temple under construction in Phnom Penh.

Japan Sendai Mission — A mission headquartered in Sendai will be returning after the Japan Sendai Mission operated from 1974 to 2019, when it was merged into the Japan Sapporo Mission. Sendai is currently in the Japan Tokyo North Mission, one of six missions in the country. More than 130,000 Church members in 22 stakes are in Japan, which is home to five temples — three operating, in Tokyo, Fukuoka and Sapporo, one in Okinawa to be dedicated this month, and one recently announced for Osaka.

Philippines Dumaguete, Philippines General Santos and Philippines Tuguegarao missions — These three missions will be added to the 23 existing missions headquartered in the Philippines. The city of Dumaguete is in the Philippines Cebu Mission, General Santos is in the Davao mission, and Tuguegarao is in the Cauayan mission. The Philippines is home to more than 853,000 Latter-day Saints in 125 stakes and 13 total temples — two dedicated and operating, four under construction and seven in planning, including one announced earlier this year for Tuguegarao.

The Bangkok Thailand Temple surrounded by skyscrapers.

Thailand Bangkok East Mission — This mission will be the second for the Southeast Asia country and second headquartered in the capital city, joining the Thailand Bangkok Mission. The nation has more than 23,000 members of the Church in four stakes and the recently dedicated Bangkok Thailand Temple.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will create 34 new missions worldwide in 2024.