Church growth, as seen by the increase in the number of missionaries
Full time teaching missionaries Increase during previous period
Year ending Set apart in the field Set apart In the field
31 Dec 1830 16 -- -- -- 31 Dec 1930 896 -- 880 (100 yrs) -- 31 Dec 1950 3,015 -- 2,119 ( 20 yrs) -- 31 Dec 1970 7,590 14,387 4,575 ( 20 yrs) -- 31 Dec 1971 8,344 15,205 754 818 31 Dec 1972 7,874 16,367 -470 1,162 31 Dec 1973 9,471 17,258 1597 891 31 Dec 1974 9,811 18,109 340 851 31 Dec 1975 14,446 22,492 4,635 4,383 31 Dec 1976 13,928 25,027 -518 2,535 31 Dec 1977 14,561 25,264 633 237 31 Dec 1978 15,860 27,669 1,299 2,405 31 Dec 1979 16,590 29,454 730 1,785 31 Dec 1980 16,600 29,953 10 499 31 Dec 1981 17,800 29,702 1,200 -251 31 Dec 1982 18,260 26,606 460 -3,096 31 Dec 1983 19,450 26,850 1,190 244 31 Dec 1984 19,720 27,392 270 542 31 Dec 1985 19,890 29,265 170 1,873 31 Dec 1986 20,798 31,803 908 2,538 31 Dec 1987 21,001 34,750 203 2,947 31 Dec 1988 22,619 36,123 1,618 1,373 31 Dec 1989 25,609 39,739 2,990 3,616 31 Dec 1990 26,225 43,651 616 3,912 31 Dec 1991 24,861 43,395 -1,364 -256 31 Dec 1992 28,716 46,025 3,855 2,630 31 Dec 1993 28,774 48,708 28 2,683 31 Dec 1994 27,912 47,311 -862 -1,397 31 Dec 1995 29,015 48,631 1,103 1,320 31 Dec 1996 31,227 52,938 2,212 4,307 31 Dec 1997 33,726 56,531 2,499 3,593 31 Dec 1998 33,229 57,583 -497 1,322 31 Dec 1999 33,915 58,593 686 740 31 Dec 2000 34,503 60,784 588 2,191 31 Dec 2001 34,684 60,850 181 66 31 Dec 2002 36,916 61,638 2,232 788 31 Dec 2003 30,467 56,237 -6,449 -5,401 31 Dec 2004 29,548 51,067 -919 -5,170 31 Dec 2005 30,587 52,060 1,039 993 31 Dec 2006 30,653 53,164 66 1,104 31 Dec 2007 30,384 52,686 -269 -478 31 Dec 2008 30,312 52,494 -72 -192 31 Dec 2009 29,168 51,736 -1,144 -758 31 Dec 2010 30,563 52,225 1,395 489 31 Dec 2011 55,410 3,185 31 Dec 2012 58,990 3,580 31 Dec 2013 83,035 24,045 31 Dec 2014 85,147 2,112 31 Dec 2015 74,079 -11,068 31 Dec 2016 70,946 -3,133 31 Dec 2017 67,049 -3,897 31 Dec 2018 65,137 -1,912 31 Dec 2019 67,021 1,884 31 Dec 2020 51,819 -15,202 31 Dec 2021 54,539 2,720 31 Dec 2022 62,544 8,005 31 Dec 2023 67,871 5,327
Interesting missionary statistics:
Decade Missionaries set apart
1830 – 1839 597
1840 – 1849 1,454
1850 – 1859 705
1860 – 1869 762
1870 – 1879 1,371
1880 – 1889 2,325
1890 – 1899 5,613
1900 – 1909 8,117
1910 – 1919 7,408
1920 – 1929 9,969
1930 – 1939 8,513
1940 – 1949 13,121
1950 – 1959 22,589
1960 – 1969 62,576
1970 – 1979 118,475
1980 – 1989 201,747
1990 – 1999 304,211
2000 – 2009 317,222
Church service missionaries at the end of 2023 equaled 31,685
— During the first 100 years of the church’s existence (1830 to 1929), there were 38,321 missionaries set-apart to serve full-time missions. In the year 2002 alone, 36,042 missionaries were set-apart for full-time missionary service.
— 35.5% of all the full-time missionaries that have served missions for the church have been set apart in the last 10 years!
— Total number of missionaries set-apart thus far in this dispensation (1830 to 2005) is 967,341.
— The total number of missionaries set-apart from 1830 to 1929 (the church’s first century of existence) was 38,321.
— The total number of missionaries set-apart from 1930 (the beginning of the church’s second century of existence) to 2005 was . . 929,020.
— The total number of missionaries set-apart from 1995 to 2005 was 363,243.
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