LDS Church Claims Record 88,500 Missionaries. Is It True? Mormon News 7.17.26 | Ep. 2172

On today's episode of Mormon News, Nemo the Mormon and Meggan Hayes break down another busy week of headlines involving The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

We begin with the Church's announcement that more than 88,500 missionaries are now serving worldwide, which leaders say is an all-time record. We'll examine whether today's LDS missionary statistics are truly comparable to previous Church records.

Links:

Deseret News: https://www.deseret.com/faith/2026/07/14/new-record-88500-missionaries-latter-day-saints-why/

2014 Statistical Report: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2015/04/statistical-report-2014

Additional Missionary Statistics: https://news-pacific.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/church-provides-additional-missionary-statistics

We'll also discuss new research on how lowering the missionary age has affected sister missionaries and their educational outcomes.

Link:

https://www.abc4.com/news/religion/sister-missionary-age-change-womens-college-success-research/

Next, we'll cover new developments involving former LDS bishop Leo Lopshire and former Cache County teacher Patrick Alan Green, including investigators' requests for additional victims to come forward.

Links:

https://floodlit.org/a/b755/

https://www.yahoo.com/news/us/articles/deputies-seek-additional-victims-spartanburg-204433996.html

https://www.hjnews.com/news/local/former-elementary-teacher-arrested-in-cache-county-for-child-sex-crimes/article_5bfc4b0e-d6e5-43e1-9f95-88b7880ed3cc.html

https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-duncan-a404b3b0/

We'll examine BYU's connection to Monster Energy and how attitudes toward energy drinks have changed within Latter-day Saint culture.

Show notes can be found on the Mormon Stories blog here: https://www.mormonstories.org/lds-church-claims-record-88500-missionaries/

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