LDS Church will allow single adult men 40 and older to serve full-time missions

For single men who want to serve a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints later in life, now is the chance.

The Utah-based faith announced Friday that unmarried men age 40 or older with no dependent children living at home are now eligible to serve full-time missions in family history, area and mission offices, and also in positions that are related to their lives. experience, whether medical, legal or otherwise.

Unlike younger missionaries of the faith, these single elders will not be placed in fellowship. And they can serve for six, 12, 18 or 23 months.

Also on Friday, the ruling First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles announced an increase in the number of available positions for single women age 40 and older. These new features include visitor centers, historic sites and employment offices. Previous positions were primarily limited to family history work and support to congregations and mission offices.

The expansion, effective Nov. 1, is designed to “fully embrace the gifts, talents and experiences of more church members around the world,” according to a press release.

The report further noted that senior full-time missionaries, as they are called, typically work 40 hours a week and live away from home.

The church’s website, which lists current openings for senior missionaries, points to a dire need for seniors to fill positions as health care consultants and office technicians everywhere from Brazil to Cambodia to Iowa.

The site lists similar opportunities for older women, as well as positions around the world to “support members and leaders.”

The announcement comes a year after the church, citing an influx of new missionaries, said it was launching 36 new missions around the world, raising its total to 450.