The First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced Friday that, effective immediately, young women in the Church who want to serve a mission can begin service at age 18. They must have graduated from high school or its equivalent before serving.
The First Presidency says missionary service for young women is still optional. However, "the Lord asks every worthy, able young man as part of his priesthood responsibility to prepare for and serve a mission."
Young Women General President Emily Belle Freeman says she's excited for the announcement and what it means for young women in the Church.
“We love what this does for these young women," President Freeman said. "It gives them an opportunity as they leave from young women and enter into adulthood to think about all of the options that are available for them.”
Elder Matthew S. Holland, the General Authority Seventy who serves as the executive director of the Church Communication Department, says the change gives young women added flexibility in when they can serve "at a time of life when they have lots of different, wonderful opportunities to learn and grow and develop."
BYU-Idaho students are reacting to the news, which spread quickly through campus.
"I know personally I have a lot of friends who can now put in their mission papers, and they've been waiting for a long time, so that's really cool," said Eliria Kennedy who is studying finance at BYU-Idaho.
Isabelle Petty joined the Church when she was 18 and submitted her papers to serve a mission as soon as she was able. She contemplates what would have happened had she joined the Church earlier and could have served earlier.
"Because if I was baptized earlier in my life, then I would have been able to go on a mission when I was 18. And so I had to wait until I was 19 years old, just because of the year mark that you have to wait for when you're a convert.
Petty is glad she was able to serve a mission because it blessed her life.
"I'm the only member of my family, and if it wasn't for those elders who had reached out to me and those sisters who I'm still friends with and have changed my life forever, I wouldn't be here at BYU-Idaho," Petty said.
The last time the Church made an age change to missionary work was in 2012, when the age for men was changed from 19 to 18 and the age for women was changed from 21 to 19.