Mormon Church Creates New Missions

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — The Mormon church has announced the creation of 11 new missions worldwide, including two in Utah.

Joining Logan and Orem with new missions are Modesto, California; Yakima, Washington; Trinidad, Costa Rica, Peru, Bolivia, Portugal and Argentina, which lands two new missions. At the same time Friday, the church announced two Salt Lake City missions would be combined into one for a net gain of 10 new missions.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints says the new missions are needed to keep pace with a major increase in the number of young missionaries after age requirements were lowered in recent years. The new missions will take effect about July 1, bringing to 416 the number of missions to which its some 85,000 missionaries are assigned.