SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — The Mormon church will lower its minimum age requirements for missionaries from 19 to 18 for men and from 21 to 19 for women, the faith’s president announced Saturday.

Thomas S. Monson said at the church’s 182nd semiannual General Conference that the historic change is expected to significantly increase the missionary force of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints — currently more than 55,000 worldwide.

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