Why are young men and not young women expected to serve a mission?

For young men, serving a full-time mission has long been taught as a priesthood responsibility. President Spencer W. Kimball famously declared that “every worthy, able young man should prepare to serve a mission,” and that teaching has been reaffirmed by every prophet since.

Today, that expectation is found in the Church’s official handbook. It teaches:

“The Lord asks every worthy, able young man to prepare for and serve a mission. For Latter-day Saint young men, missionary service is a priesthood responsibility.”

The handbook also makes an important distinction for young women:

“The Lord also welcomes worthy, able young women to serve missions if they desire. For young women, a mission is a powerful, but optional, opportunity.”

Those two statements summarize the Church’s position remarkably well. Missionary service is an expectation for worthy young men who are able, while it is a welcome invitation for worthy young women.

President Russell M. Nelson reaffirmed this distinction during the April 2022 General Conference. He taught:

“Today I reaffirm strongly that the Lord has asked every worthy, able young man to prepare for and serve a mission. For Latter-day Saint young men, missionary service is a priesthood responsibility.”

He immediately followed that by saying:

“For you young and able sisters, a mission is also a powerful, but optional, opportunity. We love sister missionaries and welcome them wholeheartedly. What you contribute to this work is magnificent! Pray to know if the Lord would have you serve a mission, and the Holy Ghost will respond to your heart and mind.”

Those statements help answer the question directly. The difference isn’t that the Church values young men more than young women. Rather, prophets have taught that missionary service is connected to the priesthood responsibility given to young men, while young women are encouraged to seek personal revelation about whether serving a mission is part of the Lord’s plan for them.

Some people wonder if this means young women are somehow less important in building the kingdom of God. LDS doctrine answers that with a clear no.

President Dallin H. Oaks explained that women exercise priesthood authority in many of their Church responsibilities. Speaking about women who serve as missionaries or in other Church callings, he said:

“When a woman—young or old—is set apart to preach the gospel as a full-time missionary, she is given priesthood authority to perform a priesthood function… Whoever functions in an office or calling received from one who holds priesthood keys exercises priesthood authority.”

This teaching helps us understand that sister missionaries are not simply volunteers. They are officially called, set apart, and authorized by priesthood keys to preach the gospel. Their service is every bit as essential to the Lord’s work.

Another reason for the difference is that the Lord has always assigned different responsibilities to different people. During the Savior’s earthly ministry, the Twelve Apostles held specific responsibilities, while faithful women such as Mary Magdalene, Martha, and Mary served in indispensable ways. Their responsibilities differed, but their devotion and importance did not.

The same principle applies today. Every member of the Church has a responsibility to help gather Israel, whether or not they wear a missionary name tag.

President Nelson has repeatedly taught that gathering Israel is the most important work taking place on the earth today. Full-time missionary service is one way to participate in that work, but it is far from the only way. Members share the gospel through everyday conversations, family history, temple work, ministering, service, and Christlike example.

Many young women choose to serve missions, and the number has grown significantly since the minimum age for sisters was lowered from 21 to 19 in 2012, then to 18 in 2025. Today, sister missionaries serve throughout the world and bless countless lives through their faith, compassion, and testimony.

Still, the Church has intentionally maintained the distinction between expectation and invitation. Worthy young men are expected to prepare for missionary service if they are able. Worthy young women are warmly invited to serve if they feel prompted by the Lord.

That difference also recognizes that faithful discipleship does not look exactly the same for everyone. Some young women receive personal confirmation that they should serve a mission. Others receive equally sincere confirmation to pursue education, care for family members, prepare for marriage, or serve the Lord in other meaningful ways. None of those choices makes someone more or less faithful. What matters is following the Lord’s guidance.

Ultimately, this question comes down to trusting the pattern the Lord has established through living prophets. Latter-day Saints believe Jesus Christ directs His Church today. When prophets consistently teach that missionary service is a priesthood responsibility for young men while extending an inspired invitation to young women, members accept that distinction as part of the Lord’s organization of His Church.

It’s also important to remember that serving a full-time mission is only one season of discipleship. The Lord measures a lifetime of faithful service, not just whether someone served for 18 or 24 months.

Young men honor the Lord by preparing to fulfill their priesthood responsibility to serve when they are worthy and able. Young women honor the Lord by prayerfully seeking His will and responding to His personal direction. Both paths require faith. Both bless the kingdom of God. And both play an essential role in the gathering of Israel.

Gramps