As a missionary-minded member, I have been keeping track of the conversion rate for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  They issue a statistical report each year at their General Conference in April.

A Downward Trend

I noticed a significant downward trend in the number of converts per thousand members of the Church over the four decades, from when President Spencer W. Kimball was the Prophet up until COVID-19. The conversion decrease rate was –0.9 converts per thousand members per year. Then I did a linear regression analysis on those four decades. If that trend were to continue, there would be no converts after the year 2032.

This decrease is mainly due to the worldly encroachment on the members of the Church. Knowing that it is the Lord’s church and that a pure-in-heart, ZION, society is coming in preparation for the Lord’s Second Coming, I was confident the Lord had a solution to this encroachment problem.

An Upward Trend

I am fascinated to see this rate turn around after COVID-19. I just obtained the data from the last General Conference in 2024. In the plot, one can see there has been a major turnaround. 

The conversion rate has increased by 132% over the last four years, and it is still increasing. The rate now is 2.5 converts per year per thousand members.

Interestingly, the converts are mainly coming from outside the United States. Our current President of the Church, Russell M. Nelson, has asked that all worthy young men, who are able, to serve missions. I am guessing that the Sister Missionaries are helping the conversion rate significantly. They go because they desire to serve the Lord and bring souls unto Christ.

Both Sides Of The Vale

We are the only church doing missionary work on both sides of the veil. The number of operating temples across the globe is now 193. President Nelson announced 15 more temples during the April 2025 General Conference. One is to be built in Spanish Fork, Utah, my “own backyard,” I was born and raised in Mapleton, just next door. Undoubtedly, the blessings of the temple are increasing the ZION mentality of the members and their desires to share the good news of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.

The last statistical report showed a slight decrease in the rate of the total number of members. I am guessing that the birthrate amongst the members has affected that rate. Also, fewer young people are getting married. We live in an interesting time. However, it is fascinating to see the Lord’s answer to the Babylonian encroachment on the members of the Church, as convert rates accelerate. We know the Lord has a solution to every problem, and it is fascinating to see that happening, as shown in the above chart.

Timely Warning

Our Father in heaven warned us of this time as shared by Jesus to the Nephites and to us: “And thus commandeth the Father that I should say unto you: At that day when the Gentiles shall sin against my gospel and shall reject the fulness of my gospel, and shall be lifted up in the pride of their hearts above all nations, and above all the people of the whole earth, and shall be filled with all manner of lyings, and of deceits, and of mischiefs, and all manner of hypocrisy, and murders, and priestcrafts, and whoredoms, and of secret abominations; and if they shall do all those things, and shall reject the fulness of my gospel, behold, saith the Father, I will bring the fulness of my gospel from among them… But if the Gentiles will repent and return unto me, saith the Father, behold they shall be numbered among my people, O house of Israel.” (3 Nephi 16:10, 13

The only ones who can reject “the fulness of my gospel” are those who have it—the members of the Lord’s Church. Those who “sin against my gospel”— the Bible gospel are under condemnation as well if they are guilty of the listed sins. Unfortunately, we see those sins happening, as Babylon the Great ripens in iniquity, which is a major sign of the times

He Gives Us Answers

He gives us the answer on how to be a pure in-heart people, ZION, and to be gathered out of Babylon the Great. “Listen to the voice of Jesus Christ, your Redeemer, the Great I AM, whose arm of mercy hath atoned for your sins; Who will gather his people even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, even as many as will hearken to my voice and humble themselves before me, and call upon me in mighty prayer.” (D&C 29:1-2).

He further says:
“Behold, this I have given unto you as a parable, and it is even as I am. I say unto you, be one; and if ye are not one ye are not mine.” (D&C 38:27)

I have a chapter in my new book, My Revelations, on the importance of being ONE with the Lord and how to do that. My publisher, Boyd Tuttle, has done a superlative job describing my motivation in writing this book on the back cover. Two of the chapters make it a must buy: THE SCIENCE OF THE SHROUD OR TURIN MIRACLE is bringing atheists and agnostics to Christ, and MESSIAH BEN JOSEPH AND MESIAH BEN DAVID has the “latter day servant’s” role in preparing for the Savior’s Second Coming. Avraham Gileadi has kindly shared with me his great insights, as the world’s best expert on the Book of Isaiah.

The Lord is gathering His people, Israel. Let us not only be part of this ideal society but help as many as we can to turn to the Lord and to be ONE with Him.

David W. Allan

Photo: LDS Church