Church Membership Passes Eight Million

Church membership passed the eight-million mark about September 1, according to estimates by the Church Member and Statistical Records Division.

This event occurred less than two years after the seven-million mark was reached in December 1989.

The growth rate equals a daily increase of about 1,500 people, or the equivalent of a stake of 3,800 members every two and a half days.

The Church reached its first million in membership in 1947, its second million in 1963, the third million in 1971, the fourth in 1978, the fifth in 1982, and the sixth in 1986.

Much of the growth has come in countries other than the United States. Church members now live in about 135 countries and speak more than 165 languages.

On 5 April 1987 in general conference, President Gordon B. Hinckley, speaking about the growth of the Church, said, “To some, [the annual statistical report of the Church] may have seemed as a dull exercise in numbers. To me, the information given represents a miracle. … What a miraculous and remarkable flowering from that small seed planted April 6, 1830, in the log home of Peter Whitmer where six men formally organized the Church.”

President Hinckley said, “I am thankful that I am alive to see this day of prophecy fulfilled in the mighty work of the Lord. There was never a brighter day than today in the history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. There was never a season when the work of the Lord prospered as it now prospers.” (Ensign, May 1987, p. 52.)

Over the last fifty years, Church membership has grown by approximately seven million.

1941: 892,080
1951: 1,147,157
1961: 1,823,661
1971: 3,090,953
1981: 4,920,449
1991: *8,040,000

Figures for 1941–1981 are as of December 31 in that year.