Cost of LDS Church mission to increase

Serving a mission with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will be more expensive for many members of the faith.

Church leadership sent a letter last week announcing members will have to pay $500 a month starting in July 2020 for missions in 18 countries including the United States, Canada, Australia and Japan. That is a 25% increase from $400 a month that has been the rate since 2003.

The increase is needed because of rising costs of rent, food, utilities and transportation.

There are currently about 67,500 missionaries around the world.