2026 has been a banner year for Seminaries and Institutes of Religion for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
In 2026, institute marked its 100th anniversary. Also in 2026, the Lord’s Prophet, President Dallin H. Oaks, promised special blessings to those who attend. Then in March, seminaries and institutes announced a major milestone: a combined enrollment of more than one million students worldwide.
And that momentum continues. Close to five months later, worldwide enrollment in the seminary and institute programs now exceeds 1,090,000, including more than 85,000 friends of other faiths, according to a notice published on ChurchofJesusChrist.org.
In a Church News podcast interview earlier this year, Brother Chad H Webb, administrator for Seminaries and Institutes of Religion, spoke of how many are finding the Church’s seminary and institute programs through the efforts of students inviting their peers—one by one.
While he might be surprised by the extent of the growth, Brother Webb said he knows “it is the hand of the Lord in hastening the work among this generation right now.”
Visit the Church News to learn more about how seminary and institute students are inviting their friends to join.
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