SALT LAKE CITY — The worldwide membership of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was 16,565,036 as of Dec. 31, 2019, up from 16,313,735 at the end of 2018 and 16,118,169 at the end of 2017.

The net increase of 251,301 church members was reflected in a statistical report issued during the Saturday afternoon session of the faith’s 190th Annual General Conference.

Other statistics:

The church now has 30,940 congregations, up 404 year over year. The number of stakes has increased to 3,437, up 54 from 3,383 a year ago. The number of districts decreased from 547 to 542.

In terms of membership growth, the church added 94,266 new children of record in 2019, down from 102,102 in 2018 and 106,771 in 2017.

A total of 248,835 converts were baptized during 2019, up from 234,332 a year earlier and 233,729 in 2017.

At the end of 2019, the church had 67,021 young proselyting missionaries, up 1,884 from 65,137 in 2018 and 67,049 at the end of 2017.

The church has moved tens of thousands of missionaries who were serving in countries other than their own back to their home countries because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Hundreds have been released early and others will be released temporarily at the end of the month.

In 2019, the church also had 31,333 church service missionaries, down from 37,963 in 2018 and 36,172 in 2017.

The church had 167 operating temples at the end of last year. It dedicated six new temples, including the memorable dedication of the Rome Italy Temple. Church leaders also rededicated seven more temples in 2019.

The church now has 168 operating temples, with the dedication of the Durban South Africa Temple in February. However, after months of closing some of its temples as the pandemic spread, the church temporarily closed all temples on March 25.

The full 2019 statistical report is available here. The 2018 report is here.