How the age change for sister missionaries is impacting BYU women’s lacrosse

Many people won’t remember where they were on Nov. 21, 2025.

But for young women around the world, including freshmen on the BYU women’s lacrosse team, it’s a day they will remember forever.

“I think I was in (my) American Heritage class,” said Olivia Cannon. “We were reviewing for a test and then I just got this text from my friend.”

Anne Howard was in her room when her mother sent in a screenshot of the announcement to their family group chat. “I saw it, and I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, no way. That’s crazy.’ I was so excited.”

On Nov. 21, 2025, the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints announced that sister missionaries would have the option to serve missions beginning at age 18 instead of age 19, effective immediately.

The last time a change was made to eligible missionary service was more than ten years ago when then-President Thomas S. Monson announced that the age would lower from 19 to 18 for young men, and from 21 to 19 for young women.

For the BYU women’s lacrosse team, the announcement was a huge deal. As a young team with ten freshmen, eight of whom have mission calls, head coach Melissa Nash knew the age change for missionary service would affect her team.

And as a first-year head coach at BYU, Nash’s reaction was one mixed with complete shock and fear.

“Being a new coach, I really want this program to be successful. I’m a competitor at heart, so I want to win,” Nash said. “I knew immediately that it was going to affect us. And in the long run, I know it will affect us for good.”

For Taya Chalk, the announcement was an answer to prayer. After months of feeling like she needed to begin her missionary service earlier, Chalk wrote a letter to the First Presidency explaining how she felt. The very next day, the announcement of the age change was made.

“I know (the age change) had nothing to do with my letter, but I was so grateful that God was preparing me for the change,” said Chalk. “And now I get to go (on my mission) in May instead of September, so I’m so grateful.”

Chalk isn’t the only one of her teammates who gets to begin their missionary service early.

“I was so excited because my birthday is the end of June, so I was going to have to put my availability for the very end of June or July,” said Karlee Farnsworth, who will now begin her missionary service in Chicago, Illinois at the beginning of June.

Even though Howard was not affected by the age change as she was already 19, she was thrilled it happened.

“It just honestly gave me a lot of happiness about revelation (and) how we receive revelation. I just think it’s really cool,” said Howard.

And as for Nash, she is amazed at the freshmen’s dedication and the desire to serve.

“When I was at BYU, the mission age was 21, and no women were really going on missions; it just wasn't normal,” said Nash. “To see all these women putting their lives on hold ... they're really good at lacrosse, and they love lacrosse, and they're leaving boyfriends or families, and they're leaving their lives, and it's been such a testimony for me.”

When Nash asked what the freshmen were most excited about their missions, the answer was always their eagerness to serve the people in their assigned missions, which include Alaska, Illinois, California, Massachusetts, Mexico, Argentina, Ecuador and Japan.

“They're not thinking about how cool it's going to be for them to learn a new language or to live in a different country,” said Nash. “They're thinking about how they can help other people, which I think speaks volumes of who these women are.”

The desire to serve a mission had always been there for a majority of the freshmen.

“I’ve always wanted to (serve a mission),” said Eloise Malley. “When I was a kid, I used to say that I wanted to serve in the 'Disney World' mission. That didn’t work out.”

Instead, Malley was assigned to the Mormon Battalion and Oakland, California missions.

While the "Disney World" mission did not work out for Malley, Marcella Woolley had the opposite experience and was assigned to labor in a place she always knew she would go — Japan.

“It's funny, I've always known I was going to serve a mission, and I've always known I was going to Japan. I was born there. I was born in my mission,” said Woolley. “So, it's always just been in my life planned to go back for my mission, and it turned out that way.”

For Ella Engstrom, she credits her six older siblings for setting an example for her.

“I’m seventh of eight (kids), (and) all my six older (siblings) have gone on missions,” said Engstrom. “They've been going on missions since I was five. That's when my oldest brother left ...(and) it’s pretty much been nonstop since.”

Elise Cardall also watched her three older brothers serve missions, and decided that if they could serve missions, so could she.

“I feel like God has done so much in my life, and this is a way I can pay back,” said Cardall.

While there are many uncertainties surrounding the decision to step away from college athletics for eighteen months, Nash has made it a point to tell her freshmen one thing: Be where your feet are.

“With these freshmen going on missions, some of them are worried about, ‘How do I stay in shape’ (or) ‘How do I stay talented in lacrosse’ and we encourage them to be where their feet are,” said Nash. “If their feet are on their mission, be one hundred percent (focused) on their mission, and the Lord will bless them when they get home.”