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Brothers and Sisters,
One of the priorities our Area Presidency has asked leaders to emphasize as part of the Area Plan is to “Plan sacrament meetings that are welcoming, spirit filled and focused on the Savior and His Atonement.”
While bishoprics have the responsibility to plan Sacrament Meeting, it ultimately falls to all of us to help make this vision a reality. President Russell M. Nelson reminded us of this shared responsibility when he taught, “Each member of the Church bears responsibility for the spiritual enrichment that can come from a sacrament meeting.”
President Dallin H. Oaks further taught that “The ordinance of the sacrament makes the sacrament meeting the most sacred and important meeting in the Church.”
If this is the “most sacred” meeting in the church, the only one we attend as a family, it would be worth considering if our preparation and attendance is casual or can we make it more purposeful?
Recently I was reminded that my personal focus while attending Sacrament meeting has a profound impact on how much I can truly receive of “His Spirit” as promised in the sacrament prayers. This more purposeful focus needs to start in the hours and days before this worship service and is part of my active preparation to partake of the sacrament.
President Henry B. Eyring beautifully said that “Of all the blessings we can count, the greatest by far is the feeling of forgiveness that comes as we partake of the sacrament. We will feel greater love and appreciation for the Savior, whose infinite sacrifice made possible our being cleansed from sin.”
As a Stake Presidency, we invite all members of the Lake Mary Stake to do our part to ensure that our sacrament meetings are welcoming, spirit filled and focused on the Savior and His Atonement. Please consider what you and your families can do to be more welcoming to all. When you have the opportunity to give a talk or bear your testimony, consider your purpose to focus on Savior and his Atonement. Reflect on ways that you might increase your ability to feel this wonderful “feeling of forgiveness that comes as we partake of the sacrament” described by President Eyring.
I testify that as we prepare more deliberately for this sacred weekly worship, our families and all who attend with us will be blessed.
President Terence Longhurst
Stake Presidency 1st Counselor
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Note: If you need information about any of the Wards or Branches in the Lake Mary Stake, please visit the Wards page: https://www.lakemarystake.org/wards
Upcoming Events
Upcoming Events
Pre-FSY Kick Off
Saturday, Feb 28th from 9:30 am to 2:00 pm
701 W. Wetherbee Road, Orlando
14 to 18 Years Old
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School Appropriate Dress
General Conference
April 4 and 5
Easter
April 5
Come Follow Me
Come Follow Me
The Lord Is Steady and Present: Jesus Christ remains actively involved in our lives, offering peace and direction as we turn to Him.
Faithful Willingness Matters Most: Discipleship grows through faithful choices. Jesus Christ strengthens us as we choose to follow Him.
Purposeful Study Brings Us to Christ: When we study the Savior with intention, we feel His love with greater faith and confidence.
God Is Present in Uncertain Times
These lessons remind us that uncertainty is not new. From the beginning, God’s children have lived in times of confusion, wickedness, and fear. Yet the Lord has never withdrawn His hand. He speaks. He invites. He prepares a way forward. In every generation, He reaches for those who are willing to listen.
These messages reassure us that when the world feels unsettled, the Lord remains steady. He knows His children. He understands our circumstances. And He continues to guide us, personally and lovingly, toward safety, purpose, and peace through Jesus Christ.
The Lord Works Through Willing Hearts
A powerful theme across these lessons is that the Lord does not wait for perfection. He works through faith. Noah was willing to listen when others would not. Abraham was willing to move forward without knowing every detail. Their strength came from trust, not certainty. The Lord still works this way. He asks us to act on what we know now, trusting that light will come.
These lessons teach that discipleship is a process of choosing God again and again. Willing hearts invite divine help, and small acts of faith open the way for great spiritual growth.
Covenants Provide Direction and Belonging
Throughout these lessons, we see a God who binds Himself to His children through covenants. These promises provide direction in confusing times and belonging in a divided world. Covenants are not restrictions. They are relationships. They connect us to God’s power and purpose. They remind us who we are and who we are becoming. Through Jesus Christ, covenant paths lead to hope, forgiveness, and transformation.
These lessons invite us to see our own covenants not as distant or abstract, but as living sources of strength that guide daily decisions and anchor us to the Savior.
The Lord Works Through Willing Hearts
A powerful theme across these lessons is that the Lord does not wait for perfection. He works through faith. Noah was willing to listen when others would not. Abraham was willing to move forward without knowing every detail. Their strength came from trust, not certainty. The Lord still works this way. He asks us to act on what we know now, trusting that light will come.
These lessons teach that discipleship is a process of choosing God again and again. Willing hearts invite divine help, and small acts of faith open the way for great spiritual growth.
Jesus Christ Is at the Center
Although these lessons come from the Old Testament, Jesus Christ is at their center. He is present in the rescue God offers, the mercy extended, and the promises fulfilled. Every invitation to follow God is ultimately an invitation to come unto Christ. His Atonement makes obedience possible, repentance hopeful, and discipleship sustainable.
These lessons teach that we are never asked to walk alone. Christ walks with us. He strengthens us. He redeems our efforts. As we study, we are invited to look for Him—and to recognize how deeply He is already involved in our lives.
A Gentle Invitation Forward
Together, these lessons extend a gentle but clear invitation: walk with God intentionally. Not perfectly. Not fearfully. But faithfully. As we study, we are invited to listen more carefully, trust more deeply, and act more deliberately. The Lord does not rush His children, but He does invite them forward. Personal scripture study becomes more meaningful when we look for His voice and His Son. As members of the Lake Mary Stake, we move forward together, learning, growing, and drawing closer to Jesus Christ, one faithful step at a time.
Temple Recommend Interviews
Temple Recommend Interviews
A temple recommend is a symbol of your worthiness and readiness to enter the house of the Lord. If your recommend is expired or soon to expire, please schedule an interview with a member of the bishopric and then the stake presidency. Let us prepare to worship and serve in the temple regularly.
Once you have finished your interview with a member of your bishopric, a member of the stake will reach out to you to schedule an interview with a member of the Stake Presidency.
Note: If you need information about any of the Wards/Branches/Groups in the Lake Mary Stake, please visit the Wards page: https://www.lakemarystake.org/wards
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