• October 19: Taters & Friends in Oviedo Building (6 pm)

• October 29: Stake Youth Night (6:45 pm)

• November 1st: Youth Dance in Leesburg (7 pm)

• November 6: Stake Leadership Training for Relief Society, Young Women, and Primary Presidencies (6:45 pm)

• November 19 - December 14: Giving Machine at Altamonte Mall

• December 6: Stake Cantata

• December 12 & 13: Stake Conference

• December 20: Christmas in the City (Donations boxes in Chapels now)

• December 31: New Year's Eve Bash

To be reconciled with God is coming into harmony with Him, or restoring a relationship with God that has been strained or broken by sin or other actions.

Being reconciled to God means aligning one’s will and actions with God’s. As the late President Russell M. Nelson taught, it means letting God prevail.

Reconciliation depends on Jesus Christ’s mercy and is made possible through His Atonement. Just as someone chooses to distance themself from God, he or she must also initiate the effort to reconcile.

Enos is one example of reconciliation in the scriptures. His life was out of alignment, and he relied on the Atonement of Jesus Christ to reconcile with God.

Reconciliation brings relief from guilt and brings peace with oneself and others. It heals relationships, softens hearts and strengthens discipleship. It increases confidence before God.

Disobedience, doubts and fears weaken a person’s connection to Jesus Christ. The antidote is to do those things that strengthen a connection to Christ — particularly repenting.

The desire to be reconciled to God also requires a desire to repent. Repenting and experiencing the blessings of the Atonement of Jesus Christ leads to unshaken faith. Unshaken faith brings a desire to always be reconciled to God.

At a track-and-field championship for seniors, everyone cheered when 100-year-old Orville Rogers finally crossed the finish line. He finished last in each of his five events, but he actually set five world records that day — because of his age and the degree of difficulty.

“Our congregations and families can be gathering places where we cheer each other on.”

Attending church can be hard for some people for various reasons. “Put yourself in that person’s place, and treat them the way you would want to be treated if you were in their shoes.”

Christlike treatment of others goes beyond families and congregations to include people of other faiths, countries, cultures and political persuasions. 

Living the gospel doesn’t mean checklists; it means becoming like Jesus Christ. 

A period of depression and struggle to feel God’s presence led to the understanding that only the Lord knows the level of difficulty in which each person is running their own race of life. Therefore, He is the only one qualified to judge. 

Commit now to always help and encourage others. For those struggling: “Please don’t lose hope. Please keep going. Please stay. You do belong. The Lord needs you, and we need you.”

The first point of doctrine taught by missionaries is that God is a loving Heavenly Father. Every subsequent truth builds on this foundational understanding. 

Moses learned this lesson as he met God face-to-face. God repeatedly taught him of his divine heritage, saying, “Thou art my son.” After this experience, the adversary addressed him, saying, “Moses, son of man.” This is a common and dangerous tool of the adversary. To seek validation, one must go vertically to heaven. 

In the sacrament scripture, the most repeated scripture in the Church, God asks to be called “God, the Eternal Father.” Lives change with the understanding of being a child of God. 

To deepen understanding of one’s relationship with Heavenly Father, one should pray and come to know that Jesus is the Christ. In addition to increasing the frequency and fervency of prayers, study of the Book of Mormon and temple worship will help prepare one’s mind for revelation. 

Because Heavenly Father’s love is manifest in the reality that He sent His Son as the Savior, one needs to come to know Him. Seek Him. Study His divine relationship with the Father, and come to know He “who is mighty to save” (2 Nephi 31:19).

The Old Testament tells the story of the woman of Shunem, who received a personal witness of Elisha the prophet after inviting him into her home and hearing his words. The Lord testified to the woman that Elisha was a prophet of God, and she acted by opening her house to receive him. 

Youth today can also receive a personal testimony of God’s prophets and open their hearts and minds to receive the message Heavenly Father has for these latter days. 

A prophet is a man whom God has called to speak for Him. There are prophets on the earth today just as there were in ancient times. Prophets are seers and revelators. That means they can see what others cannot see, and they can prophesy of future events. Each member of the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles is a prophet, seer and revelator. 

Prophets testify of Christ — His existence, ministry and divinity. God has commanded parents to raise children in light and truth. 

In the coming days, kneel, open one’s heart and pray with faith to Heavenly Father, asking Him to confirm that His chosen Prophet and Apostles are His voice on the earth today.

The Savior’s guidance reminds that temperance — an indispensable virtue for all — is an essential reinforcement for a firm foundation in Jesus Christ. Temperance harmonizes and strengthens other Christlike attributes, including humility, faith, hope, charity and the pure love that flows from Him. 

“Cultivating temperance is a meaningful way to protect our souls against the subtle yet constant spiritual erosion caused by worldly influences that can weaken our foundation in Jesus Christ.” 

Disciples of Christ who strive to cultivate this Christlike attribute become increasingly humble and full of love. 

“The gospel of Jesus Christ invites us to exercise this virtue especially in times of challenge, for it is precisely on these occasions that the true character of an individual is revealed.” 

The Savior’s ministry on earth was marked by the virtue of temperance in all aspects of His character. 

“As we strive, with faith and diligence, to weave temperance into our actions and words, I testify that we will strengthen and anchor our lives more securely upon the sure foundation of our Redeemer.”

“Primary songs have carried a holy influence in my life and have lifted my soul, taught me eternal truths and drawn me nearer to the Savior and to His gospel.” 

Since Primary began in 1878, music has been part of teaching children the gospel. “Primary songs can become a child’s first spiritual language because their simple, memorable melodies give voice to gospel truths.” 

The music taught in Primary can “be powerful doctrinal teaching tools,” as they can tell the stories of the Savior’s life, ministry, attributes and Atonement. 

“Primary music can be a miracle carried along the lifelong arc of discipleship that our children will travel.” Songs learned at a young age have “the power to stay with us — and return decades later.” 

“Sacred music can help write the doctrine of Christ into the soul and prepare us to receive His ordinances.” Music can link the Savior’s doctrine to a person’s memory and then to discipleship. 

Music in Primary can be taught with joy, doctrinal understanding and the Spirit, including helping children recognize the feelings of the Holy Ghost. These can prepare them for sacred ordinances. 

“Primary songs teach eternal truths and doctrines that lead us to Jesus Christ and His gospel.”

“To each leper, blind man and adulterous woman; to the lame, the deaf and the dumb; to every grieving mother, desperate father and mourning widow; to the condemned, the shamed and the suffering; to the dead in body and the dead in spirit, what He did was offer a new beginning.” 

Everything the Savior said and did provided a new beginning for those He healed, blessed, taught and relieved of sin. “All of us can have a new beginning through, and because of, Jesus Christ. Even you.” 

Some think a new beginning happens only once, at baptism. However, “Jesus gives us as many new beginnings as we need.” 

Jesus gave healing and compassion to those with great faith, those with wavering faith and those who hadn’t sought Him at all. “To all who would listen and respond, He gave a new beginning, whether it was a new life forgiven of sin, or a new life healed of disease, or a new life raised from death.” 

Through the goodness and grace of the Savior, “you can actually change things about yourself that have been wearing you down for years. You can start again through the might of the Master of new beginnings.”

The Lord is hastening His work despite challenging times. There is clear evidence that faith in Jesus Christ is increasing. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has seen a remarkable increase in converts and convert participation worldwide. 

“In the last 36 months nearly 900,000 converts have joined the Church. These converts constitute approximately 5% of the total Church membership. … In the first six months of this year, conversions have risen by more than 20% over the previous year in Europe, Africa, Asia, the Pacific and Latin America. In North America we have seen a 17% increase.” 

Latter-day Saints have a sacred duty to accept and welcome new and returning members. As the Lord hastens His work, Latter-day Saints should love, nurture and serve those who accept His gospel. 

“To those of you who are new or returning to the faith, there are challenges you may face. Be patient with yourself. … Learning the pure doctrine of Jesus Christ is a lifelong pursuit, both in understanding doctrine and living a Christlike life.” 

Following the Savior has never been easy in a world constantly in commotion. Fortunately, living prophets provide the guidance needed for this time.

Throughout history, altars have been used to worship God. 

The sacrament table and temple altars symbolize the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and His infinite Atonement. 

“As we make and honor our covenants, receiving the ordinances of the sacrament at church and the endowment and sealing at the temple, we bind ourselves to the Savior, gaining greater access to His mercy, protection, sanctification, healing and rest.” 

Satan tempts people to separate themselves from consecrated places of worship and from the protection of Jesus Christ. 

“Building an understanding of the Savior’s eternal Atonement line upon line, precept upon precept, provides a spiritual inoculation against the wiles of the adversary.” 

Friends of the Church are more likely to be baptized and receive the Holy Ghost if they attend sacrament meeting within the first week of contact. Young adults who receive their endowments soon after graduating from school are more likely to be sealed in the house of the Lord. 

Making and keeping covenants with the Lord form a reciprocal relationship with Him. 

Healing comes in the learning and covenant binding that happens at altars. 

“Our Savior’s arms are outstretched. His table is spread. Come worship the Son of God at His holy altars.”

Christ shared the parable of the good Samaritan with a charge to “Go, and do thou likewise” (Luke 10:37). 

Missionaries are modern-day examples of the good Samaritan, including missionaries called to service assignments. 

In the Book of Mormon, Ammon’s service to King Lamoni brought thousands of souls to repentance. Likewise, “as we serve others, … they desire to know the ‘reason of the hope that is in [us]’ (1 Peter 3:15).” 

Jesus invites all to “Go, and do thou likewise.” 

Through service missions, “every worthy young man and woman who desires to serve a full-time mission for the Lord can do so, with very few exceptions.” 

Every act of service is recognized by the Savior. Service also brings the power of Christ into individuals’ lives. 

“Service allows us to present ourselves as living sacrifices who are acceptable to God.” 

When someone is called as a service missionary, that is cause to celebrate. “If teaching missionaries are the Lord’s mouth, then service missionaries are the Lord’s hands. … You service missionaries gather Israel in so many ways, and your service changes lives.” 

Service has the power to open hearts to the gospel and allows individuals to give their whole soul to Christ.

Donation boxes in all chapel foyers until December 3rd

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.

Request an interview