![Over 800 Pensacola Stake members attended the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ semi-annual conference Jan. 6 and 7. They listened to lessons that focused on building personal faith, temple and family history work, member and community welfare, and missionary work. [Special to the Press Gazette]](http://127.0.0.1/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/ghows-DA-626e572e-c4d4-3d3a-e053-0100007fb502-53c8f2bd.jpeg)
PENSACOLA — The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ Pensacola Stake held a semi-annual conference Jan. 6 and 7. It consisted of instructions from local leaders and testimonies of Jesus Christ presented by selected members.
The Pensacola Stake consists of nine congregations within the region including Navarre, Gulf Breeze, Perdido, Milton, Jay, Pace, Fox Run, Pensacola Military and Pensacola. Over 800 members listened to lessons that focused on building personal faith, temple and family history work, member and community welfare, and missionary work.
Senior Missionaries Tom and Irene Price presented a training session on family history. They shared insights on how excited people become when learning about their family lineage and grasping the importance of families — because, they said, that is how heaven is organized.
The church purportedly has the largest free database on family histories in the world, http://www.FamilySearch.org. The Prices are planning hands-on family-history work sessions throughout the Pensacola area the first week of February. These are free and open to the public.
New member Lillie Longs shared her story about ordering a free Bible, which was delivered by two young missionaries.
"The moment I walked up to them, I felt the Lord’s spirit," she said. "The more I spoke with them and studied the scriptures, the more I understood how the Bible and Book of Mormon reinforce each other."
Larry Wilkinson explained that living the Lord’s commandments was easy, but repentance was hard.
"It involves not just being sorry, but confessing the error of your ways, being determined to never do it again and making restitution for your offenses," he said.
Tallahassee Mission President Clint Smith thanked members for their kindness and willingness to work with the 30 young men and women missionaries assigned to this area. Young men spend two years and young women 18 months as full-time missionaries, sharing the message of Jesus Christ’s atonement throughout the community.
Members also mourned the recent death of the President and Prophet of the Church, Thomas S. Monson. As of this writing, a successor has not been named; however, church members voted to sustain the existing leadership.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will present family-history work sessions throughout the Pensacola area the first week of February. These are free and open to the public.
Call area missionaries at 525-7770 or 291-0410 for more information.
UPCOMING
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Pensacola Stake attends LDS conference