Spanish-Speaking Stake Created in Florida

For two years, Church members in the Miami, Florida, area have been working toward a goal to have the first Spanish-speaking stake in the southeastern United States. With the formation of the Miami Florida (Spanish) Stake on January 16, members achieved their goal.

“Two years minus three days ago, I challenged the region to develop a Spanish-speaking stake,” noted Elder Alexander B. Morrison of the Seventy, president of the North America Southeast Area, who presided over the boundary revisions that resulted in the Spanish-speaking stake as well as changes in three other stakes in the region.

“The creation of this new stake was approved by the First Presidency and the Twelve because the Lord said that ‘every man shall hear the fulness of the gospel in his own tongue, and in his own language’” (D&C 90:11), Elder Morrison told more than forty-five hundred Saints who had gathered for the regional conference. “Great blessings will come as the Spirit of the Lord is poured out on the Hispanic members in this area. This Spanish stake will provide opportunities for many more to participate in building the kingdom of the Lord in this part of the world.”

Local leaders say that the creation of the new stake is partly the result of consistent and enthusiastic missionary work and Melchizedek Priesthood training, which enabled Church units in the area to meet required numbers for unit expansion.

The Spanish-speaking stake is formally designated the Miami Florida (Spanish) Stake. The new stake that was created is the Pompano Beach Florida Stake. The name of the West Palm Beach Florida Stake was changed to the Stuart Florida Stake, and the South Miami Florida Stake is now called the Homestead Florida Stake. The boundary changes involved transferring some wards and branches from one stake to another, particularly non-Spanish-speaking wards that were previously part of the former Miami Florida Stake.