The local congregations of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have a new stake president who will lead the five congregations located in Kirkland.

Local resident Jacob Sowby was recently sustained and welcomed in the annual Kirkland Stake Conference as the stake’s new president. According to a press release, he will oversee the more than 2,000 members in Kirkland and train the bishops of the five congregations, which includes one Spanish-speaking congregation. Sowby speaks fluent Spanish, which he learned while serving an LDS mission from 1999-2001.

Because the church has no local paid ministers, the 38-year-old Sowby will continue in his profession as sales representative with Titleist Golf. He will conduct his church-related activities and meetings in the evenings and on Sundays, with the support of wife Jaimi Sowby and their two children, the release states.

His tenure as stake president is normally expected to last about 10 years, according to the release.

Sowby hopes to continue the spiritual guidance of his predecessor, Kirkland resident Richard Dudley, who has now been asked to teach children in Sunday school, the releases states. He intends to assist members in focusing on LDS temple service and community service.

“One of our goals is to make sure that our congregations serve throughout the community in a variety of ways as we believe disciples of Jesus Christ should do,” Sowby said in the release.

Sowby will also work closely with teenagers and young adults, as they develop and formulate plans for their lives, according to the release. As a bishop previously, he worked closely with his congregation’s youth and in their service at church, school and in the community. He promises to continue his commitment to them: to make young people one of his highest priorities, the release states.

For more information about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and local church meeting information, visit tinyurl.com/y6y4wnxn.