St. Cloud Florida Stake Blog

“Look at the name of that church,” Bonnie Whitt remarked to her husband Rick as they passed by a modest church building on Bermuda Avenue (later to be called John Young Parkway) in 1973. “[The name] is longer than the building.” Sister Whitt was at that time not a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Due to the ministering efforts of a friend from work and Bonnie’s brother, she was baptized in 1975. Brother Whitt would later be baptized in 1980. Together, the Whitts have seen extraordinary growth in the Kissimmee and Saint Cloud area.

The John Young Parkway building (affectionately called “JYP”) was built in three phases. Phase one included a multi-purpose room with a font, restrooms, three classrooms, a kitchen, and a branch president and clerk’s office. The multi-purpose room could be divided into four smaller rooms. At the front of the multi-purpose room was a platform which had a sacrament table, podium, and seats for the branch presidency and speakers. This first phase was completed in 1964. The first meeting held in the new building was a potluck dinner in July of that year.

By May of 1976, members of the fledgling Kissimmee Branch were hopeful their growing numbers could justify the branch being converted to a ward. Each week, the branch clerk would count the members present. Sister Whitt was nine months pregnant. As the branch clerk came to her during his count, she pointed toward her stomach to ensure her unborn son was included in the total number. “We can’t count him,” the clerk said, “not yet.” Shortly after the Whitt’s son was born in 1976, the Kissimmee Branch became a ward. By October 1979, the second phase of the building was completed, which included a foyer, chapel, overflow area, and three more classrooms. Brother and Sister Whitt’s daughter Christina was the first baby blessed in the new chapel.

In the summer of 1980, Sister Whitt was serving as the ward’s Primary president. Looking for an adult male leader for the older Primary age boys, Sister Whitt submitted Rick’s name to the current bishop, Grady Pate. Since Rick was not yet a member, Bishop Pate took the matter to the stake president who advised that Rick could serve in that capacity “as soon as he [was] baptized.” Although disappointed, Sister Whitt faithfully and prayerfully continued her search. Unknown to her, the elders quorum president had asked members of his quorum to fast and pray for Rick to get baptized. Exactly two weeks after the bishop and stake president’s conversation regarding Brother Whitt, Rick was baptized. Unfortunately for Sister Whitt, he was shortly thereafter called as the ward’s Sunday School president rather than a leader for the older Primary age boys. (He would eventually receive that calling five years later).

The third phase of the John Young Parkway building was completed soon after these events. The addition included a kitchen, Relief Society room, Young Women’s room, cultural hall, several more classrooms, and another set of bathrooms, along with a new font. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has continued to grow in this part of the Lord’s vineyard, which now includes a stake of Zion consisting of eight congregations, all located in Osceola county. The Whitts have served faithfully through decades of change and growth. “I have such a strong testimony,” Sister Whitt testified, “that the Lord puts us where He can use us the most. Let’s all stay strong in the gospel and work together to build His kingdom.”

Read more about the growth of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Central Florida by reading The Fruit of the Vineyard