By Gina Stoughton
Nearly 1,000 people were in attendance recently during a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Conference of the Anaheim Stake.
Within the conference, Scott Hicken of Garden Grove, was called as the new Anaheim Stake President, along with his two Counselors Douglas Sereno and Bryan Low. President Hicken replaces outgoing President Felipe Wolfgramm who has served in the position for eight years along with his counselors, Steven Douglas and Ryan Christensen.
President Hicken will serve as the ecclesiastical leader over six congregations of the Church in the Anaheim and Cypress areas, including two congregations where the Samoan and Tongan languages are spoken. As a Stake President he will also oversee the activities of the local bishops.
There are more than 3,100 members in the Anaheim Stake. The worldwide membership of the Church is more than 16 million, with more than 30,000 congregations.
The three men in the new residence come with years of ecclesiastical leadership experience, for which they have volunteered, in addition to working regular jobs in their professional lives.
President Hicken has served previously as a Bishop, Young Men’s Leader, Seminary teacher, Sunday School teacher and other church callings.
Hicken’s parents moved to Garden Grove in 1963 from the Torrance area, and he has lived there his entire life. Hicken and wife Darsi have raised their seven children in Garden Grove. Hicken’s father, Neil Hicken, also served as a Bishop twice and Stake President of the Garden Grove area.
“I’m very excited and uplifted to serve in this capacity; I look forward to Sundays, which have become my favorite day of the week,” said Hicken.
As he moves into this new assignment, he said his goal is “to help families become converted to the Gospel of Jesus Christ through daily family and personal prayer, and regular study of the scriptures.”
In this time of transition, Hicken extended a welcome: “To those individuals and families who struggle with diverse challenges, sin and addiction, and those who simply desire to learn of God’s will for them. We invite you to faithfully pray and ask God for direction and to remember His words, that he is ‘the bread of life: he that cometh unto me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst (John 6:35).’”
Sereno said, “We need the love of Christ now more than ever and we want to bring together our community through His love and our service for all.”
Low sent an invitation to “worship with us. Come and find out what the gospel of Jesus Christ has to offer each of you through the Lord’s restored Church.”