As missionaries finish their service in the Tennessee Knoxville Mission, we invite them to share what they’ve learned that will help them be a lifelong disciple of Jesus Christ.
#DiscipleOfChrist
Disciple of Christ – Elder Avery
Disciple of Christ – Sister Avery
As missionaries finish their service in the Tennessee Knoxville Mission, we invite them to share what they’ve learned that will help them be a lifelong disciple of Jesus Christ.
#DiscipleOfChrist
Disciple of Christ – Elder Vejnar
As missionaries finish their service in the Tennessee Knoxville Mission, we invite them to share what they’ve learned that will help them be a lifelong disciple of Jesus Christ.
#DiscipleOfChrist
Tender Mercies in the TKM: The Maturin Family
The missionaries were at Food City inviting people to come to church. Noah came up to them and was curious about what they were doing and why they were inviting people to worship Jesus Christ with them at church.. He talked to the missionaries for a second, but they were holding up traffic so their conversation ended.
The elders then saw some kids playing football in the parking lot and decided to stop and join them. A couple minutes later, Noah walked up and also joined in! As they were talking more about what the missionaries do, a guy walked up and started antagonizing the missionaries and being rude to them. Noah defended the elders, told the man to leave the missionaries alone, and pointed out the good they are trying to do. After the man left, Noah expressed he was interested in their message and wanted to learn more.
Noah was very curious about our church, especially as he learned it wasn’t like others because it was the restored church of Jesus Christ. He shared he didn’t like the ways some other churches did things.
In one of these first lessons, the missionaries taught Noah the doctrine of baptism and confirmation and invited him to be baptized. Just after that lesson, his son Gabe joined and the missionaries invited him to be baptized too.
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Every time the missionaries went back to the Maturin home, they met more of Noah’s family. Their family consists of Noah, his wife Shannon, and their kids Isabelle, Isaiah, Gabe, Gabby and Elijah. The kids absolutely loved Wednesday night youth activities and getting to know more kids in the church. The family had a great experience the first time they attended sacrament meeting and felt welcomed in the Bristol Ward.
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Noah along with Elijah, Gabe, Gabby, and Isaiah were baptized into the Bristol Ward on December 7, 2025. A week later, Noah went to the temple with Gabe and Isaiah. His wife Shannon and daughter Isabelle followed soon after and were baptized by Noah on January 4, 2025.
#TKMTenderMercies
Tender Mercies in the TKM: Rose
Rose was found through a couple who had gotten married and then baptized into the church. Throughout Rose’s conversion, she struggled meeting with the missionaries regularly. She would have times she frequently met with missionaries and then stop meeting when life got so busy.
Throughout her time meeting with the missionaries. Rose had been put on date for baptism four times but never made it to her baptism date.
One day, Sister ‘Iongi and Sister Hansen were reviewing friends who had been taught in the past and had the impression to call Rose. When they first met with her, Rose welcomed the missionaries into her home and they began to teach her again. Rose knew that the things she was taught was true and that it could change her life if she continued to be faithful in the gospel of Jesus Christ, so she set a date to be baptized.. She relied on the power of prayer to make it to her baptismal day.
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Rose was also trying to look for a job during the time she was meeting with the missionaries. When she interviewed for jobs, she often had a hard time organizing her thoughts to give good answers to the interview questions. Rose turned to God by asking for help through prayer. She was kept her commitments by reading the scriptures and coming to church. Heavenly Father answered her prayers and blessed her with the ability to give good answers in her job interview.
Rose also wanted her sons to come to church and know that they need God in their life. Her greatest desire is that her boys will join her and Rose is committed to be an example to her family. Rose has a big heart and is full of charity. When members would come to join the lessons with the missionaries, Rose would give them a Pohnpeian skirt or a lei to show gratitude for coming and helping her with her spiritual journey.
Rose was baptized on May 8, 2026 and became a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Bearden Ward. When Rose was baptized she was ready to jump right in and wanted a calling in the church!
#TKMTenderMercies
The missionaries who taught Rose: Elder Kaumavae, Elder Greenhalgh, Elder Porter, Sister Rabinovitch, Sister Harris, Sister Lund, Sister Fisher, Sister Fee, Sister Fear, Sister Dever, Sister Brown, Sister Avei, Sister Bundy, Sister Ericksen, Sister Hansen, and Sister ‘Iongi.
Welcome to the TKM: March 2026
On March 18th we welcomed 12 new missionaries to the Tennessee Knoxville Mission. Excited to have these missionaries here in the TKM!
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As always, the departing missionaries made some great welcome posters for our arriving missionaries.
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After getting them to bed early on Wednesday night, we started Thursday morning by introducing them to their trainers and first areas.
| New Missionary | Trainer | Area |
| Elder Powell | Elder Vejnar | Brevard |
| Elder Harris | Elder Clouse | Rotherwood |
| Elder Nebeker | Elder Porter | Powell Valley |
| Elder Sabey | Elder Pinkerton | Smoky Mountain |
| Sister Overbay | Sister Roberts | Dalton SP2 |
| Sister Hull | Sister Ingebretsen/Huff | Lebanon 2nd SP |
| Sister Holt | Sister Larsen/Dorr | Johnson City SP |
| Sister Anderson | Sister Hall/Waite | Lakeway SP |
| Sister Glazebrook | Sister Blake/Ivey | Grove Park SP |
| Sister Hawkins | Sister Henderson | Crossville 1st |
| Sister Andrus | Sister Worwood | East Ridge |
| Sister Savage | Sister Mulford | Chatt Valley |
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We are excited to see what these missionaries accomplish and how much they change as they invite all to come unto Christ!
#WhatsUpInTKM
24th TKM Family Olympics
On March 18th we had 10 wonderful missionaries finish their service in the Tennessee Knoxville Mission. These missionaries have changed in amazing ways over the last 18 and 24 months. We are so proud of them and grateful for the impact they’ve each had on the mission and their fellow missionaries.
We were missing Sister Barlow as she was not feeling well, so President Barlow took care of the 24th TKM Family Olympics.
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We had three events for our olympics. Missionaries competed in ping pong, Sequence, and the marquee event, our Welcome Poster Contest for our new missionaries.
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The missionaries did a great job on their five posters welcoming 12 missionaries arriving the following day.
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Congratulations to the gold medal winners for the 24th TKM Family Olympics: Sister Brock and Sister Tuala.
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The missionaries shared their final Tender Mercy video:
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God bless these missionaries! And God bless the TKM!
#WhatsUpInTKM
Tender Mercies in TKM: Jason
Jason was facing a really difficult trial in his life, and one day came across an ad online to meet with missionaries. He liked how happy the people were, and decided that he wanted to find out why they were so happy!
Jason sent in a request and met with missionaries who taught him about the Restoration of Jesus Christ’s church. As Jason continued to look into the church and learn about truths like the Plan of Salvation, he felt that the gospel principles were really what God would want for His children.
When he attended church for the first time at the Abingdon Ward, Jason noted that the church members really practiced what they preach. He felt that the feelings he got there were real and that they came from God through His Holy Spirit.
Jason’s first time taking the sacrament was a powerful experience for him. He felt the Holy Ghost stronger than he ever had previously. He knew that he wanted that Spirit in his life all the time and asked the missionaries how he can always have the Holy Ghost with him.
On March 8, 2026, Jason was baptized and confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. After being asked how he feels about his baptism, he said “I feel really happy. It’s like I want to dance or something. I just feel really happy.”
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Jason continues to help the missionaries and wants to continue to share Jesus Christ’s gospel. He wants everyone to know, “I didn’t come from this background. At first the stuff seemed strange, but the Holy Ghost has confirmed it’s true. And that’s really, really good. There’s power in it!”
#TKMTenderMercies
Tender Mercies in the TKM: Mark
Missionaries originally found Mark in July 2025 when they knocked on his door. He was taught once but then lost contact with the missionaries.
In February 2026, the sisters knocked on his door again. Mark said he’d like to keep meeting so the sisters started teaching him. As he was being taught, Mark kept saying over and over, “This has got to be true because I can feel it!” He said, “It all fits together!”
One of his biggest keys to Mark’s conversion was that he fell in love with the Book of Mormon. He loves learning about the people in the Book of Mormon and how the Book of Mormon works hand-in-hand with the Bible. He loved the truths taught in the Plan of Salvation and said he wanted to start preparing for judgement day.
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When Mark came to church for the first time, the congregation in Maryville was so welcoming. He has made many new friends in the Maryville Ward and loves his new church family.
Mark’s baptism ended up being postposed one week at the last minute so his childhood friend Tony could baptize him. Mark used that week to work hard on strengthening his testimony even more. His baptism day was a very joyous day! He was baptized on March 22, 2026 as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Maryville Ward. Mark frequently talks about how he wants to share the joy and truth he has found from Jesus Christ’s restored church with others.
#TKMTenderMercies
Tender Mercies in the TKM: Sergio
Sergio sent in a referral and the missionaries called him immediately. In their first conversation with him he said that he wanted to get baptized. The sisters didn’t have steady contact with him until they stopped by on Saturday where they invited him to church. Sergio said that he was going to go with his friend, but if he didn’t like his friend’s church he said he would come to our sacrament meeting next week.
Later that Saturday night, the sisters got a text from Sergio saying he’d changed his mind and he’d like to come to church with them.
On Sunday morning, the Dorociaks drove him to church and Sergio was able to participate in an ordinance for the first time when he took the sacrament. He loved church! The Spirit prompted the sisters to invite him to be baptized on March 22nd, and he excitedly accepted!
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Sergio told everyone how much he wanted to change his life and start fresh. The missionaries worked to teach him everything he needed to know before his baptism. He started reading the Book of Mormon every day and loved to tell them about what he was reading. Sergio said he had been “getting on his friends’ nerves” for how often he’s been talking about his baptism.
So many things came together beautifully for Sergio to make this covenant with our Heavenly Father. He was baptized and confirmed on March 22, 2026 in the Forest City Ward. It was a wonderful service and so many people came to support him. Sergio is very thankful for everything God has given him.
#TKMTenderMercies
Barlows in TKM 