Tender Mercies in the TKM: Olivia

Olivia played softball at BYU last year and decided to switch over to Chattanooga State. While she was at BYU she met her boyfriend Logan who grew up as a member. Olivia was having a rough week. Olivia was telling Logan she just wanted to feel more peace. Logan told her to go to the nearest church to feel more peace.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints building was only 10 minutes away from Olivia house so she decided to go there. It just so happened that the Tabernacle Choir Watch Party was happening that night in the Chattanooga Stake. The Ootlewah elders ran into her at the Watch Party and learned more about why she came to the church that night. They set up a return appointment and started to teach her.

Olivia was well prepared to receive the gospel of Jesus Christ. The elders invited her to be baptized on October 20th. Olivia said yes! She said she had been waiting for them to ask her.

The Elders realized that Olivia didn’t live in Ooltewah and they would have to pass her off to the sister missionaries in the Chattanooga Ward. We had the most amazing spiritual pass off lesson with the Elders at the house of one of our incredible members who we knew Olivia would connect with. The Spirit was incredibly strong and Olivia expressed to us she was going through a lot of challenges with her family relationships. She said it was extremely hard to give up some other things as well but she knew this gospel was a piece missing from her life.

Olivia was baptized in October 20, 2024. It was so beautiful! After she came out of the water she was crying. She felt the Spirit so strong and felt warmth.

That week Olivia was able to attend the Atlanta Temple to do baptisms and confirmations. She was so excited to enter the House of the Lord. She felt so much peace and comfort there and cant wait to go back again! She has the strongest testimony of gospel of Jesus Christ and the prophet Joseph Smith. She has shared the gospel with several different people around her.

Olivia is now engaged to her fiance Logan and plans to get sealed in the temple as soon as she can. She is a primary teacher in the Chattanoga Ward and has so much love for the children she teaches. She has seen the blessings that Heavenly Father has for her and the happiness it brings into her life. Olivia has truly impacted our lives and her testimony is so beautiful. We are so grateful we are able to be apart of her journey and to build such an amazing friendship with her. We sure do love Olivia!

#TKMTenderMercies

The TKM LOVES our Senior Missionaries!

Once each transfer, we gather together with all of the senior missionaries in the mission. On December 14th, all senior missionaries in the TKM gathered at the mission home for a Christmas Party. We had a wonderful lunch together and shared white elephant gifts. The best part is being together, sharing our experiences, and getting to know each other better. This is a special group with a special connection.

It was Sister Jentzsch’s birthday, so our Christmas party doubled as a birthday celebration! Sister Jentzsch is the heart and soul of the mission. Happy Birthday Sister Jentzsch!

Elder and Sister Hillman brought their Christmas bells, so we created our own bell choir to play some Christmas songs.

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A special shout out to my mom Marilyn and my sister Christie who flew into Tennessee to help us this week and cooked lunch for all of our senior missionaries.

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This is a great opportunity to introduce all of our incredible senior missionaries!

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Elder and Sister Jentzsch

Elder and Sister Jentzsch arrived in the TKM a month before we did, so we can’t imagine the TKM without them! Sister Jentzsch serves as our mission secretary and keeps us all organized, and Elder Jentzsch is our Vehicle Coordinator and is responsible for the 84 vehicles in the mission. Both are really big jobs and the Jentzsch’s do them incredibly well. They also serve in the Loudon Ward where they are having many special experiences as missionaries and ministers.

Sister Young

Sister Young is our Mission Health Advisor. With a background as a nurse, she supports our missionaries with all things related to their physical health. When you are around her, you will notice her phone rings frequently. She is always so kind, generous, and supportive. All of the missionaries love her! I don’t know what we would do without Sister Young (or Sister Ford)! We like to call Sister Young the TKM Ministering Angel because we have watched her drive from Knoxville to Asheville to Chattanooga and then back to Knoxville in the same day ministering to missionaries!

Sister Ford

Sister Ford also serves as a Mission Health Advisor. She lives in Kingsport, TN and like Sister Young is like a guardian angel of the mission. One of Sister Ford’s super powers is being a cheerleader. Along with keeping everyone healthy, she is always encouraging the missionaries in their missionary work. We love Sister Ford and have been so grateful for her service as a missionary.

Elder and Sister Neville

The Nevilles are from St. George, Utah and started in the TKM in September 2023. They have been serving in the Powell Valley Ward and also help to support the Group in Harlan, Kentucky. They are incredible ministers and have helped new and returning members, have taught self-reliance classes, helped families with significant welfare needs, and helped members progress on the covenant path. They have been so willing to do whatever is needed to help support their ward. The missionaries in their district gather each week for district council meetings at the Nevilles’ home and they love to spend time with them.

Elder and Sister Chris

Elder and Sister Chris are from Santa Clara, Utah and have been serving since October 2023. They live in Hendersonville, North Carolina and serve in the Hendersonville 2nd Branch, which is a Pohnpeian branch in the Asheville Stake. They have completely embedded themselves in the branch and adopted the Micronesian culture as their own. The members in that little branch love them and have gifted them many beautiful necklaces and head wreaths as a symbol of their gratitude for all Elder and Sister Chris do. We were especially grateful to have them in the Asheville area during Hurricane Helene where they provided calm and assurance for the missionaries and helping hands for the Asheville community.

Elder and Sister Hillman

Elder and Sister Hillman are from West Jordan, Utah and have been serving since November 2023. They heard Elder Rasband’s talk in the October 2023 General Conference and were here a month later. Sister Hillman has tremendous organizational skills and keeps everything in the office organized. She is in charge of supplies for the missionaries and takes care of the many lunches and dinners that happen with meetings across the mission. Elder Hillman serves as our Technology Specialist and Referral Secretary. They also serve in the Knoxville YSA branch and have had great experiences there. The Hillmans are well loved by the missionaries and have been mentors and examples of Christlike service to all of us.

Elder and Sister Bennett

Elder and Sister Bennett are from Asheville, North Carolina and have been serving since January 2024. They serve in the Asheville Central Branch and the missionaries all love the Bennetts! They are often side-by-side with the missionaries as they teach new friends and recent converts. They also were an incredible blessing during the challenges we had with Hurricane Helene. They didn’t have power or water for a number of days but that didn’t stop them from welcoming the missionaries with open arms to their home. Even in the aftermath of a hurricane, Elder and Sister Bennett didn’t miss a moment of Southern hospitality! Memories of charity and love from the Bennetts will stay with the missionaries for life.

Elder and Sister Markli

Elder and Sister Markli are from Oak Ridge, Tennessee and are serving as Temple Construction Missionaries at the construction site of the Knoxville Tennessee Temple. The missionaries love to take friends to visit the Markli’s at the visitor center set up at the temple site. Their district of missionaries also love to have their district councils there. They recite The Living Christ from memory on their drive to the temple site each day. They know the Savior and it shows in the way they serve. The Marklis will continue to serve until the temple is completed.

Elder and Sister Davis

Elder and Sister Davis are from Farmington, Utah and have been serving since March 2024. They live in Sevierville, Tennessee and serve in the Sevierville Ward and Member and Leader Support missionaries. They’ve been busy working to contact all less active and prospective elders in the ward and inviting them to return. They have a love for family history and set up family history booths and many of the local county fairs this summer. They are also organizing service opportunities for every area in our mission. Elder and Sister Davis have been a great blessing to their ward and every time we see the members, they tell us how much they love and appreciate Elder and Sister Davis. We do too!

Elder and Sister Browning

Elder and Sister Browning are from Smithfield, Utah and have been serving since July 2024. Sister Browning as our Financial Secretary and Elder Browning is our Housing Coordinator. These are two incredibly big jobs. We don’t know what we would do without the Brownings. They are incredible! And everyone loves serving with them. Sister Browning has a gift of eyes to see what is needed and the ability to quickly and kindly take care of things and people. Elder Browning is a man of great humility and faith. They also serve in the Smoky Mountain Ward and help minister there.

Elder and Sister Heslop

Elder and Sister Heslop are from Ogden, Utah and have been serving since October 2024. They live in Crossville, Tennessee and serve and Member and Leader Support missionaries in the Crossville 1st Ward and the Crossville 2nd Branch. In their role, they are helping to minister to less active members, part member families, and prospective elders. The missionaries love to be in their home and spend time with them every chance they get. The Heslops bring incredible experience and we are so grateful they are here serving in the TKM.

Elder and Sister Puentes

Elder and Sister Puentes are from West Jordan, Utah and joined us in the TKM in November 2024. They live in Morristown, Tennessee and serve in the Lakeway Ward supporting the Spanish Group there. The members and missionaries felt an immediate connection with Elder and Sister Puentes! Elder Puentes has a great sense of humor and always gets a laugh. Sister Puentes is humble, warm, and it’s easy to feel her love for the Lord.

Elder and Sister Hendrix

Elder and Sister Hendrix are from Taylorsville, Utah and started their service in November 2024. They live in Chattanooga, Tennessee and are assigned to the Chattanooga Ward. The missionaries love them already! They are the classic grandparents away from home- full of love, kindness, and a great talent for ministering as the Savior does. We have already seen them be His hands as the serve. They are musically talented and their little branch is in for a treat whenever they share their incredible talents. We are so blessed to have them here in the TKM!

Elder and Sister Shumway

Elder and Sister Shumway started in the TKM in December 2024. They are from Mesa, Arizona, live in Lafayette, Georgia, and are serving in the Lafayette Branch. Even though they’ve only been here a few weeks, we’ve already received multiple calls from members of the branch thanking us for sending the Shumways there. They have a great sense of humor, are fun to be around, have incredible experience in serving in the church, and will make a tremendous difference in their missionary service.

Elder and Sister Greaves

Elder and Sister Greaves are from Ogden, Utah and began their service in December 2024. They are living in Abingdon, Virginia and will serve in the Abingdon Ward. The Greaves have a grandson serving here, have joined our weekly zoom call with families called “Knit Together Sunday”. One week while on our zoom call, they felt a strong impression they should come serve in the Tennessee Knoxville Mission…and here they are! We love their faith in answering the call to serve. They are very talented and bring remarkable church experience that will greatly bless the people in Abingdon.

When we first came to the Tennessee Knoxville Mission, we had 11 senior missionaries serving, with three couples close to returning home. Today we are so fortunate to have 28 senior missionaries serving. Each of them are making an incredible difference in the TKM. These missionaries make a tremendous difference in the wards and branches where they serve, but they make an even bigger difference with the young missionaries they serve with every day.

And yet, we could still use many more senior missionaries. If you’ve thought about serving, and especially if you would like to join us in the Tennessee Knoxville Mission, please reach out to me and Sister Barlow. We would love to share with you the ways that you can serve and the great difference you will make. We promise you will have a life-changing experience. We would love to have you serve here in the Tennessee Knoxville Mission, but any mission would be happy to welcome you.

If you’ve ever thought about serving, watch this talk from Elder Ronald A. Rasband titled, “How Great Will Be Your Joy”. Please come!

See these other posts about the impact of senior missionaries:

#WhatsUpInTKM

Welcome to the TKM!

On December 11th, we welcomed 16 new missionaries to the Tennessee Knoxville Mission. They will be serving here for the next 18 or 24 months.

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We had a great welcoming committee at the airport with he welcome posters made by our departing missionaries.

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Because it was wet and cold, we held all of the orientation at the stake center in Farragut, though we did get to go out to Market Square and find people to teach.

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The most exciting part of welcoming new missionaries is assigning them to their trainers and first areas. We know Heavenly Father has great trust and confidence in these trainers. Here are the trainer assignments for these new missionaries.

New MissionaryTrainerArea
Sister IongiSister Bunderson/CampbellBrevard
Sister LauluSister NunnMarion
Sister RushSister Bosh/LowAsheville
Sister DiedeSister PetersenEast Ridge
Sister LancasterSister BundyRinggold
Sister PetersonSister WilsonPleasant Ridge
Sister WilliamsSister MasseyGreenville
Elder KeelerElder WrightLafayette
Elder JarmanElder WoodwardCherokee
Elder HalesElder WilsonJamestown
Elder GuntherElder SommerLebanon 2nd
Elder BronsonElder EyreLebanon 3rd
Elder TylerElder CarrollWatauga
Elder WoodruffElder McDonaldPowell Valley
Elder PainterElder Wickliffe/FarnesAthens
Elder ChristensenElder FarrSevierville

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Can’t wait to see what this group accomplishes and the disciples of Christ they become during their time in the TKM!

#WhatsUpInTKM

13th TKM Family Olympics

On December 11th, we had 9 fantastic missionaries who finished their service in the Tennessee Knoxville Mission. They’ve each made a tremendous difference here and we’ve been very grateful to serve side-by-side with each of them.

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The competition in the 13th TKM Family Olympics was very, very close. With it being a rainy day, we competed in three events: Poster Contest, Sequence, and Corn Hole.

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In the end, the poster making contest ending up being the deciding factor!

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In the end, the winners of the gold medal for the 13th TKM Family Olympics were Elder Mecham and Elder Huff (who by the way were also MTC companions!).

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We love these missionaries, and can’t wait to see what big plans Heavenly Father has for each one of them!

#WhatsUpInTKM

Tender Mercies in the TKM: Angela

This story is about a valiant seeker of truth, who is a powerhouse of knowledge and the Spirit, and loves Jesus Christ. Her name, is Angela. 

One day, Angela was down by the pool at her apartment complex, when she met Tevin, who is a member but had not been to church in a while. They got to talking, and began to do Bible studies together, which of course led to discussions about church. Angela had been looking for a church to attend since she moved here, and while she had visited a few, none of them felt quite right. She’d always had a strong relationship with God, and when Tevin brought up the Church, she convinced him to go to church and to bring her as well. She enjoyed the experience, listening to the talks and the music, and she introduced herself to the missionaries, and expressed interest in learning more.

We set up a time to come see her later that week. We went over and got to know her, and even at that first meeting it was clear that she had a strong relationship with Jesus Christ, and that it meant a lot to her. One of the first lessons we taught her was about prophets, and how important they are, and we invited her to listen to some talks by President Nelson. After listening to some of his talks she remarked that she had never felt so much peace in her home as she did when she would play his sermons. She explained that she would turn it on and have it play in the background becasue of how much peace it brought to her. During this same time she started her study of the Book of Mormon.

As she opened the Book of Mormon for the first time, she read the Testimonies of the Three Witnesses, the Eight Witnesses, and of course, the Testimony of the Prophet Joseph Smith. As she read Joseph Smith’s testimony, she gained her own testimony of it’s truthfulness, and the reality of the First Vision, that Joseph Smith was a Prophet of God, and that he had indeed found the ancient record and translated it by the gift and power of God. She said that God had been preparing her for a long time, so when we taught her the doctrine of baptism, it was more like she taught us, and as we extended the invitation to be baptized, she was more than ready to accept. 

Angela’s original date for baptism was September 28, 2024. But the day before her baptism, Hurricane Helene hit western North Carolina, and unfortunately for us, we were stuck right in the middle of it. Due to a lack of water, power, and service, we were unable to have Angela’s baptism that day, despite our best efforts.

Following the hurricane, there were also a lot of needs in the community and our church family that prevented us from using the church building. As we consulted with the Bishop, he said that her baptism (and eternal salvation) was top priority, and he even offered his pool if the church remained unavailable. Fortunately, the church got power and water back in time for us to perform Angela’s baptism on October 9, 2024.

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It is often said that the opposition in our lives reflects the faith that we have. We know that Angela’s faith was so strong, that a literal hurricane was the only thing that could slow her down. She was able to persevere, and make that sacred covenant with God. We’re grateful for Angela’s faith, and for God’s hand in her life. 

Angela is proof that God is preparing people, and  He has a plan for each of us. One visit, Angela said that she wished she could have heard this message earlier, but she recognizes that she wasn’t ready at that time, but that God had been  preparing her for, and leading her to, the fulness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

God is in the details of each of our lives. We each experience hardships and trials that may feel like a hurricane. We can testify that there are no accidents and that God always provides a way. He did for Angela and he will for you!

#TKMTenderMercies

Tender Mercies in the TKM: Deybinxon

We found Deybinxon from a media referral we received from his aunt, Emily Ochoa. On the first lesson we had with Emily, her sister Marianne (Deybinxon’s mom), and their neighbor Yaquelin, the Spirit was felt very strongly and we extended to them the baptismal date of August 10, 2024.

Within the next couple lessons we were also introduced to the parejas of Emily and Marianny, as well as Emily’s son, Neyder, and his cousin, Marianny’s son, Deybinxon. Both sons had the same baptismal date extended to them as well. As we taught, most everyone was interested in our message, but we could tell that Deybinxon especially felt the Spirit from the truths that were taught.

Over time and with the help of the Lemon family in the ward, Deybinxon was taught all the missionary lessons. Any time we talked about their baptism, Deybinxon and his cousin Neyder would literally bounce up and down in their seats and clap their hands from excitement. 

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Deybinxon was only able to come to church once before his scheduled baptismal date on August 10, so we had to move his date back. Nevertheless he continued to take the lessons and had a wonderful ability to understand and remember the things we taught.

A super important moment for him was when he attended the baptism of another young person, Adrian, who was baptized on September 14. After the baptism he told members that he wanted to be baptized too, and the very next Friday if possible, since that would be when his dad was off work so his whole family could attend.

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On September 20, 2024, Deybinxon had a powerful baptismal service and in his own words, he said he felt God touch his hand and he could feel His presence immediately after getting out of the baptismal water. He was confirmed on September 22, 2024. Since then he has loved listening to General Conference and watching the children’s Book of Mormon Stories on YouTube.

#TKMTenderMercies

Tender Mercies in the TKM: Carole

Carole was seeking truth! She was seeking something new. She was on a journey looking for the true church. A church centered on Jesus Christ, focused on His teachings, and one full of love. She was looking for a place to finally settle into, and she found it.

Back on May 9, 2024, the missionaries in Ringgold, Georgia, Sister Bosh and Sister Herget, received a referral from Carole Pendergraft. That’s where it all started! Carole said that she received an email asking if she’d like to do a Bible study with missionaries. And she said “Of course!” So she put down her information, and next thing she knows she was getting a call from the missionaries that same day. That referral was an answer to prayer on both ends. 

The missionaries returned with a Book of Mormon in hand ready to give her. They had their Bibles ready to study, and some pamphlets to read from as well. The questions in the pamphlets really made Carole think about her eternal destiny, and it left her wanting to learn more. 

Carole had grown up in various different churches. She had tried  church after church and never found what she was looking for in any of them. She had heard about the Book of Mormon before, mostly misconceptions, but hadn’t ever come in contact with any members of the Church of Jesus Christ until the missionaries. So, seeing that offer through the email gave her a chance to try out another church again.

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Each time the missionaries would come to her door, she’d excitedly think “What do they have for me to study today?” She loves to study! Within a few weeks she had all of the General Conference talks from 2023 read, and she was ready to study even more. She has been meeting with the missionaries 2-3 times a week since. 

Just prior to the missionaries showing up at her door, Carole started suffering from migraines daily. To help with this, a couple months into meeting with her, Sister Critchfield and Sister Herget scheduled a priesthood blessing for her on a Saturday afternoon. The next day, on Sunday, she was able to come to church for the first time, migraine free the whole day. Since that first priesthood blessing, she has still had migraines, but they have never been nearly as severe as they were before. 

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Carole immediately fell In love with the people at church. She said she’s never been in a church where the people cared so much and would do anything for her, or that she’s never been in a church where missionaries would come to study with people to help them learn the Doctrine of Jesus Christ. She said “The missionaries were there that very first Sunday at the door to greet me! They were there for me that Sunday, and have continued to be there ever since, saving me a seat each week. That’s when I knew I had found my place!” 

Carole was very pleased at the opportunity we have to take the sacrament weekly in the church, since that wasn’t something she was ever used to. That really drew her in to returning again. 

Carole had been invited to be baptized four different times before she accepted and went through with the date on October 2, 2024. Before she was ready, she felt she needed to study more. She knew baptism was the end goal, she just knew she needed to gain a strong testimony of her own on a few gospel principles beforehand. The main one being the Restoration of The Gospel through the Prophet Joseph Smith. So that’s exactly what she spent her time studying. She started studying the life of Joseph Smith and what he went through to get these restored truths to us. She watched Joseph Smith: Prophet of the Restoration, started reading chapter after chapter in the Doctrine and Covenants, and answered the questions for herself in the back of the Restoration pamphlet.

One day, while doing that, something hit her “like a ton of bricks” and she knew that it was true. We always knew that there was something special about Carole. She wanted to be all in and she was determined to do everything it took to get there.

The day of her baptism on October 2nd, she said she wasn’t nervous at all because she knew she was ready. Brother McPheters in the Ringgold ward baptized her, and so many people from the ward came to support her, many of whom she didn’t really know all that well. She couldn’t believe all the support that the members of the church provided, and it made her feel so loved.

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The day of the baptism she came down with a terrible migraine. However, she was determined to go through with this special day no matter what. She wasn’t going to let the adversary get in the way of it. So, she showed up, migraine and all, proceeding with the baptism only to notice that her migraine was completely gone the second she came up out of the water.

She described her baptism as one of the best experiences she’s ever had, with the most joyous feelings she’s felt. She’d repeat the day all over again if she could! She’s noticed a huge difference in her life from receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost. Now that it’s with her the all the time, she says she notices that she always has a good feeling. One of peace and comfort, that will never go away.

Carole always likes to say she doesn’t know if she was sent to the missionaries or they were sent to her, but all she knows is that “it was a God thing!” That’s how she knows this is where she is meant to be. She was on a journey looking for a true church and she found it. And now she likes to say she’s on another journey: one as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints that’s just starting and that she’s ready to be on forever. It’s a whole new way of life! She said she didn’t necessarily live a bad life before, but she wasn’t living up to the expectations she knew she was capable of in her youth. But she is now and she couldn’t be happier! It has helped her reach her full potential. She is still learning all the time as a new member and she has continued to study every day. She has enjoyed what she has learned and knows she has a lot more to go.

Since day one, even though she joined the church by herself, Carole has never felt alone, because the ward family took her in like one of their own. Who knows how Carole Pendergraft happened to get that email from the church, but as Carole likes to say “It was a God Thing!” And that’s exactly what it was, a God thing!

#TKMTenderMercies

Tender Mercies in the TKM: Michael

Michael just moved and he wanted to find a new church to go to near him. He saw an ad for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints on Snapchat and decided to fill it out with his information and he sent in a media referral! Sister Bingham and Sister Hodges got this referral and saw Michael was just down the street from the church.

Michael began taking the lessons and it wasn’t long until he said yes to his invitation to be baptized! He said he felt like he needed a fresh start and to renew himself. 

Michael was referred May 14, 2024 and was baptized and confirmed June 16, 2024! Michael said that after he was baptized he felt like all his worries were swept away. 

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Michael says that he loves coming to church because everyone is so kind and helpful. He says he feel at home. Right after Michael was baptized he wanted to learn more about his family history and started coming Wednesday nights to meet with Family History Consultants to learn more! He is very excited to go to the temple with the ward this next month!

There is a quote that the Sisters love that Michael said once. He said: “God and Christ are like a bomb shelter. The outside may get hurt but he is protecting the most important part, our hearts and our souls.”

#TKMTenderMercies

Tender Mercies in the TKM: Charles

Charles was on YouTube and saw and ad that offered the opportunity to meet with the missionaries. He sent a request to meet the missionaries so that he could feel God’s love for him in his life more fully.

As Charles talked with the missionaries, he prayed and asked God if what he was learning was true. He received the confirmation that Jesus Christ’s gospel has been restored and that he needed to be baptized into His restored church.

Charles immediately made changes in his life so he would be ready for baptism. He told us he had an urgent feeling to be baptized, and he’d do whatever he needed to so that he could be. Without a way to church, Charles was able to get rides from amazing members in the ward. Supporting him on his journey closer to Christ, the members continue to support him in his efforts to come to church and remember his covenants.

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Charles was baptized on August 31, 2024. There is a new light around him, one which he has recognized as the joy he received from the Holy Ghost. He has told many about his baptism, and the joy he felt from the promises he has now made with God. It was only one month between when Charles saw the ad on YouTube, met with the missionaries, and was baptized as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

#TKMTender Mercies. 

Tender Mercies in the TKM: Jackie

Jackie is a true Southerner and one of the sweetest ladies there’s ever been! Her conversion story starts in 2022 when Elder Stanfield found her when he was in his first area, Lafayette. She was interested but very busy and after a few months stopped meeting with the missionaries.

In a surprise to everyone, Elder Stanfield was transferred back into Lafayette for the last six weeks of his mission. While she hadn’t been visited by the missionaries in a long time, he remembers Jackie and decided to visit her. Jackie expressed interest, so the missionaries started meeting with her again. 

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The missionaries helped Jackie understand their purpose for meeting with her was to help her to come closer to Jesus Christ through baptism. It took time, but the lessons she had with the missionaries began to align perfectly with what she needed to hear in her life.

She had reservations about going to church, but after building up her confidence and understanding what church services would be like, she was willing and excited to come and attend. Elder Maxfield and Elder Naufahu were able to explain the gospel in ways she understood and loved, and she was especially interested in understanding how she could attend the temple. That day she set a date to be baptized to receive the blessings that come from living covenants.

Leading up to her baptism, she was able to read all of 1 Nephi and is so excited to continue reading. Jackie was baptized on September 14, 2024. She had many of her family members attend her baptism and it was an amazing experience all around! She is now preparing to attend the temple and feels so blessed to have her family history for her relatives and to grow closer to her family.

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#TKMTenderMercies