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