“Well, my story started out with me seeing an invitation on Facebook and asking the missionaries to come meet with me. I was reaching out to find a church home and community. I wanted to find a church I could consider family that wasn’t my family, and it felt like this was the right one.”
“I started meeting with the missionaries every day. In one lesson, the Sisters told me the goal was to get baptized. I accepted and was baptized on April 12, 2025 in the Loudon Ward.”
“After I was baptized I felt more happy and not so worried. I felt more relief about the things I can’t control and more confident in the things I can. Since living the Word of Wisdom I’ve felt better and more energy without those things in my life. Probably God’s energy.”
“Going to the temple was a good important thing. Being able to be baptized for others and helping people who have passed away. It felt totally awesome and more joyful and after I wanted to do even more things. Everyone was so nice, I considered them all family. Ever since going to the temple I’ve felt the Holy Ghost telling me that the people I have baptized are now home! And I also feel like I’m at home going to church and by being baptized and going to the temple.”
“To anyone who is looking for a church home I want to encourage them and tell them what the missionaries really do. I would want to teach them not to worry about the things you can’t control and focus on Him and He will focus on you! He’s helped me to be more forgiving and more patient, more patient than I’ve ever been. I would also tell them to follow your heart and do what the Holy Ghost is telling you to do. I first reached out to the missionaries in 2022 or 2023. The Holy Ghost was telling me to reach out again and now I have a church that I consider family.”
Sister Peterson and Sister Wall shared their experience in teaching Matt. ““We received Matt’s referral and reached out to him immediately and let him know we were going to call him in 5 minutes. About 10 minutes had passed, we had gotten caught up talking with a member and Matt texted us asking if we were still going to call him. We called him and set up a church tour for that evening. Matt absolutely loved it! He came to church on Sunday and within a few weeks was put on date for baptism!”
“Matt’s testimony and knowledge of the gospel has grown so much, he will repeatedly tell us he has never felt so close to God in his life. Since Matt’s baptism he isn’t afraid to share his love of the gospel. He loves having a church family and he has a happier countenance! His desire to be involved has grown so much too! He even offered to help clean the church!”
“Matt is now a proud holder of the Aaronic priesthood and has grown a desire to share the gospel! We recently took him to the Atlanta temple and he bought just about every single picture of Jesus that the distribution store had and even got a Book of Mormon picture book he could share with his friend!”
Barlows in TKM 