Elder Porter and Elder Barnett received a referral on a Saturday night, so they called Jerry immediately and invited him to church. The next morning, Jerry came to church for the first time. After church, the elders taught Jerry about the doctrine of baptism and confirmation and invited him to be baptized, and Jerry accepted.
Over the following weeks, Jerry met with the missionaries regularly and had contact with them daily. He had a smoking addiction for over 30 years and he said he needed help being able to quit smoking. The missionaries promised him that if he read the Book of Mormon daily and continued to come to church then he would be able to stop smoking.
My dear brothers and sisters, I promise that as you prayerfully study the Book of Mormon every day, you will make better decisions—every day. I promise that as you ponder what you study, the windows of heaven will open, and you will receive answers to your own questions and direction for your own life. I promise that as you daily immerse yourself in the Book of Mormon, you can be immunized against the evils of the day. – President Russell M. Nelson
From that point on, Jerry read the Book of Mormon every day and came to church every Sunday. With the help of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, he quit smoking.
At the first lesson the elders had at Jerry’s house, Jerry told the missionaries he was confused because he never sent in a referral so he didn’t know how the missionaries got his address. But he was very grateful for the things he was learning.
Jerry was baptized on June 19, 2025 as a member of the Dayton Ward. Jerry’s life has improved greatly after baptism and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost. He is a changed man and his countenance has changed due to the covenants he has made.
Barlows in TKM 