Author: barlowsintkm

Tender Mercies in the TKM: Ian

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The missionaries first met Ian in the parking lot at TJ Maxx where they were handing out cards to invite people to the Tabernacle Choir Watch Party.

Ian described his experience in his own words:

“When I first met the missionaries I was dealing with a lot of darkness and I didn’t know how to get out of it. The missionaries found me when I was leaving a store walking back to my car and they asked me if I would like a picture of Jesus Christ and I said, “Sure!” Then they asked me if I had a church that I attended. Being new to the area and unsure of my faith, I had no church to go to. They offered me to come and tour their church and join them in worshipping Jesus Christ on Sunday.”

“Looking back, I was unsure of what my brain was telling me in that moment. I again said, “Sure.” I didn’t know it at the time, but that was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made and a moment I will remember forever.”

“I took a chance with the missionaries when at the time I wasn’t sure how I felt about God. I was lost and confused. I went that Saturday to tour their church and from the moment I walked in I could feel the spirit of God there. It was a feeling I had not felt in years since I went through a dark path and had lost my faith in God.”

“As I continued to meet with the missionaries, they taught me how to come closer to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. Everything they invited me to do helped to build my faith. I knew it was the missing piece I needed to step out of the darkness and fulfill my life with Christ once again.”

“Elder Wagon and Elder Gardner had put their trust into me that I would be ready for baptism. Since that first lesson I made sure to read a scripture every night and pray to God, which was something I hadn’t done in years. When I did that, it was the best feeling.”

“As the time of my baptism was approaching, I was having my doubts and was scared I wasn’t ready to receive the Holy Ghost. I reached out to Sister Bosh, Sister Rush and Sister Low and they talked me through everything and reassured me I was ready. As I spoke t them, it felt like I was speaking to God and I could feel Him there telling me I was more than ready.”

“That following Sunday, December 22, 2024, Elder Gardner baptized me and Elder Potter helped me receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. Since then I feel like a whole new person. While still not perfect, I’m working every day to become the best version of myself. I love helping others with the missionaries to receive the word and love of Jesus Christ. I never would have thought I’d have come this far so quickly, but I couldn’t have done so without the help and love of Elder Gardner, Elder Potter, Elder Wagnon, Sister Rush, Sister Bosh, Sister Low, Brandon, Elder and Sister Bennett, and the rest of the amazing people I’m proud to call my family at the Asheville Central Branch and the Asheville Ward.”

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Tender Mercies in the TKM: Jayden

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The missionaries met Jayden as a referral from his girlfriend, Maikya. Jayden was naturally fellowshipped by members and this created the desire to learn more about the things his member friends believed in, especially his girlfriend, Makiya.. Makiya is currently serving a mission in Argentina, and invited Jayden to reach out to missionaries near him.

Here are his words about how that went:

“So to begin with, what got me into the church was my girlfriend Makiya who’s a missionary herself. Before she left for her mission she suggested I come to church with her and I did and I didn’t think much of it. But once she left for her mission she asked me to go to church or at least try and learn something so I texted the missionaries, and soon enough they answered me and within a day I was meeting with them.”

During Jayden’s first lesson, he expressed an interest in being baptized, desiring to change his life forever. We quickly put him on date, and per his request, taught him almost every day leading up to his baptism.

“Let me say after the first lesson I was hooked. My life has changed so much in so many ways from the start I have seen my relationship grow and so many opportunities have opened up. I’m so blessed to call the church my home.”

Since Jayden was so eager to be taught every day, we were able to fellowship him with almost the entire branch before his baptism. The members excitedly answered his questions and encouraged Jayden to study and pray every day, and to understand the importance of partaking of the sacrament each Sunday. Brad and Lynette Jones and Mike and Dawn Baker were especially involved in welcoming Jayden into the church.

A powerful moment in Jayden’s conversion was his first time partaking of the sacrament: “I definitely felt the Spirit move in me the first time I took the sacrament and my whole body felt free and just happy.”

Jayden was baptized and confirmed on November 24th, 2024 as a member of the Brevard branch and has since been able to receive the Aaronic priesthood and perform baptisms for the dead in the Atlanta temple. He has a very bright future and is already a powerful missionary in the Lord’s hands with how willing he is to help within the branch and to share his own testimony with others.

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Tender Mercies in the TKM: Logan

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One day the missionaries were public contacting at Walmart. They saw an old man getting out of his car, and decided to go help him. His name was Ronny. He said they could stop by and share a message. Later that week they went to visit Ronny. When they stopped by his house he was not there. So, they decided to use that time to knock on some of his neighbors’ doors. Logan was Ronny’s next door neighbor!

November 5th was the first day that the missionaries met Logan. When they knocked on Logan’s door he expressed that he wanted to get closer to God, but did not have a church to attend. He came out to his porch to talk with the missionaries because his dog was all riled up. They had a pleasant conversation and set up a church tour with him just a few days later.

The spirit was so strong during that church tour. They entered the room with the baptismal font and decided to teach the doctrine of baptism. They had not known Logan for long, but the spirit was strong, and so they invited Logan to be baptized later that month.

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The missionaries continued to meet with Logan multiple times a week. He attended church and became fast friends with the members of the Signal Mountain Ward. He was able to keep all his commitments and make changes in his life to prepare for baptism.

We know that God had been preparing Logan. Just a few months prior to meeting the missionaries, Logan was living a completely different lifestyle. He had some friends who were not the best influence. He had an accident that left him with a severely broken leg that required major surgery. This was a turning point for him. He knew he needed to change. He knew that he was not living the kind of life that he wanted to live and he started to make those changes in his life. That’s when he met the missionaries. All of the changes he had already started to make aligned perfectly with the doctrine of the restored gospel.

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Logan was baptized on November 30, 2024. He was baptized by a recent convert Juan. He entered the font willing and ready to deepen his relationship with his Father in Heaven. He had the support of many amazing ward members. One week later he was able to attend the temple and do proxy baptisms. He is now an amazing member of the Signal Mountain Ward. Logan even sang in the choir and volunteered in the live Nativity!

The restored gospel has changed Logan’s life and has changed him. He is living the life he wants to live. He is becoming the person that he wants to become. He is a lifelong disciple of Jesus Christ.

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Tender Mercies in the TKM: Josh

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Josh is the epitome of a miracle! Josh’s wife Sierra was baptized in May 2024. Josh sat in on the lessons as Sierra was taught, but he had a couple setbacks that kept him from being baptized.

Josh continued to be taught by many missionaries and he loved learning the gospel of Jesus Christ. The turning point in his conversion was when members of the ward began to connect with him and became his friend. With their encouragement, he started reading the Book of Mormon every day and everything changed! He was happier, he had a greater resolve to help and support his wife and daughter, and he felt a desire to serve those around him. As Sierra was retaught the lessons after her baptism, Josh would join in with the missionaries. Over time, he recognized the importance of having an eternal family, and this became one of his greatest desires.

Josh decided he was going to put his family first, and the hope of an eternal family became his priority. As he put his family first, he found greater joy.

In the weeks leading up to his baptism, Josh expressed to the missionaries that he was feeling a change in himself as he was consciously making decisions to come closer to God and to his family. The missionaries saw that change in him too. The power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ was truly changing his life.

Josh was baptized on November 23, 2024.

Josh went to the temple for the first time on December 7th, and the next Sunday, with a giant smile on his face he said, “When I was getting baptized in the temple, I felt the power of God working through me!” 

Josh looks forward to being able to be sealed to his family in about a year.

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Tender Mercies in the TKM: Jose and Guadalupe

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Elder Bradshaw and Elder Poll were on the opposite side of their area when Elder Porter and Elder Harper called telling them they had met a lot of Hispanics at a laundromat. By the time the Spanish missionaries got there, it was around 8:50pm and there were only two people still there. Everyone else had left.

They had a short conversation with the two people there and invited them to the International Day party that the branch would be having two days later. Jose and Guadalupe both came to the party and stayed the entire time. After the party, Jose texted the missionaries and thanked them for inviting him. He even said he would like to come to church.

On Sunday, the missionaries saw Jose sitting in the back of the chapel. Jose started coming to English class and eventually brought Guadalupe with him. Because of his work commitments, Jose could only meet on Saturday afternoons for about 30 minutes. His progression was slow but very steady.

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After being taught by the missionaries, Jose and Guadalupe wanted to get baptized, but first they would need to get married. They had a number of challenges as they worked to get their marriage license.

Finally, in September 2024, they were able to get everything they needed to get married. When they went to Nashville to get their marriage license, the worker asked if they would like to get married right there. They said yes! This was an inspiring step of faith that enabled them to now be baptized.

Jose and Guadalupe were baptized on October 6, 2024. They continue to come to church and contribute to the ward. Jose has received the priesthood and they are excited to be sealed in the temple one day.

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