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.
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!
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!
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.
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!
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.”
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.
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.
As missionaries finish their service in the Tennessee Knoxville Mission, we invite them to share what they’ve learned that will help them be a lifelong disciple of Jesus Christ.
Michelle’s story started when her boyfriend, Jerson, was assigned to work with Daniel Godoy, a member of the Cleveland Ward, for the day. They had never met before then, but as coworkers, started up a conversation. Brother Godoy explained that he had two children, a daughter and a son who was currently serving a mission for his church. Jerson, having a suspicion in his mind, asked what church the Godoy’s belong to. To which Brother Godoy promptly responded, “The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.”
Jerson had grown up a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but since moving to the United States, he had not participated in any church meetings. When Jerson told Brother Godoy that he was a member of the Church, Brother Godoy quickly invited both him and his girlfriend to church.
On Sunday, while we were greeting people as they came in, Brother Godoy came up to us and told us that he was bringing someone to church. We were excited to meet them, but they showed up a little late so we didn’t have time introduce ourselves. After Sacrament Meeting had ended, Jerson and Michelle had to leave but we had enough time to exchange information and set up a return appointment.
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When we arrived a couple days later for our appointment, we had no idea what to expect going in. With the Spirit’s guidance, we taught the importance of marriage, temples, how families can be together forever, and how the gospel of Jesus Christ fortifies the family. Leaving that first lesson, Michelle wanted those blessings that we shared. She felt the spirit testify to her of what she heard that night.
We continued teaching them, explaining that the first step before baptism was the need to be married. We left one night inviting them to pray and to ask God when it would be right. The next morning we got a call from Jerson telling us that they wanted to get married that very weekend.
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Everyone came together and made it a night to remember. The following week, on July 7, 2024, Michelle was baptized as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. As they keep growing their family in this constantly changing world, they find peace knowing that they have the Gospel of Jesus Christ, with the hope of one day being sealed together as a family.
As missionaries finish their service in the Tennessee Knoxville Mission, we invite them to share what they’ve learned about being a lifelong disciple of Jesus Christ.
Barlows in TKM 