After a full day of missionary work, we were just getting ready for bed when our phone lit up at 10:18 PM — a new referral from Derek DiRosa.  We texted him right away. He responded almost instantly: “Yes, this is Derek. I remember the request I put in online. I want to have a relationship with Jesus Christ.”

We set up a call, and within minutes we realized how truly prepared he was. Derek told us, “The first thing I wanted was a church for me and my family.” So he went to Google and started searching.  He described what happened next: “I just kept scrolling, looking at different churches. But for some reason, I kept feeling impressed to scroll back to this one church.” He said something inside wouldn’t let him move past it. That church was The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. “I knew,” he said, “this is the church for me.” 

We set up a time to meet him at his house and walked into a home with 10 family members living there. Derek shared how he had been and out of prison for the last 26 years and he had great desires to change his life. Also, his wife Bethany and his daughter Maci immediately expressed that they wanted to learn how they could come closer to Jesus Christ too. 

From the first lesson, the spirit was undeniable. The DiRosa’s fell in love with the doctrine of living prophets, the story of Joseph Smith, the power of the Book of Mormon, and the beautiful truths of temples and eternal families. We invited Derek, Bethany, and Maci to be baptized on April 12th, and without hesitation, they said yes. The best part? April 12th was Bethany’s birthday. She was ecstatic! What better gift than making covenants with God on the day she was born.

On April 12th, 2026, Derek, Bethany, and Maci were baptized and became the newest members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Cookeville 2nd Ward. And their story didn’t stop at the baptismal font. Their son Jaxon, daughter Audrina, and oldest son Kenneth had been watching. They saw the light in their parents’ faces and the impact the gift of the Holy Ghost was having on their life. They felt the change in their home and they wanted it too. 

Soon Derek, Bethany, and Maci weren’t just new converts. They were missionaries in their own living room, testifying of what baptism had done for them.

Audrina and Jaxon were baptized April 26th, and Kenneth followed on May 10th. They are now faithful members and recently attended the Nashville Tennessee Temple for the first time to perform baptisms for the dead. Derek has received the Aaronic Priesthood and been called to serve as a ward missionary, and Bethany was called to help teach the youth. They are excited and committed to being lifelong disciples of Jesus Christ and look forward to being sealed in the temple as a family in this next year.

Faydra first met the missionaries in the Walmart parking lot. As she was walking into Walmart, the elders invited her to come worship Jesus Christ with us. They taught her about the sacrament and how it would bless her in her life. She was immediately interested and very excited to join them at sacrament meeting and learn more about the church.

As the missionaries talked to her more, they taught her that the Gift of the Holy Ghost is the greatest blessing Heavenly Father could give to her and invited her to be baptized. The spirit was very strong at that lesson. Faydra knew she needed this help and said yes.

Shortly after agreeing to be baptized, Faydra had an illness that put her in the hospital and lost contact with the missionaries. As soon as she got out of the hospital, she called the missionaries and expressed that she was more excited than ever to be baptized!

As she continued talking to the missionaries and reading the Book of Mormon, she said “That book is so good, I can hardly stay out of it!” Faydra has felt the power of the Book of Mormon and experienced how it helps her to feel closer to Jesus Christ.

#TKMTenderMercies

On the day of her baptism, the water heater to the font baptismal font broke. Faydra said nothing was going to stop her from being baptized that day. She was baptized a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on March 29, 2026 as a member of the Jamestown Ward.

Faydra knows lots of people who she wants to introduce to the gospel. She asked for five copies of the Book of Mormon from the missionaries to give to those she knew. Faydra is now a strong member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and loves sharing her faith!

In May 2025, Aziyah saw an online invitation to learn more about baptism. When the missionaries first reached out, they asked if they were texting with Aziyah, and she replied no. After introducing themselves and explaining why they had contacted her, she confirmed that it was her but said she was nervous. A few texts and phone calls later, she agreed to meet.

When the missionaries met with Aziyah, they immediately felt her light and saw how prepared she was. She expressed a desire to be forgiven of her past mistakes. As the missionaries taught the doctrine of baptism, they invited her to be baptized. A Young Women counselor from the Hixson Ward was present and bore testimony of covenants. She had tears in her eyes as she expressed the love the Savior has for these two girls. The Spirit was powerful, and Aziyah responded with, “Yes! Yes! How can I prepare?”

The next day, when the missionaries returned, Aziyah’s 9-year-old sister Quionna answered the door. They invited her to join the lesson, taught about the gospel of Jesus Christ, and asked if she wanted to be baptized the same day as her sister. She declined at first.

At a later lesson, the Sisters felt prompted to extend the invitation again. They watched the video of Jesus Christ’s baptism together, and when asked if this was something she wanted to do, Quionna admitted she was very afraid of water, but still wanted to be baptized. Through prayer and encouragement, the missionaries helped her put her trust in God and begin to overcome her fear.

On June 22, 2025, both sisters entered the waters of baptism. Aziyah radiated with joy as she made her covenant with God. When it was Quionna’s turn, fear returned. For nearly 20 minutes she stood at the edge of the font, unable to step in. With patient encouragement from Brother Barrott, quiet support from Sister Barrott, and the prayers of the ward members present, Quionna finally found the courage to enter the water. She overcame her fear and was baptized, surrounded by the love and strength of her new church family.

It was truly a day to remember. The pure love of Christ was manifest in the faith of these two young sisters. Today, Aziyah and Quionna continue to attend church faithfully and are excited to keep learning the gospel and to share it with their friends.

Luis and Marco had been friends since high school. When Marco started asking about God, Luis knew it was time to invite him to worship with him at church. In April, Marco started attending sacrament meeting and meeting with the missionaries. Marco was filled with honest questions and curiosity. After two months of being taught, his heart and countenance began to change and he said he knew he needed the gospel more deeply in his life. 

Grace and Addy also met in high school. Addy invited Grace to come to church, and when she came to church, she started meeting with the missionaries. The missionaries invited Addy to come to two other baptisms. After watching those baptisms, she knew she wanted to be baptized too.

Grace loved the idea that God was a loving God and she didn’t need to fear Him. She learned she could use the power of the Atonement to repent and actually change. She had an aunt who she was very close with who passed away a few years ago, and she felt like she had seen many signs from her aunt leading her in the right direction.

Luis baptized Marco and Grace on June 15, 2025. They felt great joy as they received the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Marco said that he feels like his life has been easier now that he has the gift of the Holy Ghost. He said that his family has noticed a change in him. Because of the change she has seen in him, Marco’s sister is now interested in learning more about the church. Marco has loved coming to church every week and says he couldn’t see his life without the gospel. 

Grace said that she knows the Spirit will help her as she moves to Crossville, Tennessee for the next couple of years to attend college. She doesnt know what she would do if she had never learned about the gospel. 

Grace and Marco were able to attend the temple shortly after being baptized. They loved the peace and joy they felt there.

In late April, Luis saw an invitation online to meet with missionaries and filled out a request. When Hermana Brunner and Hermana Briggs reached out, he expressed that he hadn’t gone to church in a while, but was looking to get closer to Jesus Christ. Luis has lived in the United States for 5 years taking care of his dad. He is only 19 years old, yet still he had felt something pulling him to the Savior. 

His first week while being in contact with the missionaries, he came to church and enjoyed the peace and refuge he felt there. His second week at church, the sisters showed him the baptismal font and taught him the doctrine of baptism. Later that week they invited him to be baptized, but Luis declined the invitation. Hermana Briggs and Brunner invited him to pray about it and study the scriptures. 

After a week and a half with little to no contact, Hermana Brunner and Hernandez were able to reach Luis. He said he had received an answer to his questions and wanted to attend church more. He then attended the Chattanooga Stake Conference and was able to meet the two General Authorities who were presiding and President and Sister Barlow. Later that week, Hermana Brunner and Hernandez once again extended the invitation to be baptized, to which he said “Yes! I meant to tell you before, I really want to get baptized now!”

Luis was baptized on June 29, 2025 by a recent concert, Ricardo Quintanilla, into the Spring Creek branch. When asked about his experience he explained that as he was receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost he “felt a spark within [his] heart.” He said the experience was indescribable. After his baptism, a member asked him what made him decide to get baptized. He shared, “One night I prayed about my fears and doubts about being baptized, and that night I had a dream, filled with peace and power. When I woke up I knew I needed to be baptized.”

Since being baptized, Luis has received the Aaronic priesthood and has expressed interest in serving a mission of his own! He is excited to help in missionary work and helping others to receive these great blessings from God.

We found Shyra through contacting people on Facebook. Sister Avei added her as a friend and cold called her one afternoon and she picked up. We talked to her about what her biggest challenge in life was right then. She said that she was grieving the loss of one of her friends. We invited her to church and taught her about the Sacrament and how it could help her feel peace. She said she would love to come. She sent us her address and so we set up a time to visit with her the Saturday before church.

Sister Dever and Sister Avei went over that Saturday and we reiterated our purpose as missionaries. She said that she had never been baptized before and that it was something she would like to do. We taught her the Doctrine of Baptism and before we could extend a date she said, “I think I can be baptized in two weeks.” We gave her a baptismal calendar and she used it every single day leading up to her baptism.

Shyra diligently read the Book of Mormon and prayed every single day. She worked so hard to be ready for her baptism. On April 26th 2025 she was baptized and became a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in the Knoxville YSA Branch. 

We asked Shyra her experience with being on the other end of the cold call. She said when she talked to us, it made her excited. She had been feeling impressions to get back in church but didn’t know where to go. She wanted to meet new people and start doing better things with her life. She loves the YSA church family and especially loves all the activities.

She said that reading the Book of Mormon and praying always makes her day better. It has brought her a lot of peace. Shyra got a little scared to step into the font and follow through with her decision, but once she did and after she was baptized everything was great. Since being baptized and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost she has been less angry and has been able to deal with life’s problems better. She said it is very calming and helps her feel at peace and has changed her completely. Ultimately, Shyra shared that since getting back on this path it has blessed her life and has helped her to reconnect with her sister again. 

Shyra has already started to see the blessings of the gospel in her life and has been sharing her testimony with our friends, her friends and her family. She loves being a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

On April 3rd, 2025, Deaveo saw an invitation on Facebook to learn more about baptism. He had been feeling a strong desire to be baptized, so he felt the timing this invitation was message from God.

When Sister Diede and Sister Brizzee met with him, he expressed his desire to be baptized. Deaveo had never been baptized before and he decided he wanted to take that next step to bind himself with his Heavenly Father. They invited him to church and he contacted his boss to get work off so he could partake of the sacrament.

Deaveo quickly fell in love with reading the Book of Mormon. He reads it every day, marking anything that sticks out to him. Deaveo had no concerns with the Word of Wisdom because he had always felt that doing those things were not good for him. Preach My Gospel says, “Heavenly Father may have blessed the people you find with valuable spiritual preparation. The steps they have already taken may have prepared them to make covenants with God through baptism in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.” This was definitely true with Deaveo. He had been prepared to be baptized beforehand and was ready to take his first covenant step.

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Just a couple weeks later, Deaveo was baptized on April 27, 2025 in the Chattanooga Ward. There has been a visible difference in Deaveo since his baptism. When Sister Diede and Sister Brizzee would ask him how he was doing before his baptism, he always said, “Okay.” But since his baptism, whenever they ask how he’s doing, he enthusiastically says, “I’m great!” Deaveo has expressed that he just feels so much lighter since he came out of the waters of baptism.

Deaveo is a very sweet and shy person. He was always nervous to say a prayer out loud. After his baptism, however, he said his first aloud prayer. Deaveo recently made the comment, “I know this is the right church for me.” He is very excited to attend the temple and continue progressing along the covenant path.  

#TKMTenderMercies

One Sunday, as the missionaries were sitting in ward council, the ward council was talking about a returning member and his two boys. They said these two boys hadn’t been baptized yet. Learning this, Elder Harmon and Elder Johnson jumped into the conversation asking all about the family and the boys. They found out that Seth had recently started coming back to church and that his son Brayden really loved the gospel and already knew all about the church.

The missionaries asked the bishop to introduce them to Seth and Brayden after the sacrament meeting. After the meeting, they talked with Seth and Brayden and set up time to visit them in their home. Brayden has just returned from a Primary activity and they taught him about the gospel of Jesus Christ. Brayden is very bright and explained everything they taught back to the Elders. Impressed, the Elders testified that the Lord had prepared him to be baptized. As they asked him, “Will you get baptized?”, Brayden gave a resounding, “Yes!” He then explained how badly he wanted to be baptized. The missionaries then invited Seth to share his testimony on baptism and it was very powerful!

The missionaries met with Brayden over the next three weeks to prepare him for his baptism. His knowledge and desire to learn more and read the Book of Mormon was inspiring. He even told the missionaries he keeps his Book of Mormon on his desk at school. He attended the baptism of one of the youth who had recently turned 8 and he loved it.

As they planned his baptism, Brayden told the missionaries about his desire to be baptized in the river just like his dad. On the day of the baptism, the forecast was for bad weather, but Brayden said nothing was going to stop him from being baptized!

The members of the Cherokee ward could not have been more supportive for Brayden. More than half the ward showed up for him and it was amazing! Brayden was baptized on March 30, 2025. While being confirmed, he was told he would be like Nephi of old and be a missionary to his family.

#TKMTenderMercies

“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!”

This is the sweetest family! They have so much faith in their Savior Jesus Christ, faith that is transformative!

On March 17th we felt inspired to visit a part member family in our ward. When we found them, it was like their mom, Lindsey, was waiting for us. As soon as we parked the car, she was sitting on the porch. We talked for a long time about God’s love, His Character, and that He has a plan for us.

Lindsey invited her kids – Sebastian, Kali, Khloe, and Olivia – to come down stairs. They were so kind and so excited that the missionaries were back. We talked to them about baptism. They immediately explained how badly they’ve been wanting to be baptized and go to the temple!

As we taught them and helped prepare for baptism, the Spirit brought so much light and miracles into their life. They were immediately willing to change anything for their Savior. Every time we said the word “baptism” they would get big smiles on their faces.

Sebastian was Baptized when he was younger and he was always encouraging his sisters to take this next step. They began to read the Book of Mormon every day as a family, and they went to every youth night leading up to their baptism.

Their baptism was so special because it was full of laughter and joy. Baptism truly is a joyful and hopeful ordinance, and it was for these sisters.. Kali, Khloe, and Olivia were baptized on April 6, 2025 as members of the Dalton Ward.

The light they had after receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost was so beautiful. Miracles occurred in their family right after they were baptized, answering so many prayers. There were so many seeds planted for this family! It is humbling to see firsthand that God is in relentless pursuit of all of His children.

#TKMTenderMercies