Izander was first found by Elder Poll and Elder Lindsay. They met Izander’s mother, Lumary, at church. She was a returning member who had been invited to church by another friend they were teaching. Izander immediately loved going to church and youth activities, but eventually stopped meeting with the missionaries.
Six months later, Elder Colling and Elder Richins went to visit Lumary to invite her to a special Christmas sacrament meeting. It was then that they met Tely, Izander’s sister. Elder Colling had noticed her hiding in her room and invited her to join us. She was baptized a month later. The week following her baptism is when they met Izander, her older brother.
They invited Izander to be baptized our first time meeting him. They extended the baptismal date of March 1, but then Izander insisted that they move it up so he could be baptized as soon as possible. He quickly progressed and enjoyed reading his Book of Mormon and showing the his baptismal calendar that was all marked up as he tracked his daily prayers and reading the Book for Mormon.
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After accepting his baptismal invitation, Tely, his sister told the elders “it was her mission to get Izander baptized.” Tely and her mother, Lumary played a critical role in Izander’s conversion. They taught him about the restored gospel, probably as much as the missionaries did and gave Izander incredible support.
Izander immediately started going to youth activities again. He began to love going to church and couldn’t wait to get baptized . Izander quickly prepared for his baptism and was baptized and confirmed a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints on February 23, 2025.
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Izander is now very involved with the youth and has made friends of all the young men in the West Hills Ward. He’s now helping bless and pass the sacrament and is a blessing to everyone in his new church family.
Joey’s journey began one day when he was watching a YouTube video. An ad came on as he was watching his video, and he felt strangely drawn to it. He clicked on it, and was soon in contact with the missionaries. When Sister Tuala and Sister Terry called him, he felt deeply impressed by the spirit he felt, which reminded him of the feelings he had felt in his grandma’s church.
As he learned and grew, he diligently studied the Book of Mormon every night. When things were hard, he held strong and steadfast, just the way his grandma taught him. He has lived a life built on the strength and good morals of his grandma who was a very strong spiritual woman.
One month after he clicked on the ad on YouTube, he was baptized on January 18, 2025 as a member of the Hardin Valley Ward. About his baptism, he said, “It felt like I was back in biblical times.” He felt very connected to the story where John baptized Jesus Christ. He felt forgiven of all sins, and when he was confirmed, he felt the presence of the Savior.
#TKMTenderMercies
Since his baptism, Joey has had many spiritual experiences where he has been able to feel close to his Savior, and been able to grow closer to his fiancé and received guidance and direction to help him in many areas of his life. He has been able to receive the Aaronic Priesthood, and is excited to receive opportunities to bless others through the priesthood in the future, especially as he has been learning about his family history and is preparing to attend the temple for the first time.
Joe wanted his conversion story to close with his testimony. He said, “If you believe in Him, you will overcome your challenges no matter how many trials you face!”
Sister Gabbitas and Sister Holladay had started visiting an inactive member, Brother Jim Janelle. They briefly met Jerimiah, Brother Janelle’s unbaptized son who didn’t seem interested. However, while on exchanges in Rogersville, Sister Gabbitas and Sister Wall went and visited them. In previous visits, other missionaries said that Jerimiah would hide from the missionaries. All he knew about the missionaries was that they were from church and he previously had some negative experiences there. This time was different, though.
The missionaries talked about how caterpillars change into butterflies. That helped Jerimiah see how past experiences do not have to limit him and that he can change. While they were talking with him, they invited and committed him to come to church.
Jerimiah was nervous on the first day that he came to church, so Sister Wall and Sister Condie FaceTimed him on the way there and on the way back. He began to be more comfortable meeting with the missionaries and attending church. He began to learn and grow more than some people thought he would.
It was challenging for him when his dad moved to Greeneville, about 45 minutes away, but he kept learning and growing. He was invited to be baptized and accepted a date of August 30th. He was super excited to keep learning more. He had started praying and reading the Book of Mormon daily.
Transfers happened and Sister Lewis came into Rogersville. Sister Gabbitas and Sister Lewis kept helping him prepare for baptism. Jerimiah was excited and when the sisters asked if he wanted his dad to baptize him, he said yes. He also wanted his mom to be there.
His dad was honored to perform the baptism. His mom is a trucker, so Jerimiah and the sisters realized that they would have to move his date to when his mom could be there, a month away, to September 29th. Jerimiah decided that he wanted to wait for his family to all be there. Even though he was ready to be baptized, and had even been interviewed, he decided to wait.
The sisters kept teaching him and helping him prepare. Sister Wall visited him when exchanges happened again, and helped him see how he had grown so much.
He came to love seeing the sisters and going to church. He found a friend in Anthony, a recent convert when they went to the Tabernacle Choir performance together. Transfers happened again and Sister Petersen came into Rogersville. For a moment he struggled with tithing but in the end he chose to trust God. The sisters explained the power of tithing and the importance of showing gratitude to God through living this principle.
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The day of his baptism was special. Jerimiah was baptized on September 29, 2024. His whole family was there and he felt the Spirit so strongly. His dad baptized him and that was such a special experience for both of them. He loved his baptism and was most excited about receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost. He truly came to see how God wants us to grow and become better than before.
Charlie first met the missionaries after entering a request to meet with them through a media referral in April, 2023. He met with missionaries on and off until the summer of 2024. His faith in Jesus Christ continued to grow, and in August 2024, Elder Brandon Haderlie and Elder Carson Harmon committed him to being baptized.
The week of his baptism, however, Charlie was met with extreme opposition from his fiancé’s family. Because of that opposition, he returned his Book of Mormon to the missionaries and stopped meeting with them. But he began to have experiences with the Spirit that he followed, and a short while later, he reached back out to the Elders. They began to meet with Charlie once again over the phone.
Charlie has a learning disability which makes it difficult for him to focus and process the things he reads. Amazingly, though, as he read the Book of Mormon and learned about the Restoration of the Gospel, Charlie was able to learn well and understand what he was reading, especially as he read the Book of Mormon.
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Charlie agreed to be baptized on December 21, 2024. He was so excited to be baptized, he asked to move his baptism to a week sooner, on December 14, 2024. He was baptized and confirmed into the Hixson ward on that day, surrounded by friends and missionaries!
Charlie feels the spirit very strongly through music and loves the hymns! One of the first things Charles will ask you is, “Can I sing you Amazing Grace?”. He says, “Amazing Grace helps me remember Jesus Christ and His sacrifice for me.” Charles is a testament that the Lord speaks to everyone individually in ways they will be able to understand.
The Holy Ghost has worked wonders in Charlie’s life as he continues to strengthen his testimony of Jesus Christ, Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon, as well as other gospel truths everyday!
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.
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.
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.
I’m a native of Hendersonville and the oldest of five kids. I grew up Southern Baptist. I believed in God, Jesus, and the Holy Ghost. I loved going to church and being active there. I loved singing the hymns and learning about Jesus, but I had questions. Questions that were brushed off or ignored if they didn’t fit in the box of their theology.
I went to Southern Baptist University to study nursing. I knew at a very young age that I was called to be a nurse. That was one of the clearest promptings that I ever had. Now, it is second to the clarity that I had when I made the decision to join this church, and the answers and confirmation that I received during my baptism and confirmation. Even in college, my questions still weren’t answered to my satisfaction. I felt like there was something more out there, and that something was missing. I didn’t know what it was.
After school, I came back home and helped start a non-denominational church that split from the church of my childhood. I was very active in the children and youth programs. I loved spending time with them and trying to answer their questions. Then I got married. At first, we were still going to church regularly. As time passed, he didn’t want to go anymore. I was frustrated with the lack of answers and fell away in my faith as well.
Over the years, I was cut off from friends and family. My finances were in ruins. In 2023 things began to escalate. Small tiffs suddenly became explosive arguments. I tried praying and felt no one was listening as things kept getting worse. I was utterly devastated and could not figure out why my life had been spared to be left with crippling anxiety, pain, and darkness. My prayers felt empty and like they were hitting the ceiling.
In July 2024, I had COVID for 3 weeks. This pushed me deep into a dark place. Coupled with court dates and an upcoming birthday, my world became dark and painful. I felt desperately alone. On August 4th, I prayed in desperation. I begged God to give me a sign, to show me a reason to keep going on. On August 6th, Elder Huff and Elder Johns arrived at my door. A physical answer to my prayer.
I answered my door, something that was very rare, and the first words out of my mouth were, “Y’all are here to tell me about Jesus.” We stood on my porch and talked in the hot August sun, they gave me a Book of Mormon, asked me to pray about it, and we set up a meeting later that week at the park with the Sheltons joining us. I walked inside, put the book on my shelf and left it there. I wasn’t sure what to do. I felt confused but strangely hopeful. So I did as the Elders asked. I prayed. And I read the verse they had asked of me. 3 Nephi 9:14.
Yea, verily I say unto you, if ye will come unto me ye shall have eternal life. Behold, mine arm of mercy is extended towards you, and whosoever will come, him will I receive; and blessed are those who come unto me. 3 Nephi 9:14
I showed up at the next meeting. I read the next thing they asked then went off on my own, reading and praying and questioning. I sent them a list of questions. I knew the answers they shared with me were true. I was filled with a peace that I cannot explain. I was still nervous and began to overthink and actually delayed my baptism. I continued to search and pray. I was constantly reminded of one of my favorite verses. Isaiah 52:7. I will be forever grateful to all the missionaries that I have met for being the feet on the mountains.
7 How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth! Isaiah 52:7
Prior to my baptism, during a lesson either on prayer or the Holy Spirit, I informed the Elders and the Sheltons that I had been impressed with a phrase that I simply could not shake but did not have direction on. The phrase was “Called to Serve”. I then learned that it is also a song. And we sang it. Little did I know, that was to be a calling that would encompass my life. The covenant that I made in baptism has been so very precious to me. In the temple I was reminded of my covenant and the joy it brings.
I was baptized a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on September 22, 2024
Since my baptism, there was the hurricane and I changed jobs. During the hurricane, my house and my family’s houses were spared. Immediately after the hurricane, I spent a lot of time with friends who lost everything. Like many of you, serving those in need. Loving and being examples of Christ. In case you ever wonder, that can make a huge difference. It did for me.
My first experiences with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints was with the Sheltons, the Creasmans and Brother Watson. I knew a bit about the church, but more so, I knew how they lived their lives. I had watched them and their kids for years. I know Heavenly Father sends us moments of clarity and assurance when we need them most. I wouldn’t be here otherwise.
Elliott’s family had been members of the church since he could remember, but, despite passing the usual age of eight, he hadn’t yet been baptized. Elliott began to think about spiritual things more as he got older as he realized that he, unlike his family, had not been baptized. He saw how happy the gospel made them, and how it united them with others and he wanted that as well.
“I saw that all my family is baptized, my dad and my mom, and my brothers and sister, and I wanted to be just like them!” he recounted. Elliott’s parents, Robert and Mallory, also felt a responsibility to teach their kids gospel principles, morals, and values.
When the decision was finally made for Elliott to start taking the missionary discussions, he was ecstatic! He had a lot of questions and he needed answers. The lessons were difficult at first — being only nine years old, Elliott was easily distracted and quick to lose focus — but Elliott began to feel the Spirit working. He felt happy when the missionaries were over because he really enjoyed learning about God and why we do what we do in church.
Although he didn’t always like to read his scriptures and pray, he gradually learned to love it. He began practicing praying, and as he did so he had experiences where his prayers were answered. He remembered one event in particular in which he prayed to be able to help his sister and, shortly thereafter, he had impressions on what he should do. His family and friends note that his disposition began to change after he learned to pray. He became more focused and compassionate as his relationship with Christ grew.
The week leading up to the baptism brought a lot of emotions for Elliott and his family. His parents shared that all he would talk about was his baptism, asking “Is it Saturday yet?” Needless to say he was excited!
Elliott was baptized on August 31, 2024 in the Pleasant Ridge ward. On the day of the baptism, he stated that he felt God’s spirit in the church and he was grateful he finally got to be baptized. He said of the experience “I felt clean and happy after I came out of the water. I felt totally different, way more calm than I usually am!”
In the weeks since his baptism, Elliott has said he feels “100% different” from the way he was before his baptism. His family has also noticed a change in him. He is looking forward to a life of discipleship and participating at church, and is even considering serving a mission when he is older. Elliott is grateful to finally be a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Seven years ago, Ronnie’s wife Kim joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She had met with missionaries, gained a love for the Book of Mormon, and a love for the people at Powell Valley Ward. She now serves in the church and bears her testimony to everyone, “I thought I was happy before I was baptized, but I realize now how much happier my life has been since I joined the church!”
Ever since his wife began to attend church regularly, Ronnie began to come with his wife on and off for a few years. He has always had a love for the Lord ever since his father read bible stories to him at a young age. He has a firm testimony that the Lord hears and answers prayers and has seen the Lord answer prayers especially for his family members, sometimes in miraculous ways. He knew that keeping the sabbath day holy was the right thing to do, but every week there would always be a struggle between his busy work schedule and church.
Ronnie had loved the community of saints found at church. He stated, “There was a lot of love at the church, I could definitely tell that everyone there was trying to live what was being taught.” This dedication and devotion Ronnie saw in others and most importantly in his wife Kim sparked a change in him as he began to set spiritual goals for himself in his own life. Missionaries began to visit with him more frequently as Ronnie began to improve himself. He set a goal to make it to church every single week, and found spiritual support during missionary visits during his journey. Ronnie said this while reflecting on his progress: “I am grateful for all the time the missionaries spent helping me for so long. I know they didn’t have to be there, but they wanted to be.”
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Elder Driggs reflects on the experience, “I had the priviledge of seeing Ronnie change and grow over the course of 6 months. Teaching the gospel in the Raymer home has been one of the most wonderful experiences of my missioanry service. I felt that Ronnie was ready for baptism when I had first met him, I remember inviting him to make that commitment our first evening together! He explained that he wanted to feel more prepared before making the commitment and he most certainly did prepare! His faith and hard work was inspiring, and Sister Raymer’s testimony was always so powerful and encouraging.”
Ronnie was baptized on June 22, 2024.
Ronnie now attends church weekly and feels confidence in the Lord as he chooses to keep the commandments. He is an incredible example of making small improvements everyday and his faith in the restored gospel is powerful. He stated, “I never had any doubt. I always had in faith in the Book of Mormon and I never doubted Joseph Smith.” Ronnie’s spiritual foundation is set with faith, goal setting, and steady progress. He has just been ordained to the office of priest in the Aaronic priesthood, and will continue with faith together with his wife to aim towards to the temple, improving every day.
Barlows in TKM 