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.
At zone conference last week, we rolled out March Madness 2025 in the TKM. In March Madness, we will be focusing on 1) reading the Book of Mormon together over the next 90 days, and 2) dialing in the “Sweet 16 Daily Essentials” introduced by Sister Barlow.
We invite parents and families to join with us in our Book of Mormon reading. Here is the schedule we will be following over the next 90 days:
Book of Mormon reading schedule
As you talk to your missionary each week, ask them how they are doing with the “Sweet 16 Daily Essentials”.
Sweet 16 Daily Essentials
We know that power comes from the Book of Mormon. President Nelson said, “When I think of the Book of Mormon, I think of the word power.” He’s also reminded us that power comes from these daily essentials. Speaking to missionaries, he reminded us, “Obedience brings blessings. Exact obedience brings miracles!” We are excited to apply these principles to gain more power as we work to baptize 100 friends by the end of March.
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.
Once each transfer, we gather together with all of the senior missionaries in the mission. On December 14th, all senior missionaries in the TKM gathered at the mission home for a Christmas Party. We had a wonderful lunch together and shared white elephant gifts. The best part is being together, sharing our experiences, and getting to know each other better. This is a special group with a special connection.
It was Sister Jentzsch’s birthday, so our Christmas party doubled as a birthday celebration! Sister Jentzsch is the heart and soul of the mission. Happy Birthday Sister Jentzsch!
Elder and Sister Hillman brought their Christmas bells, so we created our own bell choir to play some Christmas songs.
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A special shout out to my mom Marilyn and my sister Christie who flew into Tennessee to help us this week and cooked lunch for all of our senior missionaries.
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This is a great opportunity to introduce all of our incredible senior missionaries!
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Elder and Sister Jentzsch
Elder and Sister Jentzsch arrived in the TKM a month before we did, so we can’t imagine the TKM without them! Sister Jentzsch serves as our mission secretary and keeps us all organized, and Elder Jentzsch is our Vehicle Coordinator and is responsible for the 84 vehicles in the mission. Both are really big jobs and the Jentzsch’s do them incredibly well. They also serve in the Loudon Ward where they are having many special experiences as missionaries and ministers.
Sister Young
Sister Young is our Mission Health Advisor. With a background as a nurse, she supports our missionaries with all things related to their physical health. When you are around her, you will notice her phone rings frequently. She is always so kind, generous, and supportive. All of the missionaries love her! I don’t know what we would do without Sister Young (or Sister Ford)! We like to call Sister Young the TKM Ministering Angel because we have watched her drive from Knoxville to Asheville to Chattanooga and then back to Knoxville in the same day ministering to missionaries!
Sister Ford
Sister Ford also serves as a Mission Health Advisor. She lives in Kingsport, TN and like Sister Young is like a guardian angel of the mission. One of Sister Ford’s super powers is being a cheerleader. Along with keeping everyone healthy, she is always encouraging the missionaries in their missionary work. We love Sister Ford and have been so grateful for her service as a missionary.
Elder and Sister Neville
The Nevilles are from St. George, Utah and started in the TKM in September 2023. They have been serving in the Powell Valley Ward and also help to support the Group in Harlan, Kentucky. They are incredible ministers and have helped new and returning members, have taught self-reliance classes, helped families with significant welfare needs, and helped members progress on the covenant path. They have been so willing to do whatever is needed to help support their ward. The missionaries in their district gather each week for district council meetings at the Nevilles’ home and they love to spend time with them.
Elder and Sister Chris
Elder and Sister Chris are from Santa Clara, Utah and have been serving since October 2023. They live in Hendersonville, North Carolina and serve in the Hendersonville 2nd Branch, which is a Pohnpeian branch in the Asheville Stake. They have completely embedded themselves in the branch and adopted the Micronesian culture as their own. The members in that little branch love them and have gifted them many beautiful necklaces and head wreaths as a symbol of their gratitude for all Elder and Sister Chris do. We were especially grateful to have them in the Asheville area during Hurricane Helene where they provided calm and assurance for the missionaries and helping hands for the Asheville community.
Elder and Sister Hillman
Elder and Sister Hillman are from West Jordan, Utah and have been serving since November 2023. They heard Elder Rasband’s talk in the October 2023 General Conference and were here a month later. Sister Hillman has tremendous organizational skills and keeps everything in the office organized. She is in charge of supplies for the missionaries and takes care of the many lunches and dinners that happen with meetings across the mission. Elder Hillman serves as our Technology Specialist and Referral Secretary. They also serve in the Knoxville YSA branch and have had great experiences there. The Hillmans are well loved by the missionaries and have been mentors and examples of Christlike service to all of us.
Elder and Sister Bennett
Elder and Sister Bennett are from Asheville, North Carolina and have been serving since January 2024. They serve in the Asheville Central Branch and the missionaries all love the Bennetts! They are often side-by-side with the missionaries as they teach new friends and recent converts. They also were an incredible blessing during the challenges we had with Hurricane Helene. They didn’t have power or water for a number of days but that didn’t stop them from welcoming the missionaries with open arms to their home. Even in the aftermath of a hurricane, Elder and Sister Bennett didn’t miss a moment of Southern hospitality! Memories of charity and love from the Bennetts will stay with the missionaries for life.
Elder and Sister Markli
Elder and Sister Markli are from Oak Ridge, Tennessee and are serving as Temple Construction Missionaries at the construction site of the Knoxville Tennessee Temple. The missionaries love to take friends to visit the Markli’s at the visitor center set up at the temple site. Their district of missionaries also love to have their district councils there. They recite The Living Christ from memory on their drive to the temple site each day. They know the Savior and it shows in the way they serve. The Marklis will continue to serve until the temple is completed.
Elder and Sister Davis
Elder and Sister Davis are from Farmington, Utah and have been serving since March 2024. They live in Sevierville, Tennessee and serve in the Sevierville Ward and Member and Leader Support missionaries. They’ve been busy working to contact all less active and prospective elders in the ward and inviting them to return. They have a love for family history and set up family history booths and many of the local county fairs this summer. They are also organizing service opportunities for every area in our mission. Elder and Sister Davis have been a great blessing to their ward and every time we see the members, they tell us how much they love and appreciate Elder and Sister Davis. We do too!
Elder and Sister Browning
Elder and Sister Browning are from Smithfield, Utah and have been serving since July 2024. Sister Browning as our Financial Secretary and Elder Browning is our Housing Coordinator. These are two incredibly big jobs. We don’t know what we would do without the Brownings. They are incredible! And everyone loves serving with them. Sister Browning has a gift of eyes to see what is needed and the ability to quickly and kindly take care of things and people. Elder Browning is a man of great humility and faith. They also serve in the Smoky Mountain Ward and help minister there.
Elder and Sister Heslop
Elder and Sister Heslop are from Ogden, Utah and have been serving since October 2024. They live in Crossville, Tennessee and serve and Member and Leader Support missionaries in the Crossville 1st Ward and the Crossville 2nd Branch. In their role, they are helping to minister to less active members, part member families, and prospective elders. The missionaries love to be in their home and spend time with them every chance they get. The Heslops bring incredible experience and we are so grateful they are here serving in the TKM.
Elder and Sister Puentes
Elder and Sister Puentes are from West Jordan, Utah and joined us in the TKM in November 2024. They live in Morristown, Tennessee and serve in the Lakeway Ward supporting the Spanish Group there. The members and missionaries felt an immediate connection with Elder and Sister Puentes! Elder Puentes has a great sense of humor and always gets a laugh. Sister Puentes is humble, warm, and it’s easy to feel her love for the Lord.
Elder and Sister Hendrix
Elder and Sister Hendrix are from Taylorsville, Utah and started their service in November 2024. They live in Chattanooga, Tennessee and are assigned to the Chattanooga Ward. The missionaries love them already! They are the classic grandparents away from home- full of love, kindness, and a great talent for ministering as the Savior does. We have already seen them be His hands as the serve. They are musically talented and their little branch is in for a treat whenever they share their incredible talents. We are so blessed to have them here in the TKM!
Elder and Sister Shumway
Elder and Sister Shumway started in the TKM in December 2024. They are from Mesa, Arizona, live in Lafayette, Georgia, and are serving in the Lafayette Branch. Even though they’ve only been here a few weeks, we’ve already received multiple calls from members of the branch thanking us for sending the Shumways there. They have a great sense of humor, are fun to be around, have incredible experience in serving in the church, and will make a tremendous difference in their missionary service.
Elder and Sister Greaves
Elder and Sister Greaves are from Ogden, Utah and began their service in December 2024. They are living in Abingdon, Virginia and will serve in the Abingdon Ward. The Greaves have a grandson serving here, have joined our weekly zoom call with families called “Knit Together Sunday”. One week while on our zoom call, they felt a strong impression they should come serve in the Tennessee Knoxville Mission…and here they are! We love their faith in answering the call to serve. They are very talented and bring remarkable church experience that will greatly bless the people in Abingdon.
When we first came to the Tennessee Knoxville Mission, we had 11 senior missionaries serving, with three couples close to returning home. Today we are so fortunate to have 28 senior missionaries serving. Each of them are making an incredible difference in the TKM. These missionaries make a tremendous difference in the wards and branches where they serve, but they make an even bigger difference with the young missionaries they serve with every day.
And yet, we could still use many more senior missionaries. If you’ve thought about serving, and especially if you would like to join us in the Tennessee Knoxville Mission, please reach out to me and Sister Barlow. We would love to share with you the ways that you can serve and the great difference you will make. We promise you will have a life-changing experience. We would love to have you serve here in the Tennessee Knoxville Mission, but any mission would be happy to welcome you.
If you’ve ever thought about serving, watch this talk from Elder Ronald A. Rasband titled, “How Great Will Be Your Joy”. Please come!
See these other posts about the impact of senior missionaries:
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!
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.
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.
Rachel and Paul Lam didn’t decide to join the church until after they discovered how much the gospel could bless their growing family.
Rachel has lived in Tennessee her whole life. She was introduced to the gospel in high school by a friend who invited her to church. Paul was raised in California. His grandparents were members and he was around the church often.
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A few years ago, Paul decided to move to Tennessee and met Rachel. They discovered that they both had experience with the church and decided to reach out to the missionaries. This is what Rachel says about her experience:
“Growing up, I knew nothing about God or Jesus. My mother was a bitter alcoholic that didn’t have room for His love in her heart or home. I didn’t learn of His warmth or care until I was in High School.”
“My closest friend and her family were members of our local church. I spent a lot of my time with them, and it was in their home that I first felt safe and loved. It was with them I attended my first sacrament meeting. I remember feeling peace and love during the service. That feeling followed me, even when I struck out on my own.”
“It wasn’t until I felt truly lost that I really felt the drive to embrace Him. When I was at my lowest point, two missionaries showed up at my door. They brought me back from the edge with their lessons. It all seemed to fall into place the more I learned.”
“My husband, in his own calling, came into my life and subsequently into my daughter’s life. I’ve learned so much from the church and feel so grateful for the gospel, and for Joseph Smith’s revelation. I know in my heart the church is true, and the day I was baptized marked the day my journey to a better life truly began. It feels like everything in my life has led me to the church.”
Barlows in TKM 