The missionaries were at Food City inviting people to come to church. Noah came up to them and was curious about what they were doing and why they were inviting people to worship Jesus Christ with them at church.. He talked to the missionaries for a second, but they were holding up traffic so their conversation ended.
The elders then saw some kids playing football in the parking lot and decided to stop and join them. A couple minutes later, Noah walked up and also joined in! As they were talking more about what the missionaries do, a guy walked up and started antagonizing the missionaries and being rude to them. Noah defended the elders, told the man to leave the missionaries alone, and pointed out the good they are trying to do. After the man left, Noah expressed he was interested in their message and wanted to learn more.
Noah was very curious about our church, especially as he learned it wasn’t like others because it was the restored church of Jesus Christ. He shared he didn’t like the ways some other churches did things.
In one of these first lessons, the missionaries taught Noah the doctrine of baptism and confirmation and invited him to be baptized. Just after that lesson, his son Gabe joined and the missionaries invited him to be baptized too.
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Every time the missionaries went back to the Maturin home, they met more of Noah’s family. Their family consists of Noah, his wife Shannon, and their kids Isabelle, Isaiah, Gabe, Gabby and Elijah. The kids absolutely loved Wednesday night youth activities and getting to know more kids in the church. The family had a great experience the first time they attended sacrament meeting and felt welcomed in the Bristol Ward.
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Noah along with Elijah, Gabe, Gabby, and Isaiah were baptized into the Bristol Ward on December 7, 2025. A week later, Noah went to the temple with Gabe and Isaiah. His wife Shannon and daughter Isabelle followed soon after and were baptized by Noah on January 4, 2025.
Rose was found through a couple who had gotten married and then baptized into the church. Throughout Rose’s conversion, she struggled meeting with the missionaries regularly. She would have times she frequently met with missionaries and then stop meeting when life got so busy.
Throughout her time meeting with the missionaries. Rose had been put on date for baptism four times but never made it to her baptism date.
One day, Sister ‘Iongi and Sister Hansen were reviewing friends who had been taught in the past and had the impression to call Rose. When they first met with her, Rose welcomed the missionaries into her home and they began to teach her again. Rose knew that the things she was taught was true and that it could change her life if she continued to be faithful in the gospel of Jesus Christ, so she set a date to be baptized.. She relied on the power of prayer to make it to her baptismal day.
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Rose was also trying to look for a job during the time she was meeting with the missionaries. When she interviewed for jobs, she often had a hard time organizing her thoughts to give good answers to the interview questions. Rose turned to God by asking for help through prayer. She was kept her commitments by reading the scriptures and coming to church. Heavenly Father answered her prayers and blessed her with the ability to give good answers in her job interview.
Rose also wanted her sons to come to church and know that they need God in their life. Her greatest desire is that her boys will join her and Rose is committed to be an example to her family. Rose has a big heart and is full of charity. When members would come to join the lessons with the missionaries, Rose would give them a Pohnpeian skirt or a lei to show gratitude for coming and helping her with her spiritual journey.
Rose was baptized on May 8, 2026 and became a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Bearden Ward. When Rose was baptized she was ready to jump right in and wanted a calling in the church!
Every six weeks, we gather the mission into three separate groups for zone conference. This is an important time to strengthen the missionaries, celebrate our success, and build skills to continue to help more people come unto Christ.
In the past, while the missionaries are in zone conference, our senior missionaries conduct car inspections to keep the cars safe and clean. Sister Barlow felt we should change our process to help the missionaries be more accountable for their vehicles. They arrived 30 minutes early and helped inspect their own car and ensure fluid levels were all topped off. This worked so much better and lighted the load for our senior missionaries.
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We began zone conference with Sister Barlow teaching us about the Doctrine of Christ, and how to use the Doctrine of Christ to get the Savior’s help in our life. She began by sharing her all-time favorite video, “Because of Him”. She taught us how pondering each step of the Doctrine of Christ can help us next steps we can take with a challenge we want to overcome or a goal to achieve. She then shared examples of how she has done this in her own life.
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President Barlow the talked about the doctrine of the sacrament and steps we can take to help more of our friends come and worship Jesus Christ and feel His spirit each Sunday.
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The Assistants and Zone Leadership Teams then ran three workshops:
Creating powerful invitations through promised blessings.
Uniting with members and using the Member Checklist.
The Tennessee Knoxville Mission is being blessed in remarkable ways. These missionaries have been working incredibly hard and the benefits of their efforts are seen and felt!
Asheville – Kingsport – Johnson City Zones
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Knoxville – Cookeville – Cumberland – Rocky Top Zones
On July 29, 2025, Russ was in Walmart shopping for his favorite cheese when two missionaries commented on his cross necklace and invited him to church! He was interested in learning more about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Russ was raised around members of the church but never fully knew what they believed.
The next day the sister missionaries were planning on showing him around the church building. He had a busy day at work and called and canceled. But then he saw a rainbow and felt that was a sign that he needed to meet with the missionaries.
Russ with Sister Thatcher and Sister Herget
Russ met with the missionaries for three months and was growing his faith in Christ more every day. He became great friends with one of the members of the congregation, Ted Simmons. Russ loved reading the Book of Mormon and the Bible and seeing how they complemented each other.
On October 26, 2025, Russ was baptized into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He shared his testimony about the difference between believing and knowing, and said He knows this is where he belongs. He knows that Joseph Smith was a prophet. He knows that this is Christ’s church. He knows these things because he reads, ponders and prays, having faith that God will direct him as he continues those things.
On November 2, 2025, Russ was able to receive the Aaronic Priesthood, God’s power and authority to act in His name. He is also sharing the joy that he has felt from the gospel by inviting his friends and co-workers to come to church with him. Russ is a great disciple of Christ!
Soon, he will be going to the Atlanta, Georgia temple with the Simmons family to do proxy baptisms for his deceased ancestors.
Russ at his baptism on October 26, 2025
Here is a short message from Russ:
Hello, my name is Russ Kline and here is my brief testimony,
I was walking in a local Walmart looking for one of my favorite cheeses and these two angels came walking around a corner holding vibrant smiles and they said to me – “we really like your necklace.” I replied – “I really like my necklace too”. In the hopes of being terse, we had a short conversation, I was invited to church in Loudon, to which I accepted.
I learned of Joseph Smith, the plates, Nephi, Moroni, the Tree, the Path, the Iron Rod, the Fruit, the Great and Spacious Building, etc…. after much trepidation (long story), this isn’t what cemented my conversion.
God is subtle so we must carefully listen. There were signs, right in the spot where I was supposed to be. Two in particular. One with Sister Thatcher and the second, with Brother Ted Simmons.
The one with Sister Thatcher was one where I had been thinking about Revelation 3:20 during one of our meetings:
“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hears my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.”
…and then she brings up Jesus knocking at a door with no knob. Way too fortuitous to be a coincidence.
The second one was, again, at one of our meetings and brother Ted Simmons was there. He had mentioned his belief in Joseph Smith, the Book of Mormon and the Church being true and this is where it got interesting. I mentioned that I don’t like the word “belief” as it casts doubt to the validity. To “know,” is much more concrete, stronger. Ex: Jesus Christ – “Believing vs Knowing” he died and rose from the dead for us. Which plants the seed? Believing he died for us? Or knowing he died for us? I KNOW he did!
Later, I learned Alma agreed (or I agreed with Alma, nevertheless) … I found it in Alma 32:17-18.
“17 Yea, there are many who do say: If thou wilt show unto us a sign from heaven, then we shall know of a surety; then we shall believe.
18 Now I ask, is this faith? Behold, I say unto you, Nay; for if a man knoweth a thing he hath no cause to believe, for he knoweth it.”
God is subtle, we must listen. After God subtly speaking to me, I know that I am exactly where I am supposed to be. I know the Church is true.
Izzy and Kevin were at Walmart when they met Sister Baldwin. Sister Baldwin was at Walmart picking up some “get well supplies” for another member of the Harlan group who was sick. She ran into Kevin and Izzy and their three boys and they became instant friends. Sister Baldwin invited them to come worship with us at sacrament meeting and also to have the missionaries to stop by their house for a lesson. When Sister Baldwin called the missionaries, she kept saying that Kevin and Izzy were filled with light.
The Baldwins became very good friends with Kevin and Izzy’s family, to the point that their son, Opie began to call them grandma and grandpa. They spent a lot of time with the Baldwins, learning about the gospel, the Book of Mormon, and the church. As the missionaries taught the discussions, they readily accepted the invitation to read and pray about the Book of Mormon. Because of their desire, Kevin and Izzy progressed very quickly.
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Izzy later said that Kevin’s heart was softened as he read the Book of Mormon with a sincere heart. She could see him changing. The missionaries began to notice their little family gaining more and more light as they began coming to church and began expressing further desire to learn more.
Although somewhat resistant at first, Kevin had become fully invested into studying the Book of Mormon, and this was apparent by the many, many pages of notes that he had taken as he studied. Elder Croney said that he’s never seen someone’s heart change so much in such a short amount of time, and such a willingness to learn. It wasn’t long before they accepted the invitation to be baptized.
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Kevin and Izzy were baptized on October 12, 2025 in the Harlan Group as members of the Powell Valley Ward. Kevin was baptized by Elder Croney. After his baptism, he came out of the font, and sat on a chair next to the font where he was confirmed a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and received the gift of the Holy Ghost. Immediately after that, he was given the Aaronic priesthood and ordained and elder. He then took Izzy into the water and baptized his wife. It was an incredible experience!
The Sunday after Kevin and Izzy were baptized, Kevin shared this talk in sacrament meeting about what led him to be baptized.
“As some of you know, over a year ago I was in a car wreck that shattered my leg and ankle. I went through several surgeries, a lot of pain and a long recovery. I’ll be honest — I was mad at God. I blamed Him for what happened. I didn’t understand why it had to happen to me, but I had turned away from him for a time. I was raised in church so I’ve always believed in our Savior, but at that time I felt angry and lost.
After a year of many struggles, physical therapy, and still feeling lost, God sent my family Sister Baldwin who sent Elder Croney and Elder Helm to our door. They didn’t judge us or push me into anything. They listened, shared scriptures, invited us to pray, and uplifted us with their words.
I started reading the Book of Mormon and felt something shift in my heart. That hardness toward Him began to melt. I could feel His Spirit again, guiding me and helping me see that He had never left me – He was just waiting for me to reach out.
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Last week, right after I was baptized, I was ordained to the Aaronic priesthood and had the amazing blessing of baptizing my wife. That moment was unforgettable. Despite the freezing water, I felt Heavenly Father’s love so strongly that He didn’t have to warm me up but He did pour the Holy Spirit over me. It reminded me that baptism is about healing, and new beginnings.
I know that God lives and that He loves us, even when we’re angry or struggling. I know Jesus Christ is my Savior and that He delivers us when we rely on Him.”
Since Izzy and Kevin were baptized, they have been hard at work, sharing their experiences with others being taught by the missionaries, and serving faithfully in every way they can. Their story has blessed the lives of so many and they have become a great strength to the Harlan group as well as the Powell Valley Ward!
Robert’s story began one evening while he was on Facebook. At the time, he felt he was in a dark place in life. As he scrolled, he came across an invitation asking if he wanted to come closer to Christ. In that moment, he said he was overcome by a prompting within, guiding him to take the first step on his journey.
The very next day, missionaries contacted Robert and visited his home. They shared a scripture with him and gave him a Book of Mormon.
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Reflecting on that experience, Robert said:
“After our meeting they prayed with me and made arrangements to come back for more lessons. It was through these lessons that I learned about Joseph Smith, The Book of Mormon, and the Plan of Salvation. I learned more about our Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ, Heavenly Father, and how much they love us! I learned that faith leads to repentance which leads to baptism and the Holy Ghost. By praying, reading scripture, and attending church regularly, I could feel my faith growing stronger every day! It caused me to fall to my knees and repent with all my heart while asking for forgiveness of my past.”
On July 5, 2025, Robert was baptized and confirmed. Since then, he has taken another step forward by being ordained to the Aaronic Priesthood and receiving a calling as a ward missionary.
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Robert shares, “I love my church family, and am joyous to be a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints!”
Not a day goes by that Robert doesn’t bring a smile to those around him. He continues to fill the world with light everywhere he goes.
The missionaries had been knocking doors in Greeneville when they met Nathan., That day, they taught him about Joseph Smith, the Book of Mormon, and the Restoration. Nathan said it all made sense to him logically and recognized the Holy Ghost was bearing witness of truth. He said he continued to feel the Spirit every time he read the Book of Mormon, especially the book of Alma! As he learned, it was like he was going through the first of many new awakenings he would experience in his life!. There were also many miracles that showed Nathan that God was still there, and not giving up on him.
When the missionaries first asked Nathan to be baptized, he felt ready and excited to have that experience. However, there were things that prevented him from achieving this goal right away. Nathan relied greatly on his daughter Addy’s faith. He knew that this would be the best choice not only for him, but for his daughter’s future as well. He wants her to have a good life, and so he held tightly to the teachings of the Book of Mormon, his hope for the future, and the support of the members of the Greeneville Ward.
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After exercising faith unto repentance, Nathan was baptized on May 31, 2025 and confirmed the following Sunday. He said he was so surprised at how happy he felt, he nearly cried. “He had finally been able to do this good thing the right way, as he put it. “I knew I was finally doing the right thing in the right way!”
Going to the temple was another incredible step for Nathan. He felt it was yet another awakening for him, and said it was a beautiful experience. He was so humbled to have been able to enter the House of the Lord. He truly felt that his ancestors were happier now that he knows the truth, and has been “saved for real.”
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Nathan loves his church family in the Greeneville Ward and knows that they are always here for him if he ever needs them. He knows that in the struggles of life, he doesn’t need to fear because his church family and God will always be there for him.
When asked how he felt about the covenant path before him, Nathan simply said, “Rock ‘n Roll”!
Minyue was first introduced to the gospel by a couple of her friends online while she still lived in Singapore. For a the last couple of years she had been reading from the Book of Mormon and praying about the things she was learning.
She eventually came to America and married her husband who was a recent convert himself. Her friends encouraged her to continue to pray and gain her testimony of the gospel. She wanted to know more about the things her husband was experiencing, such as receiving the priesthood and his patriarchal blessing. She said she felt prompted by Heavenly Father that she needed to be baptized.
Over time she understood more and more about Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, and His gospel. For two months she was meeting with the missionaries and coming to church. She knew baptism was something she wanted to do but didn’t yet feel prepared. Something that strengthened her testimony was reading from the Book of Mormon every day.
While she felt nervous to make the commitment to be baptized, she knew this choice would bring eternal blessings, that will last forever. She accepted the invitation to be baptized and was baptized and confirmed on June 28, 2025.
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Minyue is very excited to stay on this path and be able to be sealed to her husband in the temple for eternity. After her baptism, she has felt much happier and more confident. She knows that God cares about us no matter where we come from or what circumstances we’ve experienced. She knows that Heavenly Father knows her, loves her, and has a plan for her.
Sister Critchfield and Sister Bundy were walking into the mission office one day to do some planning. On their way in, they saw an Amazon worker getting back into his Amazon delivery truck after dropping off a package. They invited him to church and he said he was interested! They shared a quick message about how God has a plan for him and how coming to church can help him understand that plan, then let him head out to his next stop of the day. That invitation to church and to grow closer to God was exactly what Sean needed that day.
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Shortly after that first interaction with Sean, the Sisters found out that his Father had passed away just three weeks prior to meeting him that day in the parking lot. Sean was lost, he was mourning, and was seeking peace, direction and purpose again. He was able to find more peace and guidance in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints.
A pivotal moment for Sean was learning how to pray. Once he started praying, he was able to start feeling more of God’s love in his life. Sean’s Father loved church and worship and was baptized prior to passing away. The example of his dad gave Sean a desire to come closer to Christ, and as he learned about the gospel of Jesus Christ he felt connected to his dad once again.
#TKMTenderMercies
The missionaries were able to connect Sean to the YSA congregation here in Knoxville. His very first time coming to church he brought a friend who has attended church with him ever since! Just three weeks after meeting the missionaries, Sean was baptized on July 20, 2025 as a member of the Knoxville YSA Branch.
Sean has been a great example of strength and hope, and is helping others come closer to Jesus Christ as well!
Corbyn was walking on the Chattanooga Bridge where Elder Ulm and Elder Collins stopped her and invited her to church. They passed her information to Sister Bingham and Sister Adams in Hixson. She was taught by these two sisters and later Sister Gabbitas.
Corbyn shared the following about her experience:
“I have always known of God. I was raised with Baptist and Evangelic principles. I was a Christian. But when I got old enough to question my religion, I was pushed out. When I was ostracized because of my questions, it led to a complete lack of faith even though I still thought of Jesus Christ as an active role model in my life.”
“I eventually went out into the world exploring the Abrahamic religions, Eastern religions, philosophy, and spirituality. I found that what was most important in my journey is recognizing the good in what God has done. In my heart, I desired to be closer to him and find peace. Spirituality was the last step in my journey. Spirituality taught me how to be still and practice gratitude. I’m grateful for the path God put me on because without it I wouldn’t have known how to call out to Him with reverence.”
Corbyn speaking at the Chattanooga Stake Conference one month after her baptism.
“Just before joining The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I was at a point in my life where my soul was unhappy. I was reaching my material goals, I had more things than ever before, but I felt lost and empty. I was fortunate enough to meet someone who pushed me to grow closer to God. They encouraged the habit of practicing gratitude. My heart started desiring a life away from sin. I slowly started pulling away from my old habits. During this time, it felt like everything was rapidly changing. I then prayed deeply to God, inviting Him into my life and asking Him to show me the way–to reveal Himself to me. I truly opened my heart not only to find Him, but to also in repenting. I was so sure He would be there for me. I didn’t know when, but I was certain. I sat in silence, taking in the energy of the prayer and acknowledging all that He had done.”
“I didn’t receive an answer until a week later when I met the missionaries on the bridge. I ended up going to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints as soon as I could to find out more information. I learned so much from the sister missionaries. I felt that this was exactly where I needed to be. God also answered a prayer I held very close to my heart, which was to have meaningful fellowship. The beginning of my conversion was difficult because I struggled with giving up old habits, but I was reassured at every step that God forgives, and I don’t need to be perfect. I am loved by the Creator as we all are. I don’t need to feel weighed down by my sins because all sins are measured the same and I can be redeemed through Christ. I am eternally grateful.”
“I was baptized on April 26, 2025. I am so glad I have come to know and be in a place that has the fullness of the gospel. I know that Jesus Christ lives.”
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When Corbyn was baptized, she couldn’t stop crying and was so grateful to have been able to make this covenant with her Savior.
Two days after she was baptized she took work off and went to the Atlanta Temple to do the baptism on behalf of her Mom who had passed away in 2020. Her Mom is the person who first taught her the importance of following Jesus Christ and she described the experience as “the most peaceful relaxing loving, just indescribable feeling.” Corbyn loves helping the missionaries in lessons and attending institute each week. She is SO excited to recieve a calling and continue her journey of conversion.
Barlows in TKM 