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.

#TKMTenderMercies

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!

#TKMTenderMercies

The missionaries who taught Rose: Elder Kaumavae, Elder Greenhalgh, Elder Porter, Sister Rabinovitch, Sister Harris, Sister Lund, Sister Fisher,  Sister Fee, Sister Fear, Sister Dever, Sister Brown, Sister Avei, Sister Bundy, Sister Ericksen, Sister Hansen, and Sister ‘Iongi. 

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:

1. Creating powerful invitations through promised blessings.
2. Uniting with members and using the Member Checklist.
3. Creating written sacrament plans for friends.

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In addition to the workshops, during last transfer our missionaries memorized The Living Christ, so our SMS team helped us film a new Living Christ Video that we will look forward to sharing with everyone at Easter.

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

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Chattanooga – Cleveland – Dalton Zones

#WhatsUpInTKM

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 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.

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.

I made my choice. 

Much love, Russ 

#TKMTenderMercies

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!

#TKMTenderMercies

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.

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.

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.

#TKMTenderMercies