Tag: missionaries

Tender Mercies in the TKM: Susie

~ barlowsintkm ~ Leave a comment

Susie is originally from Maryland and moved to Cookeville out of the blue on Thursday May 16, 2024. She was leaving a rough situation and was looking for a new start.

On June 11, 2024, Sister Biasi and Sister Hunt got a referral for a woman named Monica who was looking for a church to attend. We called her and taught her about the sacrament and asked if she would come to our church for a chapel tour. When she agreed, we asked Monica if there was anyone else who would like to join for the tour. She started yelling for a girl named Susie.

Susie took the phone and we began teaching her about the sacrament and we ended the phone call with a church tour set up for Saturday with Monica, Susie, and 4 other girls!

On Saturday we showed up for the tour and only Susie ended up coming. As we were giving her the tour, we stopped at the baptismal font. As we opened the doors, we looked over at Susie and she was in tears. She then asked, “What do I have to do to be baptized?” We had an amazing member there who is a recent convert who quickly replied, “Stop swearing and stop smoking!!”  We taught Susie about the Atonement of Jesus Christ and ended the tour by inviting her to be baptized on July 6, 2024.

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We began teaching Susie every other day in preparation for her baptism. We invited many members of our church to join us for those lessons, and they were a huge part in helping Susie prepare and overcome many challenges that would have held her back from being baptized. With their support and the help and strength from Jesus Christ and His Atonement, Susie was able to overcome all of her challenges.

As she started moving closer and closer to her date you could see this light growing brighter and brighter in Susie. She told us multiple times that for the first time in her life, she didn’t feel like she was going in circles any more. She felt a sense of purpose and was finally moving forward.

On July 27, 2024 Susie was baptized and on July 28th she was confirmed a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Susie is now working to go to the temple. She is looking forward to doing the work for Her grandma and sister.

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Susie has since shared many experiences with us that led up to her meeting us. One of those was she was told by a friend that Utah would mean alot to her in the next month. Two weeks later she met two girls from Utah ready to help her receive Jesus Christ’s gospel. We know she was being prepared for a while and was finally in a place where she was able to do all she could to grow closer to Jesus Christ.

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Susie is already such a GOLD STAR of a member. She has such sweet testimony of the gospel. We are so grateful for Susie and her example to us. As Susie would say, “The best is yet to come!” And we can’t wait!

#TKMTenderMercies

Tender Mercies in the TKM: Bobby

~ barlowsintkm ~ Leave a comment

Bobby was found when the missionaries we’re making phone calls on a park bench and he stopped by to use the restroom. He wasn’t planning on being there that day but the missionaries invited him to church and he said “YES!”

His best friend of 28 years and then fiancé hopped out of the car and it turns out she was a long-lost member from South Carolina who wanted to come back to church. She had just recently pointed the church building out to Bobby and said she wanted to go, but was really nervous. Bobby kept saying, “Wow, God knew I needed to come to this park tonight, and you guys just called after me, He is amazing!” 

In our first lesson with Bobby, we taught the restoration and Jodi shared her testimony and insights too. As we shared Joseph Smith’s First Vision experience, Bobby immediately responded saying “I know that is true!” He was so aware of the spirit testifying of the truth of our message.

The missionaries recognized his tremendous faith and desire to follow in Christ’s footsteps and invited Bobby to be baptized right on the spot, and he happily accepted! He began reading the Book of Mormon every day and attending church every week. Mike n’ Ikes became his new best friend to help overcome an addiction he had, and he likes to joke that their trash can is only full of empty Mike n’ Ike boxes.

The branch and missionaries planned Bobby and Jodi’s wedding just 3 weeks out so that he wouldn’t have to wait any longer to be baptized. Their wedding was beautiful and they already look forward to the day they can be sealed.

Sister Holladay, Sister Gabbitas, Jodi, and Bobby at their wedding.

Bobby never missed a lesson and was so excited when he understood what a covenant was. He loves to say “ahh that special promise!” And the day he was baptized he remarked that he finally got to make his special promise. Jodi’s Aunt and Uncle drove down from Kentucky to be able to attend and baptize Bobby, and the love and support from everyone in the branch was wonderful. He was baptized on June 23, 2024.

Bobby loves sharing his love for Jesus Christ with everyone around him, in every possible way. He is so excited to continue to learn and grow and says “Don’t forget enduring to the end!”

#TKMTenderMercies