Free resources about the Tennessee Knoxville Mission:
- Mission address and phone number
- Mission map
- Video interviews with returned missionaries
- Missionary blogs
- Facebook groups
- LDS Mission t-shirts and gifts
- List of past mission presidents
- Cultural articles written by returned missionaries
- Survey with RMs
*Other Mission Pages: Tennessee Nashville Mission.
Tennessee Knoxville Mission Address
Here’s a recent address for the Knoxville Mission. We try to keep this information up to date, but it’s a good idea to check the address with several sources, including your mission packet or the mission office.
Tennessee Knoxville Mission
11320 Station West Drive Suite 101
Farragut, TN 37934
Phone Number: 1-865-671-3466
Mission President: President David J. Pickett
Tennessee Knoxville Mission Map
Here’s a link to the mission map for the Knoxville Mission (LDS). To access the official LDS.org map for the Knoxville Mission:
Videos with Knoxville RMs
Here are in-depth YouTube video interviews with returned missionaries from the Knoxville Mission. We interview hundreds of returned missionaries each year, so check back regularly to see new RM interviews.
Videos about Tennessee
Here are LDS-friendly educational videos about Tennessee. We scoured YouTube to find the best quality videos about Tennessee, that are free from inappropriate music, immodesty and profanity.
Tennessee Knoxville Missionary Blogs
Here’s a list of LDS missionary blogs for the Knoxville Mission. This list includes the missionary’s name, URL and when their blog was updated.
Tennessee Knoxville Mission Groups
Here are Knoxville Mission Groups- for LDS missionary moms, returned missionaries, mission presidents and other alumni of the Knoxville Mission.
- Tennessee Knoxville Mission Facebook Group (292 members)
- Knoxville 1993-96 President Richard K. Sager Group (95 members)
- Knoxville Mission Moms and Friends (LDS) Group (21 members)
- Tennessee Knoxville Mission! <3 Facebook Group (9 members)
Tennessee Knoxville Mission T-Shirts
Here are T-shirts for the Tennessee Knoxville Mission!
Shirt designs include Knoxville Mission logo/emblem shirts and Called to Serve shirts. The shirts make great gifts for pre-missionaries, returned missionaries and missionaries currently serving. LDS Mission shirts come in all sizes: Small, Medium, Large, Extra Large, up to 4XL. The mission designs are printed on white shirts and are shipped to you.
*Simply click on a shirt design to view the details and submit an order. The designs on mission t-shirts may also be printed on other LDS mission gifts, including: Knoxville missionary aprons, Christmas stockings, ties, pillow cases, teddy bears and Christmas ornaments.
*Click here to browse Knoxville Mission gifts
Tennessee Knoxville Mission Presidents
Here’s a list of current and past Mission Presidents of the Knoxville Mission.
- 2017-2020, David J. Pickett
- 2014-2017, Steven Paul Griffin
- 2011-2014, Richard A. Irion
- 2008-2011, James E. Griffin
- 2005-2008, Ronald S. Godfrey
- 2002-2005, Wayne B. Hilbig
- 1999-2002, Hyrum E. Smith III
- 1996-1999, Randy J. Benson
- 1993-1996, Richard K. Sager
Tennessee LDS Statistics (2015)
- Church Membership: 49,277
- Missions: 2
- Temples: 2
- Congregations: 105
- Family History Centers: 30
Helpful Articles about Tennessee
Tennessee Knoxville Missionary Survey
Here are survey responses from Knoxville RMs, to give you a snapshot into what it’s like to live in the mission.
*Click here to take a survey to help pre-missionaries going to your mission.
When did you serve?
- 2015-2016 (Mandee)
- 2014-2016 (Tyler)
- 2014-2015 (Rachel)
- 2013-2015 (Jordan)
- 2013-2015 (Brooke)
- December 2010-May 2012 (Heather)
- 2006-2008 (Andrew)
- 1996-1998 (Michelle)
- 2014-2016 (Jared)
Which areas did you serve in?
- Whitley City, KY, Harrison Bay East, Watauga East, Crossville. (Mandee)
- Linden, TN. (Tyler)
- Dalton, GA; Oak Ridge, TN; Johnson City, TN; Murphy, NC; and Knoxville, TN TO. (Rachel)
- Knoxville. Morristown. Murphy. Ft. O. Kingsport. Bristol (Jordan)
- Brevard NC, Johnson City TN, Rogersville TN, Knoxville TN. (Brooke)
- Sevierville, Watauga (Johnson City area), Rockwood, Knoxville, Chatsworth, GA. (Heather)
- Knoxville, Chattanooga, Greenville. (Andrew)
- Karns, Greeneville, Fort Oglethorpe, Clinton and Rogersville. (Michelle)
- Morristown, Tennessee. Fountain City, Tennessee. Chattanooga, Tennessee. Maryville, Tennessee. Marion, Virginia. Brevard, North Carolina. (Jared)
What were some favorite foods?
- Hands down the barbecued pulled pork sandwiches with coleslaw. Doesn’t get much better than REAL Southern cooking! (Mandee)
- Deep fried food. (Tyler)
- Authentic Mexican. But really – anything the members fed you was AMAZING!!! (Rachel)
- Fried green tomatoes, Hush hubbies, Buffalo. (Jordan)
- Biscuits and gravy, Pulled pork, Southern style mac n cheese. (Brooke)
- Fried chicken, shrimp and grits, anything fried. (Heather)
- Fried okra, krystal burger. (Andrew)
- Beans and corn bread. Chocolate cake and peaches. Biscuits and Gravy. Fried Okra and Catfish. (Michelle)
- Corn Bread, Barbecue, Biscuits and Gravy, Chicken and Dumplins, Venison, Potatoes. (Jared)
What was a funny experience?
- Met a lot of people that will talk your ear off for hours! There is a lot of people that are true country out there, we met people that were hard to understand. (Mandee)
- I got hardcore prank called by the Elders… #gullible. (Rachel)
- We went into an appointment and it was raining and when we came out the car was stuck in the mud so the family we were teaching helped us get it out. (Jordan)
- Our next door neighbor came up to us one day and asked if we baptized people in our church. We said yes, and he was like “Cool! Can I be baptized into your church in two weeks?” What?! NO one does that! So, we told him that he could, but that we had to teach him some things so he could understand why first. He agreed, and he and his mom were both baptized. (Brooke)
- My companion and I were contacting a less active, we set up an appointment and we went to what we thought was her house. The lady let us in and talked to us for almost an hour and then we got back to our apartment and got a call from the less active wondering if we were okay…we totally went to the wrong house. (Heather)
- I saw a fellow missionary get electrocuted in front of me. (Andrew)
- Tripped and fell while tracting, was able to turn and land on my back, while keeping my dress down and preventing it from going over my head. 😜 Modesty. (Michelle)
- There was this older lady we would visit. It was summer time, so we would sit on her front porch and keep her company when we had some free time. She was super nice and would always get us juice, obviously in a Mason jar. The thing about this nice though was that it always has little things floating in it. Nothing extremely concerning, it looked like it may have been pollen or something like that. We didn’t want to make her feel bad for giving us juice with floaties, so we would just drink around the floaties and we’d examine our glasses when she wasn’t looking to be sure not to drink the floaties. One day I was examining a little too closely and I didn’t notice that she’d turned to look at me. She took my cup from me asking, “Now what are you looking at? Oh goodness, there’s floaties in here! Why didn’t you tell me?! Give me yours and I’ll get you both new drinks.” She took both of our drinks and we were relived that she would now know to make sure we didn’t have floaties. We got our drinks and just as I went to drink I saw that there were still floaties! She never knew it though. (Jared)
What was a crazy experience?
- Depending on where you go depends on how dangerous it is. I never really served in a dangerous area, but it was sketchy. We were knocking doors in a trailer park and when the man answered he full on yelled at us to go away. (Mandee)
- I will be honest… I talked with some super high people who had different priorities in mind…. (Rachel)
- We knocked on a door and a man came out and was in his underwear and had a black eye and scars everywhere. Not a safe place. (Jordan)
- One night, we were teaching our investigator, who was male and lived alone, outside of his house because we couldn’t go in without another woman there. Well, he built a fire so we could see each other while we talked, but he was drunk and lit the trees above us on fire. The whole yard was going to catch fire, so we had to get out, but I was stuck to the log I was sitting on. He had tipped over some wood glue earlier that day and forgot to clean it up. So, I took off my skirt (it’s a good thing I wore basketball shorts underneath!) to get away from the burning trees. (Brooke)
- I was in 2 tornadoes. (Heather)
- Riding a bike during a severe lightning storm. (Andrew)
- While teaching a part member family, a tornado hit Sneedville and actually went over the house of the family we were teaching. (Michelle)
- One day while biking, we were passed by an ambulance. It was kind of usual for the area, so we didn’t think much of it. About a minute later, a car flew past us coming from the direction the ambulance was headed. The car was probably going over 90 mph and just missed us since there was no bike lane and not much of a shoulder. Not far behind him were 4 police cars trying to keep up with him. Then 4 more police. Then several from another direction. And they kept coming. I think the entire police force of the city passed by us from one direction or another. We just finished biking home after that. We never found out what happened. (Jared)
What was a spiritual experience?
- You never know who you are meant to be there for. One of the biggest reasons I went on a mission was to make a difference. I was on exchanges with another sister in a different area. I was placed by God specifically for this person at that exact moment. I got to share my talent to help her overcome some trials she was going through. That’s when I felt I had made the biggest difference, because I knew it helped her. (Mandee)
- Where do I begin?? I had some amazing lessons, my studies were enlightening and anything with President Griffin changed my life – no exaggeration. (Rachel)
- In a teaching moment, the investigator felt the Spirit and asked what the feeling was and that he was burning up. (Jordan)
- We got a referral for a woman who had requested a Book of Mormon, but we could not contact her, no matter how many times we tried, so we decided to give it one last chance. Well, she was home and asked us to come back the next day to teach her about the book. We came back the next day and she had been waiting for us all day, just in case we came earlier. She said she couldn’t miss us again. I said the opening prayer to begin the lesson, and she was already in tears by the time I finished. We taught the restoration and she kept saying over and over, “this is what I’ve been searching for. I’ve been waiting for this my whole life.” She was baptized a couple weeks later. (Brooke)
- Anytime I saw the hand of the Lord in someone’s life. (Heather)
- When Lynn Beamer from the Greeneville Branch finally chose to be baptized. He has passed away since then. (Michelle)
- There was a man who I taught on my mission who was a preacher. His knowledge of the Bible was incredible and the first few visits we had with him, he got caught up in explaining something from the Bible and we were learning a lot from him. It was always challenging though to talk about the truth we had to offer him. I wanted badly to share something with him that would stick with him and cause him to consider our beliefs. During one visit I had a prompting of a specific chapter of the Book of Mormon to ask him to read. So I gave him some background to the chapter and told him how it related to him and asked him to read. He didn’t remember the chapter, but he genuinely wanted to do what I’d asked him to do so he started at the beginning and read faithfully for the rest of my time in the area. (Jared)
What are some interesting facts about the Knoxville Mission?
- People are insanely obsessed with Tennessee football and football in general. They all drink LOTS of soda, soda is more than likely ALWAYS a lot cheaper than water is. Everyone during the summer all sits out on the porch towards the evening just to chat with neighbors/family. (Mandee)
- I believe it is the 2nd most rural mission in the US. It is very diverse – every area is SOOOO different. It covers five different states. (Rachel)
- There were 2 different President Griffins. The mission went from 216 missionaries to 160. (Jordan)
- The KKK is still very present. Everyone is treated like family. They speak weird English. You have potatoes with every meal. (Brooke)
- My mission covers the great Smokey Mountains and Dollywood! Also an area in my mission is known for hanging an elephant. The elephant killed its trainer and so the people hung it. (Heather)
- Everyone goes to a church. There are a lot of friendly people. (Andrew)
- President Randy J. Benson was good friends with my grandfather. Sisters rode bicycles more than the Elders. Peyton Manning was still at UT, then drafted to the NFL. President and Sister Hinkley spoke to the missionaries. Chattanooga Stake Center Building was sold due to high crime. (Michelle)
- It is in one of the few areas where you’ll find true southern culture, which you’ll come to love. The area is Appalachian, which is pronounced with a hard ch. That’s very important. College football is a big deal. Chattanooga was one of my areas and it was recently runner up as the number 1 outdoor city in America. (Jared)
What was the weather like?
- Hot and humid and unbearablly humid during the summer until October or November. And very cold in the winter, it chills you to the bone if you aren’t used the humidity. (Mandee)
- The humidity didn’t bother me that much – it has the four seasons though. (Rachel)
- They say it never snows but it does! And it rains side ways! And when it does rain it’s small showers or heavy, hurting rain. (Jordan)
- Hot and humid, or cold and humid. There is no in between. (Brooke)
- Hot humid and the rainstorms are crazy….tidal waves. (Heather)
- Hot and humid. (Andrew)
- Down in Georgia the heat was dreadful and the bugs were huge. All four seasons in East Tennessee. (Michelle)
- Most of the winter isn’t very cold, but it does get cold. The spring and fall are very nice aside from allergies. And the summer is mostly hot and humid. (Jared)
Any things you really like about the area/people?
- Almost everyone I met was so kind and genuine. Almost everyone loves to talk about Jesus Christ and what he means to them. (Mandee)
- I liked the Southern hospitality. (Tyler)
- Southern hospitality is real! It is a different culture, but you still work in an environment/situation where you learn skills that are applicable towards being home. (Rachel)
- They were very kind and true. And they feed really well. (Jordan)
- Everyone loved you once they met you because we wear Christ’s name over our heart. You could even walk down the street and meet someone new, and chances are, they loved Jesus. (Brooke)
- Southern hospitality is a real thing! People are so nice…even if they aren’t interested in what you have to say. (Heather)
- Everyone seemed to have a basic belief in Christ. (Andrew)
- They are good people that share their love for Christ. They do anything for you and did. (Michelle)
- The people love God, whether they belong to the church or not. It’s common for nonmembers to approach missionaries and tell them how they love the work you do and to keep it up. These people usually aren’t interested in being taught though. Southern hospitality is a real thing. People are happy to give you a glass of water while you’re going about and when you have dinner with someone, they’ll often say “If you leave hungry it’s your own fault.” That’s their way of asking you to eat as much as you can and it is a huge compliment to them for you to eat a lot of their food. (Jared)
Any packing/clothing advice?
- Don’t hoard things! If you don’t need it, send it home. (Mandee)
- Don’t bring hangers. Rain boots and a rain coat saved my life. Cardigans are the best – so are sweater tights. (Rachel)
- Space bags are needed. If going to an iPad mission you don’t need books. (Jordan)
- Pack light clothes that breathe for the summer and make sure you wear layers in the winter. (Brooke)
- Light clothes…you don’t really want a lot of layers because it is hot in the summer but during the winter it gets a little cold. (Heather)
- Mesh garments for the spring and summer. Bring a NOAA weather radio with battery back up. (Andrew)
- Cotton! Clothing that breathes and good shoes. (Michelle)
- Bring clothes that you can stay cool in, you’ll be in the heat a lot. It would also be a good idea to get your clothes a little loose fitting because you’ll likely gain weight. (Jared)
What blessings did you receive from serving a mission?
- I have grown up SO much since serving a mission. My love for other people in general has increased so much. My understanding of the gospel and its importance has increased much as well. I think the biggest blessing was that I learned who I am, and faith in knowing God does have a plan specifically for me. (Mandee)
- It set me on the path I needed to be on for the rest of my life. It also helped me see what kind of missionary I want to marry. One of the greatest blessings is the deeper relationship I have with my Savior and Father in Heaven. That’s just to name a few. (Rachel)
- Learning to live with others. Being humble. Gaining lots of knowledge. Speaking with confidence. (Jordan)
- I learned that we all love Christ in different ways, but He loves us all the same. I learned that working hard helps you serve better. (Brooke)
- The biggest one is that I gained my testimony of the church. (Heather)
- My friend served in the same mission that I did; two years after I left. He ended up teaching and baptizing many people whom I first taught. (Michelle)
- My younger sister decided to serve a mission. (Jared)
What are some skills you gained?
- Definitely knowing how to talk to people without being awkward about it, and being able to be myself around strangers and people I may not know very well. And learning to accept trials as they come, and love whatever circumstance I’m in. (Mandee)
- People skills! I also learned how to communicate better. I learned how to work with the ward council and how to have effective studies. (Rachel)
- Study skills. Communication skills. (Jordan)
- I now can walk up to people and start a conversation. I also now see people as someone God knows, rather than just someone who needs to know God better. (Brooke)
- I can talk to pretty much anyone now about anything and I’m not scared to talk to people. (Heather)
- I learned how to be open with people and how to articulate things. (Andrew)
- People skills. Compassion. Cooking. Singing. Adaptability. (Michelle)
- I gained communication skills and confidence in myself and my beliefs. (Jared)
What do you wish you knew/did at the beginning of your mission?
- I wish I would’ve known just how hard it would be on you mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually. Be prepared to live 24/7 outside of your comfort zone. (Mandee)
- How to plan effectively! Watch the district and copy them. (Rachel)
- It is not for everybody and it’s very hard. You need to be out for the right reasons. (Jordan)
- I wish I knew the “why” of the Gospel. Preach My Gospel teaches it very simply, I just never took much time to notice and I wish I had. (Brooke)
- I wish I had known that all my hard work may have paid off in the end. (Andrew)
- Trials happen to everyone, even obedient missionaries. (Michelle)
- I wish I’d realized that my mission wasn’t going to be only a 2 year commitment. It was the beginning of a lifetime commitment. (Jared)
Any advice/testimony for pre-missionaries going to Knoxville?
- Just keep going, never give up. And make the decision NOW to be exactly obedient and dedicate yourself to the service of your fellow man and the Savior. (Mandee)
- This mission is where you need to be! Don’t doubt it. The Lord needs you there because the work is accelerating quickly. Remember to have faith in Him in all you do. trust Him because he has your best interest in mind and the best interest of those around you. As you do those things it will be natural to want to be obedient. (Rachel)
- Do it for yourself. Love the Lord and do the very best you can. (Jordan)
- Start being a missionary RIGHT NOW and share the Gospel with everyone around you. Don’t wait until you get to the mission field. Also, be YOURSELF. God called YOU, not a robot. If you’re not having fun, you’re doing it wrong. (Brooke)
- Get ready for the best and hardest time of your life. Enjoy it and make the best of it because it goes by so fast. (Heather)
- Don’t be afraid to let an investigator go but don’t rush someone to baptism either just because you want the number. Remember to let the investigator prove that they are really willing to take upon them the name of Christ. Don’t baptize after just 2 weeks. Also remember that just because you have not heard it before about the Church does not mean that it’s not true; have an open mind. (Andrew)
- Love everyone. Be kind. Sister missionaries need to set an example too. Don’t be cocky. (Michelle)
- Study your Bible, but don’t ever Bible bash. Whether you win or lose a Bible bash, you lose because it doesn’t bring souls unto Christ. Figure out your own beliefs for yourself and know why you believe what you believe. And study done church history, particularly about polygamy and the reasons for it at the time. If someone has heard of the church, that’s likely what they’ve heard and you need to be able to answer their questions about it if you want them to actually consider anything else you say about the church. (Jared)
What was a funny language mistake?
- I mixed up pecado (sin) for pescado (fish). (Rachel)
- Jeet yet? (Michelle)
- In the south, many things they’ll say mean something else. I’ll just say, when you do something dumb and someone says ‘Bless your heart.’ They’ll usually mean ‘Wow, you’re dumb.’ (Jared)