Church Leaders Strengthen Ties with Senator Blackburn and Others in Tennessee

U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn, of Tennessee, and Nashville community leaders met with three General Officers of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on November 3, 2023.

Senator Blackburn discussed religious liberty and the importance of strengthening and preserving the family with Relief Society General President Camille N. Johnson, Sister Tracy Y. Browning of the Primary General Presidency and Sister Andrea Muñoz Spannaus of the Young Women General Presidency.

“I was honored to welcome women leaders from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to Tennessee — Relief Society President Camille Johnson and her team — to receive an update on their impactful work,” said Senator Blackburn, the first female elected to the U.S. Senate for Tennessee. “Their efforts are strengthening families across the globe and helping to make certain that women and children reach their full potential. Their initiative to lower the infant mortality rate in Tennessee is the perfect example of this. I look forward to following their work as they expand this program across the state.”

Downloadable B-roll

The day also included a roundtable discussion of women interfaith leaders representing various denominations from the Christian, Jewish and Muslim faiths. Among them was former deputy mayor of Nashville, Rev. Brenda Haywood. Rev. Haywood is founder and CEO of Haywood Hope Foundation, a nonprofit that empowers youth through awareness, education, mentorship and community resources.

“We need to surround our youth with the love of Christ,” Rev. Haywood said. “Those hungry will embrace their divine purpose by experiencing a divine fulfillment.”

Sister Browning said children in Nashville “have an abundance of the light of Christ and the Holy Ghost within them, and they share truths that they know with great power, faith and simplicity that remind us that disciples of Jesus Christ are not just adults, but also our beloved children.”

Addressing the need to care for those in the community, Sabina Mohyuddin of the American Muslim Advisory Council said, “In Islam, we look at our children as ‘Amanah’, meaning they are a trust from God we will be questioned about. It’s not just our own children, but our community children.”

The interfaith meeting was an opportunity to discuss needs and foster new relationships. Bishop Minnie Mitchell from African Methodist Episcopal Church, who had never met a Latter-day Saint before the meeting, said the in-person opportunity was a revelation.

“What we are doing today is very important,” Bishop Mitchell said. “I’m so glad to meet leaders from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I’m looking forward to having a part with you and knowing what you are doing and these great things you are all doing.”

Download Photo

President Johnson expressed the importance of working together.

“If all of us bring and share our best ‘something’ to the community table — whether it is food distribution or teaching English or providing refugee services — we effectively address the needs of the community in a collaborative way and accomplish more and faster than if we try to chip away at these challenges on our own,” President Johnson said.

OneGenAway and Thistle Farms were among the nonprofits that participated in the meetings. Thistle Farms offers a free, two-year residential program that provides housing, healing and employment for women survivors of trafficking, prostitution and addiction. Dorris Walker-Taylor, a 2012 graduate of the program and a senior ambassador for Thistle Farms, said, “Every time I look in the mirror, I’m looking at a miracle.” She also spoke of the sisterhood at Thistle Farms. “I made a covenant with God that I am never going to use drugs again,” she said. “I’ve got so many sisters because at Thistle Farms we call each other sisters for life.”

Chris Whitney with OneGenAway, a nonprofit food ministry serving over 3 million meals annually to those in need throughout middle Tennessee, Northern Alabama, the Florida panhandle and disaster relief locations, said, “It was a privilege to be with the sisters from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to discuss food insecurities and how we can better meet the needs of our friends fighting hunger and sharing ideas on how to better serve our neighbor through food.”

Download Photo

Sister Spannaus met later with local youth JustServe leaders from five local high schools. She expressed her love of service.

“I love the fact that every time we help others or serve, something is transformed inside of us,” Sister Spannaus said. “Something is changing in our hearts or minds, and I love that we can become a better person just by serving.”

On the afternoon of November 4, Sister Spannaus served alongside youth from JustServe clubs at Angel Heart Farm, an equine therapy farm for children with cancer.

Download Photo

The General Officers finished their visit to Nashville on Sunday, November 5, with training and meetings for the general membership of the Church.