In May 1892, 29-year-old Robert Young had just buried his wife three months earlier in the frozen earth of Bear Lake, Idaho when he received a letter from President Wilford Woodruff calling him to serve as a missionary in the Southern States Mission. Robert joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints two years earlier and he was now a single parent caring for his newborn son. Yet, he was asked to serve in a mission that was well known for "anti-Mormon" mobs, even the murder of three missionaries. Robert gathered his faith to pick up a pen and wrote the following response to the prophet: "Dear brother, I received your letter on the 5th, asking my feelings in regard to take a mission to the Southern States. I will say that I will do the best I can and I will be ready at that date, Aug[ust] 24th, and respond to the call." This event put into motion the beginning of the Restoration in Blount County, Tennessee. On August 30, 1892, Elder Young arrived by train in Maryville and wrote in his journal that night, "I was so tired, I thought I could not stand it." He began making friends in the county and sharing the gospel to all who could hear. Nonetheless, it would be over a year before he would begin baptizing the first converts. Opposition to the Church in Maryville was strong, especially in the local newspapers. This opposition led Elder Young to publish an article in the Maryville Times in which he shared his testimony of Jesus Christ, the prophet Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon. Following his article, he received a new companion named William Ricks. Elder Ricks is the brother of Thomas Ricks who founded Ricks College, now known as BYU Idaho. Elder Ricks was also the neighbor of Martin Harris, one of the Three Witnesses and the man who financed the first publication of the Book of Mormon. Martin testified that the Book of Mormon has been "translated by the gift and power of God, for his voice hath declared it unto us." The Three Witnesses further testified, "We declare with words of soberness, that an angel of God came down from heaven, and he brought and laid before our eyes, that we beheld and saw the plates, and the engravings theron; and we know that it is by the grace of God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, that we beheld and bear record that these things are true." This is the testimony that Elder Young and Elder Ricks brought to Blount County, Tennessee. It was now 1830 in 1893-Blount County. On November 30, 1893, five converts walked to Abrams Creek with Elder Young and Elder Ricks and entered the waters of baptism. Two of the first baptized would enter the temple in Salt Lake City in 1909, JC and Sarah Garland. They would assist in establishing the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for decades in Blount County, becoming "dear friends" with even a future member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles who would later confirm their youngest son a member of the Church. This apostle is Elder Charles Callis who first served as president of the Southern States Mission and worked closely with JC Garland in assisting with the work for many years in Blount County. As the Restoration continued in Blount County, mission calls were sent to young men in Utah, Idaho and Arizona. These young men would continue to respond to the prophet with the words of Nephi, "I will go and do" (1 Nephi 3:7). This book contains the stories of the first 100 members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the missionaries who baptized or confirmed them in Blount County, Tennessee. They were identified in baptismal records and missionary journals, which are included in this book. Recently identified photos of these missionaries serving in East Tennessee are also included.