How the irreverent 'The Book of Mormon' led to one Nashville man's conversion

• Tyler Todd started researching Mormonism after watching clips of the musical online.
• Todd was baptized on Sept. 17.
• The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has about 25,000 members in the region.
• About 170 missionaries are working in Middle Tennessee, Kentucky and Illinois.

Tyler Todd wasn't looking for a new church when he clicked on a friend's Facebook post and watched a performance of "Hello," the opening number of the irreverent but critically acclaimed "The Book of Mormon" musical. 

The 23-year-old Nashville-area native sought out the rest of the often hysterical and profane production about two mismatched missionaries sent to Uganda to convert residents to the Mormon faith. From the creators of "South Park," the Tony-award winning musical returns to Nashville on Tuesday for a six-day run at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center.

"I just thought it was really funny and obviously I knew it was kind of making fun of the religion," Todd said. "I was like, 'Well, I've heard their side of things, I want to hear what people who actually believe think about it."

That moment almost a year ago marked the beginning of Todd's exploration of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and ultimately led to his conversion to the faith. He was baptized Sept. 17 and feelings of complete joy and happiness washed over him.

But the irony of it all isn't lost on Todd.

"Whenever I tell people that, that's really what sparked that interest, they're always like, 'But that's weird.' They don't view it as something that's a great thing like I do," Todd said. "I think it's hilarious and it's a great production and if it brought me to the church then obviously it can't be too bad."

Todd, who grew up as a nondenominational Christian, isn't the first person to encounter the play, explore the religion and eventually convert. In years past, missionaries used the musical's stop in many U.S. cities, including Nashville, as proselytizing opportunities, handing out copies of the actual "Book of Mormon" outside theaters and talking to audience members.

Missionaries helped Todd make the jump from the musical to Mormonism. After a handful of months doing his own research, he found himself on the national church's website Mormon.org chatting with missionaries. They eventually connected him with two more serving in Middle Tennessee.

"I was kind of hesitant at first, but I was kind of like yeah why not? I mean it won't hurt to check," Todd said. "I started meeting with them and they answered all my questions and invited me to read the "Book of Mormon" and pray about whether or not I thought if it was true."

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The two missionaries, who urged Todd to find his own testimony, are not working alone. They are among the 170 young Latter-day Saint men and women proselytizing and serving congregations and communities in Middle Tennessee, parts of Kentucky and a bit of Illinois for 18 months to two years, said Jared Stone, president of the Tennessee Nashville Mission, a voluntary position that oversees the church's mission work in the region.

"When Jesus Christ was on the Earth one the very last charges to his disciples was to go ye and tell all the world, teaching repentance and baptizing. That's the charge to the missionaries as well. It's not a requirement in the sense that if you don't do it you're somehow kicked out of the church anything," Stone said. "It's voluntary for the young men and the young women to serve missions, but many of them choose to avail themselves of that opportunity."

For almost two years, Elder Cameron McDonald, 22, of South Africa, has served as a missionary in Middle Tennessee. It's helped him learn more about Jesus and other religions as he's talked to many Bible Belt residents about both.

"I didn't know what to expect, and I love the South, especially the Nashville area, and how so many people have faith in Jesus Christ, a strong faith in Jesus Christ and they want to follow him," McDonald said.

Elder Ty Hinds, 20, of Kaysville, Utah, currently is serving with McDonald. The pair perform community service, visit and teach members and talk with those who are investigating the faith. The pair consider their proselytizating a success if they share a thoughtful exchange about Jesus. But they've helped people join the church. Hinds recalled the story of a woman he met in Columbia, Tenn.

"She ended up when we met her, she came to church randomly one day and she was just like, 'Yeah, I want to see what you guys are about,'" Hinds said. "She was baptized about four weeks later and it was just amazing to see someone who was searching for happiness in their life and just searching for something better because she had been going through some hard times. And, just seeing her rely upon Jesus Christ was amazing."

Todd's belief in the faith took some time to materialize, but he felt a constant yearning to learn more. He reached out to Stone for guidance on what that realization might look and feel like. When it finally came to him after several months of introspection and reading he knew it to be true.

"He gave me some really good advice, that the answer that God gives you isn't like a 'Yes!' in your head. It's not always like an audible answer or a sure sign type of thing. But it's just a reassuring, peaceful, overwhelming just feeling that it is true," Todd said. "It's really hard to explain what that feels like, but it was just overwhelming peace and calmness and just reassurance to the truthfulness of it."

Reach Holly Meyer at 615-259-8241 and on Twitter @HollyAMeyer. 

5 misconceptions about Mormonism

Ammon Smartt, the volunteer public affairs director for the Tennessee Nashville Coordinating Council, explains five misconceptions about his faith:

1. We believe that through the atonement of Jesus Christ all mankind may be saved. Some think that we are not Christian, but we revere the New Testament as scripture and believe in the life and mission of Jesus Christ detailed therein.

2. We believe the Book of Mormon is another testament of Jesus Christ. It complements the Bible and is evidence that there is continuing revelation from God today.   

3. We believe that we are saved by the grace of Jesus Christ, after all we can do. Our own efforts to obey God’s commandments will be insufficient because no one is perfect.

4. We believe in marriage between one man and one woman. We do not practice polygamy.       

5. We believe in the same organization that existed in the church established in the Bible, including apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, evangelists, etc. We believe in living prophets who are also known in scripture as special witnesses of Christ. We do not pray to Joseph Smith or any other man. We only worship God. 

By the numbers
Middle Tennessee and parts of Southern Kentucky and small portion of Illinois are served by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ Tennessee Nashville Coordinating Council.
Members: About 25,000
Stakes, an administrative unit made up of congregations: 7
Congregations: About 70
Baptisms: 200 children of record, 350 converts in the past 12 months
Missionaries: 129 members from the region are serving across the globe

Who is a missionary?
Under the Tennessee Nashville Mission, young men and women are serving as missionaries in Middle Tennessee, and parts of Kentucky and Illinois.
Missionaries: About 170
Gender: 1/3 women, 2/3 men.
Ages: 18 to 25
Language: About 30 assigned to learn Spanish

Source: Ammon Smartt and Jared Stone, of the Tennessee Nashville Coordinating Council and the Tennessee Nashville Mission