The Lord is in the Details
Ft. Worth Area Mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Celebrates President and Sister Chapman’s Legacy of Service.
Sister Kristi Ann and President Jeffery G. Chapman
A crisp white shirt and tie. A modest church dress. A black name tag. A smile and a friendly handshake.
If you’ve ever met a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, then you might be familiar with the unique and lovely way missionaries go about their day, sharing messages of love, hope and teachings about Jesus Christ.
Missionaries serve together in pairs—whether they are young adults or married couples—and are part of a vast network. Young men and women, along with senior aged couples, volunteer to serve 18-24 months and are called to serve in one of the 400 missions around the world. Currently there are 195 missionaries serving in the Ft. Worth area ranging in age from 18 to 75 years old and the Fort Worth mission area covers the geographical area from the Oklahoma/Texas border to Cleburne and from DFW airport to Stephenville.
Leading the Texas Fort Worth Mission are Jeffery G. Chapman and his wife, Kristi Ann Chapman. For the last 3 years, their leadership has been a blessing in the lives of countless missionaries, church members and the community. As they prepare to be released from this calling (mission presidents are asked to serve for 3 consecutive years,) we reflect on their legacy of service and what it means to serve the Lord.
Meet the Chapmans
Missionary work is what first brought President and Sister Chapman together. They met as young missionaries serving in West Virginia and have been married since 1984. They primarily raised their family in Boerne, Texas and Rexburg, Idaho and have 5 children and 3 grandchildren. As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, they’ve devoted their lives to the service of others and have served in various capacities within the church including Bishop (pastor), Sunday School teacher and many various callings with children and teens.
Young Elder Chapman (right) with mission companion, Elder Howard (left.)
Young Sister Faughton (Kristi’s maiden name) with Dainty (full name unknown.)
During their married life, they also lived throughout Utah and in San Antonio, Texas. During their time in San Antonio, President Chapman worked as a teacher with the Church Education System working with the Seminary and Institute programs. They developed a strong love for Texas and it made a big impact on their lives. President Chapman also worked for the Religion Department at BYU-Idaho. It was at the beginning of a fall semester in Rexburg, Idaho that he received a calling to serve in Texas.
The Chapmans on their wedding day, 1984.
Through prayer and revelation from God, mission presidents are selected and called to serve by the First Presidency of the Church. The Chapmans had an introductory meeting with Elder Jeffrey R. Holland and later received a call to serve from President Henry B. Eyring.
“It is amazing, you’re kind of in a fog. You can’t believe this is happening, there’s no preparation for it. You don’t put any papers for it and we didn’t apply for it,” said Sister Chapman. “Somebody mentions your name, and you end up on the list and by the time they talk to you, they have already prayed over your name...It is very humbling.”
The Lord is in the Details
The Chapmans arrived to the Texas Fort Worth Mission in late summer 2019—mere months from the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. They immediately got busy directing the work of individual missionaries across the large mission area that spans from Waco to Denton, Bedford to Weatherford and beyond.
On a day-to-day basis, President and Sister Chapman assume responsibility for each of the missionaries assigned to their area. For example, individual missionaries arrive and depart at approximately six-week intervals, as they begin or conclude their 18-24 month period of service. Each missionary is personally attended to, orientated to the mission environment and then assigned to a companion.
“One of the things [I’ve learned] is how much the Lord is involved with the work. Sister Chapman helps me, and we get help from assistants, but ultimately there are changes and adjustments because I am trying to listen to what the Lord wants, and He moves the missionaries right where they need to be,” said President Chapman.
“At moments you think: ‘How did we know that?’ Well, we didn’t know it. The Lord knew it, and the missionaries end up being where they’re supposed to be.”
The Lord’s Work Never Stops
While balancing various responsibilities as a newly called mission presidency, one of the first projects the Chapmans took on was the adoption of social media in the mission.
“We knew our missionaries were supposed to use social media and that we were supposed to use Facebook, but it wasn’t widely used [for missionary work], and they didn’t know what to do,” said Sister Chapman. “We started to do some training and the missionary department had a little bit of it so we asked: Can we be a pilot? Can we try to do more social media?”
The Chapmans said that once they started having the missionaries use social media, they realized how the Lord was preparing the way for His work to continue during a pandemic and a time of social distancing.
“We never thought our missionaries would use social media to the extent they are using it now, but [during the pandemic] that’s all they could do,” said President Chapman. “To see the Lord’s hand in that made us look back in time when Elder David A. Bednar spoke about sweeping the earth with goodness and the gospel through social media, and we just kept trying to make that happen.”
During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Chapmans describe the unique challenges they encountered as they led the missionary work in the area. They said it was hard on the young missionaries to not go outside on a regular basis. They also had a large departure of missionaries who had to leave their missions and a continual influx of new missionaries feeding into the Fort Worth mission.
“It seemed impossible at first…but at the same time, we kept moving forward and knew that it would all work out,” said President Chapman. “We witnessed the amazing way the Lord works…the missionaries kept coming, so the missionary work never stopped. Even when missionaries were moving around, it actually never even slowed down. We kept receiving more and more missionaries and it was incredible. The Lord’s work never stopped.”
Piloting the Future of Missionary Work
In addition to launching the use of social media in the mission, the Chapmans have embraced another pilot program, the Life Help initiative, which provides free life skills classes for the community.
“Their leadership has been groundbreaking and I believe their acceptance to be part of pilot programs and also the way they used social media during the pandemic will have lasting effects on missionary work for the whole church as well.”
–Janae Baird, wife of President Robert Baird,
First Counselor of the Texas Fort Worth Mission
Christ’s Love in Action
As their time in the mission continued on, the Chapmans continued to move the work of the Lord forward and care for the missionaries, who were often far away from home.
Sister Chapman describes the ways they tried to support the missionaries, especially when they couldn’t meet in person due to social distancing requirements. She said they would message them, use Facetime and schedule a lot of Zoom interviews. The Chapmans also reached out to BYU-Idaho colleagues and friends and scheduled Zoom meetings for every Thursday morning. During one meeting, the prolific author and speaker Mary Ellen Edmunds, was able to teach and provide encouragement. Several stake presidents, including President Growald, of the Hurst Texas Stake, joined the meetings to uplift and support the local missionaries.
“To know President and Sister Chapman is to love them. From the moment I met them, they drew me towards Jesus Christ. I genuinely think that one of their greatest gifts is to radiate and reflect our Savior's countenance. Any moment spent with them is filled with joy and light. They actively live the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and watching their example has helped me grow and develop as a missionary and disciple of Jesus Christ,” said Sister McNaughtan, a Texas Fort Worth Missionary. “Their influence has touched me to the core. I know that God called them to this mission to be effective instruments in his hands; and that is exactly what they have been. Through the sleepless nights, long hours, and various challenges they faced, they joyfully gave their all. I will forever cherish the lessons I learned from President and Sister Chapman.”
As President Chapman reflects on his time of service, he affirms that there are many different ways to serve the Lord and gather the House of Israel. He says that the Lord has a purpose for all young people, especially those that experience fear, emotional or social anxiety. He wants every young man and young woman to know that:
“If you have a desire to serve God, you are called to do the work and there’s a place for you to give and to do his work.”
Sister Locke
“It was such a wonderful experience to serve under the direction of President and Sister Chapman,” said Sister Locke, a Texas Fort Worth Missionary. “They were such amazing mission leaders, always giving us inspiring new ideas to utilize in our areas, and motivation to keep going when things got tough! They always encouraged us to build our testimonies and really dive into the scriptures in order to build our testimonies and be more effective at bringing our brothers and sisters to a greater knowledge of our Savior Jesus Christ.”
A Sweet Farewell
As President and Sister Chapman conclude their mission they have a mix of feelings, especially because they loved their mission and the missionaries. They are excited to see their families and parents and spend time with their friends and family. They also look forward to reconnecting with their ward family in Rexburg, Idaho where President Chapman will return to teach at BYU-Idaho. They look forward to coming back to visit in Texas, especially once the newly-announced Fort Worth Temple is built and dedicated.
Missionary Sister Kilgore (middle) with Sister and President Chapman in front of the Dallas Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
"Serving with President and Sister Chapman has been a privilege. They truly are the most loving and Christlike leaders. They always want what is best for those they are around and interact with. They lead with love, faith, patience, and I desire to do God's will. I have loved being able to learn from President and Sister Chapman. I have grown spiritually, mentally and emotionally as I have heeded to their counsel. I am grateful for the support that they have provided at all times. They are an amazing example of love for the Lord and His work,” said Sister Kilgore, Texas Fort Worth Missionary. “I know that President Chapman was called by God to lead the Texas Fort Worth mission at this time. They have blessed so many and I feel honored to be one of those people they have blessed. The Texas Fort Worth mission is going to miss them dearly but we know they have more lives to bless back home. We love them!"
As the Chapmans prepare to leave the mission, they are excited to welcome Jarom L. John as the new Texas Fort Worth Mission President, along with his wife Jamie Joy John.
“It will just be a wonderful new dynamic, the mission will run, will adjust and grow with the new energy the Johns will bring,” said President Chapman.
While they return to Idaho in July, the lasting impact of their service will be felt by many missionaries for the years to come.
Article by Desiree Cortez of the Euless 1st Ward, edited by Jesica Eastman of the River Trails Ward, and a special thanks to Sister Stewart, full time Office Missionary.
The Chapmans, picture taken during their last month of missionary service in June, 2022.
Photo by Desiree Cortez of the Euless 1st Ward (congregation.)