Flying bullets, car chases and blowing up cars are what Trent Kimball uses as, well, research.Kimball is the president and CEO of Texas Armoring Corp. where he and his workers bullet proof and fortify (think James Bond) all types of vehicles and test the results at their San Antonio shop. His business, his Mormon faith and his family, along with that of his brother-in-law, Jason Forston, will be the focus of "Family Armor," an hour-long show Thursday, Nov. 19, on TLC at 10 p.m. Eastern, 9 p.m. Central after "American Choppers."__IMAGE3__Cameras were around during a family home evening with the Kimballs and Forstons and the families getting ready for church. "Family Armor" previews include shots of the San Antonio Temple, the Kimball family walking up the church and some other scenes at home mixed in with bulletproofing tests, blowing up cars and other work for Texas Armoring Corp."It's been a really interesting and a totally new experience," Forston said about being approached about the show and being filmed. "They came in and filmed a lot about our shop" including when they do some testing of bulletproof glass and some evasive techniques. The production company had been looking for "an edgy, manly, family docuseries for quite some time," according to information from TLC. "When we heard about Trent Kimball's company and the James Bond'esq work he does on passenger vehicles we knew we had a hit." "Family and faith is everything to Trent Kimball so naturally the family's faith plays a large role in this show. While the emphasis is of the show is on the cool cars they manufacture there is a nice balance between work, family and faith and watching how he juggles it all everyday is very entertaining," according to a statement from the production company.__IMAGE1__And everyday life can be a bit hectic between satisfying the needs of international clients (and staying ahead of the bad guys' tricks), raising a family with six children and fulfilling his new calling as the teacher's quorum adviser in the Sonterra Ward in the San Antonio Texas North Stake. Forston is the leader of the 11-year-old Scouts in the Sonterra Ward. It's crazy. They filmed us getting ready for church," Trent Kimball said. Many Mormons are used to the rush to get everyone dressed, out the door and in time for church to start.Kimball's father was in the car armoring business and sold the business while Kimball was serving a mission in the Guatemala Guatemala City South Mission. When he returned, he headed to Utah and earned an associate's degree from what is now Utah Valley University. He met his wife, Courtney in Utah and they moved back to Texas and Trent started armoring cars in 1997.Forston served a mission in Mexico and later graduated from BYU, where he met his wife, Lacy, who is Courtney's sister.__IMAGE2__"Through the years my husband, Trent, has been interviewed and featured on many different television programs so I was very surprised when TLC wanted to meet our family and film in our home," Courtney Kimball wrote in an e-mail. "I think the longest we had done was a 15-minute segment for Discovery Channel," Trent Kimball said of previous times his business has been infront of the cameras. "(This) is a little different and exciting."The pair's six children include Colton, 13, Bailey, 11, Clayton, 7, twins Leah and Lexi who turned 5 last week and 2-year-old Bella. Their 16-year-old niece, Jessica Collins, of Highland, Utah, was staying with them during some of the filming earlier this summer. Crews also filmed the families in September and October. Forston and his wife, Lacy, have one son, Riley, who will be 2 in February."Four of our six children are small and relished in the extra attention and having cameras, boom mic's, and about 20 extra people in our house, but for our two oldest we worry how it may affect their daily life," added Courtney, who serves as a Relief Society teacher. "However, through prayer and many family discussions our reservations as parents were put to ease and we have decided to move forward and enjoy this experience."Trent Kimball said, "It took prayer and thinking through and we went to the temple to make sure. We're not exploiting our children and (the show) isn't anything we need financially. It's a way to share the gospel with others and give insight on who we are."They have seen parts of the show, which has helped quell their concerns.Forston calls his anticipation of the show being "terrified and excited at the same time."You're opening up your home," Forston added. "We've been very concerned and watchful. You want to make sure you're working with the right people and making sure (everything is) portrayed in a good light."Forston hopes, too, that it helps dispel other often-incorrect portrayals of Mormons in television."You have all of this junk on TV that you see about Mormons," Forston said. "(In Family Armor) you see a normal American family. ... We're just normal people. I hope that's the message that everyone gets across."Forston figures guys will like it because of the "amazing vehicles with guns and cars."The whole show is very family-oriented with protecting families. It's a cool correlation that way," Forston said.They are keeping things in perspective. "We are all excited about sharing our family experiences and faith with others in the hopes that it will make a difference in their lives," Courtney said. "So if this succeeds then great, but if we are canceled tomorrow we will have some pretty awesome home videos."
E-mail: rappleye@desnews.com