Week 8

     Holy cow!  This week was amazing!
Tuesday we didn't really do a lot, but I memorized like 30 new words, so I was really proud of myself.  Also, we got to usher all the missionaries in the devotional and everyone was shocked at our name tags, it was awesome.

     Wednesday we had a lesson with our really stubborn depressed investigator, and we had prepared so much for this lesson.  We went in and used our God-given power to the fullest extent.  We knew he needed the gospel and we intended to give it to him.  We shared our testimonies and talked about what his family believes, then Elder Hinds testified again, then I shared Mosiah 27:28 with him, which is the initial conversion of Alma, and he was silent for a bit then looked up and said "Elders, you're right.  I need to change, I need God."  Elder Hinds and I were practically in tears at this point, then we asked him to pray for us and he said yes, and I lost it during his prayer.  He was so sincere and heartfelt about what he wanted God to hear, it was amazing.  He committed to do everything he needs to for baptism, and even is trying to stop smoking now. 
I know that lesson we shared didn't come from us, it was sent from God to bring Om Thawn back to him.  I'm only an instrument in the hands of the Lord! 

     I'll talk about the rest of the week later, I have to get my Laundry!  I'll be back on at 4 to send a couple more stories!  Lots of Love, the Church is true!!!  If you are receiving this I personally invite you to learn about this gospel, it WILL change your life for the better!!!

Elder Cameron Tolman


Alright, Thursday.  Really not a lot happened, we didn't have a lesson so we just memorized like 30 more words that day.  But we got back to the residence, and some Mandarin Elders that are musically inclined thought that it would be fun to get all their Elders together in the hall and have a concert with this one Elder that brought his ukulele.  In case you don't know, all of that is against missionary standard, not a single thing the were doing was in accordance with what they should be doing as missionaries that night.  Our room was a little shocked at how disobedient so many of Gods servants were being.   I went to get our zone leaders, and came back up, and there were even more missionaries in the hall!  I didn't know what to think, we were just in our room waiting for quiet time to start, and when it came they kept going!  That kind of made me mad, the quiet time is supposed to be a time that you give to God to learn how you can improve as a missionary, and they totally threw it out!  I went out in the hall at that point and got their attention, which is normally something I wouldn't do, there were more missionaries in this one hall than there were on our whole floor, but for whatever reason I told them that they needed to stop, and that if they weren't going to respect their own time then to at least respect everyone else's.  Of course someone retaliated and tried to get mad at me, then Elder Hinds yelled out "Hey, just listen, we can all recite our purpose together if you want!"  No one said anything after that, and after 6weeks, there hasn't been music in our residence for 4 days!
     The thing about this though, is that in one moment, God gave me courage to do something that I am not regularly capable of, and I was able to make a change in the spirit we are able to feel in our residence by speaking up.  It might not sound like a lot, but it was a big moment for me.
     Friday was regular, no lesson and a lot of studying!  Saturday we had a lot of fun with our teachers.  It was all language related so it won't make sense to anyone.  Just know that we have really spiritually prepared teachers that are really good at their jobs.
     Sunday we had our regular meetings, and I got to give an impromptu lesson for priesthood because no one prepared one and I'm in charge since I'm District Leader. Ha Ha!  It was really fun!  We talked about obedience!
     One other thing that happened this week was that a kid in the Thai district right next door to us started choking and it was really scary cause one Elder started running around yelling that he needed CPR, so everyone thought he was having a heart attack!  The Elder was fine, but it was just really fun.  Have a good week!!!  And you only have another week to grace yourself with the opportunity to send me a Dear Elder, it's a great experience to be able to have!  (That's my way of saying I'm desperate to get mail because I don't get any)

Niyiay Leeng, I get mail.  But  I really want to hear from y'all

Elder Cameron Tolman

Week 7 Pictures

I finally got a picture with Elder Ravsten!

 We found a secret tunnel at service!

This is what we did with our beds this week!

Week 7

This last week flew by, definitely the fastest week so far!  Just to settle the questions, I am definitely still in the MTC, but only for 16 more days!!!  We get our travel plans sometime this week, I'm super pumped for it!

So, our new investigator Om Thawn, we love him!  He's the most negative, sad, angry person in the MTC.   I would argue that his attitude is literally the worst.  BUT, we have him reading the scriptures now, which honestly is farther than we thought we would get.  We get him to pray with us and stuff, it's awesome!  I realized something in our lesson today though!  Real Neat, listen close. . .

So when I'm just speaking my language through the day, I can hardly remember anything and speaking is really hard, but when we get into lessons, I can tell stories about my life and teach all the lessons we have and can say the things I'm prompted to say.  I never have a problem speaking in our lessons, it's incredible.  I do know more gospel terms than I do everyday terms, but outside of lessons, I can't even say the stuff I said in the lessons, because I don't remember any of it!  I love teaching, it's my favorite part of every day!  We had a really good devotional yesterday about working to be worthy of the spirit, and I totally believe that I am doing what it takes to be worthy of the companionship of the Holy Ghost.  The church is true, miracles are happening everyday by the power of God!!!

We're all super nervous for this week, it's basically preparation week for when we leave, and we start to teach over skype tomorrow.  I can't wait!  We have a really good lesson on hope that we're going to teach!  I am loving the language, even if it is hard to speak through the day!  It will get easier with time!  I can't wait til I can speak Khmae for everyone!  Ha ha, it's fantastic!  I also emailed with the missionary I'm replacing in San Francisco for a few minutes this week, I guess one of my teachers is friends with him!!

I love all of you and can feel the love I receive through prayers and as I teach the gospel.  I know this church is true, and I will defend that to the end!  Christ is our Savior, and we are saved through Him!!  I love you all!!!

Elder Tolman             3 Nephi 19: 20-21

Week 6 pictures

Elder Sargent and Elder Guinn, our now ex-zone leaders!

Elder hark got these really neat invincible bubbles, and they just float until they pop

here's elder walker doing what is literally a cambodian cat call

elder hinds new favorite place to eat breakfast

This is a district of mandarin elders that we really really like, they leave a week from today!

More Mandarins

heres after the saran wrap and silly string

Week 6

Hello all! 

I hope the last week challenged you in wonderful ways and made you think about your purpose for doing things, mine sure did!! Last Tuesday there was a really good devotional about goals, and I felt pretty proud about myself because I was already fully aware of the process and value of goals, but I was definitely re-energized to work a little harder than I was! Wednesday we got to go and host new missionaries! It was awesome, I hosted a ton of Elders going to Russia and Argentina. 

We had lessons those two days also. Well like everyday. But we were really struggling with one of our investigators, Ming Chantaa, because we had taught almost literally everything there is to know about Jesus Christ, and she still didn't understand. We prayed about it and talked with one of our teachers and our next step is to teach her more about the action that is required in order to acquire faith. We're still going strong learning all this cambodian stuff, thank goodness. We were starting to hit a plateau, but we got out of it. 

Thursday, we just had class and what not. We taught our last lesson to Puu Thuu on thursday, because we got "transferred" and got a new Investigator instead. We haven't taught him yet, but he's supposed to be really difficult, so Elder Hinds and I are excited. On thursday, we also got bored of our room again and took apart our bunkbeds. We left them the next day for the cleaning guys, and they loved it, they gave us the highest rating we could get for room check (not that we don't always) and said it looks good. We have more plans for our furniture in our room, it'll be great. Friday was basically exactly the same as thursday, Lokruu mickelson gave a really good lesson that day. Well he does everyday, but nothing else happened friday. Saturday we had TRC, and we only got to teach one lesson again, but it went super well, so we think Our teacher only gives us one because everyone needs the time more than we do. Just Kidding, it's random every time. We just kept learning that day, it was good. That night though, we were inspired by our service job to try to saran wrap someone, naturally I volunteered, and then I ran around the residence while Elder Hinds sprayed me with silly string. Sunday was a nice break from Language, we just studied and I went to a Branch meeting before sacrament. In sacrament though, we found out Brother Waggaman from the branch presidency was getting released, and then the Cantonese and Thai districts did their departure musical number, and it was really sad. We miss them a lot already, they've been gone for literally like 8 hours, so it's gonna be rough getting used to them not being here. 

That night, there was a very special devotional. The Nashville Tribute band did the Devotional. It was actually a concert, but they called it a devotional, it was awesome, we sang a bunch of southern gospel rock songs, and the spirit was so strong in all the other ones, It was probably the most spiritual devotional We've had while I've been here. It was especially special because it will never happen again they said. We went back to our residence and said our last goodbyes to our Cantonese and Thai friends, now they're off to spread the work of the lord!! 

I love being a missionary, but it's dang hard work. I'm grateful for all the support I get from all of you! You lift me up everyday, thank you!! I'll be back on at 3:40ish tonight! 

Chumriapliah!!

Elder Cameron Tolman

Week 5 Pictures

We're 1/2 way through the M.T.C.!!! 

I found the package of mustaches I brought from home!

this is some of the jello they gave us yesterday. It was totally frozen.

 We were bored with our room so we re-arranged the beds!

I said goodbye to Elder Tennant and Hello to Elder Hall at the same time! 

I also said goodbye to elder jo today, I almost cried it was so sad

Week 5

Helloooo! 

I've officially reached my halfway point in the MTC!!! One month from today I'll be preaching the gospel to the people of San Fran!! 

This week was the best one yet!! It started out with me and Elder Hinds going to the doctors office, and I ended up leaving there with permission to walk over to the BYU pharmacy and to make a call home for medical reasons!!! I called my dad the next day, I was so excited! The guy at the front desk didn't tell me how long I had, so we got to talk for like 20 minutes or something, it was awesome!! That night was the worldwide MTC broadcast, and I got to sing with the choir!! Apparently Maclain and Colten both saw me on the screen haha!! It was so awesome, President Nelson was right in front of me!! The spirit was so strong! He talked a lot about the purpose we have in spreading the gospel relative to like. Everything. It was such a good talk, I'll send my notes tonight! 

The next day, we got to walk like a block down the street, which really doesn't sound like much, but after being in the same four buildings for the last month, it was incredible. We got to see kids on bikes and we met this girl at the pharmacy that just got her call to the Paraguay, Acunscion (not idea how to spell that honestly) mission! We met up with a bunch of people that got to the MTC at dinner that night too, Including Elder MATT HALL!!! I was so pumped to see him!! I also found out that Elder Braden Roy is in the MTC! I had no idea haha! Thursday was pretty normal, except that it was raining all day, which was nice, because I finally got to wear my favorite sweater! Every other day is too hot haha.. Friday, we had our first District language fast, which if you don't know, is where we only speak our mission language for 24 hours. It was awesome, I know a lot more Khmae than I though I did!! We also had three lessons one after the other. It was really stressful, but they all went pretty well, except that we got cut short, but it was fine! We also had a lesson with Lokruu Oleson (lokruu means teacher) and he almost cried like four times. He cries alot, but it was still an awesome lesson on how to teach. Elder Hinds and I have reached the point where we can go into lessons without any translation materials and be able to deliver a message in Khmae, It's probably the proudest I've ever been of myself haha! That night when we got back to our rooms, we decided our room was getting really boring, so naturally we moved the beds into the middle of the room and rearranged a little bit. It was great! The elders next to us said we are their inspiration, we were pretty proud. Saturday, we had TRC. we Taught Lokruu Mickelson because one of the volunteers didn't show up, and another lady from Cambodia who served in washington. Both of the lessons were probably the best that we've taught, we were so excited! Right after that, we had a lesson with one of our favorite investigators, Look puu thuu. We were teaching about eternal families, and he straight up interrupted us in the middle of our lesson and said he knew what we were teaching was true, and that he needed to be baptized!! Me and Elder Hinds just stopped and looked at each other in shock, It was indescribable how perfectly everything had worked out to put us in that exact spot. We talked with him the rest of the time about how God wants his family to be together, and he commited to baptism and to go to church and read the Scriptures, it was perfect!! Sunday was good too, we just had our usual meetings and temple walk, and then I found all the fake mustaches I brought and we took pictures, It was probably the best day so far.

Like always, I'll be back on at 3:40ish! I hope everyone is doing well, I am so grateful for the love I receive here and for the Gospel of Jesus Christ!! There is nothing in the world that can change your life like the gospel!!!!

With Love, 

Elder Cameron Tolman 

Week 4 Pictures

 Elder Hinds and I with our Branch Pres, President Penrod!! Elder Beckstead from the other cambodian district managed to slip in too haha!

 Elder Belnap and Elder Jo when we were all out on our temple walk!

 I was gifted some stickers by the wonderful Abs chapman and a box of cracker jacks!

 then we have all our districts elders!

 This is The real Eugene Jo and The real Elder Hinds

Here's Our whole district minus one sister

Week 4

Wow!! The last week was so great!!! There was a devotional last tuesday that I got to sing in, then the very next day Eugene Jo arrived at the MTC!! I was so excited to see him!! His companion is from Thailand, how exciting! We taught a couple lessons this week, and all of them went pretty good! We tried to commit one of our investigators to baptism, but he didn't want to set a date. But he said he did want to be baptized, so we're working on that! Everything is going pretty well, everyone is still getting along, and I've gotten to know the sisters better, we sometimes all need to focus a little more, but we're working on it! 

        There's a couple pretty exciting things happening this week too! The tuesday devotional this week is being broadcast worldwide to all the MTC's!! we aren't sure exactly what for, but theres definitely going to be a general authority speaking!! And we're going to be in the choir!! I can't wait!! I also was reunited with Tyson Belnap this week, It was fantastic! I can't believe how much better my Cambodian has gotten just in the last week! My companion and I can teach our whole lessons only looking at our notebooks for one or two words! We don't even need to take our translation books in!! The gift of tongues is real! We talk alot at night about a bunch of cool doctrinal stuff too, just like church history stories and stuff about temples!! I love everything here!! Even the food when it doesn't make me sick!! One more thing that happened was I got called as a district leader! I get to get the mail now and set a good example! Woo!! 

           I'll be back on at 3:45 today! And I also found out that I'm not supposed to send out letters during the week... so I'm sorry if I haven't written back! If I have time before bed I can, but that doesn't happen too often... I'll do my best though!! The church is true and the work is moving forward!!!

With love, 

Elder Cameron Tolman                     Mosiah 23:10-11