Week 51 Pictures

 

Decorating for the Party

 

Here's the Mini-Tongans. 

Elder Toli on the left, Elder Toavau on the right.

 

We went to a Cathedral Downtown today, it was pretty sweet!

 Picture of the outside

It doesn't look as cool in the picture, but this building is super cool.

 Walking around the lake

Week 51

Virtual Reality, Tongans and 2 hours of email

This week was awesome as well. Every week we have is awesome. Pretty huge blessing. 

So Monday we went tracting, no luck, but then we went and taught the neighbors the first lesson, they liked it. woo woo.

Tuesday we had nothing to do, so we tracted a lot, and taught Pream and Ming savorn.

Wednesday was good, we got to teach Saroeuth, and we went to a house in El Sobrante that had an old cambodian monk there, he was nice, but didn't want to learn about Christ. We made visits to some people we felt like we needed to visit. They were home, but they didn't want to listen to us, Sad.

Thursday we had zone conference. It was pretty good, President Frandsen gave a talk on building character, and that our zone has some of the toughest areas but that we are doing our part to contribute to the mission goal, it was awesome and made me want to work harder to be striving not only to be doing missionary work but to be becoming like Jesus Christ. That night we went to Eat dinner with the aps in their new area, and it was unbelievable. It was in the richest part of Oakland way up in the hills, and I have never seen anything like it. I forgot my other sd card, long story, so I wont send pictures this week but next week for sure! The guy we saw is the guy who made farmville, like the facebook game, and star wars the force unleashed. He was so cool, he showed us his virtual reality headset he uses for his new projects, it's called oculus or something, but it was literally the coolest little gadget I've ever seen in my life, I definitely recommend it. 

Friday we got Mini-Missionaries!! We went to the ISC for our opening meeting, and there were Tongans everywhere. There were enormous. It was so fun. We got two Mini-tongans named Siena Toli and Popi Tuavao, They came ready to work hard and it was awesome. We started with weekly planning, and they fell asleep haha, then we went to teach Jonathan after dinner! 

Saturday was fun. we did studies like normal, then for lunch, we went and got pizza, and they paid for it, but changed the order to four pizzas, so we each ate an entire little ceasars pizza, I ate three pieces and they were already finished. It was incredible. Then we did correlation, then helped set up for a party for the branch, then went to Teach ming savorn. We were going to talk about Priesthood, but instead we talked about temples, it was super cool, the spirit was strong, and she had put up a picture of the temple in here house, it was so cool. Then when we left, the branch presidency asked me to give a talk in sacrament on temples!! After that we went to the VC and watched Joseph Smith: Prophet of the restoration with Pream and the mini-Tongans, it was super cool. then we went to the Cambodian party for a little bit and met a few people,, then left to go visit a less active lady in the Oakland 9th ward, she was super nice, and she said she hadn't met the new bishop, so we are going to send Bishop King over to her house! Bishop King is the man.

Sunday was cool. Had the usual meetings and what not. I went to a different class to help Poamrong translate, because he wants to start practicing more to learn to speak cambodian better. It was pretty gratifying realizing I am capable of helping someone learn how to translate haha. Grandma Hang afterwards came up to me and said "I really don't like listening to people translate, not even my kids, but I like when you translate, It sounds pretty." I almost cried haha, I haven't heard from members if I speak well or not my whole mission, so it's good to know I can manage to at least get the gospel across well haha! I also gave a talk on temples that sunday, and afterwards, ming Savorn said that she really liked it and felt like God would bless her family If she went there, like I was saying. I almost cried again haha! That night after everything was finished we went to the closing fireside for the mini missionaries, and it was sad, we miss them, they were awesome young men, I really hope they keep up with what they learned the last three days!! Their families were so grateful too, it was awesome. Lots of hugs from huge tongan people, it was fun haha! then before we left to go teach, Elder Toli's mom stopped us and asked if we needed anything, that she was going to get our groceries for us tomorrow, and Elder Ey said "yes, I need Toilet paper", and it was so funny, holy cow. 

Anyway, I know the church is true. I love the Savior. I love the Temple. I love everything about this church, and I know that because I asked God in faith if it is true. He told me it is. Say your prayers and read your scriptures and go to church, and everything will come together. Lots of love to everyone who is helping me out in this crazy city.

Love,

Elder Tolman

P.S.- we only have two hours of email now, so sorry if I sometimes don't respond or leave in the middle of a conversation

Week 50 pictures

No pictures yet. . . .

Week 50

Still Speaking Cambodian!

Ya this week was pretty sweet. New focus for the area. Miracles. Cool area. All the goods to be found in missionary work.

Monday- Everything fell through, which wasn't a problem. We got to talk to Yan Try, he was really excited to invite us in to watch the warriors game. We sat on either side of the tv and talked to him, cause he wouldn't turn it off. Phoeuns kids were there too, that was super cool, I haven't seen them in months! 

Tuesday- We had a super cool District Meeting. President Fradsen had us do a training on How to begin teaching, and I realized how far I've come since I started my mission at teaching. Elder Hinds and I first made leaps and bounds in the MTC, then it kept going with Elder Hibbert, and now Elder Ey and I are in the fastlane teaching, doin' work every chance we get, all because Heavenly Father came through (of course) and fulfilled promises. Neat. After we went to eat with the zone leaders, cause Elder Schaeffer was getting ET'd because of a disease he has that makes his skin burn when he's in the sun, and it's really hot in the creek. Sad. Anyways, we went to chick fil a, because the only chick fil a in the mission is in Walnut Creek, and there was a family that had just barely moved there from Texas, and they were like "ELDERS!!! What mission is this?? Where are you serving?? Are you getting dinner here?? Do you want to eat with us???" it was so funny. The Dad, his name is Brother Knight, was wearing a snowbird shirt, and his daughter and wife wear wearing byu stuff, and Elder Schaeffer was just like "well heck, we got us a group a Mormons goin to git some chicken!" really loud, and it was just a hilarious hour of dinner. Then we went to Preams house, Pream is doing good.

Wednesday- we taught Saroeuth and it was really good. We decided that if we teach less active members we are just going to read with them. It was really good. I know I said that already, but I mean it. After that we just went and tracted and met a wagon load of Mexicans. 

Thursday- not a whole lot. We had service with the Oakland zl's, and then went home to eat, then we went to go try to talk to people, no one was down to listen to the missionaries that night I guess.

Friday- we had weekly planning and talked about a whole ton of things we had learned from less actives about why they don't come to church, and we made the decision that we are not going to teach any more Cambodians until we have first done some kind of service for them, save it be we are prompted to go and just teach of course. We want to change the non-member Cambodians idea of missionaries, and nothing shows people you love them like serving them! After all that we went to teach Jonathan! 

Saturday- we ate with the Olsons, then went to Cambodian class and correlation, super good. After that, we went and tracted some more, then that night went to say goodbye to Preams wife and daughter, cause they are going to Cambodia for a month.

Sunday- it was a good fathers day. In Priesthood Brother weaver gave the lesson, and I love brother weaver so that made me happy. Then I gave the priesthood lesson on the Lords covenant people, and three Non-members walked in with Jonathan, so the pressure was on to keep it simple. It ended up being like, the best sunday school lesson I've ever taught, which by no means is my fault, because honestly I forgot I was teaching til that morning. Church is true.
Then was sacrament, and a return missionary from Cambodian came, his name is Andrew Ying, and he translated in sacrament so that was a nice break. after that we had a party.

Week 49 Pictures

 I baptized Pream and Jonathan baptized Ming Savorn

my new Water Bottle #Hydrolife

lit my hand on fire.

#lightthetown was happening for the warriors, so we lit some chopsticks on fire with our stove to participate.

Correlation. Poamrong was in the bathroom.

tasty Cambodian foods

we went to the temple with Preams family

Week 49

Baptisms. Two of 'em.

Alrighty, so this week was awesome.

Monday We got to go teach Om Dii, and it turns out he may have been baptized in San Jose, so we will see what comes of it ha ha. After that we taught Ming Savorn (found out how to spell her name)

Tuesday we had our huge district meeting with President. It was super cool, I learned more in that meeting than any other one about the purpose of missionary work and the Book of Mormon. We were all super blessed for our preparation. After we went and taught/ate with Sokhom Plek and then went to teach Pream with Sean.

Wednesday we had a pretty lame day, really not much happened. We found a Cambodian Doughnut shop in Berkeley, and they were super nice and super excited that we could speak Cambodian.

Thursday was boring, we met with Sammy though! that was fun! We also went to Melissa's graduation party at Preams house, so we could talk to his wife and stuff, and to say congrats to Melissa I guess.

Friday was lots of planning, Lots of old Cambodian men, and Jonathan.

 

Saturday for the most part was baptismal prep. We had a "meeting" we got called to walnut creek for, then we had to go to Teach pream, so we didn't end up doing a whole lot.

Sunday was cool as can be. We had the usual Sunday meetings, then both Pream and Ming Savorn got baptized and it was awesome. Then we found three new investigators that night, one in the Oakland ninth and two in the Cambodian branch! it was awesome.

Lots of blessings, the work is coming along. Prayers are being answered, hearts and lives are changing, and I'm lucky to be around to be a part of it. The church is true.

 

Love, Elder Tolman

Week 48 Pictures

Party at the Hollingsworths

 

Week 48

Good Week.  Miracles.  Cool

 

So this week was super cool. 

Monday- Lots of dinner. we were fed three times. That was our day. Hang family twice, Then Jonathan and Chantha. super cool.

 

Tuesday- District meeting. There are two new missionaries in our district, Elder Schaefer who's a new zl, and Sister Beckwith, who I flew out with from the MTC. Neato. After that we taught Ming Savonn, who is on track to get baptized next week, then Pream, who also is on track to get baptized next week!

 

Wednesday- All day is a blur except our lesson with a less active, Bonath. He said he will go to the visitors center with us, which made me super happy, cause I have been trying to get him to go the temple grounds for something for literally all of the 9 months I've been here.

 

Thursday- Doctors appointments and insane traffic and a lesson with Ming Savonn again.

 

Friday- Weekly planning and Om Dii, we found out he isn't a member so he is going to get baptized in a month.

 

Saturday- Cambodian class. Correlation. The works. We found where Samey went, we also found all her less active family members! Woo! They still don't want to go to church, but we know where they live now, so that's a big step. It was super cool how we found her house, cause we totally had been there before, and we were talking to her trying to guess where she lived and I started to describe that building and she was like "Oh wait that is where I live, how did you do that?" It was super funny, so we went over that day and taught her and told her she needed to repent and come to church. She said she knows haha..

 

Sunday- Literally one of the most frustrating days of my mission, but then Bunthai got up and bore his testimony in sacrament meeting, and against all odds, it was awesome. Then we went to Concord to plan a sick training me and Elder Forsythe are giving for a combined district meeting. We found out President Frandsen is coming to it, so the pressure is on. We got invited to a family home evening there too, it was fun.

Overall, This week I learned a lot about the purpose of a missionary. Literally the only thing that Heavenly Father wants me to do is represent the Savior and invite others to exercise faith unto repentance, make covenants through baptism so he can bless them with the gift of the holy ghost, and teach them how to endure to the end. Now going about doing that takes many forms, and that is the super fun part of being a missionary. Blessings. I love everything I get to be a part of in the cambodian branch. It is really funny to be speaking english and then accidently start speaking Cambodian, I crack up every time. Well thats all. I don't have anything else. Love y'all.

love,

Elder Tolman